Psalm 18:30-32
30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
No pressure right? I mean it can't be that hard to be perfect. Right... It's not even possible for us to be perfect. If I could make a list on Microsoft Word right now of all the times I fall short, then I'd have to change the font size to 1, make the letter spacing 0.5 points, and set the margins to .01. Quite frankly, that still wouldn't provide me with sufficient space to cover all my mistakes not to mention, all the red lines that would come up underneath some of the mispelled words. I would be making mistakes as I tell you my mistakes.
That's okay though. Don't waste your breath, or in this case, your time typing, to illustrate your imperfections. Sometimes we forget that God doesn't forget we're not perfect (read that again if you have to). He doesn't expect us to be perfect. He created us, so he must know! That doesn't mean we can't try. "Consider right and wrong choices," he tells us. Above all, learn from your mistakes and grow from them so you don't have any repeats!
God just wants the best for YOU. He wants us to be close to perfect. God is the only perfect one I've ever come to know, so get to know him even more. Don't forget about your daily reading from the Bible, you prayers, and your praise. I like to say practice makes almost perfect. Practice reading and such now, so that you can get to know the Lord and apply (almost perfectly) everything you learn from your Bible studies.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Letters to Sin.
Romans 6:13-14
13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace
Do you ever think of enjoying sin as if it were a nice little package full of your favorite candy (chocolate covered feces as the great Christian speaker Mike Guzzardo calls it?) How about giving up your body to participate in the wicked ways of sin?
I just don't think the latter statement is necessarily true, but it serves as a hypothetical situation We don't offer ourselves to sin. It's just a matter of doing it. We are sinful. We sin without thinking about it. Either way, the consequences are the same even if we send sin a love letter with a nice little gift of our sinful body parts. In other words, a sin is a sin no matter the process or what it is. It's all equal.
Think about it though. It's time to watch our choices. Instead of writing a love letter to sin, send one to God because he freed us from a sinful death. Offer yourself to him so that he can use you to serve and bless others.
Our body is an instrument that can either serve sin (Satan) or serve God. Who have you been serving? Ask God to help you avoid wasting your life on sinful desires.
13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace
Do you ever think of enjoying sin as if it were a nice little package full of your favorite candy (chocolate covered feces as the great Christian speaker Mike Guzzardo calls it?) How about giving up your body to participate in the wicked ways of sin?
I just don't think the latter statement is necessarily true, but it serves as a hypothetical situation We don't offer ourselves to sin. It's just a matter of doing it. We are sinful. We sin without thinking about it. Either way, the consequences are the same even if we send sin a love letter with a nice little gift of our sinful body parts. In other words, a sin is a sin no matter the process or what it is. It's all equal.
Think about it though. It's time to watch our choices. Instead of writing a love letter to sin, send one to God because he freed us from a sinful death. Offer yourself to him so that he can use you to serve and bless others.
Our body is an instrument that can either serve sin (Satan) or serve God. Who have you been serving? Ask God to help you avoid wasting your life on sinful desires.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Want to Sin.
Romans 6:11-12
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
So you must be wondering by now, after all the talk this week, 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!
"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."
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
So you must be wondering by now, after all the talk this week, 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!
"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."
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Death on the Cross - One Time.
Romans 6:8-9
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
As soon as I read this part of Romans I was reminded of what I heard someone say the other day in passing: "Every time you (knowingly) sin, you put Jesus on the cross all over again." I thought about it and wish I could have had a conversation with this person. It's a wonderful way to make someone feel guilty, that's for sure. It's as of our sin makes Jesus suffer even more on the cross...
Well, here's what I have to say about the statement: I absolutely disagree. It may be a good guilt trip, but it's also deceiving - a lie. Jesus Christ DIED. That happened once, in the past. Yes, he did experience excruciating pain during this time. However, instead of guilt washing over us, we should be overwhelmed by appreciation considering the amount of pain he faced for our selfishness and sinful decisions.
The fact of the matter is that the cross is empty just like the tomb. The suffering is long gone. Jesus doesn't feel the intense pain even though I still think he winces at some of our decisions; still, it's nothing like before. Paul tells us here that "He cannot die again." Jesus was victorious over death. Period. He's alive in spirit and is able to carry on with God's work. As Christians, our sin is also dead, and we are given the freedom to continually serve God.
I know it may be hard to believe that he died for us so long ago, but thank God. Thank God for Jesus' death on the cross and that his pain is over so that our sinful lives can be painless.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
As soon as I read this part of Romans I was reminded of what I heard someone say the other day in passing: "Every time you (knowingly) sin, you put Jesus on the cross all over again." I thought about it and wish I could have had a conversation with this person. It's a wonderful way to make someone feel guilty, that's for sure. It's as of our sin makes Jesus suffer even more on the cross...
Well, here's what I have to say about the statement: I absolutely disagree. It may be a good guilt trip, but it's also deceiving - a lie. Jesus Christ DIED. That happened once, in the past. Yes, he did experience excruciating pain during this time. However, instead of guilt washing over us, we should be overwhelmed by appreciation considering the amount of pain he faced for our selfishness and sinful decisions.
The fact of the matter is that the cross is empty just like the tomb. The suffering is long gone. Jesus doesn't feel the intense pain even though I still think he winces at some of our decisions; still, it's nothing like before. Paul tells us here that "He cannot die again." Jesus was victorious over death. Period. He's alive in spirit and is able to carry on with God's work. As Christians, our sin is also dead, and we are given the freedom to continually serve God.
I know it may be hard to believe that he died for us so long ago, but thank God. Thank God for Jesus' death on the cross and that his pain is over so that our sinful lives can be painless.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Power of Sin.
Romans 6:6-7
6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.
Happy December! Man, that means the Holidays are getting that much closer!
I don't know about you, but this passage from Romans definitely has some meaning. It has some important concepts that you don't want to miss, so don't jump on the bandwagon and ignore them!
What is this "old self" that was "crucified with Christ" as Paul describes? Well, it's not your sinful nature or desire to sin, because quite frankly, that will always exist. Your former self is the B.C. version of you...before Christ. You may consider that to be several years ago or just a few months ago. At any rate, this was when sin controlled your life. Sin was your master and you were its slave. You had to listen to sin. Therefore, you had little or no power to conquer sin.
In order to avoid sin's slavery, your old self had to die with Jesus Christ when you accepted him as your Lord and Savior; the one who delivers you from and forgives your sins. With death, sin becomes the powerless one. It doesn't have you to unleash its power any longer. Can you say freedom?!?! The only thing is, we still sin. I'll talk about that later in the week.
Did you ever consider yourself to be enslaved to sin? Thank you God for ridding my old self and allowing me to be free from sin.
6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.
Happy December! Man, that means the Holidays are getting that much closer!
I don't know about you, but this passage from Romans definitely has some meaning. It has some important concepts that you don't want to miss, so don't jump on the bandwagon and ignore them!
What is this "old self" that was "crucified with Christ" as Paul describes? Well, it's not your sinful nature or desire to sin, because quite frankly, that will always exist. Your former self is the B.C. version of you...before Christ. You may consider that to be several years ago or just a few months ago. At any rate, this was when sin controlled your life. Sin was your master and you were its slave. You had to listen to sin. Therefore, you had little or no power to conquer sin.
In order to avoid sin's slavery, your old self had to die with Jesus Christ when you accepted him as your Lord and Savior; the one who delivers you from and forgives your sins. With death, sin becomes the powerless one. It doesn't have you to unleash its power any longer. Can you say freedom?!?! The only thing is, we still sin. I'll talk about that later in the week.
Did you ever consider yourself to be enslaved to sin? Thank you God for ridding my old self and allowing me to be free from sin.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
United with Christ.
Romans 6:5
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.
Jesus is the remedy for a brand new life. We touched on that yesterday, like when I said that we should put all of our trust in Jesus' death for salvation and accepting that our entire life is in his hands. God's grace covers us. We're spiritually taped to his grace.
This glue that bonds us with Christ carries us and sustains us from now until the time we die, including the death and the burial to the resurrection. What does that mean? Well, because we're Christians, our spirit doesn't die with our bodies. You are alive similarly to when Jesus was alive when he escaped from his tomb.
I realize that this sounds a bit morbid, but when we die, our body will be resurrected and transformed into a brand new, eternally perfect and ideal body like that of Jesus. That's because of Jesus. Because of your faith in Jesus. You are united with him until the end. As a result, you are free from the weight of sin and death.
Today, reflect on the resurrection and what value it has on your life.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.
Jesus is the remedy for a brand new life. We touched on that yesterday, like when I said that we should put all of our trust in Jesus' death for salvation and accepting that our entire life is in his hands. God's grace covers us. We're spiritually taped to his grace.
This glue that bonds us with Christ carries us and sustains us from now until the time we die, including the death and the burial to the resurrection. What does that mean? Well, because we're Christians, our spirit doesn't die with our bodies. You are alive similarly to when Jesus was alive when he escaped from his tomb.
I realize that this sounds a bit morbid, but when we die, our body will be resurrected and transformed into a brand new, eternally perfect and ideal body like that of Jesus. That's because of Jesus. Because of your faith in Jesus. You are united with him until the end. As a result, you are free from the weight of sin and death.
Today, reflect on the resurrection and what value it has on your life.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Grace Toward Sin.
Romans 6:1-2
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
I read these first two verses of the sixth chapter of Romans a couple times to let the strength of the message sink into my mind. When Paul says, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase..." it strikes me as a remarkable statement. I immediately thought of God's grace being comparable to something you blow up or stretch. We've all blown up balloons to our fullest capability. Think about blowing it up infinitely. That's the equivalent of God's grace over our sin; it surrounds the uncomfortable bubble that sin causes us to live with. The more we sin, the greater God's grace is to cover our sin because of faith in Jesus' victory on the cross.
Day in and day out we sin. The good news is that no one can ever sin so much that God's grace isn't big enough to surround their bubble, so to speak. The more we sin, the greater his forgiveness and grace appears to be. Should we collect sins as if they're gold? "By no means!" We shouldn't do this because God's grace goes beyond eliminating sin. I'll talk more about this in the days to come.
What do you think? Is it strange that God's grace doesn't have limits? Or do we just take it for granted?
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
I read these first two verses of the sixth chapter of Romans a couple times to let the strength of the message sink into my mind. When Paul says, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase..." it strikes me as a remarkable statement. I immediately thought of God's grace being comparable to something you blow up or stretch. We've all blown up balloons to our fullest capability. Think about blowing it up infinitely. That's the equivalent of God's grace over our sin; it surrounds the uncomfortable bubble that sin causes us to live with. The more we sin, the greater God's grace is to cover our sin because of faith in Jesus' victory on the cross.
Day in and day out we sin. The good news is that no one can ever sin so much that God's grace isn't big enough to surround their bubble, so to speak. The more we sin, the greater his forgiveness and grace appears to be. Should we collect sins as if they're gold? "By no means!" We shouldn't do this because God's grace goes beyond eliminating sin. I'll talk more about this in the days to come.
What do you think? Is it strange that God's grace doesn't have limits? Or do we just take it for granted?
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Worthy of Gratitude.
Colossians 3:16
16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Do you ever find yourself singing? Usually we sing when we're happy. Sometimes we sing a song to cheer us up when we're sad. Don't forget to sing out of gratitude though. All this week, we've talked about why you should appreciate God. There are so many reasons. The primary reason is that he sent his only son, Jesus, to die for us, which is a true, living sacrifice. Not only is God worthy of our praise, but he deserves our appreciation too.
Notice how the songs we sing are centered around Jesus, the good news that he has to offer, and the abundance of life he provides to us. With that said, we are to keep Christ and God's word close to our hearts as we make it a habit to share it with others.
Don't just tell non-believers what God puts on your heart. Talk to fellow Christians as well. Share your thoughts with one another so that together you can have infinite wisdom through Jesus Christ!
Remember, to thank the Lord for everything he gives you each day for free including: love, mercy, and forgiveness. We have life today and eternal life tomorrow.
16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Do you ever find yourself singing? Usually we sing when we're happy. Sometimes we sing a song to cheer us up when we're sad. Don't forget to sing out of gratitude though. All this week, we've talked about why you should appreciate God. There are so many reasons. The primary reason is that he sent his only son, Jesus, to die for us, which is a true, living sacrifice. Not only is God worthy of our praise, but he deserves our appreciation too.
Notice how the songs we sing are centered around Jesus, the good news that he has to offer, and the abundance of life he provides to us. With that said, we are to keep Christ and God's word close to our hearts as we make it a habit to share it with others.
Don't just tell non-believers what God puts on your heart. Talk to fellow Christians as well. Share your thoughts with one another so that together you can have infinite wisdom through Jesus Christ!
Remember, to thank the Lord for everything he gives you each day for free including: love, mercy, and forgiveness. We have life today and eternal life tomorrow.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanks for the Victory.
Hebrews 12:28
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
The greatest victory that we receive is God and his Kingdom. No matter what, no gift can surpass God's grace. Remember that as you stand in lines today.
We can experience the never ending joy by joining in with the angels and saints and live with God forever. It's not necessary to wait for the return of the King Jesus Christ. God's kingdom begins with you and your role in the Kingdom and church. Together, it is possible for believers to coexist and obey God's word. Thus, it is only appropriate that our worship to God is filled with reverence and awe. There's no other way.
Lord, we know that all things are yours. We appreciate your blessings, promises, grace, and triumphant victory: Jesus Christ. Continue to remind us of reasons to be thankful for Christ so that we may shed light toward the unbelievers.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
The greatest victory that we receive is God and his Kingdom. No matter what, no gift can surpass God's grace. Remember that as you stand in lines today.
We can experience the never ending joy by joining in with the angels and saints and live with God forever. It's not necessary to wait for the return of the King Jesus Christ. God's kingdom begins with you and your role in the Kingdom and church. Together, it is possible for believers to coexist and obey God's word. Thus, it is only appropriate that our worship to God is filled with reverence and awe. There's no other way.
Lord, we know that all things are yours. We appreciate your blessings, promises, grace, and triumphant victory: Jesus Christ. Continue to remind us of reasons to be thankful for Christ so that we may shed light toward the unbelievers.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving.
Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
The key phrase is "whatever you do...do it all in the name of the Lord." That means everything! Everything we do, no matter what we say, who we are, or what we do, it needs to be offered as a gift of thanksgiving to God. Simultaneously, we should acknowledge Jesus Christ's power too.
In other words, our entire life is devoted to God! That's a good thing, too, because he deserves our greatest offerings. It's all an act of worship and thanksgiving to God. We don't just go to Sunday church service to worship. As living, talking human beings, it is all about worship, give thanks, and glorifying our Lord and Savior.
Prayer of Thanksgiving: May all of our life be devoted to you, God. It's the least we can do given your freedom in Jesus. It's not always easy in this world to give my life to you, but I ask that through my words and deeds, your will be done. Please, Holy Spirit, guide me. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
Happy Thanksgiving and be safe!
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
The key phrase is "whatever you do...do it all in the name of the Lord." That means everything! Everything we do, no matter what we say, who we are, or what we do, it needs to be offered as a gift of thanksgiving to God. Simultaneously, we should acknowledge Jesus Christ's power too.
In other words, our entire life is devoted to God! That's a good thing, too, because he deserves our greatest offerings. It's all an act of worship and thanksgiving to God. We don't just go to Sunday church service to worship. As living, talking human beings, it is all about worship, give thanks, and glorifying our Lord and Savior.
Prayer of Thanksgiving: May all of our life be devoted to you, God. It's the least we can do given your freedom in Jesus. It's not always easy in this world to give my life to you, but I ask that through my words and deeds, your will be done. Please, Holy Spirit, guide me. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
Happy Thanksgiving and be safe!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Completeness in Christ.
Colossians 2:6-7
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
There's certain things in life that just don't change. The problem is a lot of what we surround ourselves with, does change, which alters an otherwise logical perspective of this matter. Think about it: fashion is constantly evolving and technology is revolutionary. Even our day to day life brings about unexpected events, of which may be facebook status worthy. Software companies always release updated versions every 3-5 years. The next best phone and computer is something new just about every month. Now, we're a day away from Thanksgiving, and two days away from Black Friday. Surely, there's something appealing in those ads whether it's for you or for someone else! We're always ready for the new and improved version of everything.
Do you know what doesn't change though? Jesus Christ and the fact that he's the one, true way. No Facebook update is needed. However, it's always good to remind others about his everlasting nature, perhaps through Facebook. Jesus doesn't get any better than the way we know him today. Even though, he doesn't change, we can't become complacent and stagnant in our faith.
It is our job to dig ourselves further into the Word of God and grasp the basic truth of Jesus Christ. If this is a reality then our future is in Christ's hands. Be thankful that this truth exists!
Thank you so much Lord for the simple, yet vast truth of Jesus Christ. May we feed off it day and in day out!
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
There's certain things in life that just don't change. The problem is a lot of what we surround ourselves with, does change, which alters an otherwise logical perspective of this matter. Think about it: fashion is constantly evolving and technology is revolutionary. Even our day to day life brings about unexpected events, of which may be facebook status worthy. Software companies always release updated versions every 3-5 years. The next best phone and computer is something new just about every month. Now, we're a day away from Thanksgiving, and two days away from Black Friday. Surely, there's something appealing in those ads whether it's for you or for someone else! We're always ready for the new and improved version of everything.
Do you know what doesn't change though? Jesus Christ and the fact that he's the one, true way. No Facebook update is needed. However, it's always good to remind others about his everlasting nature, perhaps through Facebook. Jesus doesn't get any better than the way we know him today. Even though, he doesn't change, we can't become complacent and stagnant in our faith.
It is our job to dig ourselves further into the Word of God and grasp the basic truth of Jesus Christ. If this is a reality then our future is in Christ's hands. Be thankful that this truth exists!
Thank you so much Lord for the simple, yet vast truth of Jesus Christ. May we feed off it day and in day out!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Value Those Who Fear God.
Proverbs 31:30
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
In our world, fear is usually given a negative connotation. It's usually thought of as a distressing emotion that is initiated by impending doom or danger. In the Bible, we are repeatedly commanded to "fear God." In this proverb, it says, "...but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Does that make sense according to our definition? No, we aren't to be scared of God, per say. Instead we are to be consumed in reverential awe toward God. If you look up the word "fear" in the dictionary, this context likely won't be in the top three definitions given.
With that said, a really well-natured and faithful woman is one who honors the Lord with all her might and strength. We all (men and women) tend to go for the good looks, but we know our appearance, and even our personality can change. However, a woman whose heart is smothered in the presence of God will bring blessing upon blessing to others.
Once again, may we all take the time to value faithful and Godly women in a kind manner and in a way that honors and glorifies you.
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
In our world, fear is usually given a negative connotation. It's usually thought of as a distressing emotion that is initiated by impending doom or danger. In the Bible, we are repeatedly commanded to "fear God." In this proverb, it says, "...but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Does that make sense according to our definition? No, we aren't to be scared of God, per say. Instead we are to be consumed in reverential awe toward God. If you look up the word "fear" in the dictionary, this context likely won't be in the top three definitions given.
With that said, a really well-natured and faithful woman is one who honors the Lord with all her might and strength. We all (men and women) tend to go for the good looks, but we know our appearance, and even our personality can change. However, a woman whose heart is smothered in the presence of God will bring blessing upon blessing to others.
Once again, may we all take the time to value faithful and Godly women in a kind manner and in a way that honors and glorifies you.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Faithful Women.
Proverbs 31:28-29
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
Often times, we overlook so many things and people in our lives. It's what we have everyday. Yet, we utterly bog down our minds with what we want and what we don't have.
When was the last time you praised a woman of faith such as your mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, youth pastor, or even a complete stranger? They care for us, they love us, and they are a true representation of Christ.
Take some time to write a note of appreciation to at least one woman in your life. Think about where you would be without the faithfulness that Godly women portray. Wouldn't we be missing a huge chunk of our lives? It's hard to imagine. As we're nearing the Thanksgiving holiday, tell them how precious they are to our identity in Christ.
Thank you God for the women in my life who have molded me into the person I am today. Also, Lord, remind us of the great, faithful women in the Bible who accomplished so much. Help us show appreciation to those in our lives.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
Often times, we overlook so many things and people in our lives. It's what we have everyday. Yet, we utterly bog down our minds with what we want and what we don't have.
When was the last time you praised a woman of faith such as your mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, youth pastor, or even a complete stranger? They care for us, they love us, and they are a true representation of Christ.
Take some time to write a note of appreciation to at least one woman in your life. Think about where you would be without the faithfulness that Godly women portray. Wouldn't we be missing a huge chunk of our lives? It's hard to imagine. As we're nearing the Thanksgiving holiday, tell them how precious they are to our identity in Christ.
Thank you God for the women in my life who have molded me into the person I am today. Also, Lord, remind us of the great, faithful women in the Bible who accomplished so much. Help us show appreciation to those in our lives.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Water, Water, Water.
John 4:14
14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Have you ever been so anxious to get home and drink a nice, big glass of water after working or even running errands? Sometimes, cold water just tastes so good and is extremely satisfying. Even if water isn't always your preference compared to a soda, for example, when it's the right time, water is perfect and it probably wouldn't be traded for anything!
Jesus offers another source of water. It is already purified by him. It's the water that is brought to us in part by the Holy Spirit. Just a glass of drinking water can do the trick for a few hours, but the spiritual water is what gives us eternal life now and forever.
God, remind us that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to live in us. Sweep our stubbornness and sinful desires aside allowing the Spirit to take precedence. May our lives reflect the joy, delight, and refreshing nature that your presence and being provides.
Have a great weekend!
14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Have you ever been so anxious to get home and drink a nice, big glass of water after working or even running errands? Sometimes, cold water just tastes so good and is extremely satisfying. Even if water isn't always your preference compared to a soda, for example, when it's the right time, water is perfect and it probably wouldn't be traded for anything!
Jesus offers another source of water. It is already purified by him. It's the water that is brought to us in part by the Holy Spirit. Just a glass of drinking water can do the trick for a few hours, but the spiritual water is what gives us eternal life now and forever.
God, remind us that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to live in us. Sweep our stubbornness and sinful desires aside allowing the Spirit to take precedence. May our lives reflect the joy, delight, and refreshing nature that your presence and being provides.
Have a great weekend!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Suffering for Him.
Philippians 1:29
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,
This is one of those hard concepts to wrap your mind around. Suffering. We see it everyday. We're either facing a fairly challenging time or we can see the pain of others on their faces. So then, how is it a privilege? It's not, unless it's for Jesus. Remember, how the other day I said that we need to do things for the glory of God. Sometimes, whatever we're called to do isn't going to be easy. It's going to take some effort and you may get "scraped up," so to speak.
Also, don't forget about the disciples. They were joyful only because they were willing to suffer for the name of Christ. The important thing here is that Jesus suffered for us so that we can be saved from destruction on earth.
When we suffer for the kingdom of God, it's definitely an inspiration for others to live faithfully. It provides a true revelation of character. Incredibly, because of Jesus Christ, we are worthy due to Jesus' victory on the cross.
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,
This is one of those hard concepts to wrap your mind around. Suffering. We see it everyday. We're either facing a fairly challenging time or we can see the pain of others on their faces. So then, how is it a privilege? It's not, unless it's for Jesus. Remember, how the other day I said that we need to do things for the glory of God. Sometimes, whatever we're called to do isn't going to be easy. It's going to take some effort and you may get "scraped up," so to speak.
Also, don't forget about the disciples. They were joyful only because they were willing to suffer for the name of Christ. The important thing here is that Jesus suffered for us so that we can be saved from destruction on earth.
When we suffer for the kingdom of God, it's definitely an inspiration for others to live faithfully. It provides a true revelation of character. Incredibly, because of Jesus Christ, we are worthy due to Jesus' victory on the cross.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Live on the Gospel.
Philippians 1:27-28
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
It's time to glorify God in everything we do. Live like we have been redeemed. Sometimes I know I get so wrapped up in everything that I have to do that I forget to set aside some time for God. Try setting aside some time today and love the Lord.
Work together with your friends to spend time with God as well. That way you can come together and share the good news with those who are unaware of it. Many don't even know what the good things in God really are. When you come across opposition, don't plot revenge. Work together well so that you can bring out the best in the worst of times.
We count on you Lord to give us the purpose to be united and show love for one another even when it's hard to love. Remind us that we are responsible to go out into the world as disciples.
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
It's time to glorify God in everything we do. Live like we have been redeemed. Sometimes I know I get so wrapped up in everything that I have to do that I forget to set aside some time for God. Try setting aside some time today and love the Lord.
Work together with your friends to spend time with God as well. That way you can come together and share the good news with those who are unaware of it. Many don't even know what the good things in God really are. When you come across opposition, don't plot revenge. Work together well so that you can bring out the best in the worst of times.
We count on you Lord to give us the purpose to be united and show love for one another even when it's hard to love. Remind us that we are responsible to go out into the world as disciples.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not.
John 21:17
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Does this question that Jesus asked sound familiar? Notice how it says "Jesus asked him the third time." Jesus is asking Peter if he really loves the Lord. Peter's response is a polar opposite to the way he answered just days before: (Matthew 26:35 - But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same).
So many times our own identity gets in our way and speaks out very bluntly. Our true love that exists within our spiritual well-being, however, is only discovered when we experience the pain Jesus felt when Peter answered this question.
You see, Peter just loved Jesus the way a typical man loves a good-natured individual. This is no extraordinary love; it's just emotional love that never affects the spirit of a person. True love isn't just a matter of declaration.
When the Lord asks us to respond to this question, it's definitely hard to respond as we should because we feel like we're in pain trying to make sure all of our life is in line with God's. Still, this painful moment is how God convicts us and reveals his truth.
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Does this question that Jesus asked sound familiar? Notice how it says "Jesus asked him the third time." Jesus is asking Peter if he really loves the Lord. Peter's response is a polar opposite to the way he answered just days before: (Matthew 26:35 - But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same).
So many times our own identity gets in our way and speaks out very bluntly. Our true love that exists within our spiritual well-being, however, is only discovered when we experience the pain Jesus felt when Peter answered this question.
You see, Peter just loved Jesus the way a typical man loves a good-natured individual. This is no extraordinary love; it's just emotional love that never affects the spirit of a person. True love isn't just a matter of declaration.
When the Lord asks us to respond to this question, it's definitely hard to respond as we should because we feel like we're in pain trying to make sure all of our life is in line with God's. Still, this painful moment is how God convicts us and reveals his truth.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Assuming the Responsibilities.
1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”
And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
Have you ever looked up to someone because everything they did seemed perfect? It's always a compliment when you tell someone something positive, but it's also a great step of ambition for you to try to be more like them.
That's just something that I thought of as I was reading the story of Elijah and Elisha. Elisha was younger and was a novice. She looked up to the great prophet Elijah. Soon, it was time for Elijah to go to heaven. It's really neat to read that Elisha wants a "double portion" of his spirit. No, this doesn't mean that he wants to be twice as good as Elijah was or anything. However, he's referring to the tradition back in the time period of the firstborn son receiving a double inheritance when his father died. As the oldest son, Elisha would be the leader of the family and would take over Elijah's responsibilities. Elisha was ready when he says, something like "I am ready."
In New Testament times, this is similar to Jesus and his disciples. Jesus would teach his disciples based on his own personal choices. Before he went to heaven, he told them (from Acts 1:8), "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." He passed the torch to the Disciples and their greatest goal was to be as much like Jesus Christ as possible.
Jesus didn't just give the responsibilities to his disciples, but he gave us the responsibilities as well. Just like the Disciples stepped up to act like Jesus, we should do the same. Don't just do it to impress others, do it to glorify the Lord.
How do you want to be more like Jesus?
But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”
4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the LORD has sent me to Jericho.”
And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.
5 The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?”
“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”
6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.”
And he replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.
7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
Have you ever looked up to someone because everything they did seemed perfect? It's always a compliment when you tell someone something positive, but it's also a great step of ambition for you to try to be more like them.
That's just something that I thought of as I was reading the story of Elijah and Elisha. Elisha was younger and was a novice. She looked up to the great prophet Elijah. Soon, it was time for Elijah to go to heaven. It's really neat to read that Elisha wants a "double portion" of his spirit. No, this doesn't mean that he wants to be twice as good as Elijah was or anything. However, he's referring to the tradition back in the time period of the firstborn son receiving a double inheritance when his father died. As the oldest son, Elisha would be the leader of the family and would take over Elijah's responsibilities. Elisha was ready when he says, something like "I am ready."
In New Testament times, this is similar to Jesus and his disciples. Jesus would teach his disciples based on his own personal choices. Before he went to heaven, he told them (from Acts 1:8), "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." He passed the torch to the Disciples and their greatest goal was to be as much like Jesus Christ as possible.
Jesus didn't just give the responsibilities to his disciples, but he gave us the responsibilities as well. Just like the Disciples stepped up to act like Jesus, we should do the same. Don't just do it to impress others, do it to glorify the Lord.
How do you want to be more like Jesus?
Monday, November 15, 2010
Gideon's Cut.
Judges 7:2-7
2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3 Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
4 But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” 6 Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
7 The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”
According the Bible, Midian was a very densely populated place, like a swarm of locusts. That didn't help Gideon and his army. They already thought that they were too small to be successful. Thus, they took advantage of an opportunity that was given for soldiers to leave; 22,000 of them left. Believe it or not, God told them to cut the army down even more. The Lord devised a creative plan. Those who lapped stayed and those knelt down to drink, were sent off. Not many people lap the water with their tongues, but the ones who did, they remained. This left only 300 men.
So, why was the army cut down significantly? It could have been a test of faith. After all, it didn't seem possible, but God always has sight of victory in the end. It may have been a lesson as well; to teach the men that success (as described in the remainder of Judges 7) was only possible because God was with them.
Do you think life is giving you unavoidable circumstances and impossible hurdles? Think about what you're dealing with now. Are you stressing or are you relying on God? Are you panicking or are you putting your faith in the Lord? Think about Gideon's victory and how you can apply it to what you're experiencing.
This summer I had a series about what God didn't promise. This is another reminder that God did NOT promise that life would be easy (See July 31 post). Contrast that with God's promise repeated throughout the Word: "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Always take your issues to God and pray. Be honest. Open yourselves to be comforted by him. Wait for God to direct you. Finally, get prayers and support from your brothers and sisters in Christ.
2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3 Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
4 But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” 6 Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
7 The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”
According the Bible, Midian was a very densely populated place, like a swarm of locusts. That didn't help Gideon and his army. They already thought that they were too small to be successful. Thus, they took advantage of an opportunity that was given for soldiers to leave; 22,000 of them left. Believe it or not, God told them to cut the army down even more. The Lord devised a creative plan. Those who lapped stayed and those knelt down to drink, were sent off. Not many people lap the water with their tongues, but the ones who did, they remained. This left only 300 men.
So, why was the army cut down significantly? It could have been a test of faith. After all, it didn't seem possible, but God always has sight of victory in the end. It may have been a lesson as well; to teach the men that success (as described in the remainder of Judges 7) was only possible because God was with them.
Do you think life is giving you unavoidable circumstances and impossible hurdles? Think about what you're dealing with now. Are you stressing or are you relying on God? Are you panicking or are you putting your faith in the Lord? Think about Gideon's victory and how you can apply it to what you're experiencing.
This summer I had a series about what God didn't promise. This is another reminder that God did NOT promise that life would be easy (See July 31 post). Contrast that with God's promise repeated throughout the Word: "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
Always take your issues to God and pray. Be honest. Open yourselves to be comforted by him. Wait for God to direct you. Finally, get prayers and support from your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Body Aches.
1 Corinthians 12:24-26
24 [...]while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Remember how yesterday I talked about dead fingers and such? Now, imagine that you cut your finger just most of the way off...not all the way off. I think that might even hurt longer than cutting it all the way off. Our fingers and toes aren't a huge portion of our body, but when those seemingly little pieces are in pain, our whole body is wailing and we can't turn our attention away from it.
This is how the church should operate. No one's spiritual gifts makes someone more important than the rest of the congregation. We should ache just as much for the injured person who sits next to us in the pews as we do for the injured pastor preaching at the pulpit. The same goes for celebratory circumstances!
Unfortunately, we're not perfect; as humans, we have favorites and tend to rank other people by their intelligence, popularity, and social/financial status. Under these judgmental conditions, the body can't heal if it pretends like a broken arm or leg is normal. The church can't survive if we pick and choose whose side we take.
God, grant us with an equal and appropriate amount of concern for all members in the church. How would you feel if you were in pain and some just left you on the wayside?
24 [...]while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Remember how yesterday I talked about dead fingers and such? Now, imagine that you cut your finger just most of the way off...not all the way off. I think that might even hurt longer than cutting it all the way off. Our fingers and toes aren't a huge portion of our body, but when those seemingly little pieces are in pain, our whole body is wailing and we can't turn our attention away from it.
This is how the church should operate. No one's spiritual gifts makes someone more important than the rest of the congregation. We should ache just as much for the injured person who sits next to us in the pews as we do for the injured pastor preaching at the pulpit. The same goes for celebratory circumstances!
Unfortunately, we're not perfect; as humans, we have favorites and tend to rank other people by their intelligence, popularity, and social/financial status. Under these judgmental conditions, the body can't heal if it pretends like a broken arm or leg is normal. The church can't survive if we pick and choose whose side we take.
God, grant us with an equal and appropriate amount of concern for all members in the church. How would you feel if you were in pain and some just left you on the wayside?
Friday, November 12, 2010
Dead Skin, Bones, and Faith.
1 Corinthians 12:21-24
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
Okay, so I'd give today's scripture a couple reads. I know I had to read this several times to make sense of it. Here's what I concluded...
First of all, to set this up a little, imagine that you or someone who know has lost a finger or two. It may have been due to malfunctioning equipment. One second, you have ten, then the next eight or nine. Whoever loses a finger would have to learn how to adapt. It was be difficult, but in time, the new feeling and look becomes permanently etched in their mind. The finger isn't so lucky of course. In fact, a finger without a body is dead skin and bones.
Paul said that Christians are meant to work together. That means, some are fingers, some are elbows, some are feet. No matter what we are, it is not accurate to say that we can live without the rest of the body. We thrive off one another to survive. As long as you're involved in a body of Christ, you will grow spiritually. If you're not, then you will just be dead in your faith.
So, never assume that you don't need to go to church "because I have God." It is crucial to be surrounded by other followers whenever possible. If you try to live for God alone, what do you think the consequences are?
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
Okay, so I'd give today's scripture a couple reads. I know I had to read this several times to make sense of it. Here's what I concluded...
First of all, to set this up a little, imagine that you or someone who know has lost a finger or two. It may have been due to malfunctioning equipment. One second, you have ten, then the next eight or nine. Whoever loses a finger would have to learn how to adapt. It was be difficult, but in time, the new feeling and look becomes permanently etched in their mind. The finger isn't so lucky of course. In fact, a finger without a body is dead skin and bones.
Paul said that Christians are meant to work together. That means, some are fingers, some are elbows, some are feet. No matter what we are, it is not accurate to say that we can live without the rest of the body. We thrive off one another to survive. As long as you're involved in a body of Christ, you will grow spiritually. If you're not, then you will just be dead in your faith.
So, never assume that you don't need to go to church "because I have God." It is crucial to be surrounded by other followers whenever possible. If you try to live for God alone, what do you think the consequences are?
Thursday, November 11, 2010
For a Reason.
1 Corinthians 12:17-20
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
Have you ever been excited to get the newest piece of technology, but then when you own it, that wonderful feeling disappears? Better yet, have you ever wanted something specifically designed, but by a play of cards, you don't get it? Suppose, you want a specially designed license plate. You don't want to pay the extra money. You just hope that, with the luck of a draw, you'll get a neat acronym or your favorite numbers. Either way, it doesn't work out your way so much.
I want to say that God doesn't work that way. He doesn't hand out random license plates, so to speak. He provides you with spiritual gifts according to your design. After all, you were fearfully and wonderfully made! He gives people specific gifts based on specific situations in specific needs.
God made and placed the parts of the Body of Christ in accordance with his plan. You are not an accident; you are somebody! You have a part in the body and in God's kingdom for a very special reason.
Why do you think it's hard to believe that God made us and our spiritual gifts for a reason?
By the way, don't forget to spend some time appreciating those who died for our country. Happy Veterans Day!
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
Have you ever been excited to get the newest piece of technology, but then when you own it, that wonderful feeling disappears? Better yet, have you ever wanted something specifically designed, but by a play of cards, you don't get it? Suppose, you want a specially designed license plate. You don't want to pay the extra money. You just hope that, with the luck of a draw, you'll get a neat acronym or your favorite numbers. Either way, it doesn't work out your way so much.
I want to say that God doesn't work that way. He doesn't hand out random license plates, so to speak. He provides you with spiritual gifts according to your design. After all, you were fearfully and wonderfully made! He gives people specific gifts based on specific situations in specific needs.
God made and placed the parts of the Body of Christ in accordance with his plan. You are not an accident; you are somebody! You have a part in the body and in God's kingdom for a very special reason.
Why do you think it's hard to believe that God made us and our spiritual gifts for a reason?
By the way, don't forget to spend some time appreciating those who died for our country. Happy Veterans Day!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Body's Various Functions.
1 Corinthians 12:14-16
14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.
Hold it now, isn't this contradiction from yesterday? Didn't Paul just say that we're all one body brought together by the Spirit and given the same Spirit to drink?
Well, Christianity does involve unity, however, we're not all carbon copies of another. That would become monotonous. Sometimes I know I get the idea: "Man, why can't we all just be the same? Then, life would be so much simpler." While that may be somewhat true, how uneventful our lives would be! God devised a completely different plan. What is true is that we are brought together by the same everlasting Holy Spirit; we're just marked by different gifts and powers.
There's no doubt that our spiritual gifts define who we are and what our purpose is. This makes us all unique.
Make sure you're using your spiritual gifts as you should be. In fact, pray that God provides you with a clear picture of what your gifts are. May you have the full desire to use your gifts to serve the Lord and others.
You may think that you can live without a body part, but chances are, it was used for a specific reason at some point. The same goes for you as a member of the Body of Christ. If you find yourself questioning your role, pray as I said before, and be open to God's plan taking some time. Finally, I know that alone, "I'm No Superman" as the song from the television show "Scrubs" goes: "But I can't do this all on my own. No, I know...I'm no Superman."
14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.
Hold it now, isn't this contradiction from yesterday? Didn't Paul just say that we're all one body brought together by the Spirit and given the same Spirit to drink?
Well, Christianity does involve unity, however, we're not all carbon copies of another. That would become monotonous. Sometimes I know I get the idea: "Man, why can't we all just be the same? Then, life would be so much simpler." While that may be somewhat true, how uneventful our lives would be! God devised a completely different plan. What is true is that we are brought together by the same everlasting Holy Spirit; we're just marked by different gifts and powers.
There's no doubt that our spiritual gifts define who we are and what our purpose is. This makes us all unique.
Make sure you're using your spiritual gifts as you should be. In fact, pray that God provides you with a clear picture of what your gifts are. May you have the full desire to use your gifts to serve the Lord and others.
You may think that you can live without a body part, but chances are, it was used for a specific reason at some point. The same goes for you as a member of the Body of Christ. If you find yourself questioning your role, pray as I said before, and be open to God's plan taking some time. Finally, I know that alone, "I'm No Superman" as the song from the television show "Scrubs" goes: "But I can't do this all on my own. No, I know...I'm no Superman."
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Drinking and Consuming the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:13
3 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Do you ever find yourself eating or drinking something too fast because you're in a rush? Then, indigestion kicks in and maybe some hiccups as well. I know that happens to me frequently. I was so used to eating in a short time frame in middle and high school that now that I'm in college, when I technically have more time to sit down and eat, I still eat fairly quickly out of habit. Don't you think we get rushy when it comes to our spiritual lives as well? Try slowing it down over the next few days and open yourself up to what the Holy Spirit has to offer.
Meanwhile, Paul wants us to know in today's reading that everyone who is a follower of Christ is included in the Body of Christ via the Holy Spirit. It doesn't matter what we look like, how tall we are, or what our financial status is. God takes everything that might look different among others and throws it out of the picture.
As soon as a true believer of Christ trusts him, then they are immediately filled up with the Holy Spirit to guide them through everyday tasks. Now, relating the eating and drinking concept that I shared above, we can drink and consume the Holy Spirit by putting our faith in Jesus Christ.
Following Jesus would be much harder without the work of the Holy Spirit. Learn to appreciate it. Slow down, and remember that God's spirit lives in you and your brothers and sisters under Christ.
3 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Do you ever find yourself eating or drinking something too fast because you're in a rush? Then, indigestion kicks in and maybe some hiccups as well. I know that happens to me frequently. I was so used to eating in a short time frame in middle and high school that now that I'm in college, when I technically have more time to sit down and eat, I still eat fairly quickly out of habit. Don't you think we get rushy when it comes to our spiritual lives as well? Try slowing it down over the next few days and open yourself up to what the Holy Spirit has to offer.
Meanwhile, Paul wants us to know in today's reading that everyone who is a follower of Christ is included in the Body of Christ via the Holy Spirit. It doesn't matter what we look like, how tall we are, or what our financial status is. God takes everything that might look different among others and throws it out of the picture.
As soon as a true believer of Christ trusts him, then they are immediately filled up with the Holy Spirit to guide them through everyday tasks. Now, relating the eating and drinking concept that I shared above, we can drink and consume the Holy Spirit by putting our faith in Jesus Christ.
Following Jesus would be much harder without the work of the Holy Spirit. Learn to appreciate it. Slow down, and remember that God's spirit lives in you and your brothers and sisters under Christ.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Quit being Ignorant.
1 Corinthians 12:1-12
1 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Last week we talked about leading and what happens if you strengthen yourself to trust God. Now, we're reading about the wonderful effects of putting our trust in Christ, focusing on our salvation, not our sin.
With that said, we can be way too ignorant about this. Paul called the aforementioned effects "spiritual gifts." This is the real deal because it mentions the idea that we all have a supernatural ability (remember we CAN do the impossible through God's power and Holy Spirit). It is through the Lord that we are designated a specific purpose.
There are various perspectives about these spiritual gifts among churches and fellow believers. Some teach that all spiritual gifts are still active today, while others say that some were only needed when the church was first founded. So, in previous posts, I've talked about the many different kinds of spiritual gifts there are. However, I think it's most important to understand why God hands over his power to his people.
It comes down to the metaphor that Paul uses: the (human) body. As a church, we say that Jesus is the Lord of all, and we are all the body of Christ. Just like our own body, there are numerous parts. In other words, we're all a part of his body...an eyeball, a foot, an arm, etc.
Pray that God shows you why he gave you specific spiritual gifts. It's time to lose all ignorance and get out of your "own little world." Feel free to listen to "My Own Little World" by Matthew West.
1 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Last week we talked about leading and what happens if you strengthen yourself to trust God. Now, we're reading about the wonderful effects of putting our trust in Christ, focusing on our salvation, not our sin.
With that said, we can be way too ignorant about this. Paul called the aforementioned effects "spiritual gifts." This is the real deal because it mentions the idea that we all have a supernatural ability (remember we CAN do the impossible through God's power and Holy Spirit). It is through the Lord that we are designated a specific purpose.
There are various perspectives about these spiritual gifts among churches and fellow believers. Some teach that all spiritual gifts are still active today, while others say that some were only needed when the church was first founded. So, in previous posts, I've talked about the many different kinds of spiritual gifts there are. However, I think it's most important to understand why God hands over his power to his people.
It comes down to the metaphor that Paul uses: the (human) body. As a church, we say that Jesus is the Lord of all, and we are all the body of Christ. Just like our own body, there are numerous parts. In other words, we're all a part of his body...an eyeball, a foot, an arm, etc.
Pray that God shows you why he gave you specific spiritual gifts. It's time to lose all ignorance and get out of your "own little world." Feel free to listen to "My Own Little World" by Matthew West.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Speaking, Thinking, Acting.
Joshua 1:8
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
All this week, we've seen God's instructions on how to become a successful leader who is able to tackle the impossible tasks successfully. God didn't tell Joshua, "If only you were Moses, you could do it." Instead, he worked with Joshua and provided the strength that was necessary.
God didn't advise Joshua to follow a human model for leadership, but he did say to follow his own voice. In today's reading, God told Joshua that he could find success by incorporating the Book of the Law into his heart and mind. Be involved in God's law. Live it out!
If you haven't already, ensure that the Bible is the primary source of the words, thoughts, and actions that stem from you. Think about God's Word morning and night so that you're ready for all circumstances.
May we all start speaking, thinking, and acting on your Word, Oh God.
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
All this week, we've seen God's instructions on how to become a successful leader who is able to tackle the impossible tasks successfully. God didn't tell Joshua, "If only you were Moses, you could do it." Instead, he worked with Joshua and provided the strength that was necessary.
God didn't advise Joshua to follow a human model for leadership, but he did say to follow his own voice. In today's reading, God told Joshua that he could find success by incorporating the Book of the Law into his heart and mind. Be involved in God's law. Live it out!
If you haven't already, ensure that the Bible is the primary source of the words, thoughts, and actions that stem from you. Think about God's Word morning and night so that you're ready for all circumstances.
May we all start speaking, thinking, and acting on your Word, Oh God.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Success Through God.
Joshua 1:7
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Repeatedly, the message is to "be strong and courageous." Yesterday, it was more about accomplishing the mission that God sets on your heart: his promise. Meanwhile, today, although the request is the same, the source of definitiveness is a little different: "obey all the law...that you may be successful."
When you obey God, you are given strength, courage, and confidence because it means that you're on track with him as he calls you to be. When you douse your life with sin and rebel against God, strength and courage is eliminated because trust isn't shown toward the Lord.
Additionally, our strength and courage is limited when we disobey God because it acts as a barrier that makes us want two different things. That is, part of us wants to abide by God's will for our lives and the the other half wants to dive into the sin.
Remember, that God has promised to bless us if we obey him, even if others run away. Reach for the heavenly blessings.
What choices in your life have you noticed to bring you strength and courage? Which ones didn't? Pay attention to God's mission that's he assigning you today.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Repeatedly, the message is to "be strong and courageous." Yesterday, it was more about accomplishing the mission that God sets on your heart: his promise. Meanwhile, today, although the request is the same, the source of definitiveness is a little different: "obey all the law...that you may be successful."
When you obey God, you are given strength, courage, and confidence because it means that you're on track with him as he calls you to be. When you douse your life with sin and rebel against God, strength and courage is eliminated because trust isn't shown toward the Lord.
Additionally, our strength and courage is limited when we disobey God because it acts as a barrier that makes us want two different things. That is, part of us wants to abide by God's will for our lives and the the other half wants to dive into the sin.
Remember, that God has promised to bless us if we obey him, even if others run away. Reach for the heavenly blessings.
What choices in your life have you noticed to bring you strength and courage? Which ones didn't? Pay attention to God's mission that's he assigning you today.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Step it Up.
Joshua 1:6
6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
You've probably seen the skateboarding competitions. As someone skates up the ramp, they're getting ready to pivot around and then go down (excuse my poor sports jargon) when a spectator yells "gnarly it up!" The skateboarder was to go all out. Clearly, the spectator wasn't giving advice, but was looking for mighty power.
God tells Joshua the same thing in today's scripture reading. This isn't just an informal speech. These are commands coming from the one, true God, directed toward a human being doing an extraordinary task: "be strong and courageous."
How on earth is that possible? Because we have God's incredible power that he provides. It is still our responsibility to keep the board going and to get back up every time you fall. It doesn't matter if you are the strongest person in the world, you won't be strong if you don't have God and disobey his words; you will be strong if you respect God. There is nothing you can lose here. Step it up and God will reward you!
Are you strong and courageous enough to listen to God?
6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
You've probably seen the skateboarding competitions. As someone skates up the ramp, they're getting ready to pivot around and then go down (excuse my poor sports jargon) when a spectator yells "gnarly it up!" The skateboarder was to go all out. Clearly, the spectator wasn't giving advice, but was looking for mighty power.
God tells Joshua the same thing in today's scripture reading. This isn't just an informal speech. These are commands coming from the one, true God, directed toward a human being doing an extraordinary task: "be strong and courageous."
How on earth is that possible? Because we have God's incredible power that he provides. It is still our responsibility to keep the board going and to get back up every time you fall. It doesn't matter if you are the strongest person in the world, you won't be strong if you don't have God and disobey his words; you will be strong if you respect God. There is nothing you can lose here. Step it up and God will reward you!
Are you strong and courageous enough to listen to God?
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
He Will Never Leave.
Joshua 1:5
5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
This Bible verse mentions that God gives Joshua the promise behind Moses' strength and confidence. Moses eventually grew on this promise; it gave him the might and power to make difficult choices, succeed, do incredible things, lead, and bring people to God.
God's promise, not just for Joshua, but for all of us is: "I will be with you; I will never leave nor forsake you." God's leading us, but he's still with us! Ironically, our definition of a leader is just the opposite. We grow up to lead our own lives independent from God's divine power; we take care of ourselves without feeling the necessity of relying on anyone or God.
Essentially, whenever we say that we're going to lead alone, we're just fooling and lying to ourselves. True growth and leadership requires leaning on God more than anything or anyone. Why should we rely on God? He is the ultimate provider of our strength and power. Even if you're at the top of a committee or group, all the attention shouldn't be focused there. Remember, God supplies us when we're in need.
5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
This Bible verse mentions that God gives Joshua the promise behind Moses' strength and confidence. Moses eventually grew on this promise; it gave him the might and power to make difficult choices, succeed, do incredible things, lead, and bring people to God.
God's promise, not just for Joshua, but for all of us is: "I will be with you; I will never leave nor forsake you." God's leading us, but he's still with us! Ironically, our definition of a leader is just the opposite. We grow up to lead our own lives independent from God's divine power; we take care of ourselves without feeling the necessity of relying on anyone or God.
Essentially, whenever we say that we're going to lead alone, we're just fooling and lying to ourselves. True growth and leadership requires leaning on God more than anything or anyone. Why should we rely on God? He is the ultimate provider of our strength and power. Even if you're at the top of a committee or group, all the attention shouldn't be focused there. Remember, God supplies us when we're in need.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The Impossible.
Joshua 1:3-4
3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
Have you ever felt like something was impossible? You may have woken up one day, and felt that God was calling you to do something. Instead, you just say, "God, c'mon, that's impossible for me." The part we're missing is that it's only impossible when we're alone; that is, when we try to do it on our own.
A far fetched example is if God said to save 100 people trapped in the ravine uptown. God doesn't look for the strongest men and give them this job. Rather, God uses the people who stand ready to obey and trust him. Thus, God does the impossible through others.
Joshua had a very difficult mission himself. His responsibility was to lead a single nation into a chaotic region, conquer, and then occupy it. God gave Joshua promises...the same ones he gave to Moses. We have to realize that when God makes a promise, he's all business, and he won't let you down. Just believe in his promises!
As for your impossible goal, it is to live on the earth with the strength of God on your side leaving behind the world of temptations. God promises you success, so that should give you all the more reason to do your best to obey him.
Here's today's song: "My Savior, My God" by Aaron Shust. May you take him [God] at his word and deed.
3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
Have you ever felt like something was impossible? You may have woken up one day, and felt that God was calling you to do something. Instead, you just say, "God, c'mon, that's impossible for me." The part we're missing is that it's only impossible when we're alone; that is, when we try to do it on our own.
A far fetched example is if God said to save 100 people trapped in the ravine uptown. God doesn't look for the strongest men and give them this job. Rather, God uses the people who stand ready to obey and trust him. Thus, God does the impossible through others.
Joshua had a very difficult mission himself. His responsibility was to lead a single nation into a chaotic region, conquer, and then occupy it. God gave Joshua promises...the same ones he gave to Moses. We have to realize that when God makes a promise, he's all business, and he won't let you down. Just believe in his promises!
As for your impossible goal, it is to live on the earth with the strength of God on your side leaving behind the world of temptations. God promises you success, so that should give you all the more reason to do your best to obey him.
Here's today's song: "My Savior, My God" by Aaron Shust. May you take him [God] at his word and deed.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Readying Yourself to Obey.
Joshua 1:1-2
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.
Okay, it's a new month and a new week...Hopefully my blog posts won't be as few and far between; sorry about that.
That brings me to a new series for the week: leading. We'll specifically be looking in the book of Joshua, which paints a good picture on this. Being a leader is fairly intimidating and scary. Joshua's task is certainly on the top of this scale. He had to step in for Moses!
Prior to this point, Moses was chosen by God to take his people out of captivity in Egypt. It was then that God was ever-present to Moses and gave the Ten Commandments. Moses was a primary leader in Israel for several decades.
Now, it was Joshua's turn to lead Israel into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. I don't know about you, but I would be terrified. The Israelites were waiting for this day for 40 years, and now their all important leader, Moses, was dead. How would it be possible for Joshua to succeed?
Imagine hearing the words "get ready to cross the Jordan River." This allows Joshua to comprehend God's power when he is controlling the strings, so to speak. Good leaders follow and do what God says to do. Not everything is going to fall into place right away, and make sense, thus, we can't wait for the details before we act (something I'm notorious for doing). Obeying God involves getting ourselves prepared (to obey him). Make sure you're ready NOW! What do you do to prepare for God's on-demand instructions?
Pray that God will let you learn from Joshua so that you can spiritually, mentally, and physically prepare for God's calling. Who, in your life, can you look up to as a good example of obeying God? Have you noticed anyone following your leadership? That's the ultimate goal.
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.
Okay, it's a new month and a new week...Hopefully my blog posts won't be as few and far between; sorry about that.
That brings me to a new series for the week: leading. We'll specifically be looking in the book of Joshua, which paints a good picture on this. Being a leader is fairly intimidating and scary. Joshua's task is certainly on the top of this scale. He had to step in for Moses!
Prior to this point, Moses was chosen by God to take his people out of captivity in Egypt. It was then that God was ever-present to Moses and gave the Ten Commandments. Moses was a primary leader in Israel for several decades.
Now, it was Joshua's turn to lead Israel into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. I don't know about you, but I would be terrified. The Israelites were waiting for this day for 40 years, and now their all important leader, Moses, was dead. How would it be possible for Joshua to succeed?
Imagine hearing the words "get ready to cross the Jordan River." This allows Joshua to comprehend God's power when he is controlling the strings, so to speak. Good leaders follow and do what God says to do. Not everything is going to fall into place right away, and make sense, thus, we can't wait for the details before we act (something I'm notorious for doing). Obeying God involves getting ourselves prepared (to obey him). Make sure you're ready NOW! What do you do to prepare for God's on-demand instructions?
Pray that God will let you learn from Joshua so that you can spiritually, mentally, and physically prepare for God's calling. Who, in your life, can you look up to as a good example of obeying God? Have you noticed anyone following your leadership? That's the ultimate goal.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Great Effort.
Romans 14:19
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Notice how today's scripture says "make every effort." That stands out the most to me because that in itself is always a challenge: to put forth effort in everything. On certain days, sometimes it feels like we have to exert more effort than normal because we're extra tired or unmotivated.
In this scripture reading, it then stresses peace and mutual edification. Much like our relationship with God, this is a two-way deal. In order to have peace, for example, you have to exhibit that characteristic toward others. The same goes for edification. Be open to it because God calls for cooperation within his family. As spiritual brothers and sisters, it is our responsibility to work out the kinks in our relationships and resolve them through methods such as communication.
That's what takes great effort. Getting along with your brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who you spend the most time with. It's a necessity to do that in every relationship. No matter who you love, you have to sacrifice your time for them and be compassionate; get rid all of your selfishness. Openly share your love with one another and I'm sure you'll see the benefits bounce back to you.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Notice how today's scripture says "make every effort." That stands out the most to me because that in itself is always a challenge: to put forth effort in everything. On certain days, sometimes it feels like we have to exert more effort than normal because we're extra tired or unmotivated.
In this scripture reading, it then stresses peace and mutual edification. Much like our relationship with God, this is a two-way deal. In order to have peace, for example, you have to exhibit that characteristic toward others. The same goes for edification. Be open to it because God calls for cooperation within his family. As spiritual brothers and sisters, it is our responsibility to work out the kinks in our relationships and resolve them through methods such as communication.
That's what takes great effort. Getting along with your brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who you spend the most time with. It's a necessity to do that in every relationship. No matter who you love, you have to sacrifice your time for them and be compassionate; get rid all of your selfishness. Openly share your love with one another and I'm sure you'll see the benefits bounce back to you.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
God's Lullaby.
Zephaniah 3:17
17 The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."
This is the only verse I've used from the book of Zephaniah in the past couple years, and I'm using it again because it's encouraging.
Have you ever heard a lullaby? Have you ever sung one to a crying baby? I don't know what it is, but a soft hum seems to be soothing. It calms them I think partially because it makes us peaceful ourselves. Somehow, I believe that babies sense our mood and emotion. That's why yelling at a baby who's crying doesn't really work; they can sense any anger and frustration.
Similarly, I imagine God singing this verse from the Bible as a lullaby to us reminding us that he's always here even when life doesn't make sense and it's hard to go from day to day. It's certainly a joyful and hopeful message that Zephaniah conveys to the people of God when they feel defeated.
God is mighty to save. He loves us unconditionally. He takes great delight in us. He wipes away any storm that is in our heart just with his touch. God wants to be close to you and invites you now to step up your commitment. Are you ready to respond proactively?
Lord, let us see your presence clearly so that our soul can be quieted. Strengthen us to forbid evil and seek you in everything we know. Thank you for always being a prayer and a blessing away.
Please take the next 5-10 minutes and worship God in this song by Hillsong United: "Mighty To Save."
17 The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."
This is the only verse I've used from the book of Zephaniah in the past couple years, and I'm using it again because it's encouraging.
Have you ever heard a lullaby? Have you ever sung one to a crying baby? I don't know what it is, but a soft hum seems to be soothing. It calms them I think partially because it makes us peaceful ourselves. Somehow, I believe that babies sense our mood and emotion. That's why yelling at a baby who's crying doesn't really work; they can sense any anger and frustration.
Similarly, I imagine God singing this verse from the Bible as a lullaby to us reminding us that he's always here even when life doesn't make sense and it's hard to go from day to day. It's certainly a joyful and hopeful message that Zephaniah conveys to the people of God when they feel defeated.
God is mighty to save. He loves us unconditionally. He takes great delight in us. He wipes away any storm that is in our heart just with his touch. God wants to be close to you and invites you now to step up your commitment. Are you ready to respond proactively?
Lord, let us see your presence clearly so that our soul can be quieted. Strengthen us to forbid evil and seek you in everything we know. Thank you for always being a prayer and a blessing away.
Please take the next 5-10 minutes and worship God in this song by Hillsong United: "Mighty To Save."
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Unfair Judgment.
Romans 14:4
4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Trying to get back on track...
As humans, most of us are fully capable of seeing and hearing the world around us. It is a melting pot. In other words, everyone is different. Some are small and some are large; some can walk and some can't; some have a high-pitched voice and some have a low-pitched voice; some are Christian and some aren't. The list could go on for miles!
Anyways, the point is that Paul is specifically discussing judgment about people's faith. As Christians, we tend to have this circle of hotheadedness, the idea that we're better than non-believers, that is. However, it is anything but our job to judge people with regard to faith or anything really. Whose responsibility is this? The Lord's. Thus, it is in our best interest to pass without judging.
So often it's easy for us to find the fault in others. Yet, we don't even look at our own selves and the obvious sin that exists there. Someone's sin is equally as bad as yours. Just remember that you will be asked to respond to God for everything you do just as much as someone else's wrongdoings. At least Jesus died to redeem us.
Unfair judgment is a hard thing to avoid, so pray about it if you're struggling with this authority issue. Finally, may God use as a source of encouragement for one trying to understand their purpose and plan in God's will.
4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Trying to get back on track...
As humans, most of us are fully capable of seeing and hearing the world around us. It is a melting pot. In other words, everyone is different. Some are small and some are large; some can walk and some can't; some have a high-pitched voice and some have a low-pitched voice; some are Christian and some aren't. The list could go on for miles!
Anyways, the point is that Paul is specifically discussing judgment about people's faith. As Christians, we tend to have this circle of hotheadedness, the idea that we're better than non-believers, that is. However, it is anything but our job to judge people with regard to faith or anything really. Whose responsibility is this? The Lord's. Thus, it is in our best interest to pass without judging.
So often it's easy for us to find the fault in others. Yet, we don't even look at our own selves and the obvious sin that exists there. Someone's sin is equally as bad as yours. Just remember that you will be asked to respond to God for everything you do just as much as someone else's wrongdoings. At least Jesus died to redeem us.
Unfair judgment is a hard thing to avoid, so pray about it if you're struggling with this authority issue. Finally, may God use as a source of encouragement for one trying to understand their purpose and plan in God's will.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Justified in his Blood.
Romans 5:8-9
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
On the topic of eternal punishment, many people believe that hell is an unfair punishment of people's sins. However, the way I look at it, the part that's unfair, yet amazing, is the fact that Christ died for our sins and offers the precious gift of salvation to all with no cost! I'm not saying that I'm jealous that I didn't die like Christ did, but rather it is just unbelievable how we are so unworthy yet Jesus still died for us so that our sins don't have to take us to hell. Now, that's love!
All in all, Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross is a symbol of redemption for Christians. We are allowed to be born into a new life from our slavery as a sinner. We are forgiven; our sins from the past, present, and future are wiped away. Christ sees everyone in the image of God depicting a pure and holy picture. Everyone who trusts the Lord is no longer considered to be guilty as they are strengthened by a relationship with God. You can change your badge from a sinner to a saint just like that.
Thank you Lord for your sending your Son to die for us. I don't think any of us would be where we are today if it wasn't for you.
Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior everyday can be challenge, but we have to remember all the benefits in the end.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
On the topic of eternal punishment, many people believe that hell is an unfair punishment of people's sins. However, the way I look at it, the part that's unfair, yet amazing, is the fact that Christ died for our sins and offers the precious gift of salvation to all with no cost! I'm not saying that I'm jealous that I didn't die like Christ did, but rather it is just unbelievable how we are so unworthy yet Jesus still died for us so that our sins don't have to take us to hell. Now, that's love!
All in all, Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross is a symbol of redemption for Christians. We are allowed to be born into a new life from our slavery as a sinner. We are forgiven; our sins from the past, present, and future are wiped away. Christ sees everyone in the image of God depicting a pure and holy picture. Everyone who trusts the Lord is no longer considered to be guilty as they are strengthened by a relationship with God. You can change your badge from a sinner to a saint just like that.
Thank you Lord for your sending your Son to die for us. I don't think any of us would be where we are today if it wasn't for you.
Accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior everyday can be challenge, but we have to remember all the benefits in the end.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
In the Hand of God.
Hebrews 9:27-28
27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
As humans, we are in the hand of God. However, somewhere in time since then, many have decided to believe just the opposite: God is in their hands. In other words, God's impact in one's life, is up to the person himself. "God only has a role in our life when I feel like he should."
That is not the way to think. The Bible says that we aren't to question the reality of God: he's the one, true, everlasting God and judge of creation. The two things that put this belief to rest are death and judgment.
Don't even begin to question death or judgment. Remove any doubts from your mind. God's Word tells us that God has appointed a moment when everyone, including you and I, will die. It's inevitable. He went on to say that after death, we will come before the very face of God and be judged. Even though you shouldn't question death and judgment, the reality is, they're still there. You may be able to steer clear of some potential obstacles in life, such as discontentment, however, death and judgment are unavoidable. These appointments have been made. The important thing to remember is that you're not alone! Assume and believe that God is right.
So while you may not want to believe these frightening words, remember they're coming from the one, true God. As far as hope is concerned, turn to Jesus Christ. He is the sure way to salvation. He will take your sin and keep you from eternal punishment. Finally, look at these two appointments without shame and fear. Just think, one day you will see the one who died for you because he loved you then, he loves you now, and he will love you forever.
27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
As humans, we are in the hand of God. However, somewhere in time since then, many have decided to believe just the opposite: God is in their hands. In other words, God's impact in one's life, is up to the person himself. "God only has a role in our life when I feel like he should."
That is not the way to think. The Bible says that we aren't to question the reality of God: he's the one, true, everlasting God and judge of creation. The two things that put this belief to rest are death and judgment.
Don't even begin to question death or judgment. Remove any doubts from your mind. God's Word tells us that God has appointed a moment when everyone, including you and I, will die. It's inevitable. He went on to say that after death, we will come before the very face of God and be judged. Even though you shouldn't question death and judgment, the reality is, they're still there. You may be able to steer clear of some potential obstacles in life, such as discontentment, however, death and judgment are unavoidable. These appointments have been made. The important thing to remember is that you're not alone! Assume and believe that God is right.
So while you may not want to believe these frightening words, remember they're coming from the one, true God. As far as hope is concerned, turn to Jesus Christ. He is the sure way to salvation. He will take your sin and keep you from eternal punishment. Finally, look at these two appointments without shame and fear. Just think, one day you will see the one who died for you because he loved you then, he loves you now, and he will love you forever.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Fiery Lake.
Revelation 21:8
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
What a scary image! I'm sure many of you are thinking, "How in the world can such a loving God do such a thing? Earth is bad enough. Hell isn't real."
The fact of the matter is, it doesn't matter what you think. What God says is more important, and as you know, he speaks through the Bible. Something is true because it's a reality, not because you believe in it.
So many people want to live without God. The sad part is that most claim they are Christians. However, in their everyday tasks, they are hypocrites and everything but Christian. They don't live according to the Holy Word. They don't want to believe that God will cast people into the lake of fire. Somehow, our reality has gone astray thinking he's too kind to do that.
To clarify, Hell did not originate from Satan, but rather God. If God only makes things that glorifies him, then why would he create Hell? Our God does not strive for chaos, but rather order. Moral laws are consistent with God's character and they teach us lessons.
In order to enter the Kingdom of God, we must be holy and without sin. We obviously fall short of that and God has promised to erase all of our sins. This is possible thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus accepted the beating we deserve and in turn, gave us eternal life.
All in all, we have to leave our sinful traits behind and separate them from God. You can't have eternal life with God and be independent from him.
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
What a scary image! I'm sure many of you are thinking, "How in the world can such a loving God do such a thing? Earth is bad enough. Hell isn't real."
The fact of the matter is, it doesn't matter what you think. What God says is more important, and as you know, he speaks through the Bible. Something is true because it's a reality, not because you believe in it.
So many people want to live without God. The sad part is that most claim they are Christians. However, in their everyday tasks, they are hypocrites and everything but Christian. They don't live according to the Holy Word. They don't want to believe that God will cast people into the lake of fire. Somehow, our reality has gone astray thinking he's too kind to do that.
To clarify, Hell did not originate from Satan, but rather God. If God only makes things that glorifies him, then why would he create Hell? Our God does not strive for chaos, but rather order. Moral laws are consistent with God's character and they teach us lessons.
In order to enter the Kingdom of God, we must be holy and without sin. We obviously fall short of that and God has promised to erase all of our sins. This is possible thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus accepted the beating we deserve and in turn, gave us eternal life.
All in all, we have to leave our sinful traits behind and separate them from God. You can't have eternal life with God and be independent from him.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Treatment of Others and Eternal Life.
Matthew 25:41-46
41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Welcome back!
What if we saw everyone in the image of Christ? What if we treated everyone as if they were Christ? I know things would be so much different. Compassion and kindness would certainly exist. Hospitality wouldn't be unheard of. The words that flow off our tongue and out of our mouth would completely change its pattern and 'not conform to the pattern of the world.' It would be easier to understand the suffering, pain, and trials of others. We could easily love every neighbor!
Jesus wants our kindness toward others to dominate. He says that if we exhibit cruelty and evilness toward people, then we WILL suffer the consequences. Everything may be hunky dory on earth, however, that won't be the case after our time here. Remember, we will be judged not on whether we go to church every Sunday, but rather how we serve the Lord, and thus his people.
Lord, thank you so much for everyone around us. Even when we're having a bad day or we're not treated fairly by someone, remind us how much you value everyone even if we slip. May the Holy Spirit work to reveal this power in strong ways.
The song I want to share with you today is "Won't You Be My Love" by MercyMe. It's a nice song for a Monday!
41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Welcome back!
What if we saw everyone in the image of Christ? What if we treated everyone as if they were Christ? I know things would be so much different. Compassion and kindness would certainly exist. Hospitality wouldn't be unheard of. The words that flow off our tongue and out of our mouth would completely change its pattern and 'not conform to the pattern of the world.' It would be easier to understand the suffering, pain, and trials of others. We could easily love every neighbor!
Jesus wants our kindness toward others to dominate. He says that if we exhibit cruelty and evilness toward people, then we WILL suffer the consequences. Everything may be hunky dory on earth, however, that won't be the case after our time here. Remember, we will be judged not on whether we go to church every Sunday, but rather how we serve the Lord, and thus his people.
Lord, thank you so much for everyone around us. Even when we're having a bad day or we're not treated fairly by someone, remind us how much you value everyone even if we slip. May the Holy Spirit work to reveal this power in strong ways.
The song I want to share with you today is "Won't You Be My Love" by MercyMe. It's a nice song for a Monday!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Model of Love.
1 Thessalonians 3:12
12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
This is a scripture reading that I think we all can take to heart. We don't realize who we're affecting day to day when we go about tossing around love like it's nobody's business. In reality, however, remember that God is love. Thank goodness he pours his love into our hearts via the Holy Spirit or else I think at times it would run dry. The reason this happens is because we get so caught up in our selfish desires that we can't possibly be caring and compassionate toward others.
What can we do to make our families, churches, and small groups more loving and united in thought? Yep, you guessed it...pray! Don't be afraid to let the members of your small group, for example, know that you are praying for them. No matter what, communication is the most important element in keeping love strong and prayer is a form of communication!
God, help us be more loving toward one another imitating your unconditional love. May the same love that you pour into me, funnel out into the world. May our congregations grow more in your love and power, not just within, but to those outside who will encounter us as well. As one family, we ask this in your name.
P.S. I'm going to take a break from blogging for the next week (October 11-16). This year I've done pretty well keeping up and avoiding any real slack until now. Anyways, keep digging into the Word and I'll see you on Monday, October 18!
12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
This is a scripture reading that I think we all can take to heart. We don't realize who we're affecting day to day when we go about tossing around love like it's nobody's business. In reality, however, remember that God is love. Thank goodness he pours his love into our hearts via the Holy Spirit or else I think at times it would run dry. The reason this happens is because we get so caught up in our selfish desires that we can't possibly be caring and compassionate toward others.
What can we do to make our families, churches, and small groups more loving and united in thought? Yep, you guessed it...pray! Don't be afraid to let the members of your small group, for example, know that you are praying for them. No matter what, communication is the most important element in keeping love strong and prayer is a form of communication!
God, help us be more loving toward one another imitating your unconditional love. May the same love that you pour into me, funnel out into the world. May our congregations grow more in your love and power, not just within, but to those outside who will encounter us as well. As one family, we ask this in your name.
P.S. I'm going to take a break from blogging for the next week (October 11-16). This year I've done pretty well keeping up and avoiding any real slack until now. Anyways, keep digging into the Word and I'll see you on Monday, October 18!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Open Arms.
Romans 14:1
1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.
God is good and when he sent Christ to die for us, that is a blessing that I think we ignore too often. I know I mentioned it after my first week of summer semester up here at Florida State University, but at the Wesley Foundation, I felt very welcome to immediately call it my new church because of the church body. Between their offers to go to lunch, and their willingness to get to know me, Christian fellowship is such a blessing. Now, I still don't feel any different. Everyone there sees me in the image of God.
Similarly, I started pledging a Christian fraternity this semester, Kappa Upsilon Chi (KYX). Despite any thoughts to drop KYX earlier in the semester due to my lack of patience or understanding, God has always pulled through and showed me the importance of having brothers living and knowing Christ along with me. The brothers who have been involved in the organization were kind and welcoming to me as well. Clearly their emphasis is brotherhood in Christ. It's something I think is necessary to maintain my faith. I'm sure many other teens could use that too. (I'll likely write a little more KYX once the semester is over).
In both cases, past failures and sin are not meant to bring you down. They're only meant to help you grow. They're not meant to judge you, but rather, hold you accountable. Any struggles are meant to be brought to the table in these two atmospheres where God is clearly present.
It is my goal to show others (and bring them into) the love of God's family just as I have been led to and because God has welcomed me with his graciousness.
1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.
God is good and when he sent Christ to die for us, that is a blessing that I think we ignore too often. I know I mentioned it after my first week of summer semester up here at Florida State University, but at the Wesley Foundation, I felt very welcome to immediately call it my new church because of the church body. Between their offers to go to lunch, and their willingness to get to know me, Christian fellowship is such a blessing. Now, I still don't feel any different. Everyone there sees me in the image of God.
Similarly, I started pledging a Christian fraternity this semester, Kappa Upsilon Chi (KYX). Despite any thoughts to drop KYX earlier in the semester due to my lack of patience or understanding, God has always pulled through and showed me the importance of having brothers living and knowing Christ along with me. The brothers who have been involved in the organization were kind and welcoming to me as well. Clearly their emphasis is brotherhood in Christ. It's something I think is necessary to maintain my faith. I'm sure many other teens could use that too. (I'll likely write a little more KYX once the semester is over).
In both cases, past failures and sin are not meant to bring you down. They're only meant to help you grow. They're not meant to judge you, but rather, hold you accountable. Any struggles are meant to be brought to the table in these two atmospheres where God is clearly present.
It is my goal to show others (and bring them into) the love of God's family just as I have been led to and because God has welcomed me with his graciousness.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Following Jesus.
Matthew 11:28-30
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
I've been thinking about following Christ and an interesting perspective popped into my head. Usually when we follow the leader, it's only for a short time before we go back to normal; we might agree to their callings in order to get a project completed, for example. When all is said and done, we easily go back to leading our own lives.
However, when we follow Christ, it needs to be a long term reality. We follow him to be more like him, not just to say we did it for a few days only to return our self-reliance. The difference here is that we must give up everything in order to follow him. There's no "I'm kinda following Jesus" stepping stones.
As followers of Jesus, we understand that we constantly receive blessings even at the roughest times and that we have a reservation in eternal life with God. While it is difficult at times, that fact of life is never going to vanish into thin air. Just remember, when things aren't easy, God intends for that to happen to teach valuable lessons. Best of all, when our life here on earth is done, it's just the beginning of our eternal life with our Lord and Savior.
Thank you Lord for the things you bless us with each day. May we see Jesus as the only way to a real, genuine life.
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
I've been thinking about following Christ and an interesting perspective popped into my head. Usually when we follow the leader, it's only for a short time before we go back to normal; we might agree to their callings in order to get a project completed, for example. When all is said and done, we easily go back to leading our own lives.
However, when we follow Christ, it needs to be a long term reality. We follow him to be more like him, not just to say we did it for a few days only to return our self-reliance. The difference here is that we must give up everything in order to follow him. There's no "I'm kinda following Jesus" stepping stones.
As followers of Jesus, we understand that we constantly receive blessings even at the roughest times and that we have a reservation in eternal life with God. While it is difficult at times, that fact of life is never going to vanish into thin air. Just remember, when things aren't easy, God intends for that to happen to teach valuable lessons. Best of all, when our life here on earth is done, it's just the beginning of our eternal life with our Lord and Savior.
Thank you Lord for the things you bless us with each day. May we see Jesus as the only way to a real, genuine life.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Drawing the Line.
1 Peter 3:9
9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Since this is reminiscent of a piece of scripture found in the book of Romans, this is even more convincing as to why we should forgive others. I admit, this particular reason as to why we should forgive is hard to accept since as humans we typically want revenge. Our mindset is: we were hurt, so why not let them hurt? It's as if guilt and shame are the best forms of payback in the world. Maybe after they suffer as much as we desire, we can grant them with forgiveness.
Someone may call you name. Do you think it feels better to call them back a name? The problem is that it's going to be a continuous cycle. The idea is usually to get even with each other, but that's never going to happen; someone is going to always be one up on the other, so to speak. Where does the line get drawn? How do you prevent the situation from escalating even more out of control?
The fact of the matter is someone has to be the bigger person. They have to say: "Stop...enough!" Guess what? Jesus is calling you to be that someone. Enough is enough should be a reality now rather than later.
It's not always easy fighting to ignore our instincts to react negatively. That's why we're told to love and pray for our enemies. This is a distinguishable characteristic as a follower of Christ. Maybe you should write down today's Bible verse and carry it with you everywhere. Whenever you're questioning how to respond to betrayal and hurt feelings, turn to this Bible verse.
9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Since this is reminiscent of a piece of scripture found in the book of Romans, this is even more convincing as to why we should forgive others. I admit, this particular reason as to why we should forgive is hard to accept since as humans we typically want revenge. Our mindset is: we were hurt, so why not let them hurt? It's as if guilt and shame are the best forms of payback in the world. Maybe after they suffer as much as we desire, we can grant them with forgiveness.
Someone may call you name. Do you think it feels better to call them back a name? The problem is that it's going to be a continuous cycle. The idea is usually to get even with each other, but that's never going to happen; someone is going to always be one up on the other, so to speak. Where does the line get drawn? How do you prevent the situation from escalating even more out of control?
The fact of the matter is someone has to be the bigger person. They have to say: "Stop...enough!" Guess what? Jesus is calling you to be that someone. Enough is enough should be a reality now rather than later.
It's not always easy fighting to ignore our instincts to react negatively. That's why we're told to love and pray for our enemies. This is a distinguishable characteristic as a follower of Christ. Maybe you should write down today's Bible verse and carry it with you everywhere. Whenever you're questioning how to respond to betrayal and hurt feelings, turn to this Bible verse.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Forgive So That You Will be Forgiven.
Mark 11:25
25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
The main idea in today's Bible verse is that you have to forgive others in order for God to forgive you. Notice that the operative phrase is "so that." This is critical when it comes to understanding consequences such as the following:
1. Put your dinner in the microwave, so that it won't be cold
2. Fold your clothes, so that there won't be any wrinkles.
3. Go to sleep early tonight, so that you will be well-rested by the morning.
"So that" almost indicates a cause and effect relationship. Additionally, the first part part of the sentence before "so that" must be true in order for the second part of the sentence to be true. This idiom is definitely a sentence structure element.
In context, we are told that we should "forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." The carefully placed phrase "so that" implies that if we fail to express a forgiving heart to one another, then what's to say we deserve God's forgiveness?
Think about it; when we say the Lord's prayer we're asking for forgiveness as we promise to forgive others: "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Do you think you're doing a sufficient job forgiving others and thus you're able to receive God's total forgiveness?
If you're struggling with a certain situation, you may want to talk it out with someone. Certainly, go to the Lord and ask him to fill you with his wisdom. God, may we be wiling to forgive others so that we can experience your total forgiveness.
25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
The main idea in today's Bible verse is that you have to forgive others in order for God to forgive you. Notice that the operative phrase is "so that." This is critical when it comes to understanding consequences such as the following:
1. Put your dinner in the microwave, so that it won't be cold
2. Fold your clothes, so that there won't be any wrinkles.
3. Go to sleep early tonight, so that you will be well-rested by the morning.
"So that" almost indicates a cause and effect relationship. Additionally, the first part part of the sentence before "so that" must be true in order for the second part of the sentence to be true. This idiom is definitely a sentence structure element.
In context, we are told that we should "forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." The carefully placed phrase "so that" implies that if we fail to express a forgiving heart to one another, then what's to say we deserve God's forgiveness?
Think about it; when we say the Lord's prayer we're asking for forgiveness as we promise to forgive others: "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Do you think you're doing a sufficient job forgiving others and thus you're able to receive God's total forgiveness?
If you're struggling with a certain situation, you may want to talk it out with someone. Certainly, go to the Lord and ask him to fill you with his wisdom. God, may we be wiling to forgive others so that we can experience your total forgiveness.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Forgive and Forget.
Proverbs 17:9
9 He who covers over an offense promotes love,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
This is a wonderful example of how God tells us we should love. Perhaps, it's because you have someone right now who you're having a difficult time agreeing with or understanding. Just when you thought you could go your separate ways, the situation kept reappearing. While it may be possible to move on, it really hinders your relationship.
Have you ever heard of the phrase, "forgive and forget?" Well, it's true. The reality is if a particular situation is reoccurring, then it's affecting the relationship, and there hasn't been forgiveness whatsoever.
It's true that forgiveness is difficult, because it's natural for us to want to let someone know how much they've hurt us. We want to instill guilt on them and we want revenge.
What I've seen is that holding a grudge toward someone, doesn't make you feel better in the end, despite some short term positive feels. In fact, if you're anger in one situation, then you're quite likely many other situations in your relationships with others. What if God held grudges?
Whatever you're going through, pray about it. Take your time and pray. May God fill you with his love and lead you in the right direction.
Here's to a beautiful song from The Sidewalk Prophets: "The Words I Would Say."
9 He who covers over an offense promotes love,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
This is a wonderful example of how God tells us we should love. Perhaps, it's because you have someone right now who you're having a difficult time agreeing with or understanding. Just when you thought you could go your separate ways, the situation kept reappearing. While it may be possible to move on, it really hinders your relationship.
Have you ever heard of the phrase, "forgive and forget?" Well, it's true. The reality is if a particular situation is reoccurring, then it's affecting the relationship, and there hasn't been forgiveness whatsoever.
It's true that forgiveness is difficult, because it's natural for us to want to let someone know how much they've hurt us. We want to instill guilt on them and we want revenge.
What I've seen is that holding a grudge toward someone, doesn't make you feel better in the end, despite some short term positive feels. In fact, if you're anger in one situation, then you're quite likely many other situations in your relationships with others. What if God held grudges?
Whatever you're going through, pray about it. Take your time and pray. May God fill you with his love and lead you in the right direction.
Here's to a beautiful song from The Sidewalk Prophets: "The Words I Would Say."
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Christian Persecution.
Matthew 5:11-12
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Today's message is going to be pretty short and sweet...
Many of you who read this may not even understand what this scripture from Matthew means, or at least can't even imagine it. It seems so unreal. However, when you look at the roots of Christianity, many believers in Christ have suffered persecution greatly all along.
Too often we take our faith and relationship with Christ for granted. Thank God we have the freedoms in our country to worship, praise, and pray to the Lord of Lords all the time whenever we want. We're so comfortable in it, that we have no idea what believers in other parts of the world are feeling at the same as our tranquility.
Do them a favor today and please pray for those who undergo torture, torment, and ridicule to live out their faith.
Lord, many call on your name all across the world you created. Yet, they face trials and hardship everyday just for something they believe. I pray that you can lead them out of this persecution and that their challenges can be a powerful witness to others so that they too can step up to the plate and accept you as their savior. In your name, Amen.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Today's message is going to be pretty short and sweet...
Many of you who read this may not even understand what this scripture from Matthew means, or at least can't even imagine it. It seems so unreal. However, when you look at the roots of Christianity, many believers in Christ have suffered persecution greatly all along.
Too often we take our faith and relationship with Christ for granted. Thank God we have the freedoms in our country to worship, praise, and pray to the Lord of Lords all the time whenever we want. We're so comfortable in it, that we have no idea what believers in other parts of the world are feeling at the same as our tranquility.
Do them a favor today and please pray for those who undergo torture, torment, and ridicule to live out their faith.
Lord, many call on your name all across the world you created. Yet, they face trials and hardship everyday just for something they believe. I pray that you can lead them out of this persecution and that their challenges can be a powerful witness to others so that they too can step up to the plate and accept you as their savior. In your name, Amen.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Clothe Yourself with Christ.
Colossians 3:12
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
As humans, we're so set on our daily routine. Sure, sometimes when we follow a different routine during a given day, we may forget to make our sandwich for lunch or grab our cell phone off the counter. However, there are some things we just don't ever forget to do, such as getting dressed or putting our shoes on. You may have dreamed something like this did happen, but chances are, you've never forgotten to get dressed!
Much like it's not usual for us to get dressed everyday, Paul wants us to be naturally dressed everyday with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love (essentially, wear the fruits of the spirit...see Galatians 5:22-23) as well. Since we're Christians, if we're not dressed with these items, then we're naked.
Do you remember when Adam and Eve realized that they were naked back in the book of Genesis? They were embarrassed and they couldn't stand before the grace of God. We stand before God everyday in everything that we do. The last thing we should do is show a lack of compassion, kindness, and humility. This way, there's no reason to be ashamed.
Which of the aforementioned characteristics do you need to add any extra layers to in your daily attire? Make a list of all the characteristics and rank them based on how much work needs to be done on each. Finally, pray about your list!
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
As humans, we're so set on our daily routine. Sure, sometimes when we follow a different routine during a given day, we may forget to make our sandwich for lunch or grab our cell phone off the counter. However, there are some things we just don't ever forget to do, such as getting dressed or putting our shoes on. You may have dreamed something like this did happen, but chances are, you've never forgotten to get dressed!
Much like it's not usual for us to get dressed everyday, Paul wants us to be naturally dressed everyday with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love (essentially, wear the fruits of the spirit...see Galatians 5:22-23) as well. Since we're Christians, if we're not dressed with these items, then we're naked.
Do you remember when Adam and Eve realized that they were naked back in the book of Genesis? They were embarrassed and they couldn't stand before the grace of God. We stand before God everyday in everything that we do. The last thing we should do is show a lack of compassion, kindness, and humility. This way, there's no reason to be ashamed.
Which of the aforementioned characteristics do you need to add any extra layers to in your daily attire? Make a list of all the characteristics and rank them based on how much work needs to be done on each. Finally, pray about your list!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Gifts and Talents.
1 Corinthians 12:4-12
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
Today is my 600th blog post! I've been writing these for over two years now. It's been an incredible experience thus far, and I don't think God is done using me here yet. Thank you God for giving me strength. Blog readers, please keep reading!
That brings me to a fairly important topic today. I talked about money earlier this week. It's highly significant that we realize that every penny, nickle, and dime we have is a gift from God. If we don't spend it wisely or we forget that God is our provider, our greed can turn our spiritual life upside down.
God has blessed YOU for a specific reason: to bless others. Whether it's throwing more money into the offering plate, or speaking from the church pulpit, the body of Christ needs you to fulfill its unity and wholeness. When you use your spiritual gifts, you build up others in a life filled with faith.
Maybe you're blessed with time as opposed to money. That's great because God didn't give you the same blessings as our friends and neighbors or else that would be monotonous. Not everyone is the ear or the eye. How can you use your free time to serve others? What talents do you have to offer in a loving manner to the body of Christ?
Finally, I want to mention that if you don't know your spiritual gifts, there are tons of resources that can evaluate you. Just go to google.com and type in "spiritual gifts test"
Find your gifts if you haven't already and use them "Until The Whole World Hears." Today's song is by Casting Crowns.
"God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called." ~Unknown
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
Today is my 600th blog post! I've been writing these for over two years now. It's been an incredible experience thus far, and I don't think God is done using me here yet. Thank you God for giving me strength. Blog readers, please keep reading!
That brings me to a fairly important topic today. I talked about money earlier this week. It's highly significant that we realize that every penny, nickle, and dime we have is a gift from God. If we don't spend it wisely or we forget that God is our provider, our greed can turn our spiritual life upside down.
God has blessed YOU for a specific reason: to bless others. Whether it's throwing more money into the offering plate, or speaking from the church pulpit, the body of Christ needs you to fulfill its unity and wholeness. When you use your spiritual gifts, you build up others in a life filled with faith.
Maybe you're blessed with time as opposed to money. That's great because God didn't give you the same blessings as our friends and neighbors or else that would be monotonous. Not everyone is the ear or the eye. How can you use your free time to serve others? What talents do you have to offer in a loving manner to the body of Christ?
Finally, I want to mention that if you don't know your spiritual gifts, there are tons of resources that can evaluate you. Just go to google.com and type in "spiritual gifts test"
Find your gifts if you haven't already and use them "Until The Whole World Hears." Today's song is by Casting Crowns.
"God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called." ~Unknown
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Don't Miss Out.
Matthew 25:14-30
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
First of all, a talent is equivalent to more than one thousand dollars! In this parable, Jesus describes a man who plans to be away for a long period of time. Thus, he asks his servants to watch over his money while he is away. The money gets divided among the three servants who were present. The first two went on to invest their money; they were able to double it before the man returned. On the other hand, the third servant was afraid to take a gamble. After all, he might lose the money. He decided to hide the money until the man came home.
When the man returned home, he was pleased at what he saw. He was now richer! He only thought it was wise to put them in control of other things. The third servant was deemed lazy and evil, however, because he wasted his time and missed an opportunity. This man was to never be put in charge of the man's money again.
The key message to take with you today is that God has blessed us and expects us to use our gifts to initiate blessings or even introduce Christ in someone else's life. It's never good to miss out on this!
Think about how God has blessed you and how you can use that to make an impact on others. Is there any part of it that feels like a risk?
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
First of all, a talent is equivalent to more than one thousand dollars! In this parable, Jesus describes a man who plans to be away for a long period of time. Thus, he asks his servants to watch over his money while he is away. The money gets divided among the three servants who were present. The first two went on to invest their money; they were able to double it before the man returned. On the other hand, the third servant was afraid to take a gamble. After all, he might lose the money. He decided to hide the money until the man came home.
When the man returned home, he was pleased at what he saw. He was now richer! He only thought it was wise to put them in control of other things. The third servant was deemed lazy and evil, however, because he wasted his time and missed an opportunity. This man was to never be put in charge of the man's money again.
The key message to take with you today is that God has blessed us and expects us to use our gifts to initiate blessings or even introduce Christ in someone else's life. It's never good to miss out on this!
Think about how God has blessed you and how you can use that to make an impact on others. Is there any part of it that feels like a risk?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Lazarus and the Rich Man.
Luke 16:19-31
19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
25 "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
27 "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30 " 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
This passage says it all and I think it's pretty easy to understand. The beggar sat at the rich man's gate each and everyday. However, the rich man didn't do anything to eliminate some of the beggar's suffering. The beggar was left to search for food. The rich man knew the beggar was there. The problem was that he was so focused on his greed and self-satisfaction that he couldn't muster to pour some of his heart to the beggar.
Even in eternal life, the rich man wasn't fond of Lazarus the beggar at all. The rich man essentially enslaved Lazarus to do some of his duties. This portrays the selfish being of the rich man.
I'm not generalizing here saying that people who are well-off financially are always selfish, but I am using this as an example for all of us. This is a parable, anyway. Lazarus, the beggar, was a representation of the common Jewish population hated by the Pharisees who later looked past this situation and became believers and followers of Christ. The point is that we should all be kind and compassionate to others for this is how Jesus would be.
There are so many unfortunate cases out there; many people are probably begging for food while we're thinking about our next meal. What's keeping you from expressing a compassionate heart? God, I pray today that you fill our hearts with compassion. May we look beyond our selfishness and be willing to serve and help others.
19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
25 "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
27 "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30 " 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
This passage says it all and I think it's pretty easy to understand. The beggar sat at the rich man's gate each and everyday. However, the rich man didn't do anything to eliminate some of the beggar's suffering. The beggar was left to search for food. The rich man knew the beggar was there. The problem was that he was so focused on his greed and self-satisfaction that he couldn't muster to pour some of his heart to the beggar.
Even in eternal life, the rich man wasn't fond of Lazarus the beggar at all. The rich man essentially enslaved Lazarus to do some of his duties. This portrays the selfish being of the rich man.
I'm not generalizing here saying that people who are well-off financially are always selfish, but I am using this as an example for all of us. This is a parable, anyway. Lazarus, the beggar, was a representation of the common Jewish population hated by the Pharisees who later looked past this situation and became believers and followers of Christ. The point is that we should all be kind and compassionate to others for this is how Jesus would be.
There are so many unfortunate cases out there; many people are probably begging for food while we're thinking about our next meal. What's keeping you from expressing a compassionate heart? God, I pray today that you fill our hearts with compassion. May we look beyond our selfishness and be willing to serve and help others.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Loving Money.
1 Timothy 6:9-10
9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The idea today is not to say that money is bad. However, the way you use it can be bad. If you love money, pride and greed, in particular, can get in the way tempting you into chaotic situations.
I don't know what it is, but as humans, we always want more. That's certainly no different in the case of money. We love it! When we haves some money, we can get an overwhelming feeling that makes us unable to appreciate everything else we have. We take everything for granted. We miss many opportunities to serve those in need. Many times, when we continue to want more, we may win, but someone else may lose. This does not follow Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself.
The biggest problem with greed is putting your life into money instead of God. A greedy person, like those consumed with anything else in life, will only go to God when they're on their knees. Additionally, don't get too comfortable with your finances. Remember, to remain faithful in God for he's the ultimate provider of everything you have, anyway.
Where are your priorities when it comes to money? Do you need to set a limit on yourself for a while?
9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The idea today is not to say that money is bad. However, the way you use it can be bad. If you love money, pride and greed, in particular, can get in the way tempting you into chaotic situations.
I don't know what it is, but as humans, we always want more. That's certainly no different in the case of money. We love it! When we haves some money, we can get an overwhelming feeling that makes us unable to appreciate everything else we have. We take everything for granted. We miss many opportunities to serve those in need. Many times, when we continue to want more, we may win, but someone else may lose. This does not follow Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourself.
The biggest problem with greed is putting your life into money instead of God. A greedy person, like those consumed with anything else in life, will only go to God when they're on their knees. Additionally, don't get too comfortable with your finances. Remember, to remain faithful in God for he's the ultimate provider of everything you have, anyway.
Where are your priorities when it comes to money? Do you need to set a limit on yourself for a while?
Friday, September 24, 2010
No Excuses.
1 John 2:1
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
Sure, we don't need to sin, but we often do it anyway. The good news is God is defending us. He knows we get tripped up sometimes in a pool of sin. So, I tell you, receive his open arms and don't defend yourself. The reason why I say that is because you can either depend on God's support of you removing every stain from every sin you commit or depend on your own defense. Imagine defending yourself in such a way when it comes before standing before the Almighty God.
Defending yourself includes a sense of denial, which allows you to try to excuse yourself. Don't be fooled because this will eventually tear you apart because you'll be judging yourself. Let God do the work. The purpose of the blood of Christ is to wash away our sinful stains, not our excuses. If you fall into that trap, it's okay, if we see Jesus as the Righteous One. Strength will flood our veins and we'll renewed by the grace of God. Thus, when a similar situation comes up, we can come out wearing the armor of God.
Leave your sin at the cross and be honest with God. Don't worry about it. Learn from it and grow from it instead so that you can receive the awesome power, presence, and peace of Jesus Christ our risen Lord and Savior.
Let "Fire Fall Down" by Hillsong be a prayer for you today, especially the first couple verses, to receive everything God has to offer despite your flaws. It's probably the longest song I've shared with you, but it's a great one!
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
Sure, we don't need to sin, but we often do it anyway. The good news is God is defending us. He knows we get tripped up sometimes in a pool of sin. So, I tell you, receive his open arms and don't defend yourself. The reason why I say that is because you can either depend on God's support of you removing every stain from every sin you commit or depend on your own defense. Imagine defending yourself in such a way when it comes before standing before the Almighty God.
Defending yourself includes a sense of denial, which allows you to try to excuse yourself. Don't be fooled because this will eventually tear you apart because you'll be judging yourself. Let God do the work. The purpose of the blood of Christ is to wash away our sinful stains, not our excuses. If you fall into that trap, it's okay, if we see Jesus as the Righteous One. Strength will flood our veins and we'll renewed by the grace of God. Thus, when a similar situation comes up, we can come out wearing the armor of God.
Leave your sin at the cross and be honest with God. Don't worry about it. Learn from it and grow from it instead so that you can receive the awesome power, presence, and peace of Jesus Christ our risen Lord and Savior.
Let "Fire Fall Down" by Hillsong be a prayer for you today, especially the first couple verses, to receive everything God has to offer despite your flaws. It's probably the longest song I've shared with you, but it's a great one!
Last but not Least.
Psalm 150
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
Psalm 150. A short book, and the last book in the collection of Psalms, but not the least. It calls for a complete celebration and party for God!
The weekend is quickly approaching and it is often filled with festivities and fun including parties. Can you imagine anyone throwing a party for God? Would you? Doesn't he deserve it? Think about it. God does so much for us; he supplies our needs, comforts us with his love, blesses us with incredible family and friends, and sees us through our troubles. Given all that, God is the one we should put most of our energy toward. Yet, just a few minutes in the Word and in prayer is such a challenge sometimes.
The problem isn't that we lack a praising attitude, but rather, we just use it in a non-efficient fashion. We're willing to support our favorite sports team (go Seminoles!) by watching and going to the games. We're willing to download our favorite artist's songs before the concert so we can then jump and sing. We're willing to support our favorite actor and actress by seeing every single movie that features them. However, we're missing something here...someone: God.
There's not really anything wrong with the highly-spirited activities I mentioned above. However, if our jubilation for God is extremely sparse, then that's the issue. God is worthy of our praise!
Remember to praise God during your prayer time. Don't feel strange stopping during the day exclaiming, "You're awesome because..." Perhaps put this Psalm on the refrigerator for the fall season (which I mentioned Wednesday).
Song of the day: "You're Worthy of My Praise" by Jeremy Camp!
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
Psalm 150. A short book, and the last book in the collection of Psalms, but not the least. It calls for a complete celebration and party for God!
The weekend is quickly approaching and it is often filled with festivities and fun including parties. Can you imagine anyone throwing a party for God? Would you? Doesn't he deserve it? Think about it. God does so much for us; he supplies our needs, comforts us with his love, blesses us with incredible family and friends, and sees us through our troubles. Given all that, God is the one we should put most of our energy toward. Yet, just a few minutes in the Word and in prayer is such a challenge sometimes.
The problem isn't that we lack a praising attitude, but rather, we just use it in a non-efficient fashion. We're willing to support our favorite sports team (go Seminoles!) by watching and going to the games. We're willing to download our favorite artist's songs before the concert so we can then jump and sing. We're willing to support our favorite actor and actress by seeing every single movie that features them. However, we're missing something here...someone: God.
There's not really anything wrong with the highly-spirited activities I mentioned above. However, if our jubilation for God is extremely sparse, then that's the issue. God is worthy of our praise!
Remember to praise God during your prayer time. Don't feel strange stopping during the day exclaiming, "You're awesome because..." Perhaps put this Psalm on the refrigerator for the fall season (which I mentioned Wednesday).
Song of the day: "You're Worthy of My Praise" by Jeremy Camp!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Sacrificing Earthly Treasures.
Matthew 13:45-46
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The New Testament is filled with parables. This is certainly one of those parables! In this case, a man sold everything to buy a valuable pearl. The man had enough knowledge to realize that the pearl is unique and will continue to increase in value as time progresses. He was not even hesitant about letting go of his present riches and treasures so that he could invest in something that would be far more beneficial later in life.
The reoccurring theme in the gospels is that the treasures of heaven will be multiplied in value compared to those of earth. Just as the man in this parable gave up something to pursue the treasures of heaven, we are expected to do that as well. The problem is that it may involve giving up some things that we enjoy everyday.
What is something that Jesus would want you to sacrifice? It doesn't have to be materialistic; it can be something as simple as a character trait, like pride. Pride tends to block our compassion: it keeps us from saying, "I'm sorry," from offering forgiveness, and going beyond ourselves to serve others. Jesus might ask us to sacrifice our time on Facebook. I know I have a horrible habit of checking it every time I go on the computer, which is frequently. Facebook time could be replaced with reading scripture. Finally, we may need to sacrifice our little knickknacks and put something aside for someone less fortunate. Try to find a personal sacrifice that you can make.
45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The New Testament is filled with parables. This is certainly one of those parables! In this case, a man sold everything to buy a valuable pearl. The man had enough knowledge to realize that the pearl is unique and will continue to increase in value as time progresses. He was not even hesitant about letting go of his present riches and treasures so that he could invest in something that would be far more beneficial later in life.
The reoccurring theme in the gospels is that the treasures of heaven will be multiplied in value compared to those of earth. Just as the man in this parable gave up something to pursue the treasures of heaven, we are expected to do that as well. The problem is that it may involve giving up some things that we enjoy everyday.
What is something that Jesus would want you to sacrifice? It doesn't have to be materialistic; it can be something as simple as a character trait, like pride. Pride tends to block our compassion: it keeps us from saying, "I'm sorry," from offering forgiveness, and going beyond ourselves to serve others. Jesus might ask us to sacrifice our time on Facebook. I know I have a horrible habit of checking it every time I go on the computer, which is frequently. Facebook time could be replaced with reading scripture. Finally, we may need to sacrifice our little knickknacks and put something aside for someone less fortunate. Try to find a personal sacrifice that you can make.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
A New Season and New Beginning.
John 21:15-17
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
Tomorrow just so happens to mark the first day of fall! That means a nice change in the weather is just around the corner from the dog days of summer. I don't know about you, but I'm ready. Sometimes we need a new beginning. The good news is Christ is all about wiping our slate clean.
You've probably heard the story about Peter many times. He messed up! When Jesus was arrested and then taken to be crucified, Peter denied that he knew Jesus three times.
What's beautiful is that today's passage from the gospel of John lets us recognize that Jesus allowed Peter to start over, giving him another chance to make a new beginning. Jesus is understandable because he's God in flesh. He knows that we're not perfect.
The requirements for us are to acknowledge that we've done wrong, ask for God's forgiveness and mercy, and be willing to change some of our ways. In turn, Jesus is openly forgiving to us and expects us to reflect this basic yet kind act toward others we encounter. When someone needs forgiveness from us, accept it, just as Jesus did for Peter.
Maybe, you're holding a grudge toward someone. Pray. Pray Pray. God, let our hearts be filled with compassion and forgiveness. Not only is this reminiscent of what Jesus would do, but it's a stress reliever...you'll feel so much better about the particular situation when you give it God.
Finally, as autumn begins, be listening to God. I reminded you several times these last few weeks, but don't be afraid to perk up and listen to him. His work is all around you in sermons, songs, and friends.
Go forth and be ready to tune into God. Think of today as the beginning of a new season of shows on television now. Happy fall!
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
Tomorrow just so happens to mark the first day of fall! That means a nice change in the weather is just around the corner from the dog days of summer. I don't know about you, but I'm ready. Sometimes we need a new beginning. The good news is Christ is all about wiping our slate clean.
You've probably heard the story about Peter many times. He messed up! When Jesus was arrested and then taken to be crucified, Peter denied that he knew Jesus three times.
What's beautiful is that today's passage from the gospel of John lets us recognize that Jesus allowed Peter to start over, giving him another chance to make a new beginning. Jesus is understandable because he's God in flesh. He knows that we're not perfect.
The requirements for us are to acknowledge that we've done wrong, ask for God's forgiveness and mercy, and be willing to change some of our ways. In turn, Jesus is openly forgiving to us and expects us to reflect this basic yet kind act toward others we encounter. When someone needs forgiveness from us, accept it, just as Jesus did for Peter.
Maybe, you're holding a grudge toward someone. Pray. Pray Pray. God, let our hearts be filled with compassion and forgiveness. Not only is this reminiscent of what Jesus would do, but it's a stress reliever...you'll feel so much better about the particular situation when you give it God.
Finally, as autumn begins, be listening to God. I reminded you several times these last few weeks, but don't be afraid to perk up and listen to him. His work is all around you in sermons, songs, and friends.
Go forth and be ready to tune into God. Think of today as the beginning of a new season of shows on television now. Happy fall!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
God's Magnifying Power.
Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
This story is a shadow of what appears in all four of the gospels. It's pretty well-known. To put you in context, Jesus was speaking to a vast crowd of thousands doing what he does best - teaching. Supper time quickly approached and it was soon evident that there wasn't enough food to feed everyone. The disciples thought that the only option was to deny some people's request for food and send them home starving. However, Jesus, who knows what's best for his people, had a different idea. He asked how much food there was. Jesus was told a couple of fish and a few pieces of bread (that doesn't sound like much at all, but you'd be amazed)!
Jesus asked everyone to sit down. He sincerely gave thanks for what they already did have from God. Miraculously, he was able to feed everyone in the crowd. No one went away starving. There were even twelve baskets of leftovers!
In the gospel, we know that the fish and bread came from a small boy. He was the one who planned for the day and packed a lunch. The boy couldn't imagine what he would have to do to feed everyone, but he gave up what he had without much thought. The point isn't that you should give up your lunch today, per say. The lesson to be learned here is that we need to give everything we have to Jesus.
Perhaps more importantly, God's work can bleed through man's greatest weaknesses and limitations. I don't even think the boy's lunch could feed one single person, but when the situation was lifted to God, it fed thousands upon thousands. Don't look at your offering to God as a measly portion. With God's awesome power, anything is possible.
I challenge you to be adventurous today. Give what you have to the kingdom of God and see what happens!
P.S. See blog post on July 10, 2010. I talked about the same passage in Ephesians. I took a different angle today.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
This story is a shadow of what appears in all four of the gospels. It's pretty well-known. To put you in context, Jesus was speaking to a vast crowd of thousands doing what he does best - teaching. Supper time quickly approached and it was soon evident that there wasn't enough food to feed everyone. The disciples thought that the only option was to deny some people's request for food and send them home starving. However, Jesus, who knows what's best for his people, had a different idea. He asked how much food there was. Jesus was told a couple of fish and a few pieces of bread (that doesn't sound like much at all, but you'd be amazed)!
Jesus asked everyone to sit down. He sincerely gave thanks for what they already did have from God. Miraculously, he was able to feed everyone in the crowd. No one went away starving. There were even twelve baskets of leftovers!
In the gospel, we know that the fish and bread came from a small boy. He was the one who planned for the day and packed a lunch. The boy couldn't imagine what he would have to do to feed everyone, but he gave up what he had without much thought. The point isn't that you should give up your lunch today, per say. The lesson to be learned here is that we need to give everything we have to Jesus.
Perhaps more importantly, God's work can bleed through man's greatest weaknesses and limitations. I don't even think the boy's lunch could feed one single person, but when the situation was lifted to God, it fed thousands upon thousands. Don't look at your offering to God as a measly portion. With God's awesome power, anything is possible.
I challenge you to be adventurous today. Give what you have to the kingdom of God and see what happens!
P.S. See blog post on July 10, 2010. I talked about the same passage in Ephesians. I took a different angle today.
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Unseen and God's Will.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Do you rearrange the furniture in a given room countless times in order to make it just right? Perhaps, the room just needs a good cleaning or a fresh paint job. No matter what you can't seem to get the right fit. The furniture doesn't feel cozy in any position. There's always some fault like the bed isn't adjacent to the window, so it' difficult to sleep. There may be dirt on the floor after we just vacuumed. The paint may have looked decent at the in-store display, but once it's on the walls in our house, it looks terrible. With any of these situations, the response is always: "Are you crazy? This will never as work!"
I'll admit, as a Christian, this is how we act sometimes. We overreact in our spiritual life and start to question God's work. I know I am right now. I think, "God what is this? Why am I doing this? This will never work out in a million years."
Guess what! Sometimes, it's just that we fail to look at the big picture, literally. After a month, you got used to the room setup, got over the floor quickly getting dirty again, and after the paint dried and a second coating was applied, you grew accustomed to it. It was just a matter of patience and having faith in what is unseen.
I know I've found it difficult to decipher God's will for me and wait patiently for anything positive to stem out of a situation at the same. I realize that God intends good for us all the time, but what if it wasn't God's plan to begin with? Did I jump the gun to soon?
I guess what I've picked up in my reading today is that God can always re-direct us when we get off track down the road. We're not always going to understand God's plan for us at every moment. We're not always going to understand what God has up his sleeve. I don't need to worry though. The best part of all is that I can see that God cares, loves, and is the best! He'll see me through. He'll see you through. He'll see us through.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Do you rearrange the furniture in a given room countless times in order to make it just right? Perhaps, the room just needs a good cleaning or a fresh paint job. No matter what you can't seem to get the right fit. The furniture doesn't feel cozy in any position. There's always some fault like the bed isn't adjacent to the window, so it' difficult to sleep. There may be dirt on the floor after we just vacuumed. The paint may have looked decent at the in-store display, but once it's on the walls in our house, it looks terrible. With any of these situations, the response is always: "Are you crazy? This will never as work!"
I'll admit, as a Christian, this is how we act sometimes. We overreact in our spiritual life and start to question God's work. I know I am right now. I think, "God what is this? Why am I doing this? This will never work out in a million years."
Guess what! Sometimes, it's just that we fail to look at the big picture, literally. After a month, you got used to the room setup, got over the floor quickly getting dirty again, and after the paint dried and a second coating was applied, you grew accustomed to it. It was just a matter of patience and having faith in what is unseen.
I know I've found it difficult to decipher God's will for me and wait patiently for anything positive to stem out of a situation at the same. I realize that God intends good for us all the time, but what if it wasn't God's plan to begin with? Did I jump the gun to soon?
I guess what I've picked up in my reading today is that God can always re-direct us when we get off track down the road. We're not always going to understand God's plan for us at every moment. We're not always going to understand what God has up his sleeve. I don't need to worry though. The best part of all is that I can see that God cares, loves, and is the best! He'll see me through. He'll see you through. He'll see us through.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
