Acts 2:46 - They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity.
The beginning of the Church was a house to house movement. The people still went to the Temple to worship God, but the Church was more about doing life together in each other's homes.
Earlier this year, I joined a home Bible study group with people from my church. And it has been one of the best things I have ever done. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am not one for groups. Since I was a young child, I have always been one of those 'Does not play well with others' type, and I was always very content with that. That's the beauty of God, though. He doesn't just want us to step out and be different, He shows us how to step out of our comfort zones, and live how He has always wanted us to live.
A couple of years ago, I was part of an online Bible study group. We were originally scheduled for a 6 or 7 month study, and wound up lasting a year and a half. That's God working right there. We enjoyed studying His word and spending time with each other every week, that we just kept going. I am still friends with the amazing people I was in that study with.
This time it's different. Doing things in person together, has really gotten me to open up more and really share my life with them. People say that it's easier to be open when you're online because no one really knows the real you, and the 'real you' can be whoever you want it to be. But I disagree. I am more open and real when I am in person. I honestly never expected to be that way, either. I am one of those ones that tends to clam up a bit in social situations (groups), but I haven't been that way. God has really done a work on me to get me out of my traditional comfort zone. As a result, I have grown much closer to Him and my personal time with Him as gotten so much better.
I have been so blessed by the love and the desire to know God more, of the people in both of the study groups I have been a part of. Sometimes I wonder if I have received more blessings than someone should receive, but I'll let God decide that. In the mean time, I'll enjoy every minute I have with these people, sharing life together outside of our comfort zones, and in His love.
Dear Father, thank You so much for the amazing blessings You have rained down on me through the people You have put in my life. They are such great people after Your heart, and I love to hear their perspectives every week, and how they are growing closer to You. Thank You for being there with us every week as we study Your Word, and seek to be closer to You. I pray for their continued safety and protection from the enemy. I pray for those that haven't stepped out of their comfort zones. My prayer is that fear won't rule their lives, and they will be open to You more and follow the paths You have for them, regardless of what they prefer to do. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, May 16, 2014
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Praise Him in the Hallway
Psalm 27:1 - The Lord is my light and salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
God will always be our light in this dark world. He will always protect us from whatever our enemies try to do to us.
For David, he was obviously concerned about the physical pain that his enemies had planned for him (Saul, Absalom). But what about emotional, spiritual, or psychological pain our enemies try to inflict on us? Will God take care of that too? You bet he will!
God doesn't want any of us to be hurting. When we are living for Him, when our hearts are seeking His will and purpose, He is always faithful to protect us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs" (Matthew 5:10). He is always looking for a way to bless us.
People may ask, how can a husband beating on his wife be God's will. Well...it isn't. That is the husband using his free will to operate outside of God's plan. How can me losing my job for no reason be God's will? God doesn't want you to suffer. When He closes a door, it's because He wants you in a different room. I saw a picture once that said, "Until God opens the door He wants you to go through, praise Him in the hallway." That's an awesome way to look at it.
With my job situation being what it has been the last couple of months, and more specifically this last week or two, I know that my days there are probably numbered. And I am perfectly fine with that. I know that whatever happens is all part of God's plan, and I will just praise Him in the hallway until the new door opens. I had a situation come up yesterday that made me realize that my days are numbered, and you know what, I slept like a baby last night.
Some might think, "Well it must be nice to be independently wealthy and not have to work." Materially speaking, nothing could be further from the truth. I need a job. Like everyone else, I have bills to pay, rent to pay. Eternally speaking, I am a rich man. I have the God of Heaven that will faithfully provide for me because He loves me. He will keep the light on with His light of salvation. He will keep me safe and protected by covering me in His fortress. What do I have to worry about, when I have the Lord of Heaven's Armies on my side?
Dear Father, I thank You for your light and Your protection. I am beyond blessed that You are so loving and faithful to me. I could never deserve it, but I accept Your free gift with gratitude and thanksgiving. I pray for those that can't see Your light through the darkness in their world. My prayer is that You will open their eyes to see just how much You love them and want to bless them. Be with them today and protect them as they go through their trials and tribulations, as You are always faithful to do for those You love. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God will always be our light in this dark world. He will always protect us from whatever our enemies try to do to us.
For David, he was obviously concerned about the physical pain that his enemies had planned for him (Saul, Absalom). But what about emotional, spiritual, or psychological pain our enemies try to inflict on us? Will God take care of that too? You bet he will!
God doesn't want any of us to be hurting. When we are living for Him, when our hearts are seeking His will and purpose, He is always faithful to protect us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs" (Matthew 5:10). He is always looking for a way to bless us.
People may ask, how can a husband beating on his wife be God's will. Well...it isn't. That is the husband using his free will to operate outside of God's plan. How can me losing my job for no reason be God's will? God doesn't want you to suffer. When He closes a door, it's because He wants you in a different room. I saw a picture once that said, "Until God opens the door He wants you to go through, praise Him in the hallway." That's an awesome way to look at it.
With my job situation being what it has been the last couple of months, and more specifically this last week or two, I know that my days there are probably numbered. And I am perfectly fine with that. I know that whatever happens is all part of God's plan, and I will just praise Him in the hallway until the new door opens. I had a situation come up yesterday that made me realize that my days are numbered, and you know what, I slept like a baby last night.
Some might think, "Well it must be nice to be independently wealthy and not have to work." Materially speaking, nothing could be further from the truth. I need a job. Like everyone else, I have bills to pay, rent to pay. Eternally speaking, I am a rich man. I have the God of Heaven that will faithfully provide for me because He loves me. He will keep the light on with His light of salvation. He will keep me safe and protected by covering me in His fortress. What do I have to worry about, when I have the Lord of Heaven's Armies on my side?
Dear Father, I thank You for your light and Your protection. I am beyond blessed that You are so loving and faithful to me. I could never deserve it, but I accept Your free gift with gratitude and thanksgiving. I pray for those that can't see Your light through the darkness in their world. My prayer is that You will open their eyes to see just how much You love them and want to bless them. Be with them today and protect them as they go through their trials and tribulations, as You are always faithful to do for those You love. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Staying Focused
Colossians 3:1-2 - Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of Heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. 2 - Think about the things of Heaven, not the things of earth.
Staying focused on God's glory and His great plan for us is the key to making it through every tough situation.
When our faith is challenged by people operating outside the will of God, we do our best to keep our hearts and minds focused on His eternal prize. This isn't always easy, though. We have bosses and coworkers, among others, we deal with daily that present tough challenges.
I've been having a rough go of things these last couple of months at work. I have a new boss that is convinced she has all the answers, and doesn't really believe in the concept of communication. While I expected things to get a little easier after getting used to the changes, things seem to have gotten worse the last couple of weeks. Last Thursday was probably the toughest day I've had in a long time. I had allowed myself to get so upset and worked up, that I just couldn't keep my heart and mind focused on Christ. I was too busy thinking about the things of the earth, and I felt myself slipping away from God very quickly. Fortunately, on Thursday nights, I have a Bible study with a great group of people, and they were really a blessing to me that night (they always are, but last Thursday especially).
I know that no one is really interested in my problems, and I don't blame you. We've all got our own issues to deal with; our own bosses and coworkers that drive us nuts. The point is this, we have to maintain our focus on Him if we want to keep our composure. He is in charge and nothing happens that He doesn't want to happen. If it's something we don't want, that can be tough to accept sometimes, but trust in God that He is only giving you bigger and better.
This past week, I haven't been praying for God to change my situation at work. I know that it will all work out according to His will and in His time. What I have been praying for, is better focus. Nothing is in my control, He has this. I have been praying for God to just invade my heart and mind every minute of the day so that I can make sure that I am keeping things in the proper (eternal) perspective. When I have my heart and mind focused on Him and His plan, and not me and my wishes, things really do get a lot easier to deal with.
Things at work haven't really improved much over the last week, and I'm fine with that. But my attitude has. I just laugh things off because I know that He's got this. God is much better at running the world than I am. When people ask me at work how I'm able to smile and laugh at what's going on, I just tell them that it's because I know it will get better (either there or when God puts me somewhere else). Nothing that man does can destroy me, because I know that I have eternal security in Heaven.
Dear Abba Father, thank You so much for looking out for me. I know that You have secured my place in Heaven for me and I pray that, by Your strength and power, I will keep my heart and mind focused on my eternal prize with You in Heaven. I pray for those that don't listen to You, and are determined to handle things on their own. My prayer is that they will see that operating outside of Your will only brings the negative, but surrendering control to You brings great and mighty blessings. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Staying focused on God's glory and His great plan for us is the key to making it through every tough situation.
When our faith is challenged by people operating outside the will of God, we do our best to keep our hearts and minds focused on His eternal prize. This isn't always easy, though. We have bosses and coworkers, among others, we deal with daily that present tough challenges.
I've been having a rough go of things these last couple of months at work. I have a new boss that is convinced she has all the answers, and doesn't really believe in the concept of communication. While I expected things to get a little easier after getting used to the changes, things seem to have gotten worse the last couple of weeks. Last Thursday was probably the toughest day I've had in a long time. I had allowed myself to get so upset and worked up, that I just couldn't keep my heart and mind focused on Christ. I was too busy thinking about the things of the earth, and I felt myself slipping away from God very quickly. Fortunately, on Thursday nights, I have a Bible study with a great group of people, and they were really a blessing to me that night (they always are, but last Thursday especially).
I know that no one is really interested in my problems, and I don't blame you. We've all got our own issues to deal with; our own bosses and coworkers that drive us nuts. The point is this, we have to maintain our focus on Him if we want to keep our composure. He is in charge and nothing happens that He doesn't want to happen. If it's something we don't want, that can be tough to accept sometimes, but trust in God that He is only giving you bigger and better.
This past week, I haven't been praying for God to change my situation at work. I know that it will all work out according to His will and in His time. What I have been praying for, is better focus. Nothing is in my control, He has this. I have been praying for God to just invade my heart and mind every minute of the day so that I can make sure that I am keeping things in the proper (eternal) perspective. When I have my heart and mind focused on Him and His plan, and not me and my wishes, things really do get a lot easier to deal with.
Things at work haven't really improved much over the last week, and I'm fine with that. But my attitude has. I just laugh things off because I know that He's got this. God is much better at running the world than I am. When people ask me at work how I'm able to smile and laugh at what's going on, I just tell them that it's because I know it will get better (either there or when God puts me somewhere else). Nothing that man does can destroy me, because I know that I have eternal security in Heaven.
Dear Abba Father, thank You so much for looking out for me. I know that You have secured my place in Heaven for me and I pray that, by Your strength and power, I will keep my heart and mind focused on my eternal prize with You in Heaven. I pray for those that don't listen to You, and are determined to handle things on their own. My prayer is that they will see that operating outside of Your will only brings the negative, but surrendering control to You brings great and mighty blessings. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Short Timer's
James 4:14 - How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog - it's here a little while, then it's gone.
Life is short, and we never know when we will take our last breath. Seeking God's will for our lives on a daily basis (pray then plan) is where we need to start.
Ever quit a job because you found a better one? You give your two week's notice, and then start counting the days. How hard is it to be productive during those last days? That is what we used to call "Short Timer's Disease" in the Army. After all, what are they going to do, fire you?
A lot of us, myself certainly included, believe that since we don't know how long we have left, need to make the most of the time we have. While this is true to a point, how we make the most of what time we have left is what is important. Some people party and enjoy other things that bring them brief physical pleasures (I certainly did). People that do this aren't thinking eternally, and I believe that's the key to surviving this life.
Jesus died for us so that we could have a close, intimate relationship with God for eternity. It's not something that we get when we die if we were "good people" during our time on earth. The world is full of "good people". And usually, those "good people" are full of something else...
This close, intimate relationship starts when we accept Christ as our Savior and turn our lives over to Him. Every day, we should pray and ask God to guide our steps, our words, and our actions, so that we can make the most out of the time we have left that serves God's Kingdom and brings Him glory. After all, He created it. He saved us. I think He has earned that glory (to say the least).
This doesn't mean that we can't have fun and enjoy ourselves. I enjoy things that have no eternal value. I'm a big baseball and hockey fan. More often than not, these pleasures are a let down (that's the life of a Cubs fan, after all). But God put them here so that we can enjoy them. Tempering our joy of these earthly things with moderation is the key. We need to keep our eye on His prize and continually ask for His will to be done (that does not include praying for a World Series Championship for the Cubs). Letting these things consume us and decide our lives for us is where the problems start. I once cancelled a date years back so I could watch a Cubs playoff game...Hey, don't judge...they don't happen that often!
Dear Father, thank You for reminding me to keep my eyes and heart focused on You and Your will for me. I pray that I will keep an eternal mindset today as I go into the world. Keep me centered on You as I deal with difficult situations at work (and especially the traffic getting me to work). I pray for those that aren't living for You. My prayer is that they will see that their time is short, and they would do best to turn their focus over to You and live for Your will to be done, and not their own. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Life is short, and we never know when we will take our last breath. Seeking God's will for our lives on a daily basis (pray then plan) is where we need to start.
Ever quit a job because you found a better one? You give your two week's notice, and then start counting the days. How hard is it to be productive during those last days? That is what we used to call "Short Timer's Disease" in the Army. After all, what are they going to do, fire you?
A lot of us, myself certainly included, believe that since we don't know how long we have left, need to make the most of the time we have. While this is true to a point, how we make the most of what time we have left is what is important. Some people party and enjoy other things that bring them brief physical pleasures (I certainly did). People that do this aren't thinking eternally, and I believe that's the key to surviving this life.
Jesus died for us so that we could have a close, intimate relationship with God for eternity. It's not something that we get when we die if we were "good people" during our time on earth. The world is full of "good people". And usually, those "good people" are full of something else...
This close, intimate relationship starts when we accept Christ as our Savior and turn our lives over to Him. Every day, we should pray and ask God to guide our steps, our words, and our actions, so that we can make the most out of the time we have left that serves God's Kingdom and brings Him glory. After all, He created it. He saved us. I think He has earned that glory (to say the least).
This doesn't mean that we can't have fun and enjoy ourselves. I enjoy things that have no eternal value. I'm a big baseball and hockey fan. More often than not, these pleasures are a let down (that's the life of a Cubs fan, after all). But God put them here so that we can enjoy them. Tempering our joy of these earthly things with moderation is the key. We need to keep our eye on His prize and continually ask for His will to be done (that does not include praying for a World Series Championship for the Cubs). Letting these things consume us and decide our lives for us is where the problems start. I once cancelled a date years back so I could watch a Cubs playoff game...Hey, don't judge...they don't happen that often!
Dear Father, thank You for reminding me to keep my eyes and heart focused on You and Your will for me. I pray that I will keep an eternal mindset today as I go into the world. Keep me centered on You as I deal with difficult situations at work (and especially the traffic getting me to work). I pray for those that aren't living for You. My prayer is that they will see that their time is short, and they would do best to turn their focus over to You and live for Your will to be done, and not their own. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, May 12, 2014
Careful Listening
1 Peter 5:8 - Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
The enemy is always looking for ways to trip us up and keep us apart from God and His great plan for us. It is up to us to be careful and discerning so that we don't fall into his trap.
On a radio program recently, a caller had been struggling with alcoholism. She said that sometimes she felt a still voice inside her convicting her of her sin and encouraging her to turn away from it. But she didn't know if that voice was from God or from the enemy. The program host pointed out that the devil will never convict us towards righteousness. He will never encourage us to turn from our sin.
The devil likes to use shame and guilt to keep us separate from God. Those are his weapons of choice. We do the heavy lifting, so-to-speak, for the enemy when we sin. Since we are all sinful by nature, the devil just uses that to help us along our path away from God. He uses the guilt and shame to keep us blinded to the turn-off down the right path towards God and His righteousness. He convinces us that we're not worthy, that we're not good enough to be loved by God because of our sinful ways, and other things of that nature.
If we are hearing that voice telling us that it's okay to keep drinking and to go ahead and get behind the wheel afterwards, it's not God. If we here a voice telling us to put the bottle down, call a cab, and go home and pray, it's not the devil. But how do we really know the difference? The enemy is pretty crafty about deceiving us, and it's not always so black-and-white.
The best way to know when we hear God's voice, is to know Him. Whenever you're in a relationship with someone, like a marriage, you learn about that other person, don't you? You spend a lot of time with them, right? You want to know all you can so that you are able to communicate effectively and not give off the wrong impression. A relationship with Christ is not any different. The more time we spend with God, in His word and through prayer, the better we come to know Him. God loves spending intimate alone time with us, His bride. That's what the whole idea behind Jesus going to the cross for us in the first place - so that we can have a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with God.
God speaks to everyone differently. He may choose visions, dreams, prayer, Bible study. For me personally, I feel Him speaking to me most of the time when I am in His Word. Sometimes it feels as though He is standing over my shoulder and pointing out a piece of Scripture for me to really meditate on. He does that so that I will know Him better. So that when I am carefully listening to that voice, I know Who is speaking to me, and who isn't. How awesome is our Lord and Savior to do that for us?!
Dear Father, thank You for revealing Yourself to me and to all of us, so that we can discern right from wrong. I pray for the continued discipline and strength to spend time with You more and more every day. I want to know You better so that I can live my life in a way that You approve and that brings You the greatest glory. I pray for those that don't know Your voice. My prayer is that they will take the time to get to know You, their Creator and Savior, so that they can listen carefully when they hear You speaking to them. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The enemy is always looking for ways to trip us up and keep us apart from God and His great plan for us. It is up to us to be careful and discerning so that we don't fall into his trap.
On a radio program recently, a caller had been struggling with alcoholism. She said that sometimes she felt a still voice inside her convicting her of her sin and encouraging her to turn away from it. But she didn't know if that voice was from God or from the enemy. The program host pointed out that the devil will never convict us towards righteousness. He will never encourage us to turn from our sin.
The devil likes to use shame and guilt to keep us separate from God. Those are his weapons of choice. We do the heavy lifting, so-to-speak, for the enemy when we sin. Since we are all sinful by nature, the devil just uses that to help us along our path away from God. He uses the guilt and shame to keep us blinded to the turn-off down the right path towards God and His righteousness. He convinces us that we're not worthy, that we're not good enough to be loved by God because of our sinful ways, and other things of that nature.
If we are hearing that voice telling us that it's okay to keep drinking and to go ahead and get behind the wheel afterwards, it's not God. If we here a voice telling us to put the bottle down, call a cab, and go home and pray, it's not the devil. But how do we really know the difference? The enemy is pretty crafty about deceiving us, and it's not always so black-and-white.
The best way to know when we hear God's voice, is to know Him. Whenever you're in a relationship with someone, like a marriage, you learn about that other person, don't you? You spend a lot of time with them, right? You want to know all you can so that you are able to communicate effectively and not give off the wrong impression. A relationship with Christ is not any different. The more time we spend with God, in His word and through prayer, the better we come to know Him. God loves spending intimate alone time with us, His bride. That's what the whole idea behind Jesus going to the cross for us in the first place - so that we can have a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with God.
God speaks to everyone differently. He may choose visions, dreams, prayer, Bible study. For me personally, I feel Him speaking to me most of the time when I am in His Word. Sometimes it feels as though He is standing over my shoulder and pointing out a piece of Scripture for me to really meditate on. He does that so that I will know Him better. So that when I am carefully listening to that voice, I know Who is speaking to me, and who isn't. How awesome is our Lord and Savior to do that for us?!
Dear Father, thank You for revealing Yourself to me and to all of us, so that we can discern right from wrong. I pray for the continued discipline and strength to spend time with You more and more every day. I want to know You better so that I can live my life in a way that You approve and that brings You the greatest glory. I pray for those that don't know Your voice. My prayer is that they will take the time to get to know You, their Creator and Savior, so that they can listen carefully when they hear You speaking to them. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Determination
Colossians 2:18 - Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things.
A lot of religious leaders try and make us believe that we have to worship God a certain way. And that if we don't, we are not connecting with God the way He wants us to.
Paul tells us otherwise. He tells us that people like this are not connected with Christ (verse 19), and following these man-made rules do not help us conquer our evil desires towards sin (verse 23). I think Paul is on to something here.
Paul told us in Romans 8:1-2 that there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And that since we belong to Him, His power has freed us from the power of sin. You see, it isn't man-made rules that conquer our evil desires, it is the power of Jesus Christ. He conquered sin and death when He went to the cross.
People who try to convince us that we can overcome it by worshiping a certain way, are just fooling themselves and taking a lot of people with them. Jesus died so we can have an intimate personal relationship with God our Father. When we believe in Him, we are freed. When we communicate with Him in prayer, we are freed. When we study His Word to get to know Him better and learn from Him, we are freed.
All it takes is a determination to not let man-made ideas get in our way. We just need to keep our focus on God, and let Him lead us. Paul said in Romans 8:14 that all are who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. I am not saying that we should walk away from Church. Quite the opposite. We just have to pay attention to what we are being taught at Church.
When we go to a church, if they are not teaching what is in the Bible, then there is a problem. Any church that teaches that we require an intermediary between us and God, is not teaching what's in the Bible. We have an intermediary between us and God, and His name is Jesus Christ - the Name above all names. We don't need someone to tell us that are sins are forgiven when we confess them to God. The Bible already tells us that are sins are forgiven when we confess them to God. Jesus died so that our sins would be forgiven when we confess them to God. He didn't die so that some person could hear our sins and tell that if we do certain things, they will be forgiven.
Am I maintaining my focus on God with determination, or am I letting man-made influences tell me otherwise. I have been blessed to be a part of church that teaches the Bible, and doesn't try to make things up to add to or take away from it, to serve their purposes. It's up to me to worship my Lord and Savior the way He wants it - intimate and personal, not the way man does.
Dear Father, thank You so much for saving me. I know I didn't deserve it, but I know that I have it because You love me, and because You said so. I pray that I will stay determined to keep my focus on You and Your freedom, and not get sidetracked by the enemy. I pray for those that don't know You personally, because they have been taught wrong. My prayer is that they will step away from the man-made religion and develop an open and loving personal relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
A lot of religious leaders try and make us believe that we have to worship God a certain way. And that if we don't, we are not connecting with God the way He wants us to.
Paul tells us otherwise. He tells us that people like this are not connected with Christ (verse 19), and following these man-made rules do not help us conquer our evil desires towards sin (verse 23). I think Paul is on to something here.
Paul told us in Romans 8:1-2 that there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And that since we belong to Him, His power has freed us from the power of sin. You see, it isn't man-made rules that conquer our evil desires, it is the power of Jesus Christ. He conquered sin and death when He went to the cross.
People who try to convince us that we can overcome it by worshiping a certain way, are just fooling themselves and taking a lot of people with them. Jesus died so we can have an intimate personal relationship with God our Father. When we believe in Him, we are freed. When we communicate with Him in prayer, we are freed. When we study His Word to get to know Him better and learn from Him, we are freed.
All it takes is a determination to not let man-made ideas get in our way. We just need to keep our focus on God, and let Him lead us. Paul said in Romans 8:14 that all are who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. I am not saying that we should walk away from Church. Quite the opposite. We just have to pay attention to what we are being taught at Church.
When we go to a church, if they are not teaching what is in the Bible, then there is a problem. Any church that teaches that we require an intermediary between us and God, is not teaching what's in the Bible. We have an intermediary between us and God, and His name is Jesus Christ - the Name above all names. We don't need someone to tell us that are sins are forgiven when we confess them to God. The Bible already tells us that are sins are forgiven when we confess them to God. Jesus died so that our sins would be forgiven when we confess them to God. He didn't die so that some person could hear our sins and tell that if we do certain things, they will be forgiven.
Am I maintaining my focus on God with determination, or am I letting man-made influences tell me otherwise. I have been blessed to be a part of church that teaches the Bible, and doesn't try to make things up to add to or take away from it, to serve their purposes. It's up to me to worship my Lord and Savior the way He wants it - intimate and personal, not the way man does.
Dear Father, thank You so much for saving me. I know I didn't deserve it, but I know that I have it because You love me, and because You said so. I pray that I will stay determined to keep my focus on You and Your freedom, and not get sidetracked by the enemy. I pray for those that don't know You personally, because they have been taught wrong. My prayer is that they will step away from the man-made religion and develop an open and loving personal relationship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, May 9, 2014
Value
Matthew 26:15 - "How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?" And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.
The life of our Savior was valued at 30 pieces of silver.
I looked this up to see how much that would be in today's money. Depending on where you look, it is anywhere from $20 to $300. Even thought that's a pretty big range, and that kind of money would have gone a lot further in those days, it's still a pittance for the value of a life. Particularly the life of our Savior.
But there's more to those 30 pieces of silver.
In Exodus 21:32, 30 pieces of silver was the going rate for the price of a slave. In Leviticus 27:3, it was the value of a woman, who at that time carried less value than a man (we live in different times). And then in Hosea 3:2, it was the value of a prostitute. While all of these people had inherently less value than that of a regular person at the time, they were considered of equal value with Jesus Christ. Except by God, of course. With Jesus being God's only Son, He loved Him more than anything. God's own words in Matthew 17:5 tell us that He was God's dearly loved Son who brings Him great joy.
Here's the kicker: What's our value? The blood of God's dearly loved Son who brought Him great joy. God loved us that much that He sacrificed His Son so that we could be with Him and have an intimate relationship with Him...for eternity! Not only that, He did it even though we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), and might never accept His free gift of eternal life. Who does that?!
A loving and forgiving Father who is full of grace and mercy, that's Who.
It's very easy to sit and believe that we're not worthy of that. I know I have. I spent a long time believing that, as I'm sure a lot of people have. Jud Wilhite put that into a great perspective in his book Pursued when he said that when we believe that we aren't worthy and refuse to accept God's free gift, we are basically saying that God has to pay a higher price...who are we to tell God this price wasn't enough? Pastor Wilhite says that this is pride fueled by the pain of unresolved shame and guilt. He tells us to lay it down and tell God that while the price was higher than what we think we are worth, we will receive it with gratitude (Chapter 6).
God paid the highest price possible to free us from our sins and our certain death, just in the hope that we would love Him back, and share our eternal life with Him in paradise. For me, I'm not that great of company, so I can't imagine why He would want to spend eternity with me. But I won't argue. I'll happily accept it.
It isn't up to us to decide if we were worth it or not. We are, because He says we are. He did it with no guarantee of any return on his investment (to put it in business terms). How blessed are we when we recognize and appreciate our value that He determined, and return it back to Him in service, honor, praise, and worship. What we are returning back could never be enough, but it's all He asks of us.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for valuing me above and beyond anything I could ever imagine. Thank You for the sacrifice of Your dearly loved Son. While the price was higher than what I think I am worth, I happily receive it with gratitude. You know my worth much better than I do, and I trust Your calculations. Thank You so much for accepting me with all my quirks and shortcomings, and I pray that I can be of use to Your Kingdom on earth and in Heaven. I will gladly serve, praise, honor, and worship You with all that I have for the rest of my life on earth and eternity in Your Kingdom. I pray for those that haven't laid down their pride fueled by the pain of their unresolved shame and guilt. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will continue to stir in their hearts so that they can see that their inherent value is far greater than they could possibly imagine and they will come to You on bended knee and accept Your free gift of salvation and eternal life. In Jesus' precious, powerful, and Holy name I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
The life of our Savior was valued at 30 pieces of silver.
I looked this up to see how much that would be in today's money. Depending on where you look, it is anywhere from $20 to $300. Even thought that's a pretty big range, and that kind of money would have gone a lot further in those days, it's still a pittance for the value of a life. Particularly the life of our Savior.
But there's more to those 30 pieces of silver.
In Exodus 21:32, 30 pieces of silver was the going rate for the price of a slave. In Leviticus 27:3, it was the value of a woman, who at that time carried less value than a man (we live in different times). And then in Hosea 3:2, it was the value of a prostitute. While all of these people had inherently less value than that of a regular person at the time, they were considered of equal value with Jesus Christ. Except by God, of course. With Jesus being God's only Son, He loved Him more than anything. God's own words in Matthew 17:5 tell us that He was God's dearly loved Son who brings Him great joy.
Here's the kicker: What's our value? The blood of God's dearly loved Son who brought Him great joy. God loved us that much that He sacrificed His Son so that we could be with Him and have an intimate relationship with Him...for eternity! Not only that, He did it even though we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), and might never accept His free gift of eternal life. Who does that?!
A loving and forgiving Father who is full of grace and mercy, that's Who.
It's very easy to sit and believe that we're not worthy of that. I know I have. I spent a long time believing that, as I'm sure a lot of people have. Jud Wilhite put that into a great perspective in his book Pursued when he said that when we believe that we aren't worthy and refuse to accept God's free gift, we are basically saying that God has to pay a higher price...who are we to tell God this price wasn't enough? Pastor Wilhite says that this is pride fueled by the pain of unresolved shame and guilt. He tells us to lay it down and tell God that while the price was higher than what we think we are worth, we will receive it with gratitude (Chapter 6).
God paid the highest price possible to free us from our sins and our certain death, just in the hope that we would love Him back, and share our eternal life with Him in paradise. For me, I'm not that great of company, so I can't imagine why He would want to spend eternity with me. But I won't argue. I'll happily accept it.
It isn't up to us to decide if we were worth it or not. We are, because He says we are. He did it with no guarantee of any return on his investment (to put it in business terms). How blessed are we when we recognize and appreciate our value that He determined, and return it back to Him in service, honor, praise, and worship. What we are returning back could never be enough, but it's all He asks of us.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for valuing me above and beyond anything I could ever imagine. Thank You for the sacrifice of Your dearly loved Son. While the price was higher than what I think I am worth, I happily receive it with gratitude. You know my worth much better than I do, and I trust Your calculations. Thank You so much for accepting me with all my quirks and shortcomings, and I pray that I can be of use to Your Kingdom on earth and in Heaven. I will gladly serve, praise, honor, and worship You with all that I have for the rest of my life on earth and eternity in Your Kingdom. I pray for those that haven't laid down their pride fueled by the pain of their unresolved shame and guilt. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will continue to stir in their hearts so that they can see that their inherent value is far greater than they could possibly imagine and they will come to You on bended knee and accept Your free gift of salvation and eternal life. In Jesus' precious, powerful, and Holy name I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)