Romans 6:11-12
11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires.
So you must be wondering by now why do we sin? Why do we struggle with it everyday and trying not to sin at the same time? You have to realize that we've been freed from the power of sin. It's not in charge of us. However, we're not free from the "want" to sin. Even though we know sin leads to death. Even though we know it's so wrong. Even though we know that Jesus died for that reason. We still want it because we like how some sin feels.
It's time to do something with our evil tendencies. The want to sin is the want for something evil, even the "littlest" of sins that don't seem to be much of anything. You're free, so don't feel obligated to be a volunteer sinner. Don't let sin be stronger than you because it's not!
I heard on the radio today something along the lines of this: "With God in your life, Satan is toothless. He is a monster that is trying to bite you. If you ask God to remind you that you never have to give in to temptation, then it won't be much of a bite."
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
A Bandit is on the Loose!
John 10:10
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
Notice there's a distinct difference between a thief's purpose and God's purpose: they are opposites. The thief in this case is Satan. He tries to draw us in so that he can devastate us with some sort of harsh pleasure (including anger, gossip, etc.) Once we give in, our craving for those wicked pleasures increase. Pretty soon we come back for second and third helpings and then we're stuck in it. Satan has come to steal, kill, and destroy our testimony.
Let's be extremely vigilant and be able to distinguish the signs of the devil and know when to say "no." We must aim high for God and walk on the righteous path every single day.
"When you're between any sort of devil and the deep blue sea, the deep blue sea
sometimes looks very inviting." ~Terence Rattigan
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
Notice there's a distinct difference between a thief's purpose and God's purpose: they are opposites. The thief in this case is Satan. He tries to draw us in so that he can devastate us with some sort of harsh pleasure (including anger, gossip, etc.) Once we give in, our craving for those wicked pleasures increase. Pretty soon we come back for second and third helpings and then we're stuck in it. Satan has come to steal, kill, and destroy our testimony.
Let's be extremely vigilant and be able to distinguish the signs of the devil and know when to say "no." We must aim high for God and walk on the righteous path every single day.
"When you're between any sort of devil and the deep blue sea, the deep blue sea
sometimes looks very inviting." ~Terence Rattigan
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Sin Separates Us from God.
Genesis 3:1-6
1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
This passage is probably the most commonly heard when it comes to discussing sin. God made it easy for Adam and Eve...run around, eat all you need to, just don't eat from this one tree. It started out wonderful living with God, but the moment sin occurred, fear followed.
Nobody forced them to disobey God. They did it on their own. Yeah, the serpent (Satan) enticed them to do it, but in the end the choice was theirs.
We're being so tough on Adam and Eve though. Sin separates us from God and we do it everyday. There's a huge difference between living as God wants and living the sinful way. There are consequences of sin (Adam and Eve's sin eventually led to death). While it's impossible not to sin, let's just remember that living God's way would make things much better.
“Sin is sweet in the beginning, but bitter in the end.” ~The Talmud
1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
This passage is probably the most commonly heard when it comes to discussing sin. God made it easy for Adam and Eve...run around, eat all you need to, just don't eat from this one tree. It started out wonderful living with God, but the moment sin occurred, fear followed.
Nobody forced them to disobey God. They did it on their own. Yeah, the serpent (Satan) enticed them to do it, but in the end the choice was theirs.
We're being so tough on Adam and Eve though. Sin separates us from God and we do it everyday. There's a huge difference between living as God wants and living the sinful way. There are consequences of sin (Adam and Eve's sin eventually led to death). While it's impossible not to sin, let's just remember that living God's way would make things much better.
“Sin is sweet in the beginning, but bitter in the end.” ~The Talmud
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
As Far As the East is from the West.
Psalm 103:8-12
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
Have you heard the song by Casting Crowns entitled "East to West"? It's a great song on the #1 spot for nineteen consecutive weeks on the Hot Christian Songs chart. I'm pretty sure part of this song may have originated from this bible verse.
It's so wonderful that God has such vast forgiveness for our sins that I thought I'd talk more about forgiveness today. In fact the east and west will never meet as long as you talk about forgiveness.
Every time God forgives us, he's done with it. He doesn't punish us because of our sins. He sends it far away where it can never be found It's time to move on and not focus on the past as God has wiped YOUR slate clean. Go ahead and praise him!
“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” ~Paul Boese
The words to the chorus of "East to West" are below followed by a video of the song from you tube.
Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west
'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other
Over the next three days we will be talking about sin - how it tempts us and what we can do.
Thursday: Sin Separates Us from God.
Friday: A Bandit is on the Loose!
Saturday: Volunteer Sinner.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
Have you heard the song by Casting Crowns entitled "East to West"? It's a great song on the #1 spot for nineteen consecutive weeks on the Hot Christian Songs chart. I'm pretty sure part of this song may have originated from this bible verse.
It's so wonderful that God has such vast forgiveness for our sins that I thought I'd talk more about forgiveness today. In fact the east and west will never meet as long as you talk about forgiveness.
Every time God forgives us, he's done with it. He doesn't punish us because of our sins. He sends it far away where it can never be found It's time to move on and not focus on the past as God has wiped YOUR slate clean. Go ahead and praise him!
“Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” ~Paul Boese
The words to the chorus of "East to West" are below followed by a video of the song from you tube.
Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west
'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
'cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other
Over the next three days we will be talking about sin - how it tempts us and what we can do.
Thursday: Sin Separates Us from God.
Friday: A Bandit is on the Loose!
Saturday: Volunteer Sinner.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
God Forgives Our Sins.
Nehemiah 9:16-18
16 “But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands. 17 They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, 18 even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies.
When was the last time you did something dumb? It may have been just yesterday... don't be ashamed. Maybe you told a secret or a lie. It's all dumb stuff that we know we shouldn't do but we do it anyway.
As we know, bad actions lead to consequences. We've been talking about compassion, love, and forgiveness over the past few days and I just hope you are granted with those when you run into trouble.
The people of Israel in today's verses are asking God for forgiveness and not to look at what was done. Sure enough God did forgive them.
There's nothing that we do that will cause God to turn his backs on us. It just requires us to ask for forgiveness and to realize that it will do no good if we're just going to turn around and make the same mistake again.
“There are many persons who look on Sunday as a sponge to wipe out the sins of the week.” ~Henry Ward Beecher
16 “But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands. 17 They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, 18 even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies.
When was the last time you did something dumb? It may have been just yesterday... don't be ashamed. Maybe you told a secret or a lie. It's all dumb stuff that we know we shouldn't do but we do it anyway.
As we know, bad actions lead to consequences. We've been talking about compassion, love, and forgiveness over the past few days and I just hope you are granted with those when you run into trouble.
The people of Israel in today's verses are asking God for forgiveness and not to look at what was done. Sure enough God did forgive them.
There's nothing that we do that will cause God to turn his backs on us. It just requires us to ask for forgiveness and to realize that it will do no good if we're just going to turn around and make the same mistake again.
“There are many persons who look on Sunday as a sponge to wipe out the sins of the week.” ~Henry Ward Beecher
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Mathematics of Forgiveness.
Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
Grab a piece of paper and make 77 columns. Then on each row jot down everyone's name you know. Carry that list everywhere you go and every time you have to forgive somebody mark it down. Once you make a mark 77 times, you can completely remove them from your life. You can hold a grudge and completely ignore them forever.
I don't know about you, but I'm thinking that's a silly thing to do. It's ridiculous! Jesus is trying to make that clear too. The fact that Jesus' disciple Peter tried to reduce forgiveness to a mathematical formula is absurd. Let's think of how many times God forgives us...many more than 77 times. God's forgiveness is so great that that it defies all mathematics!
If we're a constant violator and we have been graced by God's forgiveness, how is it right to hold forgiveness back from others?
Think of instances where you may be holding a grudge against others and where you may have found it hard to forgive someone when they have done the same thing over and over. Keep in mind that God will give you the strength to eliminate that grudge. Pray about it.
“In the face of unjust criticism we can become bitter or better; upset or understanding; hostile or humble; furious or forgiving.” ~William Arthur Ward
21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
Grab a piece of paper and make 77 columns. Then on each row jot down everyone's name you know. Carry that list everywhere you go and every time you have to forgive somebody mark it down. Once you make a mark 77 times, you can completely remove them from your life. You can hold a grudge and completely ignore them forever.
I don't know about you, but I'm thinking that's a silly thing to do. It's ridiculous! Jesus is trying to make that clear too. The fact that Jesus' disciple Peter tried to reduce forgiveness to a mathematical formula is absurd. Let's think of how many times God forgives us...many more than 77 times. God's forgiveness is so great that that it defies all mathematics!
If we're a constant violator and we have been graced by God's forgiveness, how is it right to hold forgiveness back from others?
Think of instances where you may be holding a grudge against others and where you may have found it hard to forgive someone when they have done the same thing over and over. Keep in mind that God will give you the strength to eliminate that grudge. Pray about it.
“In the face of unjust criticism we can become bitter or better; upset or understanding; hostile or humble; furious or forgiving.” ~William Arthur Ward
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Warm, Fuzzy Feeling.
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Lots of things come to mind when I think of kindness. An encouraging note from a friend or my mom's warm chocolate chip cookies from the oven. Whatever comes to your mind when you think of kindness, it tends to give you a warm feeling inside doesn't it? Well, that's what kindness does. Whether you realize it or not, when you are kind, people get to experience God's nature.
God provides us with many opportunities where we can show the fruit of the spirit in our lives. We can create peace at home with out families. We can be kind to our friends. We can even show love to our neighbors. With the Holy Spirit guiding us, the possibilities are INFINITE.
Let's work on kindness today and demonstrate the fruits of the spirit.
"A kind word is like a Spring day." ~Russian Proverb
"It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." ~Author Unknown
I've decided as of now that I won't be posting a devotion on Sundays.
On Monday I'll start a series all about sin. The first post of the series will be about forgiving others. Then for two days after that, I'll talk about God's promise to forgive our sins.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Lots of things come to mind when I think of kindness. An encouraging note from a friend or my mom's warm chocolate chip cookies from the oven. Whatever comes to your mind when you think of kindness, it tends to give you a warm feeling inside doesn't it? Well, that's what kindness does. Whether you realize it or not, when you are kind, people get to experience God's nature.
God provides us with many opportunities where we can show the fruit of the spirit in our lives. We can create peace at home with out families. We can be kind to our friends. We can even show love to our neighbors. With the Holy Spirit guiding us, the possibilities are INFINITE.
Let's work on kindness today and demonstrate the fruits of the spirit.
"A kind word is like a Spring day." ~Russian Proverb
"It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." ~Author Unknown
I've decided as of now that I won't be posting a devotion on Sundays.
On Monday I'll start a series all about sin. The first post of the series will be about forgiving others. Then for two days after that, I'll talk about God's promise to forgive our sins.
Friday, August 22, 2008
All the Good Stuff Like Compassion and Love.
Colossians 3:12-14
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love...These are all positive characteristics. If you love, everything else follows and is wrapped up in that love. Love holds the others in place. God wants us to try to our best to show loving kindness and have a compassionate heart. You never know how far such a tender attitude may go. It can just bless people beyond imagination and chances are you will never know who exactly is impacted and how. Nonetheless, making good choices really can make a difference :)
“The dew of compassion is a tear.” ~Lord Byron
Personally reflect on these statements and see how you can show more of God's love and make someone shed a tear.
My compassion isn't so strong toward:
My kindness is lacking when:
I tend to boast about:
I have been forceful with:
My patience runs low when:
I need to forgive:
More love can be shown to:
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love...These are all positive characteristics. If you love, everything else follows and is wrapped up in that love. Love holds the others in place. God wants us to try to our best to show loving kindness and have a compassionate heart. You never know how far such a tender attitude may go. It can just bless people beyond imagination and chances are you will never know who exactly is impacted and how. Nonetheless, making good choices really can make a difference :)
“The dew of compassion is a tear.” ~Lord Byron
Personally reflect on these statements and see how you can show more of God's love and make someone shed a tear.
My compassion isn't so strong toward:
My kindness is lacking when:
I tend to boast about:
I have been forceful with:
My patience runs low when:
I need to forgive:
More love can be shown to:
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Respect Your Enemies and You Shall be Rewarded.
Luke 6:27-36
27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Based on what those verses above say I think it's a good deal. You respect someone who doesn't respect you and you will surely be blessed. Not only that, but you will have a surprise waiting for you in heaven...One that is inconceivable here on earth!
I give my dog Buddy a treat almost everyday. It's just a dog biscuit, but he loves them. It kinda reminds me of how I act sometimes. I say, "Oh it's just an act of kindness toward one person who wasn't so nice to me. It's not going to make a difference. They're not going to change their opinion of me." They may not like you any better, but God is watching our every move and every small act of kindness in our book is a big deal to him. He likes seeing us treat others well.
"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend." ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Based on what those verses above say I think it's a good deal. You respect someone who doesn't respect you and you will surely be blessed. Not only that, but you will have a surprise waiting for you in heaven...One that is inconceivable here on earth!
I give my dog Buddy a treat almost everyday. It's just a dog biscuit, but he loves them. It kinda reminds me of how I act sometimes. I say, "Oh it's just an act of kindness toward one person who wasn't so nice to me. It's not going to make a difference. They're not going to change their opinion of me." They may not like you any better, but God is watching our every move and every small act of kindness in our book is a big deal to him. He likes seeing us treat others well.
"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend." ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Do Not Repay Evil for Evil.
Romans 12:17-21
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.
20 Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
1 Thessalonians 5:15
15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
It is so easy to take revenge on somebody. They do something nasty to you and you think it's okay to do the same right back at them. It's human nature so it must be right. Think again because scriptures tell us not to. The golden rule says: "Treat others how you want to be treated."
Instead take a step back, look at the big picture, and think about what you can do to create peace. Defeat those revengeful visions that may pop into your head. Maybe you can talk to that person and sort things out. Just be honest. In reality, we all say or do something to hurt others. Try your best to create a peaceful atmosphere between people. We must do good to others. It's much better than being enemies forever.
Pray to God that when someone shows you evil, you can be reminded to conquer evil and do the Godly thing -- respect them.
"Could it be...SATAN?" ~Dana Carvey
I'll talk more about evilness and enemies tomorrow. The two days after tomorrow I will talk about compassion and kindness.
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.
20 Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
1 Thessalonians 5:15
15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
It is so easy to take revenge on somebody. They do something nasty to you and you think it's okay to do the same right back at them. It's human nature so it must be right. Think again because scriptures tell us not to. The golden rule says: "Treat others how you want to be treated."
Instead take a step back, look at the big picture, and think about what you can do to create peace. Defeat those revengeful visions that may pop into your head. Maybe you can talk to that person and sort things out. Just be honest. In reality, we all say or do something to hurt others. Try your best to create a peaceful atmosphere between people. We must do good to others. It's much better than being enemies forever.
Pray to God that when someone shows you evil, you can be reminded to conquer evil and do the Godly thing -- respect them.
"Could it be...SATAN?" ~Dana Carvey
I'll talk more about evilness and enemies tomorrow. The two days after tomorrow I will talk about compassion and kindness.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Betrayal.
Matthew 26:14-16; 45-50
14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here! 47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. 50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.
It is hard enough to deal with enemies and far harder to face the fact of betrayal by a close friend. I'm sure everyone has experienced this and at that point, we feel it's hard to trust anyone. Betrayal leaves behind a huge internal wound. It's extremely difficult to forgive when someone has torn us into pieces emotionally, but just try to move on. Christ has great understanding about how evil and unjust betrayal is. He went through it too! You can always count on God because there is no chance that he will betray ANYONE. It's a firm promise. Don't be ashamed to be God's best friend forever (or using today's terminology BFF)!
"Betrayal can only happen if you love." ~John Le Carre
14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
45 Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here! 47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. 48 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” 49 So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. 50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.
It is hard enough to deal with enemies and far harder to face the fact of betrayal by a close friend. I'm sure everyone has experienced this and at that point, we feel it's hard to trust anyone. Betrayal leaves behind a huge internal wound. It's extremely difficult to forgive when someone has torn us into pieces emotionally, but just try to move on. Christ has great understanding about how evil and unjust betrayal is. He went through it too! You can always count on God because there is no chance that he will betray ANYONE. It's a firm promise. Don't be ashamed to be God's best friend forever (or using today's terminology BFF)!
"Betrayal can only happen if you love." ~John Le Carre
Monday, August 18, 2008
Fitting God Into Your Busy Schedule.
Ephesians 5:15-17
15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
For my very first post, this is a perfect topic to go over for a couple reasons. First, this was the last sermon at my church by the assistant pastor, Rich, who was with us for 10 1/2 years! He did incredible work at our church. A few months ago he found himself in a position where he could move up to Maryland to lead a church. He accepted it, as he felt it was a call from God. You can tell he has God first in his life as that's a big move and he's doing it all for God! Just last week he moved up there and he and his family will be dearly missed by members of the church. That leaves us with one less pastor, however you must have complete trust in God that Pastor Rich is going to be in the right place and that he will be able to change lives in Maryland like he did in our community by sharing God with others. Pastor Rich is a good example of having God on his schedule.
Meanwhile, I procrastinate a lot when it comes to assignments...a school assignment, an around the house assignment, and even an assignment given by God. The assignment from God this time was to start a blog. I know it's not right to procrastinate, however I don't realize how vital a mistake it was until after the fact...every single time. I tell myself I have to stop this, but instead I just keep on doing the same darn thing over and over again.
This is where the phrase "live as if there was no tomorrow" comes into play. What if I died tomorrow? I would never have accomplished my all important assignment. There would not be any time for regret. My life would be over. If only...If only I just did what I had to do first.
Thankfully, I'm still alive today and after weeks of thinking about starting this blog, I finally have. Know that if you hear something good, then it's probably from God. If it's bad, it could be your conscience or even worse, the devil. We all have to remember that whatever God tells us to do, we need to act immediately. Sometimes it may not be possible to do something that day because it's a long process, for example. Don't just sit there and do nothing though. You were given a life to seek out a purpose. God has dreams for you, so don't give up. Also, use good time management. You want to be remembered how you lived, not how you died. Anything for the kingdom of God shouldn't wait another day!
"To live with the conscious knowledge of the shadow of uncertainty, with the knowledge that disaster or tragedy could strike at any time; to be afraid and to know and acknowledge your fear, and still to live creatively and with unstinting love: that is to live with grace." ~Peter Henry Abrahams
15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
For my very first post, this is a perfect topic to go over for a couple reasons. First, this was the last sermon at my church by the assistant pastor, Rich, who was with us for 10 1/2 years! He did incredible work at our church. A few months ago he found himself in a position where he could move up to Maryland to lead a church. He accepted it, as he felt it was a call from God. You can tell he has God first in his life as that's a big move and he's doing it all for God! Just last week he moved up there and he and his family will be dearly missed by members of the church. That leaves us with one less pastor, however you must have complete trust in God that Pastor Rich is going to be in the right place and that he will be able to change lives in Maryland like he did in our community by sharing God with others. Pastor Rich is a good example of having God on his schedule.
Meanwhile, I procrastinate a lot when it comes to assignments...a school assignment, an around the house assignment, and even an assignment given by God. The assignment from God this time was to start a blog. I know it's not right to procrastinate, however I don't realize how vital a mistake it was until after the fact...every single time. I tell myself I have to stop this, but instead I just keep on doing the same darn thing over and over again.
This is where the phrase "live as if there was no tomorrow" comes into play. What if I died tomorrow? I would never have accomplished my all important assignment. There would not be any time for regret. My life would be over. If only...If only I just did what I had to do first.
Thankfully, I'm still alive today and after weeks of thinking about starting this blog, I finally have. Know that if you hear something good, then it's probably from God. If it's bad, it could be your conscience or even worse, the devil. We all have to remember that whatever God tells us to do, we need to act immediately. Sometimes it may not be possible to do something that day because it's a long process, for example. Don't just sit there and do nothing though. You were given a life to seek out a purpose. God has dreams for you, so don't give up. Also, use good time management. You want to be remembered how you lived, not how you died. Anything for the kingdom of God shouldn't wait another day!
"To live with the conscious knowledge of the shadow of uncertainty, with the knowledge that disaster or tragedy could strike at any time; to be afraid and to know and acknowledge your fear, and still to live creatively and with unstinting love: that is to live with grace." ~Peter Henry Abrahams
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog! I've been faced with a decision to make, on whether to follow my calling of this new blog for many days and even weeks now. Based on my religious background and spiritual experiences in the past, I believe it is something God is telling me do. It's really hard to explain. I will say though I've been doing bible studies lately and reading God stories called devotions. A lot of time these devotions start real basic with a general statement or two and then goes into Godly matter. It includes at least one bible verse in order to back up what is said, I guess you could say. I've even written a handful myself over the past several months and they follow that format for the most part. Not only has God given me a response regarding my writings, but also people from my church and christian friends. It's almost overwhelming. Anyway, in the following paragraphs I will explain my purpose, what I expect to accomplish in this blog, and lastly give an acknowledgment.
As I get more involved in Christianity, what better way to share my knowledge than using a 21st century medium: the Internet! People now use the computer for work, play, and other daily activities. We've adapted to it and I'm more than happy to show you why it's better to live for and with God (making him the priority). I will also delve into what it means to live and be with God and how you can do it.
If all goes well I will blog everyday, but I do have school, so I may skip one day each week (maybe Sunday). Hopefully that will be enough. I already have a list of 20 topics planned to go over. I'm trying to make things at least a little bit structured so it's not complete randomness. I'm not going to go through the Bible in any particular order. Some days you may see new testament Bible verses, while other days I may pull something from the New Testament. I love quotes, so don't be scared away by my excessive "quoty-ness" and any other lame things I say (I'm thinking you guys are going to learn too much about me from this). Please keep in mind, I won't be forcing you to become a Christian (if you're not) because that's not right, but instead I want to show you what it's like to have this lifestyle. A few things are similar, but most things are different from the 'I'm gonna live on my own' lifestyle. If I offend you at any time on this blog, I apologize ahead of time.
I should note that I have a more personal blog that I have been writing since February. There I find myself just making a list of the events that happened each day. However, with this blog I think it will be much easier to discuss different topics, and better yet tie God into the picture as well! It's funny...just writing this intro I find myself really interested and motivated.
I want to thank Virak, a good friend of mine, earlier in the year for showing me Blogger, which is also where my personal blog is located. It seems it took me six months to figure what I was meant to do with a blog. Even though I wouldn't say my personal blog was a success, I don't think I would have been given this opportunity if it weren't for him. It may also be safe to say that if it weren't for him I may have brushed off the urge by God to do this blog because I wouldn't know that much about it.
Now, I invite you to sit back and read my blog. The first post will be on Monday, August 18. Do what you want with it...maybe bookmark the page? Check back from time to time and read what I have to say and if you really like it come back everyday. There is even a nice archive feature on blogger where you can look back and see all my different blog posts...I will always give you a hint in the subject line. Feel free to invite anyone to read my blog posts. The more the better! I will try to make them as interesting as I can and still get the point across. If you ever need spiritual guidance or prayers please feel free to let me know...even if I don't know you. My email is: heytbone92@gmail.com I want to take care of my readers :) Also, please leave me comments and suggestion about my blog. You can do that right here on blogger.
I would like to have a nice looking page eventually. Maybe some of my friends who are more familiar with web design, like Kim and Rachael, can help.
Well I hope and pray there's at least someone who gets something out of my writings.
By the way, here's what my first few posts will be about:
Fitting God into your Busy Schedule.
There's a Time for Everything.
Betrayal.
God Bless!
Tyler
EDIT-- I'm going to take out the "There's a Time for Everything topic and post it at a later date. I will move "Betrayal" up one day and the day after that will now be: "Do Not Repay Evil for Evil"
As I get more involved in Christianity, what better way to share my knowledge than using a 21st century medium: the Internet! People now use the computer for work, play, and other daily activities. We've adapted to it and I'm more than happy to show you why it's better to live for and with God (making him the priority). I will also delve into what it means to live and be with God and how you can do it.
If all goes well I will blog everyday, but I do have school, so I may skip one day each week (maybe Sunday). Hopefully that will be enough. I already have a list of 20 topics planned to go over. I'm trying to make things at least a little bit structured so it's not complete randomness. I'm not going to go through the Bible in any particular order. Some days you may see new testament Bible verses, while other days I may pull something from the New Testament. I love quotes, so don't be scared away by my excessive "quoty-ness" and any other lame things I say (I'm thinking you guys are going to learn too much about me from this). Please keep in mind, I won't be forcing you to become a Christian (if you're not) because that's not right, but instead I want to show you what it's like to have this lifestyle. A few things are similar, but most things are different from the 'I'm gonna live on my own' lifestyle. If I offend you at any time on this blog, I apologize ahead of time.
I should note that I have a more personal blog that I have been writing since February. There I find myself just making a list of the events that happened each day. However, with this blog I think it will be much easier to discuss different topics, and better yet tie God into the picture as well! It's funny...just writing this intro I find myself really interested and motivated.
I want to thank Virak, a good friend of mine, earlier in the year for showing me Blogger, which is also where my personal blog is located. It seems it took me six months to figure what I was meant to do with a blog. Even though I wouldn't say my personal blog was a success, I don't think I would have been given this opportunity if it weren't for him. It may also be safe to say that if it weren't for him I may have brushed off the urge by God to do this blog because I wouldn't know that much about it.
Now, I invite you to sit back and read my blog. The first post will be on Monday, August 18. Do what you want with it...maybe bookmark the page? Check back from time to time and read what I have to say and if you really like it come back everyday. There is even a nice archive feature on blogger where you can look back and see all my different blog posts...I will always give you a hint in the subject line. Feel free to invite anyone to read my blog posts. The more the better! I will try to make them as interesting as I can and still get the point across. If you ever need spiritual guidance or prayers please feel free to let me know...even if I don't know you. My email is: heytbone92@gmail.com I want to take care of my readers :) Also, please leave me comments and suggestion about my blog. You can do that right here on blogger.
I would like to have a nice looking page eventually. Maybe some of my friends who are more familiar with web design, like Kim and Rachael, can help.
Well I hope and pray there's at least someone who gets something out of my writings.
By the way, here's what my first few posts will be about:
Fitting God into your Busy Schedule.
There's a Time for Everything.
Betrayal.
God Bless!
Tyler
EDIT-- I'm going to take out the "There's a Time for Everything topic and post it at a later date. I will move "Betrayal" up one day and the day after that will now be: "Do Not Repay Evil for Evil"
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