Philippians 3:13 - No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.
If anyone would have a great desire to forget about his past, it was the Apostle Paul. After all he had done to persecute Christ's followers, I could certainly understand if he believed himself to be unworthy of God's love and forgiveness. The beauty of it all is that he was still considered worthy because God said so. And so are all of we.
God tells us more than once in the Bible that He will forget about our sins and never think about them again (Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12). All we have to do is confess them to Him.
I can't speak for you, but I have done some pretty bad things in my day. I would imagine that a lot of us have, and what I have done is not worse or better than anything you may have done. This isn't a competition to see who the bigger degenerate was before they came to Christ. I just know that I was a pretty big one.
Recently, during a conversation with a friend, I was asked about my past drug abuse and about being sober. My friend asked if I knew the date of my sobriety, and I said yes. Then she asked if I had a celebration every year. That kind of caught me by surprise. My answer was no. I said, I am not afraid of what I've done in my past, but I don't want to celebrate it either. I believe that by celebrating, it would cause me to live in it. I said, I don't want to live in it, just learn from it.
And that's what I've been trying to do by the grace of God for the last (almost) 16 years - learn from my mistakes. I may not have realized it at the time, but it was by the grace of God that I got sober, and nothing else. The only thing I want to celebrate, is the victory I have achieved through Christ. I have made it to this point in my life, and my sobriety, because He has given me the power to do so (Philippians 4:13). I have been spared an eternal life of misery because He loves and forgives in the way that He does. He has made me worthy of salvation, because He said so.
The only thing I want to focus on remembering every day, is the perfect law that sets me free and that if I do what it says and don't forget what I heard, then God will bless me for doing it (James 1:25). I know that I will never be perfect on this side of Heaven, and I have made my peace with that; because I know and trust the One who is working on me every day to make me more like Him, and that I will be perfected on the day I meet Him to begin our eternity together. The more I think about that, the more joy I receive.
I believe that's what God wants for all of us. He wants us not to live in the past, but learn from it. I believe He wants us to live in the moment of the work He is doing in and through us, and focus on what lies ahead - eternal life seated with Him in God's Kingdom.
Whatever you may be holding on to that is preventing you from finding the joy in a life full of God's redeeming work in you, I urge you to give it over to Him. From a human perspective, it is going to be impossible to completely forget about it. That's not what we are supposed to do. That's God's area of expertise (one of many). But don't let it control you anymore. Learn from it, and focus on the great and mighty things that God has for you when you are surrendered to His love. Focus on His patience, kindness, justice, mercy, and grace. Learn from your mistakes, so that you can be a beacon of God's light to those that are dealing with similar issues. Accept His unfailing love and forgiveness into your heart, because that's what He wants for you more than anything. He wants you to experience the future and hope He has in store for the ones who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Don't be afraid to reach out for people to help you along the way. It's easy to say, "I'm not the type to ask for help." That's pride. That's from the enemy. The devil feeds off our fear and pride. Don't give him a leg to stand on, but cut him off at the kneecaps. It's not easy to think differently, particularly when we have done it a certain way for so long. That's why God doesn't expect us to be perfect, but works every day in our lives to perfect us. Take the first step today, and reach out to the One that loves you more than anyone or anything else ever could.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for showing me the way when I didn't think there was any other way. Thank You for teaching me daily to let go of the control my past has on me, and focusing on Your perfect love and plans for me. I pray for those that haven't let go yet. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will do a work in their heart so great that they will finally let it all go, and turn it all over to You to be healed. Words could never express how grateful I am for Your perfect love and forgiveness that You have shown me through the years. If I can be a beacon of Your light to someone who is struggling as I have, I am Your humble and obedient servant. In the perfect and precious name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Some Heavy Stuff
Ephesians 6:11 - Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
I remember the first time I had to put on my full gear in the Army. Man, that was some seriously heavy stuff. I only weighed about 160 lbs. (if that), and the kevlar vest and helmet probably added about another 20, thought it felt like 50. I remember thinking, "How could I ever effectively fight while wearing this?" It was cumbersome to say the least.
Over the last few years, as I have drawn closer to Christ in my relationship with Him, I have come to trust that His armor is not quite as cumbersome. Jesus told us, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). His yoke is easy to bear and the burden He gives us is light (Matthew 11:30).
That doesn't mean that our lives given in service to Christ and His Kingdom is less important - far from it. It means that He has already done the heavy lifting. He has done the grunt work, as we used to refer to it in the Army. He did it all when He went to the cross for us, and He is only asking us to carry on His work. Yes, we will endure some suffering and persecution, but since He gave His life so that we could be free, don't you think what we are being expected to pay is a much smaller price?
The armor that Paul talks about in Ephesians 6 covers us from head to toe. Just like the salvation and redemption that Jesus promises covers every sin. I remember the "armor" that the Army issued to us covered our heads and torso. Take a shot in the leg, and you can still go on, right? That's debatable, but that's the Army's way of thinking.
When I think of those who are serving in the Armed Forces, all I can do is pray for them. I pray that they are putting on the full armor of God, so that everything will be protected. While their enemies try to exploit every weak spot in the military armor, I trust that those who have the full armor of God on have no weak spots in it. They say that all armor has a weakness in it. Not God's armor. When we fully trust in God's protection, nothing a man can do to us could ever bring us away from that. They may take our lives trying, but as Paul said, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).
On this day dedicated to honoring and remember those who have fought and died for us to have the freedoms we enjoy as humans (such as our freedom to worship), keep in mind just how much those who gave the ultimate sacrifice loved those they were protecting. Jesus said it best when He said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13). Those currently serving, those who have served, and those who have died, did so because they loved us enough to do so. Honor that today. Honor the One who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption and salvation.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing us how much we are loved by sacrificing Your Son on the cross. I pray that we all will remember to honor You for everything You have done for us and all that You continue to do for us. I pray for those that are serving this country in the Armed Forces. My prayer is one of gratitude and thanksgiving for their willingness to lay down their lives for their fellow countrymen - their friends. I ask for Your protection over them, as they perform a job every day that many could/would not do. I pray they have Your full armor on as they go to face an enemy of the flesh that may try to take their lives, but could never take the freedom You have given them by the power of the Holy Spirit and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Thank You for blessing this country with such brave men and women. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
I remember the first time I had to put on my full gear in the Army. Man, that was some seriously heavy stuff. I only weighed about 160 lbs. (if that), and the kevlar vest and helmet probably added about another 20, thought it felt like 50. I remember thinking, "How could I ever effectively fight while wearing this?" It was cumbersome to say the least.
Over the last few years, as I have drawn closer to Christ in my relationship with Him, I have come to trust that His armor is not quite as cumbersome. Jesus told us, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). His yoke is easy to bear and the burden He gives us is light (Matthew 11:30).
That doesn't mean that our lives given in service to Christ and His Kingdom is less important - far from it. It means that He has already done the heavy lifting. He has done the grunt work, as we used to refer to it in the Army. He did it all when He went to the cross for us, and He is only asking us to carry on His work. Yes, we will endure some suffering and persecution, but since He gave His life so that we could be free, don't you think what we are being expected to pay is a much smaller price?
The armor that Paul talks about in Ephesians 6 covers us from head to toe. Just like the salvation and redemption that Jesus promises covers every sin. I remember the "armor" that the Army issued to us covered our heads and torso. Take a shot in the leg, and you can still go on, right? That's debatable, but that's the Army's way of thinking.
When I think of those who are serving in the Armed Forces, all I can do is pray for them. I pray that they are putting on the full armor of God, so that everything will be protected. While their enemies try to exploit every weak spot in the military armor, I trust that those who have the full armor of God on have no weak spots in it. They say that all armor has a weakness in it. Not God's armor. When we fully trust in God's protection, nothing a man can do to us could ever bring us away from that. They may take our lives trying, but as Paul said, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).
On this day dedicated to honoring and remember those who have fought and died for us to have the freedoms we enjoy as humans (such as our freedom to worship), keep in mind just how much those who gave the ultimate sacrifice loved those they were protecting. Jesus said it best when He said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13). Those currently serving, those who have served, and those who have died, did so because they loved us enough to do so. Honor that today. Honor the One who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption and salvation.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing us how much we are loved by sacrificing Your Son on the cross. I pray that we all will remember to honor You for everything You have done for us and all that You continue to do for us. I pray for those that are serving this country in the Armed Forces. My prayer is one of gratitude and thanksgiving for their willingness to lay down their lives for their fellow countrymen - their friends. I ask for Your protection over them, as they perform a job every day that many could/would not do. I pray they have Your full armor on as they go to face an enemy of the flesh that may try to take their lives, but could never take the freedom You have given them by the power of the Holy Spirit and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Thank You for blessing this country with such brave men and women. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, November 10, 2014
Quite The Looker
Song of Solomon 4:7 - You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.
I came across this passage in a devotional recently, and the writer pointed out that many scholars believe this song is actually a metaphor for Christ's love for His people. Looking at it from that perspective made sense to me.
I'm sure we are all familiar with the passage in John's Gospel account that because God loved the world so much, He sent His only Son to die so that we could have eternal life with Him when we believed (John 3:16). God didn't do this because He had to do it. He doesn't have to do anything. He did it because He wanted to.
Since the fall of Adam and Eve, the Bible's main story is all about God trying to restore His people. He could have easily just wiped the slate clean after Adam and Eve and started over. He could have done that with Noah as well. Although Noah was the only one found blameless at the time that God brought the flood (Genesis 6:9), He could have easily just said, "Nope! I'm done with them all!" But He didn't, because He was too in love with His creation. That's not pride, that's devotion.
The question that I have always wanted to know the answer to is, "What did/does God see in us to make Him want to stick around and keep trying to rescue us?" The answer is easy. I don't know. And I believe that I won't know while I'm still on this side of Heaven. And I'm fine with that.
I am learning more every day, to let go and let God do His work, because He knows much better than I do about His plans. It's not my place to question what He is doing, or where He is taking me. We are all operating on a need to know basis. He will reveal what He needs me to know when He determines that I need to know it.
Paul told us that God's plans are good, pleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2). Some have a hard time taking that at face value. However, if you take some time to draw closer to God through His Word, you will see that from the first word to the last word, God is constantly giving us multiple chances to be made right in His eyes. He always provides paths back to Him. But we have to follow those paths willingly, because He won't force us to do anything we don't want to do.
Joshua has always been one of my favorite people in the Old Testament. He was a great military leader, but needed some encouragement to lead the whole of God's people. He obviously wasn't perfect, and he recognized that. He didn't try to hide it. He sought God for his guidance and encouragement, and God gave it to him (Joshua 1). But Joshua was also very plain speaking. When talking to the Israelites, he held nothing back telling them to choose who they were going to serve, because he had already made up his mind (Joshua 24:15). I love that. He just told them 'You need to figure it out!' He wasn't going to choose for them, because he knew they had to choose for themselves. That's what we all have to do.
This passage from Song of Solomon answers a lot of the 'Why' questions. Why would God keep trying? Why would God send His Son to die to redeem us? What does God see in me? He tells us here that He thinks we are altogether beautiful in every way. That may be hard to accept for some, particularly if someone is dealing with self-esteem issues, but that doesn't make it any less true. But don't take my word for it. I'm just rambling. These are His words, not mine. Take the time to learn about it for yourself. Spend some time connecting with Him through His Word and through prayer. You will find what you need to know for now. The rest will be revealed at a later date.
Dear Abba Father, thank You. Thank You for seeing in me what I never could see in myself. I trust in Your perfect plan for me and my life, and I will try not to ask too many questions that are above my pay grade. I thank You for Your patience and Your unfailing love that that keeps You around no matter how hard I, or any of us, try to make it for You. I pray for those that don't know You, and don't understand the answers to the 'Why' questions. My prayer is that they will make their choice now to serve the One that loved them from the beginning before they were even formed in the womb. I pray they will seek out the One that looked over all He created in the beginning and said that it was very good. I pray we all take the time to learn about You through Your Word and in prayer every day. I pray we all find the answers we need for now, and will trust You with the rest as You are ready to reveal it. I pray this all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!
God Bless!!!
I came across this passage in a devotional recently, and the writer pointed out that many scholars believe this song is actually a metaphor for Christ's love for His people. Looking at it from that perspective made sense to me.
I'm sure we are all familiar with the passage in John's Gospel account that because God loved the world so much, He sent His only Son to die so that we could have eternal life with Him when we believed (John 3:16). God didn't do this because He had to do it. He doesn't have to do anything. He did it because He wanted to.
Since the fall of Adam and Eve, the Bible's main story is all about God trying to restore His people. He could have easily just wiped the slate clean after Adam and Eve and started over. He could have done that with Noah as well. Although Noah was the only one found blameless at the time that God brought the flood (Genesis 6:9), He could have easily just said, "Nope! I'm done with them all!" But He didn't, because He was too in love with His creation. That's not pride, that's devotion.
The question that I have always wanted to know the answer to is, "What did/does God see in us to make Him want to stick around and keep trying to rescue us?" The answer is easy. I don't know. And I believe that I won't know while I'm still on this side of Heaven. And I'm fine with that.
I am learning more every day, to let go and let God do His work, because He knows much better than I do about His plans. It's not my place to question what He is doing, or where He is taking me. We are all operating on a need to know basis. He will reveal what He needs me to know when He determines that I need to know it.
Paul told us that God's plans are good, pleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2). Some have a hard time taking that at face value. However, if you take some time to draw closer to God through His Word, you will see that from the first word to the last word, God is constantly giving us multiple chances to be made right in His eyes. He always provides paths back to Him. But we have to follow those paths willingly, because He won't force us to do anything we don't want to do.
Joshua has always been one of my favorite people in the Old Testament. He was a great military leader, but needed some encouragement to lead the whole of God's people. He obviously wasn't perfect, and he recognized that. He didn't try to hide it. He sought God for his guidance and encouragement, and God gave it to him (Joshua 1). But Joshua was also very plain speaking. When talking to the Israelites, he held nothing back telling them to choose who they were going to serve, because he had already made up his mind (Joshua 24:15). I love that. He just told them 'You need to figure it out!' He wasn't going to choose for them, because he knew they had to choose for themselves. That's what we all have to do.
This passage from Song of Solomon answers a lot of the 'Why' questions. Why would God keep trying? Why would God send His Son to die to redeem us? What does God see in me? He tells us here that He thinks we are altogether beautiful in every way. That may be hard to accept for some, particularly if someone is dealing with self-esteem issues, but that doesn't make it any less true. But don't take my word for it. I'm just rambling. These are His words, not mine. Take the time to learn about it for yourself. Spend some time connecting with Him through His Word and through prayer. You will find what you need to know for now. The rest will be revealed at a later date.
Dear Abba Father, thank You. Thank You for seeing in me what I never could see in myself. I trust in Your perfect plan for me and my life, and I will try not to ask too many questions that are above my pay grade. I thank You for Your patience and Your unfailing love that that keeps You around no matter how hard I, or any of us, try to make it for You. I pray for those that don't know You, and don't understand the answers to the 'Why' questions. My prayer is that they will make their choice now to serve the One that loved them from the beginning before they were even formed in the womb. I pray they will seek out the One that looked over all He created in the beginning and said that it was very good. I pray we all take the time to learn about You through Your Word and in prayer every day. I pray we all find the answers we need for now, and will trust You with the rest as You are ready to reveal it. I pray this all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, November 7, 2014
Did I Just Say That?
Psalm 141:3 - Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.
If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything. That would probably qualify as the unofficial "Mom Translation" of this verse. If I had a nickel for every time my mom said this to me as a kid, I'd be up there with Bill Gates on the Forbes list.
The real question is, did I take heed of this after hearing it from mom on an almost daily basis? Probably not so much. It's not her fault. I'm just hard-headed, and like to speak my mind (and if she reads this, I got it from Dad!). However, speaking your mind doesn't mean being a douchebag about it (I have qualified for this before). There's a fine line between saying what you have to say to defend yourself from being taken advantage of, and douchebaggery (I don't think that's a real word).
The Apostle Paul told us to speak the truth in love so that we may grow more and more like Christ in every way (Ephesians 4:15). Man that can be a tough one sometimes given the state of the world these days. Just driving on a Southern California freeway for a half hour is enough to make someone forget that Jesus is sitting next to them.
Speaking of Jesus, He had some pretty good words about what comes out of our mouths. He said, "A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart" (Luke 6:45). Did I mention the Southern California freeways?
David understood this long before Jesus spoke the words to the rest of us. In this prayer in Psalm 141, right after he asked God to take control of his lips and words, He asked God not to let him drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness (verse 4). He knew, despite his close and intimate relationship with his Creator and Lord, that his heart could turn quickly towards evil if he didn't have help guarding it.
That's what I tend to struggle with quite a bit (I did mention the freeways, right?). I remember watching a movie where a woman was real upset with someone and just about every other word out of her mouth was of the four letter variety. When someone said something to her about it with the words, "You can't say that, you're saved," her response was to look around and say, "No one from my church is here."
Is that who we are aiming to please? Is that whose opinions we are seeking the approval of? (Did I really just end a sentence with a preposition?!) How often do people say negative, or down right mean things to us, and we respond in kind? It's easy for us to try to justify it by saying we were out of cheeks to turn (Matthew 5:39). That can be somewhat understandable, but as a Pastor once said, ask yourself if you would say it if Jesus was standing right there with you - because He is.
I once heard someone say that they struggled with this when they drove too (he must have been on the same freeways). He said that he had been trying to get in the habit of praying for the ones that upset him, instead of using sign language to communicate his opinion of them. That was some good advice. That is someone who is attempting to do their part of the work in progress.
Yes, God is the One that began the good work within us, and will continue His work unit it is finished on the day when Christ returns (Philippians 1:6), but we still have to do our part.
When I catch myself trying to respond in kind to those who would try to get me to drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness, I need to remember to pray like David did for God to take control of what I say, and guard my lips. And, more importantly, guard my heart. Instead of me asking myself after the fact if I really just said that, I need to be proactive in asking God to intervene in my heart.
Dear Lord God thank You for showing me this today. I know my heart can turn quickly on a dime when I'm not being proactive in controlling it. I realize that my words can hurt someone, and I don't want that. Please take control of my heart and lips, Lord, and don't let me say things that aren't said with love. I pray for those who have this same struggle, Father, and ask for You to work in their hearts so that they will turn from these habits, and develop new habits that include seeking You first and foremost in everything. Thank You for Your loving mercy and grace that I don't deserve, but You give freely and abundantly anyway. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything. That would probably qualify as the unofficial "Mom Translation" of this verse. If I had a nickel for every time my mom said this to me as a kid, I'd be up there with Bill Gates on the Forbes list.
The real question is, did I take heed of this after hearing it from mom on an almost daily basis? Probably not so much. It's not her fault. I'm just hard-headed, and like to speak my mind (and if she reads this, I got it from Dad!). However, speaking your mind doesn't mean being a douchebag about it (I have qualified for this before). There's a fine line between saying what you have to say to defend yourself from being taken advantage of, and douchebaggery (I don't think that's a real word).
The Apostle Paul told us to speak the truth in love so that we may grow more and more like Christ in every way (Ephesians 4:15). Man that can be a tough one sometimes given the state of the world these days. Just driving on a Southern California freeway for a half hour is enough to make someone forget that Jesus is sitting next to them.
Speaking of Jesus, He had some pretty good words about what comes out of our mouths. He said, "A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart" (Luke 6:45). Did I mention the Southern California freeways?
David understood this long before Jesus spoke the words to the rest of us. In this prayer in Psalm 141, right after he asked God to take control of his lips and words, He asked God not to let him drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness (verse 4). He knew, despite his close and intimate relationship with his Creator and Lord, that his heart could turn quickly towards evil if he didn't have help guarding it.
That's what I tend to struggle with quite a bit (I did mention the freeways, right?). I remember watching a movie where a woman was real upset with someone and just about every other word out of her mouth was of the four letter variety. When someone said something to her about it with the words, "You can't say that, you're saved," her response was to look around and say, "No one from my church is here."
Is that who we are aiming to please? Is that whose opinions we are seeking the approval of? (Did I really just end a sentence with a preposition?!) How often do people say negative, or down right mean things to us, and we respond in kind? It's easy for us to try to justify it by saying we were out of cheeks to turn (Matthew 5:39). That can be somewhat understandable, but as a Pastor once said, ask yourself if you would say it if Jesus was standing right there with you - because He is.
I once heard someone say that they struggled with this when they drove too (he must have been on the same freeways). He said that he had been trying to get in the habit of praying for the ones that upset him, instead of using sign language to communicate his opinion of them. That was some good advice. That is someone who is attempting to do their part of the work in progress.
Yes, God is the One that began the good work within us, and will continue His work unit it is finished on the day when Christ returns (Philippians 1:6), but we still have to do our part.
When I catch myself trying to respond in kind to those who would try to get me to drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness, I need to remember to pray like David did for God to take control of what I say, and guard my lips. And, more importantly, guard my heart. Instead of me asking myself after the fact if I really just said that, I need to be proactive in asking God to intervene in my heart.
Dear Lord God thank You for showing me this today. I know my heart can turn quickly on a dime when I'm not being proactive in controlling it. I realize that my words can hurt someone, and I don't want that. Please take control of my heart and lips, Lord, and don't let me say things that aren't said with love. I pray for those who have this same struggle, Father, and ask for You to work in their hearts so that they will turn from these habits, and develop new habits that include seeking You first and foremost in everything. Thank You for Your loving mercy and grace that I don't deserve, but You give freely and abundantly anyway. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Pardon The Dust
1 Samuel 16:7 - But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
How many times do we look at someone or something and say, "That's not gonna work." or "That doesn't look right."? No matter how many times we repeat the old cliche, "Don't judge a book by its cover," we still do it. Frequently...
How much do we miss out on because of those dusty old book covers? When we can't get past the dust covering someone, we pass them by and rarely give them a second thought.
How much do we compare someone else's dust to ours? How often do we catch ourselves saying, "Well at least I'm not as bad as him."? There's no shame in admitting that we do that. In fact it's better that we do confess it. But how do we correct our train of thought?
The Apostle Paul certainly had a way with words. One of the most gifted writers the world has ever known said this: "Oh don't worry; we wouldn't dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!" (2 Corinthians 10:12). Wait, did Paul just called me ignorant???
Yes, I do it to. I catch myself comparing myself to others quite a bit. Probably more so these last few months since I've been out of work. I have caught myself more times than I care to admit saying things like, "If only I had a job then so and so would..." or "If I had a job, then I could get a better car and then so and so would..."
I have to force myself to remember that God is more interested in my heart than anything else. For someone that spends as much time reading the Bible as I do, I would think that I wouldn't struggle with things like this. This whole being human thing kinda sucks sometimes.
The more often I read these passages, though, the more I realize that God kinda likes the dust. I can pray and ask him to pardon the dust, but He always replies, "No worries, I'm still gonna brush you off and make you clean." He doesn't mind bending down to listen to my prayers as long as I'm giving Him what really matters - my heart.
Learning about and discerning what is on someone's heart should be applicable in every situation in our lives. Especially when it comes to relationships. I'm a guy, which by definition means I like to look at beautiful women (if you say you don't, you're just lying). That doesn't mean I lust after all of them, although admittedly there has been plenty of that in my life. The point is I have encountered less women with a great heart for God and people than I have encountered that made me want to stick my finger in a light socket after 5 minutes of conversation. And I am quite sure I have probably driven more women to want to stick their fingers in a light socket too...
Yes, we are all made in God's image (Genesis 1:27), and God doesn't make mistakes. Whenever someone quotes the made in God's image verse to me, I often catch myself thinking, "If God looks like me, I just feel sorry for the guy." But then I remember that God loved me and my heart enough to sacrifice His only Son so that I could spend eternity with Him. He didn't allow the fact that I'm not the most extraordinary conversationalist dissuade Him from doing this. He did it because He loved my heart. While it wasn't always seeking His Kingdom and righteousness, He knew what it was capable of, and He decided it was worth it. Sometimes that's just mind blowing to me. But that's also a big part of the beauty of God. No matter how close we draw to Him, no matter how much we read the same passages in the Bible, He still blows our mind. I get a kick out of it, and I'm sure He gets a kick out of doing it too.
Dear Lord God, thank You. Thank You for blowing my mind and reminding me that my heart is what matters most. I pray that I keep it focused on You, and not the things of this world that You find detestable. I pray for those that think they're not good enough, and they need to have more in order to make people happy. Lord, my prayer is that they will remember that pleasing people should never be their priority, just loving them is. I pray that they will stop worrying about their dusty book covers, and focus on the content of their pages. I pray we all draw closer to You every day and You continue to blow our minds with Your amazing and unfailing love. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
God Bless!!!
How many times do we look at someone or something and say, "That's not gonna work." or "That doesn't look right."? No matter how many times we repeat the old cliche, "Don't judge a book by its cover," we still do it. Frequently...
How much do we miss out on because of those dusty old book covers? When we can't get past the dust covering someone, we pass them by and rarely give them a second thought.
How much do we compare someone else's dust to ours? How often do we catch ourselves saying, "Well at least I'm not as bad as him."? There's no shame in admitting that we do that. In fact it's better that we do confess it. But how do we correct our train of thought?
The Apostle Paul certainly had a way with words. One of the most gifted writers the world has ever known said this: "Oh don't worry; we wouldn't dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!" (2 Corinthians 10:12). Wait, did Paul just called me ignorant???
Yes, I do it to. I catch myself comparing myself to others quite a bit. Probably more so these last few months since I've been out of work. I have caught myself more times than I care to admit saying things like, "If only I had a job then so and so would..." or "If I had a job, then I could get a better car and then so and so would..."
I have to force myself to remember that God is more interested in my heart than anything else. For someone that spends as much time reading the Bible as I do, I would think that I wouldn't struggle with things like this. This whole being human thing kinda sucks sometimes.
The more often I read these passages, though, the more I realize that God kinda likes the dust. I can pray and ask him to pardon the dust, but He always replies, "No worries, I'm still gonna brush you off and make you clean." He doesn't mind bending down to listen to my prayers as long as I'm giving Him what really matters - my heart.
Learning about and discerning what is on someone's heart should be applicable in every situation in our lives. Especially when it comes to relationships. I'm a guy, which by definition means I like to look at beautiful women (if you say you don't, you're just lying). That doesn't mean I lust after all of them, although admittedly there has been plenty of that in my life. The point is I have encountered less women with a great heart for God and people than I have encountered that made me want to stick my finger in a light socket after 5 minutes of conversation. And I am quite sure I have probably driven more women to want to stick their fingers in a light socket too...
Yes, we are all made in God's image (Genesis 1:27), and God doesn't make mistakes. Whenever someone quotes the made in God's image verse to me, I often catch myself thinking, "If God looks like me, I just feel sorry for the guy." But then I remember that God loved me and my heart enough to sacrifice His only Son so that I could spend eternity with Him. He didn't allow the fact that I'm not the most extraordinary conversationalist dissuade Him from doing this. He did it because He loved my heart. While it wasn't always seeking His Kingdom and righteousness, He knew what it was capable of, and He decided it was worth it. Sometimes that's just mind blowing to me. But that's also a big part of the beauty of God. No matter how close we draw to Him, no matter how much we read the same passages in the Bible, He still blows our mind. I get a kick out of it, and I'm sure He gets a kick out of doing it too.
Dear Lord God, thank You. Thank You for blowing my mind and reminding me that my heart is what matters most. I pray that I keep it focused on You, and not the things of this world that You find detestable. I pray for those that think they're not good enough, and they need to have more in order to make people happy. Lord, my prayer is that they will remember that pleasing people should never be their priority, just loving them is. I pray that they will stop worrying about their dusty book covers, and focus on the content of their pages. I pray we all draw closer to You every day and You continue to blow our minds with Your amazing and unfailing love. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Yes, Them Too
1 Timothy 2:2 - Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.
Now that the elections are over and the votes tallied, we have people in power that need our prayers. Regardless of how we feel about anyone's politics, we should still be praying for them. Actually, I would suggest that especially if we don't agree with their politics, we should be praying for them.
But why? Why should we be praying for the one's who were victorious despite our objections or the votes cast against them?
Paul gives us a great reason that we all should take notice of. He says, "This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Peter also echoed part of this when he said that God wanted that no one should perish (2 Peter 3:9).
Well I didn't vote for them, so I don't have to listen to them. And I didn't vote for them, so I don't have to recognize their authority. Try taking that one to court when you refuse to pay your taxes, and see how far it gets you. More importantly, try taking that one to God. Paul also told us, "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God" (Romans 13:1).
It's difficult to pray for those we don't agree with, let alone those we don't like. But I do believe that Paul included the word everyone in that verse from Romans, and those words wouldn't be in the Bible unless God wanted them there.
Some people treat politics as a battle. I'm sure we've heard the term "battleground states" when discussing how important votes of a certain state are in swinging elections one way or the other. So looking at it from that point of view, people treat those of differing political views and opinions as their enemies. Understandable. A little extreme, but I can understand the thinking. I guess that means since they are our enemies, we don't have to pray for them right? I mean after all, when they get in power, they are just going to make life harder for us since we're enemies, right? Not so fast.
Jesus was pretty clear in His Sermon on the Mount that we should love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us (Matthew 5:44). This would also qualify as the everyone that Paul talked about in Romans 13.
So instead of spending the next few weeks (or even 2 years until the next election) complaining and moaning about who won or lost, or where the country may be headed now, how about we do something radical and make a commitment to pray for those who are in charge of our nation instead? I'm no Theology scholar, but I'm pretty sure that praying is much productive than complaining. Sure, we can complain a bit to God in our prayers if we want to get it off our chest. He doesn't mind. But let's pray for those that are going to be deciding the direction of our country for the next couple of years. Pray that they will seek God's guidance for their decisions. Pray they will surprise us, and follow God's calling on them instead of the calling of the special interest groups that funded their campaigns (sorry, had to get that one in there).
God doesn't mind a little griping from us, as long as we also remember to follow His instructions and pray for those who need it regardless of their political affiliation. Yes...even them too...
Dear Heavenly Father, I lift up those who are in authority in government to You, Lord, and ask for Your guiding hand over them as they prepare to take on the great responsibility they have been given. I pray that they will hear Your call on them in their heart, and be obedient to You. I pray for the wisdom and discernment they need to make the right decisions for all those who are affected by them. I pray that we all, as a nation, will come together and pray for our new and re-elected leaders regardless of whether or not we agree with them Father. I know that this may seem like a lofty prayer Lord, but I truly believe that all things are possible with You, and You are more than capable of uniting everyone under Your banner. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Now that the elections are over and the votes tallied, we have people in power that need our prayers. Regardless of how we feel about anyone's politics, we should still be praying for them. Actually, I would suggest that especially if we don't agree with their politics, we should be praying for them.
But why? Why should we be praying for the one's who were victorious despite our objections or the votes cast against them?
Paul gives us a great reason that we all should take notice of. He says, "This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Peter also echoed part of this when he said that God wanted that no one should perish (2 Peter 3:9).
Well I didn't vote for them, so I don't have to listen to them. And I didn't vote for them, so I don't have to recognize their authority. Try taking that one to court when you refuse to pay your taxes, and see how far it gets you. More importantly, try taking that one to God. Paul also told us, "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God" (Romans 13:1).
It's difficult to pray for those we don't agree with, let alone those we don't like. But I do believe that Paul included the word everyone in that verse from Romans, and those words wouldn't be in the Bible unless God wanted them there.
Some people treat politics as a battle. I'm sure we've heard the term "battleground states" when discussing how important votes of a certain state are in swinging elections one way or the other. So looking at it from that point of view, people treat those of differing political views and opinions as their enemies. Understandable. A little extreme, but I can understand the thinking. I guess that means since they are our enemies, we don't have to pray for them right? I mean after all, when they get in power, they are just going to make life harder for us since we're enemies, right? Not so fast.
Jesus was pretty clear in His Sermon on the Mount that we should love our enemies and pray for those that persecute us (Matthew 5:44). This would also qualify as the everyone that Paul talked about in Romans 13.
So instead of spending the next few weeks (or even 2 years until the next election) complaining and moaning about who won or lost, or where the country may be headed now, how about we do something radical and make a commitment to pray for those who are in charge of our nation instead? I'm no Theology scholar, but I'm pretty sure that praying is much productive than complaining. Sure, we can complain a bit to God in our prayers if we want to get it off our chest. He doesn't mind. But let's pray for those that are going to be deciding the direction of our country for the next couple of years. Pray that they will seek God's guidance for their decisions. Pray they will surprise us, and follow God's calling on them instead of the calling of the special interest groups that funded their campaigns (sorry, had to get that one in there).
God doesn't mind a little griping from us, as long as we also remember to follow His instructions and pray for those who need it regardless of their political affiliation. Yes...even them too...
Dear Heavenly Father, I lift up those who are in authority in government to You, Lord, and ask for Your guiding hand over them as they prepare to take on the great responsibility they have been given. I pray that they will hear Your call on them in their heart, and be obedient to You. I pray for the wisdom and discernment they need to make the right decisions for all those who are affected by them. I pray that we all, as a nation, will come together and pray for our new and re-elected leaders regardless of whether or not we agree with them Father. I know that this may seem like a lofty prayer Lord, but I truly believe that all things are possible with You, and You are more than capable of uniting everyone under Your banner. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Coming Soon? Man I Hope So...
Revelation 22:20 - He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, "Yes I am coming soon!" Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.
Wouldn't it just be awesome if that "coming soon" happened right now? I mean, wouldn't it be great if the Rapture happened and we could begin our eternity with Jesus?
On a day like today - election day - I find myself reflecting on the state of our nation and our world. I don't want to spark a political debate here, but it's all in pretty bad shape isn't it? This is certainly not the country I was born in, nor is it the country I want to die in. But I digress...
Given the state of affairs of this world, why wouldn't we be praying for Jesus to come soon? Given the fact that there are roughly 2 billion Christians in the world right now, and who knows how many in Heaven already, I'd say we would have some pretty good company in Heaven when we get there. But that 2 billion is the problem.
If there are 2 billion people that identify themselves as Christians, that means there are 5 billion that don't. This could be for various reasons, but the reasons don't matter. I'm not a big math guy, but 5 billion is a lot! Could we reach all 5 billion for Christ? Given the technology of the time we live in, why not? Does that mean that all will be saved? Probably not, but that's not for us to decide.
But just because they won't all give their lives to the Lord and be saved, does that mean we should just stop trying? Does that mean that we are just fed up with the way things are, so we throw up our hands and pray without ceasing that Jesus would come now? Who are we to say to God, "Look, I've tried, but I'm done trying. You can take us all now." It doesn't work that way. He doesn't work on our timeline.
It can be frustrating (to put it mildly) to see things progressing in the world the way they are. But that shouldn't stop us from Jesus' Great Commission to go and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:19). We can't stop and give up, just because we get frustrated with how things are going.
What if God had gotten fed up with the way the world was and just said, "You know what I'm done with these people," and decided to end us all? Think He could do that? Of course He could. But He won't. He loves His beautiful creation too much.
When we get frustrated because it seems like it is taking too long for Jesus to come, I pray we can take comfort in the words of the Apostle Peter, "The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent" (2 Peter 3:9).
He is patiently waiting for us to reach out to every last one of those 5 billion people that are "holding out" for their various reasons. God was - and still is - patient with us to come to Him and accept His free gift of salvation. Who are we to decide when His patience runs out? We aren't qualified for that, so let's let Him decide when He will come.
Dear Lord God, thank You for Your patience. Thank You for giving us all the opportunity to accept Your free gift of salvation that You have offered by Your amazing grace. I thank You for Your infinite patience with me throughout the years Lord. I pray for those that don't know You yet. There are a lot of them out there, and I pray for every last one of them. I want nothing more than to have 5 billion more brothers and sisters. Whether or not that will happen is not up to me, but You, and I pray that if I can be a part of leading any of them to You, I will be obedient to Your call. I pray that You will use me any way You want for me to be of service to Your people and Your Kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wouldn't it just be awesome if that "coming soon" happened right now? I mean, wouldn't it be great if the Rapture happened and we could begin our eternity with Jesus?
On a day like today - election day - I find myself reflecting on the state of our nation and our world. I don't want to spark a political debate here, but it's all in pretty bad shape isn't it? This is certainly not the country I was born in, nor is it the country I want to die in. But I digress...
Given the state of affairs of this world, why wouldn't we be praying for Jesus to come soon? Given the fact that there are roughly 2 billion Christians in the world right now, and who knows how many in Heaven already, I'd say we would have some pretty good company in Heaven when we get there. But that 2 billion is the problem.
If there are 2 billion people that identify themselves as Christians, that means there are 5 billion that don't. This could be for various reasons, but the reasons don't matter. I'm not a big math guy, but 5 billion is a lot! Could we reach all 5 billion for Christ? Given the technology of the time we live in, why not? Does that mean that all will be saved? Probably not, but that's not for us to decide.
But just because they won't all give their lives to the Lord and be saved, does that mean we should just stop trying? Does that mean that we are just fed up with the way things are, so we throw up our hands and pray without ceasing that Jesus would come now? Who are we to say to God, "Look, I've tried, but I'm done trying. You can take us all now." It doesn't work that way. He doesn't work on our timeline.
It can be frustrating (to put it mildly) to see things progressing in the world the way they are. But that shouldn't stop us from Jesus' Great Commission to go and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:19). We can't stop and give up, just because we get frustrated with how things are going.
What if God had gotten fed up with the way the world was and just said, "You know what I'm done with these people," and decided to end us all? Think He could do that? Of course He could. But He won't. He loves His beautiful creation too much.
When we get frustrated because it seems like it is taking too long for Jesus to come, I pray we can take comfort in the words of the Apostle Peter, "The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent" (2 Peter 3:9).
He is patiently waiting for us to reach out to every last one of those 5 billion people that are "holding out" for their various reasons. God was - and still is - patient with us to come to Him and accept His free gift of salvation. Who are we to decide when His patience runs out? We aren't qualified for that, so let's let Him decide when He will come.
Dear Lord God, thank You for Your patience. Thank You for giving us all the opportunity to accept Your free gift of salvation that You have offered by Your amazing grace. I thank You for Your infinite patience with me throughout the years Lord. I pray for those that don't know You yet. There are a lot of them out there, and I pray for every last one of them. I want nothing more than to have 5 billion more brothers and sisters. Whether or not that will happen is not up to me, but You, and I pray that if I can be a part of leading any of them to You, I will be obedient to Your call. I pray that You will use me any way You want for me to be of service to Your people and Your Kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
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