Would anyone know if your lighthouse went out? Are you a city on a hill? If your light went out would anyone come to see what was wrong and see if they could help?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Building Character Through Circumstances
Circumstances can be extreme. Losing a loved one to- a divorce, someone taking out their anger on you, test results that say you have cancer to just feeling like nothing is happening, as it should. Circumstances happen- things happen that are out of our control.
Last night we talked about circumstances and how our perspective and focus determines a lot on how we are going to handle a situation. If our perspective or focus is on ourselves, the world and/or a circumstance we are going to be miserable. We are going to get angry, frustrated, have anxiety, be fearful, and fall into doubt.
But if our focus and perspective is on God and comes from God then we are going to be able to show God’s power in our lives even if the situation leaves us broken and cut deep. When we trust God through our trials and struggles our faith has a chance to grow stronger and when we fail (because we don’t keep our eyes on God) -hopefully we learn from our failures, so we can have successful results the in the future.
“Circumstances” will happen in life but - are we going to give up our faith or get angry with God when those circumstances do occur?
That is what the devil wants us to do. In fact that is one of the ways he tries to keep people away from the faith in Jesus Christ. John 10:10 Jesus says: “The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”
Where is our focus going to stay and be during the trying times in our life? Are we going to run to God or are we going to run away from God? Where are we going to go for shelter to heal and to preserver? OR are we going to sink/ drown our burdens in the ways of the world that only bring ruin to our body, heartache, and spiritual ruin?
Romans 5:1-5 Faith–Hope-and Love.
(Our perspective needs to hold and stand steadfast to Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven -faith)
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because our faith, Christ has brought us into his place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we are confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
(Our perspective –faith- in action)
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us- they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Personally I don’t know anyone who “rejoices” while they are going through the trials and trying circumstances in life but I have seen those who hold strong to their faith. They humble themselves and ignore the evil natures of the tongue and they put one foot in front of the other in the mist of diversity and struggle. They don’t wrestle with the situation but instead believe in God to bring them out of their time of brokenness, hurt, uncertainly and slander.
Paul points out what at the beginning of this chapter? – Our Faith
Paul points out when we run into trials and problems they help us to learn to “endure” and the endurance develops strength of character and this development strengthens our confident expectation of our salvation in Jesus Christ.
Our relationship with our Brother Jesus and our Father deepens. We learn and experience God in ways that we could have never experienced if we had not gone through those trials and struggles.
Paul then points out this very important fact: “For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with God’s love. 1 Corinthians 13:7 it says that God’s love “never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.” God’s love is in us if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and have followed his ways.
You know even when one faces their greatest trials - where it seems impossible to go on- an awesome thing occurs- sometimes without us really knowing it at the time. We are encouraged by the Holy Spirit to carry on.
Romans 8:26 “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. An the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”
The Lord led me to a testimony by one of the worship Hillsong leaders on youtube. Click link to see.
Watching Jill share her heartbreaking testimony of her losing her baby son Max… the night after he was born and listening to her friend Brook Fraser speak of the battle her friend was going through spoke to me about Jill’s character. Even in Jill’s hurt and brokenness Jill turned to God. God showed his love by reminding her of His truths and His purpose for her life. The Holy Spirit was interceding for her and encouraging her to continue to sing and worship even though she didn’t feel like it.
And I know there are times when we don’t feel like reading God’s word, worshiping God or singing to him because of whatever circumstance but I have found that during those times just as Jill, the Holy Spirit has encouraged me to do so – regardless of my feelings and gradually my perspective and focus goes back to where it needs to be – on God. The Provider, Father, Counselor, Protector and Savior.
I thought about her deep cut emotions as a mother carrying her child inside of her and losing in him within a 24 hour period and how the Devil had tried use her loss to his advantage to challenge and weaken her faith. How the devil hates when we are salt and light to others and how much we are a threat to him. How we are considered a threat to Satan and his demons when we live and stand for God.
Then I thought what it must have been like to be in the midst as Jill was singing, “Desert Song” knowing what she was going through and how much that spoke of her faith in God and her strong character as a Christian woman. What she was sowing with her outward testimony –powerful!
I remember praying for a pastor and his wife’s newborn baby in California. I was trusting in
God to touch this baby’s organs that weren’t functioning properly and when I got news that the baby died I myself mourned their loss. To my surprise the words of the pastor and his wife weren’t of angry and regret but of gratefulness. God gave them enough time to connect with their son and time to realize that God was in control and even if their child couldn’t be with them, he would be in the greatest arms ever known- The Creator of the universe.
I thought about how delicately God works in our lives and sometimes- without us really knowing. I thought how God helps us overcome our circumstance and supernaturally shows himself in our life. I thought of the love of God in us (the Holy Spirit)- that never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance speaks in volumes of our God who loves us, comforts us, and gives us a peace beyond understanding. How this should speak of the character of God’s people and where our focus needs to be always.
Jill chose to not allow her circumstance to drive her away from God- may God help us do the same in all things- in Jesus name.
There are three things that will endure- faith, hope and love- and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
Last night we talked about circumstances and how our perspective and focus determines a lot on how we are going to handle a situation. If our perspective or focus is on ourselves, the world and/or a circumstance we are going to be miserable. We are going to get angry, frustrated, have anxiety, be fearful, and fall into doubt.
But if our focus and perspective is on God and comes from God then we are going to be able to show God’s power in our lives even if the situation leaves us broken and cut deep. When we trust God through our trials and struggles our faith has a chance to grow stronger and when we fail (because we don’t keep our eyes on God) -hopefully we learn from our failures, so we can have successful results the in the future.
“Circumstances” will happen in life but - are we going to give up our faith or get angry with God when those circumstances do occur?
That is what the devil wants us to do. In fact that is one of the ways he tries to keep people away from the faith in Jesus Christ. John 10:10 Jesus says: “The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”
Where is our focus going to stay and be during the trying times in our life? Are we going to run to God or are we going to run away from God? Where are we going to go for shelter to heal and to preserver? OR are we going to sink/ drown our burdens in the ways of the world that only bring ruin to our body, heartache, and spiritual ruin?
Romans 5:1-5 Faith–Hope-and Love.
(Our perspective needs to hold and stand steadfast to Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven -faith)
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because our faith, Christ has brought us into his place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we are confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
(Our perspective –faith- in action)
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us- they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Personally I don’t know anyone who “rejoices” while they are going through the trials and trying circumstances in life but I have seen those who hold strong to their faith. They humble themselves and ignore the evil natures of the tongue and they put one foot in front of the other in the mist of diversity and struggle. They don’t wrestle with the situation but instead believe in God to bring them out of their time of brokenness, hurt, uncertainly and slander.
Paul points out what at the beginning of this chapter? – Our Faith
Paul points out when we run into trials and problems they help us to learn to “endure” and the endurance develops strength of character and this development strengthens our confident expectation of our salvation in Jesus Christ.
Our relationship with our Brother Jesus and our Father deepens. We learn and experience God in ways that we could have never experienced if we had not gone through those trials and struggles.
Paul then points out this very important fact: “For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with God’s love. 1 Corinthians 13:7 it says that God’s love “never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.” God’s love is in us if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and have followed his ways.
You know even when one faces their greatest trials - where it seems impossible to go on- an awesome thing occurs- sometimes without us really knowing it at the time. We are encouraged by the Holy Spirit to carry on.
Romans 8:26 “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. An the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”
The Lord led me to a testimony by one of the worship Hillsong leaders on youtube. Click link to see.
Watching Jill share her heartbreaking testimony of her losing her baby son Max… the night after he was born and listening to her friend Brook Fraser speak of the battle her friend was going through spoke to me about Jill’s character. Even in Jill’s hurt and brokenness Jill turned to God. God showed his love by reminding her of His truths and His purpose for her life. The Holy Spirit was interceding for her and encouraging her to continue to sing and worship even though she didn’t feel like it.
And I know there are times when we don’t feel like reading God’s word, worshiping God or singing to him because of whatever circumstance but I have found that during those times just as Jill, the Holy Spirit has encouraged me to do so – regardless of my feelings and gradually my perspective and focus goes back to where it needs to be – on God. The Provider, Father, Counselor, Protector and Savior.
I thought about her deep cut emotions as a mother carrying her child inside of her and losing in him within a 24 hour period and how the Devil had tried use her loss to his advantage to challenge and weaken her faith. How the devil hates when we are salt and light to others and how much we are a threat to him. How we are considered a threat to Satan and his demons when we live and stand for God.
Then I thought what it must have been like to be in the midst as Jill was singing, “Desert Song” knowing what she was going through and how much that spoke of her faith in God and her strong character as a Christian woman. What she was sowing with her outward testimony –powerful!
I remember praying for a pastor and his wife’s newborn baby in California. I was trusting in
God to touch this baby’s organs that weren’t functioning properly and when I got news that the baby died I myself mourned their loss. To my surprise the words of the pastor and his wife weren’t of angry and regret but of gratefulness. God gave them enough time to connect with their son and time to realize that God was in control and even if their child couldn’t be with them, he would be in the greatest arms ever known- The Creator of the universe.
I thought about how delicately God works in our lives and sometimes- without us really knowing. I thought how God helps us overcome our circumstance and supernaturally shows himself in our life. I thought of the love of God in us (the Holy Spirit)- that never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance speaks in volumes of our God who loves us, comforts us, and gives us a peace beyond understanding. How this should speak of the character of God’s people and where our focus needs to be always.
Jill chose to not allow her circumstance to drive her away from God- may God help us do the same in all things- in Jesus name.
There are three things that will endure- faith, hope and love- and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sincere Faith
In church this weekend we were reminded of Hebrews 11:6
“So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
That statement has been true every time I sought God. It was true before I came to Christ, when I became a born again Christian and is true today - for myself and all those who sincerely seek God. Before I came to Christ I would sincerely ask God to help me and he would help me but unfortunately I would go back to my old ways and wouldn’t even thank him. When my life became lost in a dark hole I had fallen into over time and there seemed to be no constructive way out -I cried out to God and surrendered my life, he gave me new life. When I sincerely seek God now, he answers.
The Holy Spirit reminds me of different times before I came to Christ when God was there with me. He reminds of different things, people and incidents. The lights come on in the attic and in the heart when we sincerely seek God- admittedly “mostly” after we come to Christ.
The power of God comes into our lives but in order for the power to stay on we must continue to leave that power switch on in our lives. It does no good to have electricity connected to our house if we aren’t going to use that electricity. The same is true with God’s Holy Spirit.
Jesus said his Holy Spirit never leaves…. so we must seek Him instead of what our flesh feels.
John 16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
God rewards those who sincerely seek Him. “Sincerely.” When you are sincere about something - your intentions and focus are not wishy washy they are targeted on a desired objective. Our Christian lives can’t be like an unsettled way of the sea.
James 1:3-7 “For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. If you need wisdom- if you want to know what God wants you to do- ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can’t make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.”
Noticed that James says, “…. has a chance to grow” – our faith growing or not growing is contingent on if we are going to sincerely seek and trust God or not seek or not trust God in our life and times of trial.
When you are in a burning building, you are sincerely seeking for a way out of that burning building. When you cry out for help you are sincerely waiting for someone to answer. When a loved one is in a hospital bed, you are sincerely praying and asking God to intervene and heal. When you’re feeling uncertain and fear wants to take residence within your soul, you sincerely pray and God gives us the peace beyond understanding.
God’s word says, “a righteous person will live by faith.” Hebrews 10:38. A righteous person sincerely seeks God- sometimes with "every" ounce of their strength but God won’t allow the test to overcome us- if we sincerely seek him.
I heard another pastor speak on radio about a coming storm, a storm the Lord has shown me through a series of dreams. A storm that many people within the church and not in the church can sense coming. A storm where it won’t be so pleasant as it is right now for us as Christians in the United States.
The only way for us endure such a storm and not walking away or turning away from God and be salt and light to people in need in such a time is ONLY through faith. Faith endures all storms. Through our faith in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit changes us and empowers us to thrive and endures every struggle, trial, testing and good and bad time.
Lamentations 3:25 “The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him.”
I was telling the youth about a tree my parents had in one their gardens growing up. The tree was anchored with a rope so it wouldn’t fall over but instead of removing the rope as the tree grew they left that rope on and because they didn’t remove that rope, the tree never matured a deep root system to keep it securely rooted in the ground and when the rope finally rotted away and we had a big wind storm that tree fell over.
The worldly things that we try to secure our lives with -don’t last and when they finally do fail us, our lives will be like that tree in my parent’s garden because we never endured the smaller storms in life with God’s help but instead trusted in the “worldly” ropes of this world.
Ephesians 3:16-19 “May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
Colossians 2:7 Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
A brother in Christ and I were working at the church when we saw a tiger tail butterfly. It was probably one of the biggest butterflies I had ever seen. It was yellow, black and violet blue. It glided in the air like pieces of tissue paper stretched over a fragile frame in effortless flight. Unburdened by life it circled in the air and knew where the tastiest nectar could be found.
Now that I think back on the experience I reference it to this scripture:
“Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Jesus Christ. And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into the practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:6-9
Keep the faith… seek and trust in the Lord.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.
“So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
That statement has been true every time I sought God. It was true before I came to Christ, when I became a born again Christian and is true today - for myself and all those who sincerely seek God. Before I came to Christ I would sincerely ask God to help me and he would help me but unfortunately I would go back to my old ways and wouldn’t even thank him. When my life became lost in a dark hole I had fallen into over time and there seemed to be no constructive way out -I cried out to God and surrendered my life, he gave me new life. When I sincerely seek God now, he answers.
The Holy Spirit reminds me of different times before I came to Christ when God was there with me. He reminds of different things, people and incidents. The lights come on in the attic and in the heart when we sincerely seek God- admittedly “mostly” after we come to Christ.
The power of God comes into our lives but in order for the power to stay on we must continue to leave that power switch on in our lives. It does no good to have electricity connected to our house if we aren’t going to use that electricity. The same is true with God’s Holy Spirit.
Jesus said his Holy Spirit never leaves…. so we must seek Him instead of what our flesh feels.
John 16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
God rewards those who sincerely seek Him. “Sincerely.” When you are sincere about something - your intentions and focus are not wishy washy they are targeted on a desired objective. Our Christian lives can’t be like an unsettled way of the sea.
James 1:3-7 “For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. If you need wisdom- if you want to know what God wants you to do- ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can’t make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.”
Noticed that James says, “…. has a chance to grow” – our faith growing or not growing is contingent on if we are going to sincerely seek and trust God or not seek or not trust God in our life and times of trial.
When you are in a burning building, you are sincerely seeking for a way out of that burning building. When you cry out for help you are sincerely waiting for someone to answer. When a loved one is in a hospital bed, you are sincerely praying and asking God to intervene and heal. When you’re feeling uncertain and fear wants to take residence within your soul, you sincerely pray and God gives us the peace beyond understanding.
God’s word says, “a righteous person will live by faith.” Hebrews 10:38. A righteous person sincerely seeks God- sometimes with "every" ounce of their strength but God won’t allow the test to overcome us- if we sincerely seek him.
I heard another pastor speak on radio about a coming storm, a storm the Lord has shown me through a series of dreams. A storm that many people within the church and not in the church can sense coming. A storm where it won’t be so pleasant as it is right now for us as Christians in the United States.
The only way for us endure such a storm and not walking away or turning away from God and be salt and light to people in need in such a time is ONLY through faith. Faith endures all storms. Through our faith in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit changes us and empowers us to thrive and endures every struggle, trial, testing and good and bad time.
Lamentations 3:25 “The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for him and seek him.”
I was telling the youth about a tree my parents had in one their gardens growing up. The tree was anchored with a rope so it wouldn’t fall over but instead of removing the rope as the tree grew they left that rope on and because they didn’t remove that rope, the tree never matured a deep root system to keep it securely rooted in the ground and when the rope finally rotted away and we had a big wind storm that tree fell over.
The worldly things that we try to secure our lives with -don’t last and when they finally do fail us, our lives will be like that tree in my parent’s garden because we never endured the smaller storms in life with God’s help but instead trusted in the “worldly” ropes of this world.
Ephesians 3:16-19 “May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”
Colossians 2:7 Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
A brother in Christ and I were working at the church when we saw a tiger tail butterfly. It was probably one of the biggest butterflies I had ever seen. It was yellow, black and violet blue. It glided in the air like pieces of tissue paper stretched over a fragile frame in effortless flight. Unburdened by life it circled in the air and knew where the tastiest nectar could be found.
Now that I think back on the experience I reference it to this scripture:
“Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Jesus Christ. And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into the practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:6-9
Keep the faith… seek and trust in the Lord.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thoughts about Agua
It rained last night. That is an exciting event here in the Texas Hill Country because when it rains, it usually rains hard and it comes with thunder and lightening and wind. We are on our 50th something day of temperatures in the 100’s. It has been one hot, dry summer - definitely one of the hottest since we moved to Texas. Plants are looking pretty dry, brown and dead BUT I think things are going to start to cool down some soon.
It is amazing how it can rain only for a short time and everything starts to green up again- even the plants in the garden are happier when they receive the rains from the skies then the hose. The ground also remains damp and moist longer when it rains verses when you water it with a sprinkler. That is something you don’t have to think about all that often growing up in the mossy Pacific Northwest.
Water it beneficial for survival but so is spiritual water for a Christian.
I am talking about the living water you receive when you accept Jesus Christ into your life- the Holy Spirit. It is what makes you THRIVE as a follower of Jesus Christ.
The world would like nothing more then to bleach and chlorinate your faith for the rest of the world. It would like nothing more for you to follow its customs and doctrines. It would like nothing more for you to muddy the lines between Christianity and this world so people don’t know the difference.
I am not going to “water down” my faith for the rest of world because I cannot help but to speak about God. He gives me excitement about life and peace in troubling times. He provides when the world says there is no way to provide. God cures when the world says there is no cure. He is wonderfully God even when in times where I have been so wonderfully awful. So often lately I feel as the prophet Jeremiah wrote, “And I can't stop! If I say I'll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am weary of holding it in!” Jeremiah 20:9
God wants us to live out our faith in the “fullness” he intended.
God does not want your faith to be dictated by the “tap water” of this world. He wants you to drink, eat, breathe and move in his “spiritual nutrients” that are beneficial to your life as a Christian.
If we are 90% water (correct me on that if I am wrong) then wouldn’t it make sense in our Christian walk, that we live on at least 90% on what God provides - not just physically but spiritually as well?
Jesus shows us if we come to him we will never be thirsty again but if we look to the world to quench our thirsts we will become thirsty again. The world makes us thirstier! It is always trying to find new things to catch our attention but the new things never satisfy and they don’t last. They are just old shadows of previous things and themes. God, as I have said before, over shadows all the things of this world and makes them unimportant and even useless in the mind of a Christian.
Jesus says, “But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life." John 4:14
Religion gets old but God does not get old. God only gets old in our lives if we set limits on God in our lives. You want life to get thirsty real quick don’t expect anything from God. If you want your cup overflowing then seek God.
Jesus said, “You must love God with all your heart, soul and mind. Matthew 22:37 Do you ever wonder why he said that?
I believe he said that because with God you can never lose in the end, you are satisfied, and you will never have any personal regrets.
Jesus said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:25-26
Do you ever wonder why he said that?
Are you going to exchange your soul for reputation? Are you going to exchange your soul for money and profit? Are you going to exchange the useless stuff of this world for what God has to offer and give? Are you going to exchange the knocks-offs and idols of this world for the real God and Savior - who offer you the Spirit to overcome all things including death?
If you are holding out on God in any part of your life, you will not experience all that God has in store for your life- not only that but the parts you are clinging to and holding back from God will slowly fall apart.
In my time being a Christian I have seen people cling onto things in their life, that they knew God had a problem with, and slowly they were led away from God, their family and friends by those things.
I have seen and heard stories of people working hard to gain riches and some kind of reputation only to find it worthless and waste of time and energy- fortunately they found Christ through someone living out their faith.
How can we possibly be salt and light to anyone if we are swaying this way and that way in the oceans of humanity and not being consistent?
I am not judging or condemning my brothers and sisters in Christ but I have a genuine concern for those who are whish washy with their faith. Ask yourself where is your heart, mind, and soul? Where are your eyes looking?
God does not want His people to be lukewarm Christians. Jesus said it himself:
Revelation 3:15- 19 "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, `I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. I advise you to buy gold from me--gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference.”
Don’t be ashamed of your faith in Jesus Christ. There is nothing to be ashamed about! He is Lord. He is the only Savior and way into heaven for all our friends and family. He is the one who gave you His Spirit so in Him you may overcome the world.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
"Don't be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
You cannot be on the fence when you are a Christian. If God has told you something in his word and/or through his Holy Spirit then you better not just listen but there better be some follow through.
Not saying you will never makes mistakes but when you do make mistakes you make those mistakes “right” by apologizing to the person you have wronged and then apologizing to God.
Be consistent, up front, genuine and humble.
1 Peter 2:1-3 “So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don't just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing. You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.
John 1:13 “They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan--this rebirth comes from God.”
For the passion and drive come from God and to continue in the passion and drive we must stay with God for the garden hose water of the world just won’t do.
It is amazing how it can rain only for a short time and everything starts to green up again- even the plants in the garden are happier when they receive the rains from the skies then the hose. The ground also remains damp and moist longer when it rains verses when you water it with a sprinkler. That is something you don’t have to think about all that often growing up in the mossy Pacific Northwest.
Water it beneficial for survival but so is spiritual water for a Christian.
I am talking about the living water you receive when you accept Jesus Christ into your life- the Holy Spirit. It is what makes you THRIVE as a follower of Jesus Christ.
The world would like nothing more then to bleach and chlorinate your faith for the rest of the world. It would like nothing more for you to follow its customs and doctrines. It would like nothing more for you to muddy the lines between Christianity and this world so people don’t know the difference.
I am not going to “water down” my faith for the rest of world because I cannot help but to speak about God. He gives me excitement about life and peace in troubling times. He provides when the world says there is no way to provide. God cures when the world says there is no cure. He is wonderfully God even when in times where I have been so wonderfully awful. So often lately I feel as the prophet Jeremiah wrote, “And I can't stop! If I say I'll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am weary of holding it in!” Jeremiah 20:9
God wants us to live out our faith in the “fullness” he intended.
God does not want your faith to be dictated by the “tap water” of this world. He wants you to drink, eat, breathe and move in his “spiritual nutrients” that are beneficial to your life as a Christian.
If we are 90% water (correct me on that if I am wrong) then wouldn’t it make sense in our Christian walk, that we live on at least 90% on what God provides - not just physically but spiritually as well?
Jesus shows us if we come to him we will never be thirsty again but if we look to the world to quench our thirsts we will become thirsty again. The world makes us thirstier! It is always trying to find new things to catch our attention but the new things never satisfy and they don’t last. They are just old shadows of previous things and themes. God, as I have said before, over shadows all the things of this world and makes them unimportant and even useless in the mind of a Christian.
Jesus says, “But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life." John 4:14
Religion gets old but God does not get old. God only gets old in our lives if we set limits on God in our lives. You want life to get thirsty real quick don’t expect anything from God. If you want your cup overflowing then seek God.
Jesus said, “You must love God with all your heart, soul and mind. Matthew 22:37 Do you ever wonder why he said that?
I believe he said that because with God you can never lose in the end, you are satisfied, and you will never have any personal regrets.
Jesus said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:25-26
Do you ever wonder why he said that?
Are you going to exchange your soul for reputation? Are you going to exchange your soul for money and profit? Are you going to exchange the useless stuff of this world for what God has to offer and give? Are you going to exchange the knocks-offs and idols of this world for the real God and Savior - who offer you the Spirit to overcome all things including death?
If you are holding out on God in any part of your life, you will not experience all that God has in store for your life- not only that but the parts you are clinging to and holding back from God will slowly fall apart.
In my time being a Christian I have seen people cling onto things in their life, that they knew God had a problem with, and slowly they were led away from God, their family and friends by those things.
I have seen and heard stories of people working hard to gain riches and some kind of reputation only to find it worthless and waste of time and energy- fortunately they found Christ through someone living out their faith.
How can we possibly be salt and light to anyone if we are swaying this way and that way in the oceans of humanity and not being consistent?
I am not judging or condemning my brothers and sisters in Christ but I have a genuine concern for those who are whish washy with their faith. Ask yourself where is your heart, mind, and soul? Where are your eyes looking?
God does not want His people to be lukewarm Christians. Jesus said it himself:
Revelation 3:15- 19 "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, `I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. I advise you to buy gold from me--gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference.”
Don’t be ashamed of your faith in Jesus Christ. There is nothing to be ashamed about! He is Lord. He is the only Savior and way into heaven for all our friends and family. He is the one who gave you His Spirit so in Him you may overcome the world.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
"Don't be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
You cannot be on the fence when you are a Christian. If God has told you something in his word and/or through his Holy Spirit then you better not just listen but there better be some follow through.
Not saying you will never makes mistakes but when you do make mistakes you make those mistakes “right” by apologizing to the person you have wronged and then apologizing to God.
Be consistent, up front, genuine and humble.
1 Peter 2:1-3 “So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don't just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing. You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.
John 1:13 “They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan--this rebirth comes from God.”
For the passion and drive come from God and to continue in the passion and drive we must stay with God for the garden hose water of the world just won’t do.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
For Whom God is Calling and Called
This is something for those in Christ and those God is calling but haven’t come to him yet. This is also a bit of a warning and reminder for you to hold on to as things start to unravel and there is a line drawn in the sand.
Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Note: Even though man may condemn our Christian faith and want to control what we can and cannot say, always stay true to the word of God. Even though they will take more and more things of “religious” symbolism down this should only strengthen your faith.
Rom 8:2 For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death.
Rom 8:3 The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
Rom 8:4 He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.
Note: Remember this, for this action affects everything you do.
Rom 8:7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will.
Rom 8:8 That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
Rom 8:9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)
Rom 8:10 Since Christ lives within you, even though your body will die because of sin, your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God.
Rom 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you.
Rom 8:12 So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.
Note: This does not just include sin but letting fear take residence in you. Trust not in what you see but God.
Rom 8:13 For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live.
Rom 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
Rom 8:15 So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family calling him "Father, dear Father."
Rom 8:16 For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children.
Rom 8:17 And since we are his children, we will share his treasures--for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Rom 8:18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.
Rom 8:19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
Rom 8:20 Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse.
Rom 8:21 All creation anticipates the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
Rom 8:22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Rom 8:23 And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
Rom 8:24 Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already
have something, you don't need to hope for it.
Rom 8:25 But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently.
Rom 8:26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
Rom 8:27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.
Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Rom 8:29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters.
Rom 8:30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory.
Rom 8:31 What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Rom 8:32 Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?
Rom 8:33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself.
Rom 8:34 Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us.
Rom 8:35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?
Rom 8:36 (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.")
Rom 8:37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved
us.
Rom 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and
life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.
Rom 8:39 Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Note: Remember this in the days to come. Fear only God. Trust in God. Know even in the “darkest days” God is with you.
Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Note: Even though man may condemn our Christian faith and want to control what we can and cannot say, always stay true to the word of God. Even though they will take more and more things of “religious” symbolism down this should only strengthen your faith.
Rom 8:2 For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death.
Rom 8:3 The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
Rom 8:4 He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.
Note: Remember this, for this action affects everything you do.
Rom 8:7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will.
Rom 8:8 That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
Rom 8:9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)
Rom 8:10 Since Christ lives within you, even though your body will die because of sin, your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God.
Rom 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you.
Rom 8:12 So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.
Note: This does not just include sin but letting fear take residence in you. Trust not in what you see but God.
Rom 8:13 For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live.
Rom 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
Rom 8:15 So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family calling him "Father, dear Father."
Rom 8:16 For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children.
Rom 8:17 And since we are his children, we will share his treasures--for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Rom 8:18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later.
Rom 8:19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.
Rom 8:20 Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse.
Rom 8:21 All creation anticipates the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
Rom 8:22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Rom 8:23 And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
Rom 8:24 Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already
have something, you don't need to hope for it.
Rom 8:25 But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently.
Rom 8:26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
Rom 8:27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.
Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Rom 8:29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters.
Rom 8:30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory.
Rom 8:31 What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Rom 8:32 Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?
Rom 8:33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself.
Rom 8:34 Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us.
Rom 8:35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?
Rom 8:36 (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.")
Rom 8:37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved
us.
Rom 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and
life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.
Rom 8:39 Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Note: Remember this in the days to come. Fear only God. Trust in God. Know even in the “darkest days” God is with you.
Friday, July 03, 2009
“The Separation of Church and State”
“The Separation of Church and State”
There is no doubt that the nation of the United States of America was built on Christian principles and beliefs. The forefathers believed it was necessary for any nation to succeed -and this remains true to this day. Any nation that does not stand on the principles and values that God has set up will ultimately fall apart
With all this talk about the separation of church and state I wondered what Thomas Jefferson meant by “Separation of church and state”. What was his original intent and how badly has it been turned upside down and twisted in recent years to be used as a knife to cut the safety line that protects our Christian freedoms and to speak whatever from the pulpit as God leads and directs?
This is what I found on line at the Library of Congress.
Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists
The Final Letter, as Sent
To messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.
Gentlemen
The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.
Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802.
This letter was found at the Library of Congress website: http://www.loc.gov/loc/lci
I think it is very interesting that President Jefferson put quotes around "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,"
Yes it does say “make no law respecting an establishment of religion” -which is understandable - considering the many who left or escaped British rule because of wrongful religious practices by the church and government of England (wrongful religious practices that led so many to seek religious freedoms here in the United States.). Now it seems our Christian religious freedoms are once again being taken away by the very government who is suppose to protect our free exercise of our Christian faith. It is sad.. we cannot learn from history.
“Exercise” it seems like a good word for these times. Our faith is being exercised a lot lately and growing muscle. Hopefully many don’t forget to exercise and give up and forget what their faith all means -plus many still have to hear about the saving power of Jesus Christ.
The Christian faith must not to be turned into a dull expression and put into a bucket where it doesn’t matter what you are as long as you believe there is a god. God is not some god made and created with human hands. He is the God that created the universe to the smallest cells in the human body. He is the one who sent his Son Jesus Christ and has given new life via the Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah 2:11-13 Has any nation ever exchanged its gods for another god, even though its gods are nothing? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols! The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay, says the LORD. For my people have done two evil things: They have forsaken me--the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!
Prohibiting the free exercise of the Christian faith and persecuting the Christian church will make many grow stronger in the faith.
Matthew 5:10 God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”
Matthew 5:11 "God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.”
Matthew 5:12 “Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.”
Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.”
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world--like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.”
Matthew 5:15 “Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.”
In June of 1998 the library of Congress held an exhibition called "Religion and the Founding of the American Republic"
Some of the items that were exhibited are listed on this website: http://www.loc.gov/today/p
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Why Jesus Christ? Because He is the Solution
You know with all this talk about taking down crosses, this no longer being just a Christian nation, people’s disregard for God and misinterpretation of his word, the greed that caused this financial mess and whatever else is being slung at and over people’s heads, I believe it all comes down to Jesus Christ.
Not that Jesus Christ is the problem but Jesus Christ is the solution.
Every person needs Jesus Christ.
I was reading the 4 chapter of John of Jesus asking a Samaritan woman for a drink of water at a well.
The woman is surprised that he is talking to her because Jews at that time refused to have anything to do with Samaritans even though they prayed and worshiped the same God. Samaritans weren't well accepted in fact a Jewish person would go entirely around an area that Samaritan's lived in even if it was shorter to go through a Samaritan village. The woman says to Jesus (John 4:9) “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
Jesus replies, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
The woman only seeing the physical in his words and not the spiritual solution in his words says, “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water? And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water then he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?”
Jesus replies, “People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
(Everything in this world will still leave you thirsty and wanting more because it does not satisfy us and every time a person loses their focus on Christ and puts their focus on the things of this world they become unsatisfied and miserable people. They buy and want more of "this" and "that" but more or less makes them a slave to those things that never satisfy.) The things that enslave a person are no secret, they are things like money, sex, control, material possessions, popularity, and believe it or not even drama where a person has to find something negative about their life feel "normal". Peace makes them "uncomfortable."
The woman replies to Jesus, “Please, sir give me some of that water! Then I’ll never become thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to haul water.”
I don't know what Jesus is thinking here but I would but maybe she doesn't believe him and thinks he is pulling her leg. What would you think if someone said they had something to make your life satisfying. You would probably go get right but when you get it you almost always find it doesn't make your life satisfying and it something you have maintain, secure, protect, or is outdated before you know it.
So what does Jesus do to make his point catch? He asks her to go get her husband but the woman tells him she doesn’t have a husband. Jesus however knows this and says, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband- for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now.”
He speaks the truth... Jesus speaks the truth no matter if it is received good or bad.
The woman then realizes he’s no ordinary Jewish guy and says to him, “You must be a prophet.”
She then asks him, “Why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place to worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worship?”
Jesus replies, “Believe me, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father here or in Jerusalem… But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The woman- probably a little confused says to Jesus …. “ I know the Messiah will come- the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.
Jesus then dumps it all in her lap and says, “I am the Messiah!”
People tend to look at things mentally and physically but not spiritually. People see the outer problems of a situation or a person but not the spiritual solution to a problem or a person’s life. This is even more compounded negatively because they do not have or are not listening to the Holy Spirit to help them understand what is truly going on.
Notice Jesus you must worship God in spirit and truth. He says spirit first and then truth. I believe it is difficult if not impossible to worship God in truth if you don't have the Holy Spirit who has changed or can change your life. When the Holy Spirit came into my life there was an instant heart change and felt brand spanking new.
Ezekiel 11:19-20 "And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts instead, so they will obey my laws and regulations. They will truly be my people, and I will be their God. But those who long for idols (things of this world) I will repay them fully for their sins, says the Sovereign LORD."
Jesus says in John 15:26 "But I will send you the Counselor (the Holy Spirit) to you from the Father and will tell you all about me."
Jesus says in John 16:13 "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me."
I remember trying to read the bible before I came to Christ- before I surrendered my life to God. The bible didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Sure there were a whole lot of people and experts who had a lot say about the bible but I had a hard time excepting all what they had to say. The bible was confusing at times so after a short time, I gave up reading it all together until Jesus Christ came into my life and I received the Holy Spirit. Then things in the bible started to make sense.
Jesus Christ is the solution to every problem. Jesus gives the gift of living water.
To make myself clear: That living water Jesus is speaking about is the Holy Spirit, which builds our understanding of Jesus Christ and our faith in Jesus Christ and without “Him” and trusting in “Him” it is impossible to grow in God’s knowledge and attributes/ characteristics. The Holy Spirit’s divine power helps a Christian be effective and productive individuals (2 Peter).
A nation or people that do not have God and Jesus Christ as their foundation will fail, be unproductive, unsatisfied, and fall into deeper sin.
Matthew 7:26 “But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.”
Luke 6:47-48 “I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the flood waters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.”
2 Timothy 2:19 “But God's truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and "Those who claim they belong to the Lord must turn away from all wickedness."
And yes, there is no such thing as a perfect Christian. If there were such a thing as a perfect Christian or person- we wouldn’t need Jesus Christ to save us and mature us in the Christian faith.
We gain further understanding of why Jesus came, why he took the cross for us, and the importance for his resurrection as we grow in Christ but this takes people to surrender their life to God who will lead you to Jesus Christ.
Jesus says in John 3:14-21 “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. There is no judgment awaiting those who “trust” him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay way from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants.”
I say it is always better to come to God now then hell later. Sometimes the truth is hard to hear but we all need to hear it.
No one is perfect. If you for some reason are saying to yourself, "Well I haven't killed anyone or done 'this' or 'that'. I am a good person." Think about what Jesus says, "You have heard that the law of Moses (the 10 commandments) says, 'Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone and idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell." (Matthew 5:21-22) Jesus continues, "Do not commit adultery. But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27) "You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and unjust, too."
If you for some reason you are thinking you need to get right some how before you come to God- don't because you will never will. Come to God first and he will make you right through Christ Jesus.
If you for some reason you are thinking you are someone how scoring good points by doing "good deeds" and they will some how earn you a place in heaven don't because your good deeds can never out do what Jesus did for us on the cross for all of us.
It sometimes hard to admit wrong. It's hard facing up and humbling yourself before God but I greatly admire someone who humbles themselves before God then continues tries to fool themselves into thinking they right before God or there is no God.
It may even be difficult for some of you, who have had been in the Christian faith, but for some reason turned away. God has been speaking to you for sometime but you have ignored him or felt too ashamed knowing the wrong you have caused him. Come to him and he will bring you back to Christ.
I gave my life to God and then he in turn lead me to Christ. If you are afraid of turning you life over to the wrong God know there is only ONE God and the rest are just idols and false gods. If you are afraid of turning your life to God because of some kind of "control issue" know when you trust God you will find freedom and great potential you never knew you had in yourself.
The great thing about giving our life to Christ is we receive the Holy Spirit, which not only allows us enter the Kingdom of God but gives us new life and new outlook and new insight about life. He, the Holy Spirit transforms us and empowers us to live and grow according to God’s will in the faith, grace and peace of Jesus Christ.
If you would like to talk to me more about this… leave me post.
May God Bless you in the truth that will set you free.
Not that Jesus Christ is the problem but Jesus Christ is the solution.
Every person needs Jesus Christ.
I was reading the 4 chapter of John of Jesus asking a Samaritan woman for a drink of water at a well.
The woman is surprised that he is talking to her because Jews at that time refused to have anything to do with Samaritans even though they prayed and worshiped the same God. Samaritans weren't well accepted in fact a Jewish person would go entirely around an area that Samaritan's lived in even if it was shorter to go through a Samaritan village. The woman says to Jesus (John 4:9) “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
Jesus replies, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
The woman only seeing the physical in his words and not the spiritual solution in his words says, “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water? And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water then he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?”
Jesus replies, “People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
(Everything in this world will still leave you thirsty and wanting more because it does not satisfy us and every time a person loses their focus on Christ and puts their focus on the things of this world they become unsatisfied and miserable people. They buy and want more of "this" and "that" but more or less makes them a slave to those things that never satisfy.) The things that enslave a person are no secret, they are things like money, sex, control, material possessions, popularity, and believe it or not even drama where a person has to find something negative about their life feel "normal". Peace makes them "uncomfortable."
The woman replies to Jesus, “Please, sir give me some of that water! Then I’ll never become thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to haul water.”
I don't know what Jesus is thinking here but I would but maybe she doesn't believe him and thinks he is pulling her leg. What would you think if someone said they had something to make your life satisfying. You would probably go get right but when you get it you almost always find it doesn't make your life satisfying and it something you have maintain, secure, protect, or is outdated before you know it.
So what does Jesus do to make his point catch? He asks her to go get her husband but the woman tells him she doesn’t have a husband. Jesus however knows this and says, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband- for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now.”
He speaks the truth... Jesus speaks the truth no matter if it is received good or bad.
The woman then realizes he’s no ordinary Jewish guy and says to him, “You must be a prophet.”
She then asks him, “Why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place to worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worship?”
Jesus replies, “Believe me, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father here or in Jerusalem… But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The woman- probably a little confused says to Jesus …. “ I know the Messiah will come- the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.
Jesus then dumps it all in her lap and says, “I am the Messiah!”
People tend to look at things mentally and physically but not spiritually. People see the outer problems of a situation or a person but not the spiritual solution to a problem or a person’s life. This is even more compounded negatively because they do not have or are not listening to the Holy Spirit to help them understand what is truly going on.
Notice Jesus you must worship God in spirit and truth. He says spirit first and then truth. I believe it is difficult if not impossible to worship God in truth if you don't have the Holy Spirit who has changed or can change your life. When the Holy Spirit came into my life there was an instant heart change and felt brand spanking new.
Ezekiel 11:19-20 "And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts instead, so they will obey my laws and regulations. They will truly be my people, and I will be their God. But those who long for idols (things of this world) I will repay them fully for their sins, says the Sovereign LORD."
Jesus says in John 15:26 "But I will send you the Counselor (the Holy Spirit) to you from the Father and will tell you all about me."
Jesus says in John 16:13 "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me."
I remember trying to read the bible before I came to Christ- before I surrendered my life to God. The bible didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Sure there were a whole lot of people and experts who had a lot say about the bible but I had a hard time excepting all what they had to say. The bible was confusing at times so after a short time, I gave up reading it all together until Jesus Christ came into my life and I received the Holy Spirit. Then things in the bible started to make sense.
Jesus Christ is the solution to every problem. Jesus gives the gift of living water.
To make myself clear: That living water Jesus is speaking about is the Holy Spirit, which builds our understanding of Jesus Christ and our faith in Jesus Christ and without “Him” and trusting in “Him” it is impossible to grow in God’s knowledge and attributes/ characteristics. The Holy Spirit’s divine power helps a Christian be effective and productive individuals (2 Peter).
A nation or people that do not have God and Jesus Christ as their foundation will fail, be unproductive, unsatisfied, and fall into deeper sin.
Matthew 7:26 “But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.”
Luke 6:47-48 “I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the flood waters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.”
2 Timothy 2:19 “But God's truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and "Those who claim they belong to the Lord must turn away from all wickedness."
And yes, there is no such thing as a perfect Christian. If there were such a thing as a perfect Christian or person- we wouldn’t need Jesus Christ to save us and mature us in the Christian faith.
We gain further understanding of why Jesus came, why he took the cross for us, and the importance for his resurrection as we grow in Christ but this takes people to surrender their life to God who will lead you to Jesus Christ.
Jesus says in John 3:14-21 “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole, so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. There is no judgment awaiting those who “trust” him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay way from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants.”
I say it is always better to come to God now then hell later. Sometimes the truth is hard to hear but we all need to hear it.
No one is perfect. If you for some reason are saying to yourself, "Well I haven't killed anyone or done 'this' or 'that'. I am a good person." Think about what Jesus says, "You have heard that the law of Moses (the 10 commandments) says, 'Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone and idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell." (Matthew 5:21-22) Jesus continues, "Do not commit adultery. But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27) "You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and unjust, too."
If you for some reason you are thinking you need to get right some how before you come to God- don't because you will never will. Come to God first and he will make you right through Christ Jesus.
If you for some reason you are thinking you are someone how scoring good points by doing "good deeds" and they will some how earn you a place in heaven don't because your good deeds can never out do what Jesus did for us on the cross for all of us.
It sometimes hard to admit wrong. It's hard facing up and humbling yourself before God but I greatly admire someone who humbles themselves before God then continues tries to fool themselves into thinking they right before God or there is no God.
It may even be difficult for some of you, who have had been in the Christian faith, but for some reason turned away. God has been speaking to you for sometime but you have ignored him or felt too ashamed knowing the wrong you have caused him. Come to him and he will bring you back to Christ.
I gave my life to God and then he in turn lead me to Christ. If you are afraid of turning you life over to the wrong God know there is only ONE God and the rest are just idols and false gods. If you are afraid of turning your life to God because of some kind of "control issue" know when you trust God you will find freedom and great potential you never knew you had in yourself.
The great thing about giving our life to Christ is we receive the Holy Spirit, which not only allows us enter the Kingdom of God but gives us new life and new outlook and new insight about life. He, the Holy Spirit transforms us and empowers us to live and grow according to God’s will in the faith, grace and peace of Jesus Christ.
If you would like to talk to me more about this… leave me post.
May God Bless you in the truth that will set you free.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Remembering the Launch Button.
A friend of mine was telling me about a key chain his son had when he was younger. The key chain had a variety of different sound affects. One button would make the sound of bomb being dropped from the sky and exploding. Another was the sound of a firing machine gun and another a rocket being fired and exploding… and so on. The main reason for the key chain was to help drivers reduce or combat their road rage….
I thought what a great idea- not that I think blowing up Grammy in her 1970 Plymouth Duster going 40 mph on the highway is a good idea or thought -but I thought we should all carry one of those key chains around in our pocket.
Heck… every time a negative, or suggestive or fearful or proud or unforgiving/vengeful thought that wants to tip toe into our heart or mind, we can push one of those buttons on our key chain and hear that pleasant sound of victory…. KABOOM!
Ever been in the prominent birdcage? Front and center for everyone to witness at “just the right time”…
Due to multiple factors and stressors- you have a “moment” … and intentionally it’s very public and at the most inopportune time.
My buddy Shawn and I were working on a roof. We were kind of hidden from direct of sight of the street by some trees when this car screeches into the parking lot and slams on its brakes, doors fly open, followed with a very angry woman yelling, at what appears to be her teenage son. In the mist of this heated conversation some trash comes flying out of her car. It’s pretty apparent that she is totally unaware that we are there watching -so my buddy yells, “Mam, will you please pick up that trash.”
Silence…. and then this transformation of tone, “Pardon?”
Shawn says, “Will you please pick up the trash that came out of your car.”
The woman obviously humiliated and embarrassed says, “Oh… Yes, I am sorry.” She then scurries out away from the car, picks up the trash and promptly returns to the car.
Shawn hardly ever a loss for words says, “Thank you.”
The woman then replied with a humbling regret of, “Uh huh” … and then slowly backed her car up and left the parking in a much calmly manner then when she arrived.
I am sure none of us has had a moment like that in our life…. Yeah right, most of us are still trying to forget some of those moments.
As a Christian... Here we are supposed to be a light for Christ but one thing after another seems be adding to the pile of our “terrible, no good, very bad day”. Pressure has been pushing and bubbling its way to the atomic state of our being… to the point there is little or no hesitation of things about to fly out of our mouth and once they are out, it is too late.
We all have allowed thoughts to hitch a ride for far too long and we have forgotten to pull the 007 lever- where we simply smile and eject our well-trained adversary out of the sky light of our mind. See ya!
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." (NLT)
Heavy burden in the original Hebrew translation is a heavy load; an oppressive burden; a burden that deals with the faults of the conscious that oppress the soul.
Our mind is an amazing thing but we got to watch what comes into our little thought factory.
You can be minding your own business when a thought comes strolling along and before you know, you have walked so far into a dark corner with that thought and gave it such liberty that it has started to influence your emotions. Give it a stiff boot in the butt!
(KJV) 2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…”
You wake up- look at the clock- realize you have REALLY overslept…. (Shoot!) You still have to wake up the kids for school- … (Oh Man!) Your spouse forgot to put gas in the car… (Frustration.) Just as you think you will only be a few minutes late, you remember there is morning meeting scheduled…. (Can’t be late!!!) Traffic is heavy and you seem to hit every red light…. (COME ON!!!) You begin to wonder what your boss will say or won’t say (Not Good.) You begin to wonder what would happen if you lost your job… (Fear)… You think of missed car payments and pass due mortgage notices and the kids no longer taking their beloved karate lessons… (Can you say “ANXIETY”?) You start thinking about what you would sell and what to hang on to (A little more anxiety)… You think about prospect of moving in with “Mom” and “Dad”…. Bet my spouse would love that… all because they didn’t leave me gas in the car this morning! (Blame game) and before you know it, you are even considering parking in a handicap parking spot… Your mind is weighing between truths or fictional excuses. Your stomach isn’t satisfied with Breath Saver mint for breakfast and the elevator seems to be taking an eternity to get to the 9th floor. Finally you reach the office as someone notices you and says “Good Morning!” (You cringe, as it’s just another reminder that you are SO LATE.) And as you are about to open the door to the conference room, you notice a post-it, saying “Postponed to Friday”.
Cast down what? Bring what into captivity? My wife's cous, Laura had a great saying... "How far off the dock are you willing to walk until you realize their is nothing underneath you?" We all, at times, have to separate fact from fiction instead of get caught up in the mess of the tumble weed of the moment.
Have you ever been to a lake where the water has been so stirred up you can’t even see your hand in it -even though it may only be a few inches below the water? Now imagine yourself as that lake… How can a person even think or see clearly if they are being stir- up by all the wrong things?
Where is the “thought –life” going?
What are you filling up with? You wouldn’t put jet fuel in a Volvo and turn on the ignition (well most of you wouldn’t :) … or intentionally plug your vacuum cleaner into a 220-amp circuit? Yet we have all been there at sometime in our life where we have gassed up or plugged into the wrong source and had destructive and terrible consequences.
Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Philippians 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (NLT)
Watch out for pointless trips. Listen and pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying.
Sometimes God will bring a specific person to mind to pray for and I will be thinking about that person for quite a while until I realize the reason that person has come up was because God was showing me to pray for that person- nothing else, nothing more.
Helpful ideas
1. Yoke yourself with Christ.
2. Give God your burdens. (1 Peter 5:7)
3. Cast down imaginations (including “what if’s”)
4. Fix your thoughts on truths and things you know are right -according to God’s word.
5. Pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying.
6. If the thought doesn’t belong there- push the launch button.
7. And Smile, remember life is good and who is on your side.
Joshua 1:9 "I command you--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
Jesus said in John 14:26 “But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative--and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.”
I thought what a great idea- not that I think blowing up Grammy in her 1970 Plymouth Duster going 40 mph on the highway is a good idea or thought -but I thought we should all carry one of those key chains around in our pocket.
Heck… every time a negative, or suggestive or fearful or proud or unforgiving/vengeful thought that wants to tip toe into our heart or mind, we can push one of those buttons on our key chain and hear that pleasant sound of victory…. KABOOM!
Ever been in the prominent birdcage? Front and center for everyone to witness at “just the right time”…
Due to multiple factors and stressors- you have a “moment” … and intentionally it’s very public and at the most inopportune time.
My buddy Shawn and I were working on a roof. We were kind of hidden from direct of sight of the street by some trees when this car screeches into the parking lot and slams on its brakes, doors fly open, followed with a very angry woman yelling, at what appears to be her teenage son. In the mist of this heated conversation some trash comes flying out of her car. It’s pretty apparent that she is totally unaware that we are there watching -so my buddy yells, “Mam, will you please pick up that trash.”
Silence…. and then this transformation of tone, “Pardon?”
Shawn says, “Will you please pick up the trash that came out of your car.”
The woman obviously humiliated and embarrassed says, “Oh… Yes, I am sorry.” She then scurries out away from the car, picks up the trash and promptly returns to the car.
Shawn hardly ever a loss for words says, “Thank you.”
The woman then replied with a humbling regret of, “Uh huh” … and then slowly backed her car up and left the parking in a much calmly manner then when she arrived.
I am sure none of us has had a moment like that in our life…. Yeah right, most of us are still trying to forget some of those moments.
As a Christian... Here we are supposed to be a light for Christ but one thing after another seems be adding to the pile of our “terrible, no good, very bad day”. Pressure has been pushing and bubbling its way to the atomic state of our being… to the point there is little or no hesitation of things about to fly out of our mouth and once they are out, it is too late.
We all have allowed thoughts to hitch a ride for far too long and we have forgotten to pull the 007 lever- where we simply smile and eject our well-trained adversary out of the sky light of our mind. See ya!
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." (NLT)
Heavy burden in the original Hebrew translation is a heavy load; an oppressive burden; a burden that deals with the faults of the conscious that oppress the soul.
Our mind is an amazing thing but we got to watch what comes into our little thought factory.
You can be minding your own business when a thought comes strolling along and before you know, you have walked so far into a dark corner with that thought and gave it such liberty that it has started to influence your emotions. Give it a stiff boot in the butt!
(KJV) 2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…”
You wake up- look at the clock- realize you have REALLY overslept…. (Shoot!) You still have to wake up the kids for school- … (Oh Man!) Your spouse forgot to put gas in the car… (Frustration.) Just as you think you will only be a few minutes late, you remember there is morning meeting scheduled…. (Can’t be late!!!) Traffic is heavy and you seem to hit every red light…. (COME ON!!!) You begin to wonder what your boss will say or won’t say (Not Good.) You begin to wonder what would happen if you lost your job… (Fear)… You think of missed car payments and pass due mortgage notices and the kids no longer taking their beloved karate lessons… (Can you say “ANXIETY”?) You start thinking about what you would sell and what to hang on to (A little more anxiety)… You think about prospect of moving in with “Mom” and “Dad”…. Bet my spouse would love that… all because they didn’t leave me gas in the car this morning! (Blame game) and before you know it, you are even considering parking in a handicap parking spot… Your mind is weighing between truths or fictional excuses. Your stomach isn’t satisfied with Breath Saver mint for breakfast and the elevator seems to be taking an eternity to get to the 9th floor. Finally you reach the office as someone notices you and says “Good Morning!” (You cringe, as it’s just another reminder that you are SO LATE.) And as you are about to open the door to the conference room, you notice a post-it, saying “Postponed to Friday”.
Cast down what? Bring what into captivity? My wife's cous, Laura had a great saying... "How far off the dock are you willing to walk until you realize their is nothing underneath you?" We all, at times, have to separate fact from fiction instead of get caught up in the mess of the tumble weed of the moment.
Have you ever been to a lake where the water has been so stirred up you can’t even see your hand in it -even though it may only be a few inches below the water? Now imagine yourself as that lake… How can a person even think or see clearly if they are being stir- up by all the wrong things?
Where is the “thought –life” going?
What are you filling up with? You wouldn’t put jet fuel in a Volvo and turn on the ignition (well most of you wouldn’t :) … or intentionally plug your vacuum cleaner into a 220-amp circuit? Yet we have all been there at sometime in our life where we have gassed up or plugged into the wrong source and had destructive and terrible consequences.
Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Philippians 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (NLT)
Watch out for pointless trips. Listen and pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying.
Sometimes God will bring a specific person to mind to pray for and I will be thinking about that person for quite a while until I realize the reason that person has come up was because God was showing me to pray for that person- nothing else, nothing more.
Helpful ideas
1. Yoke yourself with Christ.
2. Give God your burdens. (1 Peter 5:7)
3. Cast down imaginations (including “what if’s”)
4. Fix your thoughts on truths and things you know are right -according to God’s word.
5. Pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying.
6. If the thought doesn’t belong there- push the launch button.
7. And Smile, remember life is good and who is on your side.
Joshua 1:9 "I command you--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
Jesus said in John 14:26 “But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative--and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.”
Monday, April 06, 2009
Eye on the Sparrow.
Recently my oldest child had an opportunity to interview and present an award to a well-known author and illustrator at the TLA Conference in Houston this last week. It was a pretty unique experience for us country folk and sometimes I found it pretty funny that there was so much fanfare and amplification for a children’s book but I guess different people get excited about different things. We had what I guess you would call an intimate breakfast with the author and illustrator and then the children selected to interview asked them questions. Both the author and illustrator were very nice and down-to-earth which we found very refreshing. After the interview the kids got their books signed and pictures taken with the book celebrities and we all headed down to the luncheon and oh of course…. the long introductions of presidents, chairs and board members and THEN the honored guests (the author and illustrator). I guess some people like to be recognized. The kids then got to present the award to the author and illustrator and then they made their appreciation speeches.
What I found interesting while listening to both of them was not their bliss at making and finishing the book but their reactions after they finished the project. The author after finishing the book felt washed up. She said after finishing the book, she sat behind her keyboard to try write and felt like she had said everything that needed to be said and drained of any new ideas. She struggled at just writing her set limit of five pages a day.
The illustrator said she was on a high for about three hours after all the illustrations were completed and finalized for the book and then came a fearful and dreaded realization… she had no more hired work to do! She then said she came crashing down into a depression, which caused her to feel a loss of purpose. To illustrate this point she put up a drawing she had done portraying herself. In the drawing she was a person with a sparrow’s head and tail and beside her was a man pointing and laughing at her.
The author and illustrator then spoke about getting notified that they had won the Bluebonnet Award for their book and how it propelled and inspired them. There was then the applause and everyone soon went his or her separate ways and we headed back to the bus that would take us back to the hotel so we could pick up our car to head home.
As you can probably imagine, when everyone else is asleep and you have three hours of driving ahead of you, you have plenty of time to think about things and this illustrator’s drawing -portraying herself as a sparrow kept coming to mind. I found this extremely fascinating…. She thought of herself as a sparrow and someone to be made fun of. Here were two successful and accomplished individuals who found themselves …in a sense of lost. They had put their worth (so to speak) on their accomplishments.
“Is that what our human understanding does to decide our worth?” I thought. I hope I am worth more then what I do and don’t accomplish in life, don’t you? Sparrow… sparrow… sparrow.
The Holy Spirit then rose these words within me, “His eye is on the sparrow”.
Jesus said, “Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven. But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven.”
We are worth more then a whole flock of sparrows! God loves even those who consider themselves as sparrows, those who consider themselves as nothing.
In a great extent God uses those who don’t look and think of themselves highly upon.
“God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them.” Mathew 5:5
“Well suppose that author and illustrator weren’t humble, lowly individuals?” I thought.
The answer came, “it rains on the just and unjust.”
Jesus said talking about the Father in Matthew 5:44-48 “…For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Why does God show his love and mercy on us? Why does he continue to love us even though we struggle at times? Why does he love those who don’t love and respect him?
It would be hard to go and get right with a father that always carried a belt and bat around wouldn’t it? Not saying God puts up with a bad behavior but He knows which ones who will come and won’t come to Him -even though they seem very far from Him at the moment.
Do accomplishments mean anything to God? I don’t see how really- for no one accomplishes anything good without God’s help. I do see however that God gave those two talented women encouragement. He whispered, “You still have much more to do and my eye is even on those who consider themselves a sparrow.”
What I found interesting while listening to both of them was not their bliss at making and finishing the book but their reactions after they finished the project. The author after finishing the book felt washed up. She said after finishing the book, she sat behind her keyboard to try write and felt like she had said everything that needed to be said and drained of any new ideas. She struggled at just writing her set limit of five pages a day.
The illustrator said she was on a high for about three hours after all the illustrations were completed and finalized for the book and then came a fearful and dreaded realization… she had no more hired work to do! She then said she came crashing down into a depression, which caused her to feel a loss of purpose. To illustrate this point she put up a drawing she had done portraying herself. In the drawing she was a person with a sparrow’s head and tail and beside her was a man pointing and laughing at her.
The author and illustrator then spoke about getting notified that they had won the Bluebonnet Award for their book and how it propelled and inspired them. There was then the applause and everyone soon went his or her separate ways and we headed back to the bus that would take us back to the hotel so we could pick up our car to head home.
As you can probably imagine, when everyone else is asleep and you have three hours of driving ahead of you, you have plenty of time to think about things and this illustrator’s drawing -portraying herself as a sparrow kept coming to mind. I found this extremely fascinating…. She thought of herself as a sparrow and someone to be made fun of. Here were two successful and accomplished individuals who found themselves …in a sense of lost. They had put their worth (so to speak) on their accomplishments.
“Is that what our human understanding does to decide our worth?” I thought. I hope I am worth more then what I do and don’t accomplish in life, don’t you? Sparrow… sparrow… sparrow.
The Holy Spirit then rose these words within me, “His eye is on the sparrow”.
Jesus said, “Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven. But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven.”
We are worth more then a whole flock of sparrows! God loves even those who consider themselves as sparrows, those who consider themselves as nothing.
In a great extent God uses those who don’t look and think of themselves highly upon.
“God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them.” Mathew 5:5
“Well suppose that author and illustrator weren’t humble, lowly individuals?” I thought.
The answer came, “it rains on the just and unjust.”
Jesus said talking about the Father in Matthew 5:44-48 “…For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Why does God show his love and mercy on us? Why does he continue to love us even though we struggle at times? Why does he love those who don’t love and respect him?
It would be hard to go and get right with a father that always carried a belt and bat around wouldn’t it? Not saying God puts up with a bad behavior but He knows which ones who will come and won’t come to Him -even though they seem very far from Him at the moment.
Do accomplishments mean anything to God? I don’t see how really- for no one accomplishes anything good without God’s help. I do see however that God gave those two talented women encouragement. He whispered, “You still have much more to do and my eye is even on those who consider themselves a sparrow.”
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Demonstrating God's Holiness
We talked a little bit before about how God is a just, merciful and faithful God and how it is important that we too should mature in those characteristics through the guidance and assistance of the Holy Spirit.
If you are willing let’s continue up that path a little more. Ever feel the presence of God? Ever feel His holiness? For those who have experienced God holiness, it is something that stops you in your tracks. Our pastor of our church had me pray during our communion one time and as I began to think and speak about these symbols (the bread and grape juice) in my hand that represented Christ’s body and blood, God’s mighty presence came upon me like a great shadow of sorts. A shadow isn’t a great example because God doesn’t cast any shadow but imagine just seeing the Statue of Liberty only in pictures and then being able to stand next to the Statue of Liberty and realizing the magnitude of that great structure. That would only be a little taste of what if felt like when I sensed the presence of God holiness. The presence of God was so great that I could barely finish the prayer.
The same is true of the angels who have come from God’s presence. They have God’s holiness covering them and if you have ever seen an angel and/or read accounts of people seeing angels then you know what I am talking about. God’s holy presence can be overwhelming and even frightening. I remember seeing an angel in a God sent dream. A group of us were sitting in this room as an angel holding an open book came flying through the room. Its face was so luminescent that its face was just a ball of light. God’s glorious holy presence was so saturated on this angel that I was afraid of it and I even tried to push myself into a nook in the room. When the angel had gone by… I immediately woke up and let me just tell you, I didn’t dare look out my window because I was afraid I might see it there too.
Moses had the same glorious presence on his face after he came down from meeting with God. The glorious presence of God was so great on his face that he had to put a sack over his head just so the Israelites could see him. Can you imagine if that was just a tiny glimpse of God that Moses saw, can you imagine what it will be like to see the Father in Heaven and seeing the full magnitude of His holiness?
That my friend is only a tiny slice of the endless ways we can be immersed in the presence of God. God’s holiness should be a reminder to us of how great God really is and how we should honor Him in our lives.
Jesus says, "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
If you examine the words “fear God” in your favorite bible search website or concordance, you will see that “fearing God” was an not just an important principle all the way back to Genesis but a way to see life more clearly.
If you look up the word “fear” in the Hebrew and Greek you will see more then a dozen definitions pertaining to “the fear of God”.
Fear it is to recognize God’s ”sovereignty” and “Holiness”; to realize the great “awe” of God; to appreciate and highly respect His “awesomeness” and to have “reverence” towards God; and to “not take lightly” the power God holds.
Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”
If you have reverence for God and/or some kind understanding of how great God is, are you going to want to do what God tells you to do and not to do?
I probably will speak for most of us reading this, “Thank God for his grace and faithfulness and Jesus Christ being nailed to that cross for my sins because without that I would be lost. I wouldn’t even know how to start over, when I did mess up. That's why it's so important to demonstrate not just God’s grace to others but God’s holiness as well.
If we just took God’s grace for granted and did not exude or display our realization of how great God is, how would we be any different then someone who hasn’t come to Christ yet?
How might someone know whom we serve and whom we trust in?
As the Lord was leading me through different passages Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 1 Corinthians 10, Colossians 3:1-17 and Romans 8:12-17 it became abundantly clear what our actions show and how important they are - not to just those in this world around us but God Himself.
Deuteronomy 30 spoke to me about walking in God ways verses serving and worshiping other “things” or “false gods”
The question then rose from within me. “How might Christians serve and fall into the trap of serving other so called gods? “ The answer was… “by the way we act and behave”.
What cup (the Lord’s table or the cup of demons) do we serve through our actions?
1 Corinthians 10 speaks of not making our brother and sister stumble but it also speaks to us about what and who are actions serve and how they can serve either God or demons.
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven will fill your thoughts. Do not think only about the things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Chris, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly thing lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. You used to do them when your life was still part of this world. But now it the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all it’s wicked deeds. In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave or free. Chris is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be a representative of the Lord Jesus, all while giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 2:1-17)
“And whatever you do or say, let it be a representative of the Lord Jesus….”
I had to think, "Why did God get so angry at the Israelites when they started to grumble and complain after He had just brought them out of Egypt?" Who did the grumbling and complaining serve? Who does it serve when we do the things God has told us not to do?
We must be careful and follow the leading of the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) for that is how we demonstrate God’s holiness.
If you feel led read Romans 8:12-29
Thanks for following along with me as I journal these things down.
If you are willing let’s continue up that path a little more. Ever feel the presence of God? Ever feel His holiness? For those who have experienced God holiness, it is something that stops you in your tracks. Our pastor of our church had me pray during our communion one time and as I began to think and speak about these symbols (the bread and grape juice) in my hand that represented Christ’s body and blood, God’s mighty presence came upon me like a great shadow of sorts. A shadow isn’t a great example because God doesn’t cast any shadow but imagine just seeing the Statue of Liberty only in pictures and then being able to stand next to the Statue of Liberty and realizing the magnitude of that great structure. That would only be a little taste of what if felt like when I sensed the presence of God holiness. The presence of God was so great that I could barely finish the prayer.
The same is true of the angels who have come from God’s presence. They have God’s holiness covering them and if you have ever seen an angel and/or read accounts of people seeing angels then you know what I am talking about. God’s holy presence can be overwhelming and even frightening. I remember seeing an angel in a God sent dream. A group of us were sitting in this room as an angel holding an open book came flying through the room. Its face was so luminescent that its face was just a ball of light. God’s glorious holy presence was so saturated on this angel that I was afraid of it and I even tried to push myself into a nook in the room. When the angel had gone by… I immediately woke up and let me just tell you, I didn’t dare look out my window because I was afraid I might see it there too.
Moses had the same glorious presence on his face after he came down from meeting with God. The glorious presence of God was so great on his face that he had to put a sack over his head just so the Israelites could see him. Can you imagine if that was just a tiny glimpse of God that Moses saw, can you imagine what it will be like to see the Father in Heaven and seeing the full magnitude of His holiness?
That my friend is only a tiny slice of the endless ways we can be immersed in the presence of God. God’s holiness should be a reminder to us of how great God really is and how we should honor Him in our lives.
Jesus says, "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
If you examine the words “fear God” in your favorite bible search website or concordance, you will see that “fearing God” was an not just an important principle all the way back to Genesis but a way to see life more clearly.
If you look up the word “fear” in the Hebrew and Greek you will see more then a dozen definitions pertaining to “the fear of God”.
Fear it is to recognize God’s ”sovereignty” and “Holiness”; to realize the great “awe” of God; to appreciate and highly respect His “awesomeness” and to have “reverence” towards God; and to “not take lightly” the power God holds.
Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”
If you have reverence for God and/or some kind understanding of how great God is, are you going to want to do what God tells you to do and not to do?
I probably will speak for most of us reading this, “Thank God for his grace and faithfulness and Jesus Christ being nailed to that cross for my sins because without that I would be lost. I wouldn’t even know how to start over, when I did mess up. That's why it's so important to demonstrate not just God’s grace to others but God’s holiness as well.
If we just took God’s grace for granted and did not exude or display our realization of how great God is, how would we be any different then someone who hasn’t come to Christ yet?
How might someone know whom we serve and whom we trust in?
As the Lord was leading me through different passages Deuteronomy 30:15-20, 1 Corinthians 10, Colossians 3:1-17 and Romans 8:12-17 it became abundantly clear what our actions show and how important they are - not to just those in this world around us but God Himself.
Deuteronomy 30 spoke to me about walking in God ways verses serving and worshiping other “things” or “false gods”
The question then rose from within me. “How might Christians serve and fall into the trap of serving other so called gods? “ The answer was… “by the way we act and behave”.
What cup (the Lord’s table or the cup of demons) do we serve through our actions?
1 Corinthians 10 speaks of not making our brother and sister stumble but it also speaks to us about what and who are actions serve and how they can serve either God or demons.
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven will fill your thoughts. Do not think only about the things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Chris, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly thing lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry. God’s terrible anger will come upon those who do such things. You used to do them when your life was still part of this world. But now it the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old evil nature and all it’s wicked deeds. In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave or free. Chris is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be a representative of the Lord Jesus, all while giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 2:1-17)
“And whatever you do or say, let it be a representative of the Lord Jesus….”
I had to think, "Why did God get so angry at the Israelites when they started to grumble and complain after He had just brought them out of Egypt?" Who did the grumbling and complaining serve? Who does it serve when we do the things God has told us not to do?
We must be careful and follow the leading of the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) for that is how we demonstrate God’s holiness.
If you feel led read Romans 8:12-29
Thanks for following along with me as I journal these things down.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
To Not Give Offense
A good rule of thumb is to not give offense to anyone who might offend you.
A little while back a friend of mine sent a news clip from Seattle, Washington of a pastor, in the state capital during the Christmas season, who was angry about an atheist sign being next to the Nativity scene. This pastor was so angry; he was practically salivating in vengeance as he yelled at those who supported the atheist sign, “You will all roast in hell like the pigs you are!”. Why does it seem the few who are the most vocal seem to paint the colors of majority to the public?
Obviously it is strange to have an atheist sign right next to the nativity scene but why give it the power to be offensive. It is RIGHT next to the nativity scene – WHAT better place to have an atheist sign during the Christmas season.
People can read the atheist sign and then they can walk pass that nativity scene and wonder why a baby in a manger is SO important. For those who forget themselves like that Pastor, we drink from the cup of Christ not from the wrath and condemnation of demons. We aren’t living in the dark ages and we aren’t people rulers. We are not to judge even though we know some are wrong. We are to be merciful, just, and faithful to God and love those around us in hopes they too will come to Christ.
I was thinking, the situation in Olympia, Washington at the capital building must have been similar to what Paul witnessed in the Greek empire with all their different gods being represented.
Paul however didn’t get upset and condemn anyone he just simply spoke in what the Holy Spirit led him to speak and the Holy Spirit gave the people full assurance and confidence that what Paul said was true. (1 Thessalonians)
Colossians 3:12 says .... “Since God chose you to be the Holy people whom he loves, you must clothes yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. You must forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the words Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be a representative of the Lord Jesus, all while giving thanks through him to the God the Father.”
Ephesians 4:31 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
1 Corinthians 10:32 “Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what I like or what is best for me. But what is best for them as they may be saved. And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.”
What IS best for them? To act in bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander and vengeance? Or depend on the Holy Spirit in which God has given us -so to respond, as Christ would want us to respond. To love God with all our heart, mind and soul is to obey not just listen. We are to love our neighbors, friends, and relatives as ourselves.
Sure it foolish to believe in some of the things some people believe in but weren’t we all once foolish in believing in such things once?
Jesus says, “Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.” (Matthew 7)
If that wasn’t enough to not give offense… these too are from Jesus. “If you forgive those who sin against you, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)
Forgiveness falls on the obedience, surrender and trust of Christ.
A little while back a friend of mine sent a news clip from Seattle, Washington of a pastor, in the state capital during the Christmas season, who was angry about an atheist sign being next to the Nativity scene. This pastor was so angry; he was practically salivating in vengeance as he yelled at those who supported the atheist sign, “You will all roast in hell like the pigs you are!”. Why does it seem the few who are the most vocal seem to paint the colors of majority to the public?
Obviously it is strange to have an atheist sign right next to the nativity scene but why give it the power to be offensive. It is RIGHT next to the nativity scene – WHAT better place to have an atheist sign during the Christmas season.
People can read the atheist sign and then they can walk pass that nativity scene and wonder why a baby in a manger is SO important. For those who forget themselves like that Pastor, we drink from the cup of Christ not from the wrath and condemnation of demons. We aren’t living in the dark ages and we aren’t people rulers. We are not to judge even though we know some are wrong. We are to be merciful, just, and faithful to God and love those around us in hopes they too will come to Christ.
I was thinking, the situation in Olympia, Washington at the capital building must have been similar to what Paul witnessed in the Greek empire with all their different gods being represented.
Paul however didn’t get upset and condemn anyone he just simply spoke in what the Holy Spirit led him to speak and the Holy Spirit gave the people full assurance and confidence that what Paul said was true. (1 Thessalonians)
Colossians 3:12 says .... “Since God chose you to be the Holy people whom he loves, you must clothes yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. You must forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the words Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be a representative of the Lord Jesus, all while giving thanks through him to the God the Father.”
Ephesians 4:31 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”
1 Corinthians 10:32 “Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what I like or what is best for me. But what is best for them as they may be saved. And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.”
What IS best for them? To act in bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander and vengeance? Or depend on the Holy Spirit in which God has given us -so to respond, as Christ would want us to respond. To love God with all our heart, mind and soul is to obey not just listen. We are to love our neighbors, friends, and relatives as ourselves.
Sure it foolish to believe in some of the things some people believe in but weren’t we all once foolish in believing in such things once?
Jesus says, “Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.” (Matthew 7)
If that wasn’t enough to not give offense… these too are from Jesus. “If you forgive those who sin against you, your Heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)
Forgiveness falls on the obedience, surrender and trust of Christ.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
BAAAHHH!
God seems to be aligning and directing his people more then ever to scriptures that deal with salvation and the times, as we know, of his Son’s second coming. And it isn’t all that of a mystery to see why when observing the events and happenings of the world today.
God loves us but he cannot make anyone of us love him or even obey him if we don’t give our lives to him. Some individuals are afraid to give their lives to God because they are afraid they might have to give up something they enjoy but are the dark pleasures and things they enjoy more important then their eternity in heaven? Are they worth their soul? What is your soul worth?
I am guessing your soul is a whole lot more then anything you might enjoy temporarily down here.
Jesus says the decisive issue of someone entering the Kingdom Heaven is if they obey my Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21
We obeyed our parents because…. one we knew what would happened if we didn’t obey them …and two because they wanted to protect us and wanted what was best for us. The same is true with God.
But obeying God is a pretty difficult task to do without God’s help -and the proper respect and thankfulness He deserves. It is very hard to obey and be thankful towards a parent whom you don’t respect and don’t see has doing things in your best interests but that is what God does everyday for us yet many of us don’t respect or give him the thankfulness he deserves. Some even dismiss God totally and assume everything is “made right” and is “successful” because of our hard work, luck and chance. That is sure a whole lot left up to chance. That is like saying Jesus fulfilling 330 prophecies was up to chance.
Even as children, we disobeyed our parents knowing the consequences that would follow if we did get caught doing something we knew was wrong. Now just think of God who is all knowing and knows EVERYTHING about us. There is no way we can get away with anything when it comes to God.
God however sent his Son, Jesus Christ, not just for our “sins” so we would be forgiven by the Father but give us the Holy Spirit that would transform our hearts and help guide and protect our thoughts. Then and only then can we “truly” obey, love and respect the Father and do what he has asked of us.
I have gone over this before in another blog so I won’t continue but that is why it is so important as (Christians-the body of Christ-children of God) we constantly keep our eyes on Christ and follow His every directive in our life. Jesus Christ is and should be the only the shepherd in our life and if we aren’t following what Jesus Christ has said then we are following, our own sinful flesh, false prophets and even servants of Satan himself.
Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 24 and warns us about false prophets that will deceive and lead many astray even God’s chosen ones.
That is why it is so important to realize that in this day and age there are devious and evil individuals and spirits that don’t have our best interest in mind and want to lead us astray from God’s truths and even away from our eternity in Heaven. They may sound religious and wise but they twist and use partial biblical truths that sound good to trick you into believing what they say is entirely true but they don’t represent God, the Father or Jesus Christ, the Son.
Certainly God goes after the lost sheep but if those sheep that are lost don’t want rescuing or help then it’s the sheep’s decision not God’s.
Paul wrote in Romans 1 ”For am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes- Jews first and also Gentiles. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from them. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.”
I have talked about making God into some kind of salad bar god before so I won’t go down that road today. I believe even Paul who for a time, hated Christians and thought he was doing God a service by hunting them down and killing them felt like a fool by some of his false assumptions he had of God and the Messiah Jesus Christ.
Some of us, like myself, are like Paul. We didn’t even know we were lost until Christ revealed it through some extraordinary circumstances.
When sheep finally see they are lost, God can help them. They don’t hesitate to come to their master when they see his invitation. They don’t hesitate to be carried to the flock where they truly belong.
Yes there are some sheep that act like goats. I suppose I was a little bit goatish too. They are stubborn and they buck and they pull and ram and bite and fight their way into places where they put themselves endanger. Surrounded by nothing but thorns and jagged rocks outcroppings with dark deep caverns lingering below, they seem blind to the dangers around them. Hopefully those stubborn sheep realize the danger they are in before it is too late so Jesus can pick them up and carry them to safety.
John 10 “I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather then going through the gate must surely be a thief and a robber! For a shepherd enters through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t recognize his voice.” Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them. “I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep,” he said. “All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures. The thief’s purpose us is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will leave the sheep because they aren’t his and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he is merely hired and has no real concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.”
God loves us but he cannot make anyone of us love him or even obey him if we don’t give our lives to him. Some individuals are afraid to give their lives to God because they are afraid they might have to give up something they enjoy but are the dark pleasures and things they enjoy more important then their eternity in heaven? Are they worth their soul? What is your soul worth?
I am guessing your soul is a whole lot more then anything you might enjoy temporarily down here.
Jesus says the decisive issue of someone entering the Kingdom Heaven is if they obey my Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21
We obeyed our parents because…. one we knew what would happened if we didn’t obey them …and two because they wanted to protect us and wanted what was best for us. The same is true with God.
But obeying God is a pretty difficult task to do without God’s help -and the proper respect and thankfulness He deserves. It is very hard to obey and be thankful towards a parent whom you don’t respect and don’t see has doing things in your best interests but that is what God does everyday for us yet many of us don’t respect or give him the thankfulness he deserves. Some even dismiss God totally and assume everything is “made right” and is “successful” because of our hard work, luck and chance. That is sure a whole lot left up to chance. That is like saying Jesus fulfilling 330 prophecies was up to chance.
Even as children, we disobeyed our parents knowing the consequences that would follow if we did get caught doing something we knew was wrong. Now just think of God who is all knowing and knows EVERYTHING about us. There is no way we can get away with anything when it comes to God.
God however sent his Son, Jesus Christ, not just for our “sins” so we would be forgiven by the Father but give us the Holy Spirit that would transform our hearts and help guide and protect our thoughts. Then and only then can we “truly” obey, love and respect the Father and do what he has asked of us.
I have gone over this before in another blog so I won’t continue but that is why it is so important as (Christians-the body of Christ-children of God) we constantly keep our eyes on Christ and follow His every directive in our life. Jesus Christ is and should be the only the shepherd in our life and if we aren’t following what Jesus Christ has said then we are following, our own sinful flesh, false prophets and even servants of Satan himself.
Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 24 and warns us about false prophets that will deceive and lead many astray even God’s chosen ones.
That is why it is so important to realize that in this day and age there are devious and evil individuals and spirits that don’t have our best interest in mind and want to lead us astray from God’s truths and even away from our eternity in Heaven. They may sound religious and wise but they twist and use partial biblical truths that sound good to trick you into believing what they say is entirely true but they don’t represent God, the Father or Jesus Christ, the Son.
Certainly God goes after the lost sheep but if those sheep that are lost don’t want rescuing or help then it’s the sheep’s decision not God’s.
Paul wrote in Romans 1 ”For am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes- Jews first and also Gentiles. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from them. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.”
I have talked about making God into some kind of salad bar god before so I won’t go down that road today. I believe even Paul who for a time, hated Christians and thought he was doing God a service by hunting them down and killing them felt like a fool by some of his false assumptions he had of God and the Messiah Jesus Christ.
Some of us, like myself, are like Paul. We didn’t even know we were lost until Christ revealed it through some extraordinary circumstances.
When sheep finally see they are lost, God can help them. They don’t hesitate to come to their master when they see his invitation. They don’t hesitate to be carried to the flock where they truly belong.
Yes there are some sheep that act like goats. I suppose I was a little bit goatish too. They are stubborn and they buck and they pull and ram and bite and fight their way into places where they put themselves endanger. Surrounded by nothing but thorns and jagged rocks outcroppings with dark deep caverns lingering below, they seem blind to the dangers around them. Hopefully those stubborn sheep realize the danger they are in before it is too late so Jesus can pick them up and carry them to safety.
John 10 “I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather then going through the gate must surely be a thief and a robber! For a shepherd enters through the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t recognize his voice.” Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them. “I assure you, I am the gate for the sheep,” he said. “All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures. The thief’s purpose us is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will leave the sheep because they aren’t his and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he is merely hired and has no real concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.”
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