God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. – Genesis 1:4
And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water. So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so. – Genesis 1:6-7
When God created the earth, he created boundaries. He separated light from darkness; he separated water from water and sea from land. Where there are boundaries set up, there is no confusion. The dark does not venture into the light and the light never into the dark. The sun cannot choose to shine at two in the morning neither can darkness decide to commence at ten in the morning. Boundaries serve to put things in their proper places. They are crucial for anyone that intends to have a successful life. Without boundaries, we will persist in ignoring what we must be concerned about while focusing intently on wht is really none of our business.
A simple example of boundaries is evident with your home residence. You can grow any kind of plant in your yard but if you want to extend the love to your neighbor, you must first seek his or her consent. Your boundary is restricted to your property line. The minute you start to plant flowers in your neighbor’s yard, you have crossed over into the boundary. You must understand what your responsibility is and what it isn’t. You must understand what is yours to own and what isn’t.
Understanding what we are accountable for makes life a lot easier. If your friend is angry at you for something that you did wrong, they own their anger. You must apologize if you are confronted or know that you are in the wrong but you cannot accept responsibility for their feelings – they own that. If they make a decision not to talk to you about it so that the situation can be resolved and they choose to bear a grudge, that is their issue not yours. If you are the one who has been hurt or angered, you will need to confront the offender but dealing with your feelings is your sole responsibility.
Our feelings, attitudes, behavior and choices are well within our individual boundaries. We must take responsibility for these – no one can do it for us. God will not do it for us because we have free will. Do you have boundaries set up in your life or do you allow people to walk all over you and control your feelings, attitudes, behavior and choices?
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Active Participation
Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment. – Matthew 9:20-22
God has given all free will to choose how we will live our lives. Choice is brilliant but it can bring devastation when we choose wrongly. So even though God wanted his people to come to him of their own will, the consequences to do different we have to face. If there is something that we want to see change in our lives, we have to ask God for help. He cannot help if you do not ask.
The woman in the passage above could have stood back watching everyone else get healed. She could have chosen to be prideful, feeling that she didn’t need hell. After all, if she had lived with the illness for twelve years she could stand if for another twelve! Most importantly her image could have been more important to her than her reality but she wanted to be healed and she knew that to get healed, she would need to reach out to God Almighty.
We should never be too proud or blind to see that we are living in error and need deliverance. Arrogance is an anointing killer. When it takes a foothold in our lives, we believe all is well and we do not need to make changes. We think everyone is wrong and we are right. When we have succeeded in running our lives into the ditch, we must own up to the fact and seek God so that order can return. Every one around you cannot be wrong. Living in denial is a dangerous thing. It ruins our testimony and gives us false comfort even when we know we are operating outside the will of God for our lives. What we do in the beginning our lives ultimately determine how our lives will end but we can make radical changes in the middle. It is never too late to be healed but we must take an active part in our own healing.
God has given all free will to choose how we will live our lives. Choice is brilliant but it can bring devastation when we choose wrongly. So even though God wanted his people to come to him of their own will, the consequences to do different we have to face. If there is something that we want to see change in our lives, we have to ask God for help. He cannot help if you do not ask.
The woman in the passage above could have stood back watching everyone else get healed. She could have chosen to be prideful, feeling that she didn’t need hell. After all, if she had lived with the illness for twelve years she could stand if for another twelve! Most importantly her image could have been more important to her than her reality but she wanted to be healed and she knew that to get healed, she would need to reach out to God Almighty.
We should never be too proud or blind to see that we are living in error and need deliverance. Arrogance is an anointing killer. When it takes a foothold in our lives, we believe all is well and we do not need to make changes. We think everyone is wrong and we are right. When we have succeeded in running our lives into the ditch, we must own up to the fact and seek God so that order can return. Every one around you cannot be wrong. Living in denial is a dangerous thing. It ruins our testimony and gives us false comfort even when we know we are operating outside the will of God for our lives. What we do in the beginning our lives ultimately determine how our lives will end but we can make radical changes in the middle. It is never too late to be healed but we must take an active part in our own healing.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Struggle
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man but by my Father in heaven". - Matthew 16:13-17
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” - Matthew 16:21-23
No-one is perfect – only Christ was perfect. Even the most spiritual of folks will display their carnal side when you press just the right buttons. I have found that avoiding certain situations and people keeps me on the straight and narrow most of the time but I do still fall off the wagon once in a while. But as we grow more in the knowledge of God, we are convicted and as such we grow. Condemnation never brings freedom; all it breeds is guilt.
I came across this story in Matthew 16 and was comforted to know that even people of faith recorded in this glorious book are people just like us – with faults and flaws. Abraham was a man of faith. God called him a friend but he also had some flaws. He went from agreeing to Sarah’s scheme to give her maidservant a son after God had promised him and his wife Sarah that they will have a son to willing to (by faith) sacrifice his beloved son Isaac as a burnt offering.
In this passage, Peter knew who Christ was. The spirit of God had revealed to him that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. He didn’t read it in a book and Jesus did not tell him, most of all there was no Bible to read. But further on in the same passage, his flesh spoke up and wanted to protect Christ from his purpose – the Spirit definitely did not reveal to him to protect Christ but his feelings for the Savior made him speak. Our flesh and our spirit are constantly in conflict with one another but as we grow, the spirit wins most of the time. If our flesh is mainly in control of our decisions, we can be rest assured that there is no real growth. The key point here is even the best of us will do and say things sometimes that is not from God and based entirely on how we feel or on worldly principles. We will make decisions that are not of God and pay dearly for our choices. The only way to make right choices is to test the choice against the word of God. If it stands up to the word of God, we are good, if it does not, the idea must immediately be discarded.
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man but by my Father in heaven". - Matthew 16:13-17
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” - Matthew 16:21-23
No-one is perfect – only Christ was perfect. Even the most spiritual of folks will display their carnal side when you press just the right buttons. I have found that avoiding certain situations and people keeps me on the straight and narrow most of the time but I do still fall off the wagon once in a while. But as we grow more in the knowledge of God, we are convicted and as such we grow. Condemnation never brings freedom; all it breeds is guilt.
I came across this story in Matthew 16 and was comforted to know that even people of faith recorded in this glorious book are people just like us – with faults and flaws. Abraham was a man of faith. God called him a friend but he also had some flaws. He went from agreeing to Sarah’s scheme to give her maidservant a son after God had promised him and his wife Sarah that they will have a son to willing to (by faith) sacrifice his beloved son Isaac as a burnt offering.
In this passage, Peter knew who Christ was. The spirit of God had revealed to him that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. He didn’t read it in a book and Jesus did not tell him, most of all there was no Bible to read. But further on in the same passage, his flesh spoke up and wanted to protect Christ from his purpose – the Spirit definitely did not reveal to him to protect Christ but his feelings for the Savior made him speak. Our flesh and our spirit are constantly in conflict with one another but as we grow, the spirit wins most of the time. If our flesh is mainly in control of our decisions, we can be rest assured that there is no real growth. The key point here is even the best of us will do and say things sometimes that is not from God and based entirely on how we feel or on worldly principles. We will make decisions that are not of God and pay dearly for our choices. The only way to make right choices is to test the choice against the word of God. If it stands up to the word of God, we are good, if it does not, the idea must immediately be discarded.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Are You a Wanderer?
Me-an-der [mee-AN-dar]: to flow windingly; wander aimlessly.
Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. – Proverbs 19:27
God is always at work in the life of every believer even when you see or feel nothing is happening. I remember the story in the bible about the folks that we’re commanded to walk around the walls of Jericho – for seven days! I can imagine how they must have felt on the second day but even though they saw no signs, God was working behind the scenes.
The truth is God will sometimes ask us to make circles – do the same thing over and over again or put us in a trying job or even a challenging marriage but the challenge is to stay and make circles as God wants us to but we turn and we flee. We make a decision to move on to something new – believing that new is better when most of the time it isn’t better just different.
Making circles as directed by God and meandering is not the same thing. We must understand that doing the same thing over and over again does not necessarily mean that we are stuck. It may mean that we are faithful and that we are diligent. Often times, there is something God is trying to teach us to improve us and take us to the next level in realizing our purpose in life. But we refuse to stick around long enough to learn the lessons we so desperately need. Having 5 jobs in 3 years by choice is not progressive; it’s meandering! Not every employer is prejudiced – the issue may really be with you. Being married over and over again is not reveling in your freedom to choose and move on; it simply proves a lack of loyalty and faithfulness. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for decades due to simple disobedience and they never saw the promises that God had for them.
I heard something today that is most important when it comes to meandering. The very act of wandering means that the meanderer really has no concept of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Intellectually they may understand that there is a God and Jesus Christ died for their sins and all our sins past and future has been dealt with at the Cross but there is no personal encounter with the Lamb of God. A personal encounter with God brings faith and stability. It makes one grounded and responsible so that suffering for repercussions that will ultimately stem from living a meandering life is avoided.
In Romans 6 verse 1Paul clearly asks the question “What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” As believers we must not waste God’s grace nor take it for granted. We must stay focused and grounded in order to do the things that God requires of us to do. We need to stop wandering – going from option to option looking for lasting peace, satisfaction and fulfillment in places we could never find it.
Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. – Proverbs 19:27
God is always at work in the life of every believer even when you see or feel nothing is happening. I remember the story in the bible about the folks that we’re commanded to walk around the walls of Jericho – for seven days! I can imagine how they must have felt on the second day but even though they saw no signs, God was working behind the scenes.
The truth is God will sometimes ask us to make circles – do the same thing over and over again or put us in a trying job or even a challenging marriage but the challenge is to stay and make circles as God wants us to but we turn and we flee. We make a decision to move on to something new – believing that new is better when most of the time it isn’t better just different.
Making circles as directed by God and meandering is not the same thing. We must understand that doing the same thing over and over again does not necessarily mean that we are stuck. It may mean that we are faithful and that we are diligent. Often times, there is something God is trying to teach us to improve us and take us to the next level in realizing our purpose in life. But we refuse to stick around long enough to learn the lessons we so desperately need. Having 5 jobs in 3 years by choice is not progressive; it’s meandering! Not every employer is prejudiced – the issue may really be with you. Being married over and over again is not reveling in your freedom to choose and move on; it simply proves a lack of loyalty and faithfulness. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for decades due to simple disobedience and they never saw the promises that God had for them.
I heard something today that is most important when it comes to meandering. The very act of wandering means that the meanderer really has no concept of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Intellectually they may understand that there is a God and Jesus Christ died for their sins and all our sins past and future has been dealt with at the Cross but there is no personal encounter with the Lamb of God. A personal encounter with God brings faith and stability. It makes one grounded and responsible so that suffering for repercussions that will ultimately stem from living a meandering life is avoided.
In Romans 6 verse 1Paul clearly asks the question “What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” As believers we must not waste God’s grace nor take it for granted. We must stay focused and grounded in order to do the things that God requires of us to do. We need to stop wandering – going from option to option looking for lasting peace, satisfaction and fulfillment in places we could never find it.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Chosen
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5
Understand that God knows who you are and what he has given you to provide to the world. Before your Grandmother met your Grandfather, he knew you. He had a unique intention and purpose for your life identified even before you were formed. God’s goal for us all is not to simply take us to heaven but to change us in between. Just because we know that we are saved does not mean the task we were created for is done. We have been set apart as a prophet to the nations. Our lives must show that we are prophets and our choices must indicate our lineage and God’s calling upon our lives.
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, “I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, I am only a child.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. – Jeremiah 1:6 - 8
God is never looking for perfection; all he is looking for is a willing heart. Lately God has been talking to me about investing more of my talents and gifts in his kingdom so that I can fulfill his call upon my life. I never thought I could write anything, lets face it – I hated literature, English Composition and all writing related subjects in school and here I am, happiest when I put pen to paper. My writing is not perfect but I am willing to develop it to further the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge everyday with great humility that I am a nobody but my God is a somebody. I have made a decision to do whatever he tells me to do and go wherever he tells me to go simply because I am confident that he will not only go before me and prepare a place for me, he will tell me what I need to say.
“Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” – Jeremiah 1: 9 - 10
Allow God to touch you afresh and give you a fresh sense of forgiveness. He has given us a task to do and we must all, as parts of the same body, accomplished his goal. Search your mind today – what are you doing to further his kingdom? What part of the body are you? What exactly is your function?
Understand that God knows who you are and what he has given you to provide to the world. Before your Grandmother met your Grandfather, he knew you. He had a unique intention and purpose for your life identified even before you were formed. God’s goal for us all is not to simply take us to heaven but to change us in between. Just because we know that we are saved does not mean the task we were created for is done. We have been set apart as a prophet to the nations. Our lives must show that we are prophets and our choices must indicate our lineage and God’s calling upon our lives.
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, “I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, I am only a child.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. – Jeremiah 1:6 - 8
God is never looking for perfection; all he is looking for is a willing heart. Lately God has been talking to me about investing more of my talents and gifts in his kingdom so that I can fulfill his call upon my life. I never thought I could write anything, lets face it – I hated literature, English Composition and all writing related subjects in school and here I am, happiest when I put pen to paper. My writing is not perfect but I am willing to develop it to further the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge everyday with great humility that I am a nobody but my God is a somebody. I have made a decision to do whatever he tells me to do and go wherever he tells me to go simply because I am confident that he will not only go before me and prepare a place for me, he will tell me what I need to say.
“Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” – Jeremiah 1: 9 - 10
Allow God to touch you afresh and give you a fresh sense of forgiveness. He has given us a task to do and we must all, as parts of the same body, accomplished his goal. Search your mind today – what are you doing to further his kingdom? What part of the body are you? What exactly is your function?
Monday, February 23, 2009
Everyone and Everything Has a Purpose
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. – Ecclesiastes 3:1
Each and every thing ever created has a purpose. No inventor ever created anything without a function in mind for that thing to fulfill. So if we mere men have a purpose for all the things that we create, how much more the Great God we serve. God has a specific purpose for your life; a specific spot that you were created to fit. And when you eventually find your spot, everything else falls into place. Trying to fit into any other spot will simply mean discomfort - like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole!
The sad reality is that a lot of us will spend our entire lifetime in the wrong spot. We will struggle, fuss and fight in the wrong place while trying desperately to fit into a position that was never designed for us. I have since learnt that what you have the aptitude to do is not necessarily what one was created to do. It is only when you find that task you were created to do that the ultimate fulfillment in life comes. It is only when you activate your true gift that life makes real sense. It is only your true calling that will make room for you in the world.
My prayer everyday is that God will show me what it is he has called me to do. I have the potential to do many things but that one main thing is what I always pray will be revealed to me. And as each day goes by, various pieces of the puzzle are falling into place and I’m seeing his mission for my existence come into full view. I think that should be a prayer for us all – young and old. It’s never too early to help our children figure out God’s calling upon their lives. The earlier they figure it out, the better off they’ll be. It will reduce the possibility of them spending valuable years of their lives going down the wrong road.
I once heard someone say that if you have no idea where you are headed all roads will lead you there and worst of all when you get there, you’ll have no idea that you’ve arrived!
Each and every thing ever created has a purpose. No inventor ever created anything without a function in mind for that thing to fulfill. So if we mere men have a purpose for all the things that we create, how much more the Great God we serve. God has a specific purpose for your life; a specific spot that you were created to fit. And when you eventually find your spot, everything else falls into place. Trying to fit into any other spot will simply mean discomfort - like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole!
The sad reality is that a lot of us will spend our entire lifetime in the wrong spot. We will struggle, fuss and fight in the wrong place while trying desperately to fit into a position that was never designed for us. I have since learnt that what you have the aptitude to do is not necessarily what one was created to do. It is only when you find that task you were created to do that the ultimate fulfillment in life comes. It is only when you activate your true gift that life makes real sense. It is only your true calling that will make room for you in the world.
My prayer everyday is that God will show me what it is he has called me to do. I have the potential to do many things but that one main thing is what I always pray will be revealed to me. And as each day goes by, various pieces of the puzzle are falling into place and I’m seeing his mission for my existence come into full view. I think that should be a prayer for us all – young and old. It’s never too early to help our children figure out God’s calling upon their lives. The earlier they figure it out, the better off they’ll be. It will reduce the possibility of them spending valuable years of their lives going down the wrong road.
I once heard someone say that if you have no idea where you are headed all roads will lead you there and worst of all when you get there, you’ll have no idea that you’ve arrived!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Rooted in Christ
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” – Colossians 2:6-7
The moment we turn our lives over to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells inside of us. God orders our steps and directs us as we walk with him on a daily basis. As we listen to and study his word we are inwardly strengthened. Trials and tribulations also serve to make us aware that there is more to life than just us and that God is greater than any problems or issues that we can ever face.
Strength and its adequacy are greatly dependent on where we decide to look for it. Inevitably with time and circumstance, we will all learn that looking everywhere else for strength rather than inwards and upwards serves no purpose. The strength we often search for externally to no avail is buried right there – deep within us in the form of the Holy Spirit; in a place where we will never fail to find it.
Just like we physically exercise to keep our bodies strong, we must exercise spiritually to strengthen our spirit. We must spend adequate time in the presence of God – listening to his word, studying and praising. That is the only way to become a person with a strong spirit. So when tough times come (which they will), we are able to draw from our deposits of strength on the inside to carry us safely through.
The moment we turn our lives over to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells inside of us. God orders our steps and directs us as we walk with him on a daily basis. As we listen to and study his word we are inwardly strengthened. Trials and tribulations also serve to make us aware that there is more to life than just us and that God is greater than any problems or issues that we can ever face.
Strength and its adequacy are greatly dependent on where we decide to look for it. Inevitably with time and circumstance, we will all learn that looking everywhere else for strength rather than inwards and upwards serves no purpose. The strength we often search for externally to no avail is buried right there – deep within us in the form of the Holy Spirit; in a place where we will never fail to find it.
Just like we physically exercise to keep our bodies strong, we must exercise spiritually to strengthen our spirit. We must spend adequate time in the presence of God – listening to his word, studying and praising. That is the only way to become a person with a strong spirit. So when tough times come (which they will), we are able to draw from our deposits of strength on the inside to carry us safely through.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Knowing God's Voice
“Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” – Genesis 22: 2
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went out together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” – Genesis 22: 6-8
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay on hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. – Genesis 22: 9-13
There are a few things about Abraham that are worth mentioning – he was a great man of faith. Even when he was old when God promised him a son, the Bible records in Genesis 15:6 that “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness”. We see his faith grow as we go through the Old Testament. He wasn’t perfect but in the end God called him a friend. Most of all, Abraham believed God. How do you believe God if you don’t know him? How do you have faith in a God that you can’t recognize his voice?
I know a lot of us claim to know God because we know His Word. But that is not enough. You can never tell what is from God until you know his voice. If we knew his voice as opposed to learning the whole bible by heart, we would know when and who to marry, we would know when to buy and when to wait, we would know when to relocate and when to stay right where we are. But I have since learnt that it is possible to know God’s word but not his voice. To learn what is God we must know what isn’t God.
We mostly learn God’s word in retrospect – as we go through self-inflicted pain. As we wade through the problems that arise from wrong choices – choices that we made thinking we heard from God. Abraham had got to know God’s voice; if he didn’t he would have killed his own son. How many people and opportunities are we killing because we fail to learn God’s voice?
So how do we like Abraham know God’s voice? We learn God’s by spending time in his presence and reading his word to know what is not of him. The only way to get to know anyone and know for sure what their opinion will be on any situation is to spend quality time his or her presence – there is no other way. Cramming all the scriptures won’t do it because the right word at the wrong time can ruin your testimony! It is possible to do the right thing at a very wrong time.
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went out together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” – Genesis 22: 6-8
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay on hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. – Genesis 22: 9-13
There are a few things about Abraham that are worth mentioning – he was a great man of faith. Even when he was old when God promised him a son, the Bible records in Genesis 15:6 that “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness”. We see his faith grow as we go through the Old Testament. He wasn’t perfect but in the end God called him a friend. Most of all, Abraham believed God. How do you believe God if you don’t know him? How do you have faith in a God that you can’t recognize his voice?
I know a lot of us claim to know God because we know His Word. But that is not enough. You can never tell what is from God until you know his voice. If we knew his voice as opposed to learning the whole bible by heart, we would know when and who to marry, we would know when to buy and when to wait, we would know when to relocate and when to stay right where we are. But I have since learnt that it is possible to know God’s word but not his voice. To learn what is God we must know what isn’t God.
We mostly learn God’s word in retrospect – as we go through self-inflicted pain. As we wade through the problems that arise from wrong choices – choices that we made thinking we heard from God. Abraham had got to know God’s voice; if he didn’t he would have killed his own son. How many people and opportunities are we killing because we fail to learn God’s voice?
So how do we like Abraham know God’s voice? We learn God’s by spending time in his presence and reading his word to know what is not of him. The only way to get to know anyone and know for sure what their opinion will be on any situation is to spend quality time his or her presence – there is no other way. Cramming all the scriptures won’t do it because the right word at the wrong time can ruin your testimony! It is possible to do the right thing at a very wrong time.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Knowledge is Key
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.” – Hosea 4: 6
Once we are educated in the ways of the world and we attend the best schools, we often believe that we have all that we need to navigate through life successfully. We buy the finest houses and the finest cars and by all outward appearances, life couldn’t be better. But the world’s idea of knowledge differs greatly from God’s. Most of the theologies that we grow up with; our traditions and our cultures are contrary to the Word of God. It is indeed possible for a coconut to look great on the outside but have rotten contents. Things are not often the way that they appear. Humanity is getting destroyed due to lack of knowledge – the knowledge of God.
When we buy anything new and complicated we must study the manufacturer’s instructions in order to understand how to use what we have acquired. I have a car that constantly likes to complain by displaying messages on the dashboard. Sometimes I figure out what to do and other times I have to consult the manual for the appropriate remedy. Without instructions, errors are often imminent – even in our lives. A builder cannot proceed with constructing a building without following the architectural design that was created specifically for the project. If he does so, he will build something alright but it will never be according to plan or building code. The same applies with everything that God created. God has a design and a plan for our lives; we must study the instruction manual to be able to function according to plan.
What is the instruction manual that I’m talking about? I am referring to the Bible. The Word of God is the only source of true knowledge. It is the best book every written. It is a book that changes lives – for the better. All knowledge that is required for “successful” living is in the Bible. Study the Bible and encourage your children to do the same. Generational curses become real when ignorance is transferred from generation to generation. But glory to Almighty God, we have been giving the opportunity to make generational choices instead. Let’s take steps to accept the hand and knowledge of God into our lives. It’s never too late to change.
Once we are educated in the ways of the world and we attend the best schools, we often believe that we have all that we need to navigate through life successfully. We buy the finest houses and the finest cars and by all outward appearances, life couldn’t be better. But the world’s idea of knowledge differs greatly from God’s. Most of the theologies that we grow up with; our traditions and our cultures are contrary to the Word of God. It is indeed possible for a coconut to look great on the outside but have rotten contents. Things are not often the way that they appear. Humanity is getting destroyed due to lack of knowledge – the knowledge of God.
When we buy anything new and complicated we must study the manufacturer’s instructions in order to understand how to use what we have acquired. I have a car that constantly likes to complain by displaying messages on the dashboard. Sometimes I figure out what to do and other times I have to consult the manual for the appropriate remedy. Without instructions, errors are often imminent – even in our lives. A builder cannot proceed with constructing a building without following the architectural design that was created specifically for the project. If he does so, he will build something alright but it will never be according to plan or building code. The same applies with everything that God created. God has a design and a plan for our lives; we must study the instruction manual to be able to function according to plan.
What is the instruction manual that I’m talking about? I am referring to the Bible. The Word of God is the only source of true knowledge. It is the best book every written. It is a book that changes lives – for the better. All knowledge that is required for “successful” living is in the Bible. Study the Bible and encourage your children to do the same. Generational curses become real when ignorance is transferred from generation to generation. But glory to Almighty God, we have been giving the opportunity to make generational choices instead. Let’s take steps to accept the hand and knowledge of God into our lives. It’s never too late to change.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Only By His Grace
“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.” – Romans 3: 22-24
None of us are perfect but we often find it hard to give others a break. We spend a lifetime searching for perfection that we do not possess in our spouses, our children, relatives and friends. We are often quick to judge and lay blame the minute people around us make mistakes or make decisions that we clearly view as stupid. We judge others by our own standards forgetting that we all have different experiences. Just because someone has a struggle we do not have does not make us better. We each have our own issues. I have learnt that it is important to always take a step back and show some empathy towards the plight of others even when there is no doubt that they are to blame for their predicament.
I regard myself as being relatively disciplined and have very little patience for those that are not. But there is a scripture that never fails to check me and take me right off my high horse - “As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one.” – Romans 2:10 Not a single one of us is perfect and truth be told, God is not up in the heavenly realms weighing sins on a scale. There is only one unforgivable sin in the sight of God and that is failure to accept His Only Son – Jesus Christ. So when others seem like they are not up to par, let us show them some measure of the mercy and grace that God has so lovingly bestowed upon us. Let us be compassionate and caring and pray the best for others. Rather than criticize and pass judgment, we will do the kingdom better if we prayed.
The minute we come to understand that it is only by the grace of God that we stand, we ultimately become more tolerant and less judgmental of others. We learn that it is not by openly and insensitively showing contempt and disdain for their actions that we draw them close to Our Heavenly Father but it is by gently pointing out the errors in their ways yet showing understanding that we demonstrate the love of God.
None of us are perfect but we often find it hard to give others a break. We spend a lifetime searching for perfection that we do not possess in our spouses, our children, relatives and friends. We are often quick to judge and lay blame the minute people around us make mistakes or make decisions that we clearly view as stupid. We judge others by our own standards forgetting that we all have different experiences. Just because someone has a struggle we do not have does not make us better. We each have our own issues. I have learnt that it is important to always take a step back and show some empathy towards the plight of others even when there is no doubt that they are to blame for their predicament.
I regard myself as being relatively disciplined and have very little patience for those that are not. But there is a scripture that never fails to check me and take me right off my high horse - “As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one.” – Romans 2:10 Not a single one of us is perfect and truth be told, God is not up in the heavenly realms weighing sins on a scale. There is only one unforgivable sin in the sight of God and that is failure to accept His Only Son – Jesus Christ. So when others seem like they are not up to par, let us show them some measure of the mercy and grace that God has so lovingly bestowed upon us. Let us be compassionate and caring and pray the best for others. Rather than criticize and pass judgment, we will do the kingdom better if we prayed.
The minute we come to understand that it is only by the grace of God that we stand, we ultimately become more tolerant and less judgmental of others. We learn that it is not by openly and insensitively showing contempt and disdain for their actions that we draw them close to Our Heavenly Father but it is by gently pointing out the errors in their ways yet showing understanding that we demonstrate the love of God.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Heart of the Matter
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. – Proverbs 4:23
A heart at peace gives life to the body but envy rots the bones. – Proverbs 14:30
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. – Proverbs 15:13
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. – Proverbs 17:22
It is important that we do all that we can to keep our hearts pure. We all must have a special place in our hearts reserved solely for God such that regardless of what is going on around us, our peace is not disturbed. When we have placed God on the altar of our hearts, no one can kill us. People may hurt our feelings, we may lose our jobs, our homes and our cars due to an economic recession but our hope and faith is not destroyed. Even when terrible adversity comes our way, we are still able to stand and declare the glory of the Lord.
The heart is the center of it all – it is like a control tower that manages everything else that goes on in the body. When the heart is secure and at peace, the soul and the mind is far from worried. I have learnt the hard way not to allow anyone near my altar – no ex-husband, no child, no family – the altar of my heart belongs exclusively to God. So now even in the midst circumstances that will bring even the strongest to their knees, I am still able to carry on and move forward with the Lord. My hope and faith has not diminished, if anything, they have increased.
The heart is truly the wellspring of life. It is the core that determines whether we will be sick or healthy. To keep our heart pure and at peace, we must develop our relationship with God and with the people that He has placed in our lives. We must keep God first on our list of priorities as He has promised to take care of us when we make that choice.
A heart at peace gives life to the body but envy rots the bones. – Proverbs 14:30
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. – Proverbs 15:13
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. – Proverbs 17:22
It is important that we do all that we can to keep our hearts pure. We all must have a special place in our hearts reserved solely for God such that regardless of what is going on around us, our peace is not disturbed. When we have placed God on the altar of our hearts, no one can kill us. People may hurt our feelings, we may lose our jobs, our homes and our cars due to an economic recession but our hope and faith is not destroyed. Even when terrible adversity comes our way, we are still able to stand and declare the glory of the Lord.
The heart is the center of it all – it is like a control tower that manages everything else that goes on in the body. When the heart is secure and at peace, the soul and the mind is far from worried. I have learnt the hard way not to allow anyone near my altar – no ex-husband, no child, no family – the altar of my heart belongs exclusively to God. So now even in the midst circumstances that will bring even the strongest to their knees, I am still able to carry on and move forward with the Lord. My hope and faith has not diminished, if anything, they have increased.
The heart is truly the wellspring of life. It is the core that determines whether we will be sick or healthy. To keep our heart pure and at peace, we must develop our relationship with God and with the people that He has placed in our lives. We must keep God first on our list of priorities as He has promised to take care of us when we make that choice.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Grounded in Love
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:16b-18
Love is an identity of God so if we are created in his image, love must be our identity. Everything that we do, we must do in love. Unfortunately, a lot of us Christians can quote the scriptures but have great difficulty expressing a lick of love to others. Our greatest testimony should be our lives yet we are hateful towards other people while claiming to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. When we truly come to Christ and the Holy Spirit begins to dwell inside of us, we cannot be hateful to anyone even if we tried - regardless of their religious beliefs. We are so grounded in love that we realize that even in the midst of our pain, we can show empathy towards others – including the people that have done us wrong.
The real way to recognize a true Christian is how they love. If you still hate on people and carrying a grudge or two, it does not mean that you are not a Christian, it just means that a lot of work still needs to be done on the inside. No one is perfect and we are all a work in progress but on Transformation Road, some are a lot further down the road than others.
God is Love and as such loving is fundamental to our characterization as Christians. When love shows up, fear must flee. We understand what God requires of us the most - Love. We know that on Judgment Day that we all must give account, the most important question is how much we have loved not how much money we made. Every Christian must be grounded in love. The only way to achieve this is through Jesus Christ – there is no other way. We must continue to grow and thrive in the knowledge of the Lord.
Love is an identity of God so if we are created in his image, love must be our identity. Everything that we do, we must do in love. Unfortunately, a lot of us Christians can quote the scriptures but have great difficulty expressing a lick of love to others. Our greatest testimony should be our lives yet we are hateful towards other people while claiming to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. When we truly come to Christ and the Holy Spirit begins to dwell inside of us, we cannot be hateful to anyone even if we tried - regardless of their religious beliefs. We are so grounded in love that we realize that even in the midst of our pain, we can show empathy towards others – including the people that have done us wrong.
The real way to recognize a true Christian is how they love. If you still hate on people and carrying a grudge or two, it does not mean that you are not a Christian, it just means that a lot of work still needs to be done on the inside. No one is perfect and we are all a work in progress but on Transformation Road, some are a lot further down the road than others.
God is Love and as such loving is fundamental to our characterization as Christians. When love shows up, fear must flee. We understand what God requires of us the most - Love. We know that on Judgment Day that we all must give account, the most important question is how much we have loved not how much money we made. Every Christian must be grounded in love. The only way to achieve this is through Jesus Christ – there is no other way. We must continue to grow and thrive in the knowledge of the Lord.
Monday, February 16, 2009
We Are All Parts of One Body
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are un-presentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. – 1 Corinthians 12:21-26
My command is this: "Love each other as I have loved you." – John 15:12
We are all created in the image of God. God himself is a relational God. The triune – The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three in one; distinct yet together as one in relationship. You cannot have the Father without the Son or the Son without the Holy Spirit and vice-versa. God created us to relate to one another as one body in Him. The best way to describe God’s plan for the body of Christ is with a tree. The leaves are connected to the stalks and the stalks are connected to the branches. The branches are connected to the trunk of the tree and the tree trunk leads deep down into the soil where the roots gather nutrients for all the different parts above ground. The leaves cannot do without the branch neither cam the branch do without the trunk. If the roots refuse to the do their job, the tree will ultimately die.
We are called to support one another. The stronger parts cannot ignore the weaker parts of the body. The most presentable parts cannot afford to be arrogant and disrespectful to the not so presentable parts. We are all instructed to have concern for one another because when one part suffers, ultimately the whole body suffers.
My command is this: "Love each other as I have loved you." – John 15:12
We are all created in the image of God. God himself is a relational God. The triune – The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three in one; distinct yet together as one in relationship. You cannot have the Father without the Son or the Son without the Holy Spirit and vice-versa. God created us to relate to one another as one body in Him. The best way to describe God’s plan for the body of Christ is with a tree. The leaves are connected to the stalks and the stalks are connected to the branches. The branches are connected to the trunk of the tree and the tree trunk leads deep down into the soil where the roots gather nutrients for all the different parts above ground. The leaves cannot do without the branch neither cam the branch do without the trunk. If the roots refuse to the do their job, the tree will ultimately die.
We are called to support one another. The stronger parts cannot ignore the weaker parts of the body. The most presentable parts cannot afford to be arrogant and disrespectful to the not so presentable parts. We are all instructed to have concern for one another because when one part suffers, ultimately the whole body suffers.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Revealing You to Yourself
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. – Psalm 139:23-24
If we really want to change the way that we live, God promises to help us. If we really desire to know the truth about ourselves, God will show it to us. Many times we live in denial pretending everything is ok and that we are fine. We live in a world of disillusion saying that the problem is with everyone else but us. We take the easier route of blaming everyone around us for our problems when really we should be looking inward for change.
If there are attitudes and behaviors about yourself that you’d like to change, understand that you did not become the way you are in a day. And as such it will take time for any real changes to occur. You are a complete sum total of all your experiences from the past and you must unlearn what you have learnt in order to move forward.
Pray that God will reveal to you who you really are. Pray that He shows you the true state of your heart. Ask Him to help you change with the help of the Holy Spirit and release you from the bondage of your past. Understand that you cannot do it alone; you need the Lord by your side.
If we really want to change the way that we live, God promises to help us. If we really desire to know the truth about ourselves, God will show it to us. Many times we live in denial pretending everything is ok and that we are fine. We live in a world of disillusion saying that the problem is with everyone else but us. We take the easier route of blaming everyone around us for our problems when really we should be looking inward for change.
If there are attitudes and behaviors about yourself that you’d like to change, understand that you did not become the way you are in a day. And as such it will take time for any real changes to occur. You are a complete sum total of all your experiences from the past and you must unlearn what you have learnt in order to move forward.
Pray that God will reveal to you who you really are. Pray that He shows you the true state of your heart. Ask Him to help you change with the help of the Holy Spirit and release you from the bondage of your past. Understand that you cannot do it alone; you need the Lord by your side.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Do As the Lord Commands
And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him. – Genesis 7:5
It is very important that we learn to do as the Lord commands. When we follow God’s instructions, we have peace and joy in our lives. Even when trouble comes, we are better equipped to go through them and come out victorious on the other side. In order to see the goodness of God in the land of the living we must be willing to live our lives in obedience to the will of God. The Bible and the presence of the Holy Spirit living within us equip us with all that we need to live a life that is pleasing to God.
The only way to know and understand what God commands is to study His Word and spend time in His presence. The more time we spend in His presence, the more we are in tune with His Spirit that dwells in us. Reading the Scriptures daily gives God opportunity to minister to us and meet us at the point of our specific needs. The more we study and pray, the more we learn what God requires from us. And the more we know what God wants from us, the better we are at making the right choices.
It is very important that we learn to do as the Lord commands. When we follow God’s instructions, we have peace and joy in our lives. Even when trouble comes, we are better equipped to go through them and come out victorious on the other side. In order to see the goodness of God in the land of the living we must be willing to live our lives in obedience to the will of God. The Bible and the presence of the Holy Spirit living within us equip us with all that we need to live a life that is pleasing to God.
The only way to know and understand what God commands is to study His Word and spend time in His presence. The more time we spend in His presence, the more we are in tune with His Spirit that dwells in us. Reading the Scriptures daily gives God opportunity to minister to us and meet us at the point of our specific needs. The more we study and pray, the more we learn what God requires from us. And the more we know what God wants from us, the better we are at making the right choices.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Living a Blameless Life
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. – Genesis 6:9
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. – Isaiah 64:6
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
In a world full of options, how do we live a life that is blameless in the sight of God? I can tell you that it is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ. No-one can be “good” on his or her own. The Bible tells us that our attempts at righteousness are like filthy rags in the sight of God (Isaiah 64:6). We cannot live a holy life in our own efforts. We must live it in the shadow of what Christ accomplished on the Cross of Calvary. Even when we accept Jesus into our lives and are saved by faith, we will still make mistakes. Unfortunately, we will keep making mistakes until we go to be with the Lord. The only way we can partake in the righteousness of God is through Jesus Christ – there is no other way.
No-one can work blameless in God’s eyes without accepting His Son (John 14:6). The Bible says that Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Trying to get to the truth and the life without Jesus is a hopeless venture. In the same token trying to live a blameless life without first believing in the work of Jesus Christ is impossible.
Noah was not a perfect man but he had faith in God. He believed in the God of the heavens and the earth and God saw his heart. While everyone else was going crazy around him and partaking in sin, Noah chose to keep the faith and believe in God. We all sin and are in need of God’s forgiveness that is why Christ went to the Cross to take away the state of sin. God’s forgives is available to anyone who will come to Him in repentance. God promises anyone who believes in Him eternal life (John 3:16). No-one will be turned away.
To live a blameless life like Noah begins with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior by faith. Jesus promises to go ahead of every believer and prepare a special place in heaven that we will reside with Him. Trust in the Lord and join a church where you can fellowship with other believers. As you start to study the Word and God begins to reveal Himself to you, you will find your life changing for the better from the inside out.
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. – Isaiah 64:6
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
In a world full of options, how do we live a life that is blameless in the sight of God? I can tell you that it is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ. No-one can be “good” on his or her own. The Bible tells us that our attempts at righteousness are like filthy rags in the sight of God (Isaiah 64:6). We cannot live a holy life in our own efforts. We must live it in the shadow of what Christ accomplished on the Cross of Calvary. Even when we accept Jesus into our lives and are saved by faith, we will still make mistakes. Unfortunately, we will keep making mistakes until we go to be with the Lord. The only way we can partake in the righteousness of God is through Jesus Christ – there is no other way.
No-one can work blameless in God’s eyes without accepting His Son (John 14:6). The Bible says that Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Trying to get to the truth and the life without Jesus is a hopeless venture. In the same token trying to live a blameless life without first believing in the work of Jesus Christ is impossible.
Noah was not a perfect man but he had faith in God. He believed in the God of the heavens and the earth and God saw his heart. While everyone else was going crazy around him and partaking in sin, Noah chose to keep the faith and believe in God. We all sin and are in need of God’s forgiveness that is why Christ went to the Cross to take away the state of sin. God’s forgives is available to anyone who will come to Him in repentance. God promises anyone who believes in Him eternal life (John 3:16). No-one will be turned away.
To live a blameless life like Noah begins with accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior by faith. Jesus promises to go ahead of every believer and prepare a special place in heaven that we will reside with Him. Trust in the Lord and join a church where you can fellowship with other believers. As you start to study the Word and God begins to reveal Himself to you, you will find your life changing for the better from the inside out.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
How’s Your Self Image?
When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man.” – Genesis 5:1-2
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
I must admit that it wasn’t until I really began to study the Scriptures that I understood the kind of self-image God designed for me to have. When we fail to grasp the enormity of our importance to God we sometimes open ourselves up to be mistreated and misused by others. We are all created in the image and likeness of God. God dwells in each one of us in the form of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing that we dream of that we cannot achieve provided it is in line with the Word of God. People are always quick to tells us what we cannot achieve – very few take the time to tell us – “Yes, you can make it!”
Our self-image must never be dependent on what others think of us or what they perceive us to be – our self image must be based on what the Bible says about us. The Bible tells us in multiple verses of Scripture that man may look at the outward appearance but God always looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Galatians 2:6). God is not interested in what others can see; he is more concerned about what is going o deep down in our hearts.
When we begin to understand how valuable each of us really are, we can appreciate ourselves more and refuse to be entangled in relationships where we are made to feel “less than”. The more we grasp that our bodies are indeed the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the more we guard what we put inside of it and where we “park” it at the end of each day. I get a thrill from knowing that God lives inside of me. I get excited because if God lives inside of me, there is absolutely nothing that I cannot accomplish that is in line with His purpose and will for my life. I can accept that I am where God wants me to be; I can live with the fact that I am perfect just the way that I am and nothing about me on the inside needs to be changed. If God sees any need for change in and around me, He will gently nudge me in the right direction to facilitate the necessary changes.
Don’t waste your life living in the dumps; believing that you are not up to par. God loves you just the way that you are. Trust in Him and walk with Him – He will take you to heights you never imagined possible.
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
I must admit that it wasn’t until I really began to study the Scriptures that I understood the kind of self-image God designed for me to have. When we fail to grasp the enormity of our importance to God we sometimes open ourselves up to be mistreated and misused by others. We are all created in the image and likeness of God. God dwells in each one of us in the form of the Holy Spirit. There is nothing that we dream of that we cannot achieve provided it is in line with the Word of God. People are always quick to tells us what we cannot achieve – very few take the time to tell us – “Yes, you can make it!”
Our self-image must never be dependent on what others think of us or what they perceive us to be – our self image must be based on what the Bible says about us. The Bible tells us in multiple verses of Scripture that man may look at the outward appearance but God always looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Galatians 2:6). God is not interested in what others can see; he is more concerned about what is going o deep down in our hearts.
When we begin to understand how valuable each of us really are, we can appreciate ourselves more and refuse to be entangled in relationships where we are made to feel “less than”. The more we grasp that our bodies are indeed the Temple of the Holy Spirit, the more we guard what we put inside of it and where we “park” it at the end of each day. I get a thrill from knowing that God lives inside of me. I get excited because if God lives inside of me, there is absolutely nothing that I cannot accomplish that is in line with His purpose and will for my life. I can accept that I am where God wants me to be; I can live with the fact that I am perfect just the way that I am and nothing about me on the inside needs to be changed. If God sees any need for change in and around me, He will gently nudge me in the right direction to facilitate the necessary changes.
Don’t waste your life living in the dumps; believing that you are not up to par. God loves you just the way that you are. Trust in Him and walk with Him – He will take you to heights you never imagined possible.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Sin is Crouching at Your Door
Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” – Genesis 4:6-7
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown in hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. – Matthew 5:29-30
“In your anger do not sin.” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” – Ephesians 4:26-27
Sometimes we have the guts to get angry at God when we are busy going our own way. If we do the right thing, would God not honor it? But sometimes we pray for God to bless things that are contrary to His Word and His will and when He does not, we get angry. The more we allow the anger to take root in our hearts, the more likely it is that we will succumb to sin. The more we engage in sinful acts, the more comfortable we become and the less likely we are to heed to the still, small voice inside of us that is meant to guide us.
The Bible tells us never to let the sun go down on the cause of our anger. Anything that causes us to anger and consequently to sin must be dealt with promptly and quickly. We are to approach the throne of grace immediately and ask God for mercy so we can proceed on the right track. Cain could have taken his concerns to God. Instead he allowed his anger to fester into a jealous rage that caused him to kill his own brother. When we choose to nurse a grudge rather than deal with it, we give the devil a foothold in our lives. We leave the door of our hearts wide open for him to come in and wreak havoc in our lives. Anger that is not dealt with leads to bitterness and bitterness causes emotional, physical and spiritual death. When we allow our anger to fester, we become cold and detached. We can no longer hear from the Holy Spirit. Our anger begins to control everything that we say and do.
If you are angry today for whatever reason, deal with it and let it go. Lay the cause of your anger at the foot of the Cross. God is better equipped at passing judgment than we are. Choose to forgive yourself and others - let it go and move on.
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown in hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. – Matthew 5:29-30
“In your anger do not sin.” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” – Ephesians 4:26-27
Sometimes we have the guts to get angry at God when we are busy going our own way. If we do the right thing, would God not honor it? But sometimes we pray for God to bless things that are contrary to His Word and His will and when He does not, we get angry. The more we allow the anger to take root in our hearts, the more likely it is that we will succumb to sin. The more we engage in sinful acts, the more comfortable we become and the less likely we are to heed to the still, small voice inside of us that is meant to guide us.
The Bible tells us never to let the sun go down on the cause of our anger. Anything that causes us to anger and consequently to sin must be dealt with promptly and quickly. We are to approach the throne of grace immediately and ask God for mercy so we can proceed on the right track. Cain could have taken his concerns to God. Instead he allowed his anger to fester into a jealous rage that caused him to kill his own brother. When we choose to nurse a grudge rather than deal with it, we give the devil a foothold in our lives. We leave the door of our hearts wide open for him to come in and wreak havoc in our lives. Anger that is not dealt with leads to bitterness and bitterness causes emotional, physical and spiritual death. When we allow our anger to fester, we become cold and detached. We can no longer hear from the Holy Spirit. Our anger begins to control everything that we say and do.
If you are angry today for whatever reason, deal with it and let it go. Lay the cause of your anger at the foot of the Cross. God is better equipped at passing judgment than we are. Choose to forgive yourself and others - let it go and move on.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Passing the Buck
And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” – Genesis 3:11-13
Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lay – the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” – John 5:2-7
Adam blamed his wife for eating the forbidden fruit and his wife in turn blamed the serpent. Playing the blame game has been going on since time began. When we find ourselves in bad situation, we often look around for somebody else to blame for our troubles. The invalid man by the pool of Bethesda had 364 days to make his way down to the edge of the pool such that on that one day that the pool is stirred, he can simply roll in but he chose to blame others for not being able to get his healing.
If we are to move into the purpose and promises God has for our lives, we must learn to take responsibility. It serves no purpose for us to continue to blame others for our problems even if they have a hand in our demise. People can try to do things to harm us or move us off course but whether we allow them to get to that special place in our hearts reserved for God is our choice to make. No-one can cause us cause us hurt or prevent our miracle or the purpose for our lives from being realized unless God or we allow them. When we truly have a scared place that is reserved solely for the use of God in our minds, no-one can touch us in a drastic way.
If you are suffering today because of what you believed that another has done and you are blaming them for your demise, understand that the plan that God has for you cannot be interrupted by anyone unless you want it to be so. To truly receive the healing God has for us, we must be willing to take responsibility for our lives and everything that is happening in it. Passing the buck serves no purpose. Who knows what would have happened if Adam had simply said: “Father, I am sorry. It’s my fault. Please forgive me.”
Blaming others or blaming God for things that are really our fault is pointless. If we take responsibility and do the right thing, God will honor our efforts.
Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lay – the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” – John 5:2-7
Adam blamed his wife for eating the forbidden fruit and his wife in turn blamed the serpent. Playing the blame game has been going on since time began. When we find ourselves in bad situation, we often look around for somebody else to blame for our troubles. The invalid man by the pool of Bethesda had 364 days to make his way down to the edge of the pool such that on that one day that the pool is stirred, he can simply roll in but he chose to blame others for not being able to get his healing.
If we are to move into the purpose and promises God has for our lives, we must learn to take responsibility. It serves no purpose for us to continue to blame others for our problems even if they have a hand in our demise. People can try to do things to harm us or move us off course but whether we allow them to get to that special place in our hearts reserved for God is our choice to make. No-one can cause us cause us hurt or prevent our miracle or the purpose for our lives from being realized unless God or we allow them. When we truly have a scared place that is reserved solely for the use of God in our minds, no-one can touch us in a drastic way.
If you are suffering today because of what you believed that another has done and you are blaming them for your demise, understand that the plan that God has for you cannot be interrupted by anyone unless you want it to be so. To truly receive the healing God has for us, we must be willing to take responsibility for our lives and everything that is happening in it. Passing the buck serves no purpose. Who knows what would have happened if Adam had simply said: “Father, I am sorry. It’s my fault. Please forgive me.”
Blaming others or blaming God for things that are really our fault is pointless. If we take responsibility and do the right thing, God will honor our efforts.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Obedience - Better Than Sacrifice
And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, fro when you eat of it you will surely die.” – Genesis 2:16-17
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of di vination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” – 1 Samuel 15:22-23
“Everything is permissible” – but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible” – but not everything is constructive. – 1 Corinthians 10:23
God has given us instructions by which we must live our lives. The Bible is our manual for living and we must live by the guidelines outlined in the Scriptures. When we decide to go our own way and ignore the ways of the Lord, we will end up in a huge mess. If the Bible tells us not do act in a certain way, we must do our best not to act in that way. If we make a choice in our heart to do what the Lord desires of us, the Holy Spirit will go to work in our hearts to change us from the inside out.
We can pretty much do what we like and live the way we choose. God will not stretch out his hand from heaven and give us a smack on the head but we will reap the associated consequences. The ramifications of disobeying God can be difficult to endure – some do not survive. In the beginning, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and as a consequence were separated from God spiritually and driven out of the wonderful Garden of Eden. Disobeying the instructions of God was not profitable for Adam and Eve even though it was permissible.
We must have a firm handle on what God forbids. We may have the liberty to do whatever we like in the world we live in today but weighing the value of our actions is crucial. God will never endorse anything that is contrary to His Holy Word because God and His Word are one. We must make a commitment to obey rather than paying the sacrifice that comes with disobedience.
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of di vination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” – 1 Samuel 15:22-23
“Everything is permissible” – but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible” – but not everything is constructive. – 1 Corinthians 10:23
God has given us instructions by which we must live our lives. The Bible is our manual for living and we must live by the guidelines outlined in the Scriptures. When we decide to go our own way and ignore the ways of the Lord, we will end up in a huge mess. If the Bible tells us not do act in a certain way, we must do our best not to act in that way. If we make a choice in our heart to do what the Lord desires of us, the Holy Spirit will go to work in our hearts to change us from the inside out.
We can pretty much do what we like and live the way we choose. God will not stretch out his hand from heaven and give us a smack on the head but we will reap the associated consequences. The ramifications of disobeying God can be difficult to endure – some do not survive. In the beginning, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and as a consequence were separated from God spiritually and driven out of the wonderful Garden of Eden. Disobeying the instructions of God was not profitable for Adam and Eve even though it was permissible.
We must have a firm handle on what God forbids. We may have the liberty to do whatever we like in the world we live in today but weighing the value of our actions is crucial. God will never endorse anything that is contrary to His Holy Word because God and His Word are one. We must make a commitment to obey rather than paying the sacrifice that comes with disobedience.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
God Can Do Anything
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day. – Genesis 1:3-5
In a world where nothing is certain and everything seems to be here today and gone tomorrow, it brings great peace to believe in a God who can do anything. Life and the enemy may throw things at us that challenge us and threaten to bring us to our knees but a relationship with a God who created the earth from something that was formless and empty must bring us hope. With God on our side, we can have hope for a better tomorrow. We can be rest assured that God will work things out for our good. Even when we fret and we worry; it is only for a short time because as we pick up our Bibles and read the Scriptures, we are encouraged to keep on keeping on.
Our God created the sun, the moon and the stars. He separated the skies from the heavens. He spoke to the seas and the oceans and instructed them on how far they could come. He created all the animals, plants and trees. And then, He created you in his wonderful image and in His likeness. The Bible reminds us that we were blessed by God from the moment we were created. He promises to give us everything that we need. We are called to have dominion on the earth.
If there is something you need, pray to God and He will provide. Even if that “thing” does not exist, God can create it. We serve a God who can do anything.
In a world where nothing is certain and everything seems to be here today and gone tomorrow, it brings great peace to believe in a God who can do anything. Life and the enemy may throw things at us that challenge us and threaten to bring us to our knees but a relationship with a God who created the earth from something that was formless and empty must bring us hope. With God on our side, we can have hope for a better tomorrow. We can be rest assured that God will work things out for our good. Even when we fret and we worry; it is only for a short time because as we pick up our Bibles and read the Scriptures, we are encouraged to keep on keeping on.
Our God created the sun, the moon and the stars. He separated the skies from the heavens. He spoke to the seas and the oceans and instructed them on how far they could come. He created all the animals, plants and trees. And then, He created you in his wonderful image and in His likeness. The Bible reminds us that we were blessed by God from the moment we were created. He promises to give us everything that we need. We are called to have dominion on the earth.
If there is something you need, pray to God and He will provide. Even if that “thing” does not exist, God can create it. We serve a God who can do anything.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
A Remarkable Sacrifice
“You see, at jut the right time, when we were powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a righteous man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him.” – Romans 5:6-9
Even though some believers rest better at night with the notion that Christ died for the elect, the bible states clearly in a few places that he died for the sins of all. Having said that, not all have been able to accept and enjoy this privilege. The knowledge that even while I was all up in the muck and mire of my sin, someone thought me worthy enough to die for me makes me want to be better. My unrighteousness makes the righteousness of God clearer. The sacrifice of his beloved Son so that I might gain eternal life makes me want to prove that what was done for me was worth the effort. Not that I really need to prove myself to the God of the Universe, but the desire still exists.
It doesn’t really matter if you attend church 7 days a week or are the director of the chicken frying committee, no one is righteous not one. No-one will ever be declared righteous in the sight of God by observing the law. Rather through the law we are aware of how much of a sinner we really are. We are all sinners and while we were sinners, God sent Jesus Christ to save us. Only Jesus could forever take away the sins of the world – once and for all. No-one or nothing else would do. Only a true God would go that far and give up his only Son for a sinful people.
In the world we live in today, nobody is willing to lay their lives down for another. Truth be told, only very few are willing to stretch out a helping hand. I’ve heard people say things like “I’ll die for my wife or for my child”; all I can say is that I pray that their assertions never get tested! We live in a cruel and selfish world where everyone kind of look out for themselves and themselves alone. Even within the same family, a child is suffering and people don’t care simply because the suffering child is not theirs but only happens to be from another member of the family. As a parent, I can’t understand how you will not care for any child – yours or not. Caring about another and the well-being of your neighbor is rare these days only a few practice the act of lending a hand.
For believers who understand the world and how it functions, it is imperative that you keep Christ first in your life and everything you do because when push comes to shove, He is all you have! The majority may hang around initially when things are not too good but at the same time not all that bad. When things get really deplorable, folks varnish fast. They cannot afford to be seen with you anymore. Only the Christ who died for you will really stand up for you when things get difficult. The love of God cannot be compared to any love we feel or experience in this realm. It’s like a wind, you can’t see it but you can surely feel its effects – once you have it, it never really leaves you.
So God went all the way for your life and you are grateful. That’s all well and good but what are doing with this wonderful gift? Are you all about self? Are you living a selfish life where you are prepared to give up nothing of real worth for another? Are you using the opportunities you have to teach those around you about the gift of salvation – your children and your friends? Have you abandoned your heavenly responsibilities to monkey around – confident that you’re headed to heaven but not really helping anyone else make the right decisions to get them there?
Give your priorities an overhaul today. Re-align what comes first. When you rightly place things in the correct order, your life will sure change.
Even though some believers rest better at night with the notion that Christ died for the elect, the bible states clearly in a few places that he died for the sins of all. Having said that, not all have been able to accept and enjoy this privilege. The knowledge that even while I was all up in the muck and mire of my sin, someone thought me worthy enough to die for me makes me want to be better. My unrighteousness makes the righteousness of God clearer. The sacrifice of his beloved Son so that I might gain eternal life makes me want to prove that what was done for me was worth the effort. Not that I really need to prove myself to the God of the Universe, but the desire still exists.
It doesn’t really matter if you attend church 7 days a week or are the director of the chicken frying committee, no one is righteous not one. No-one will ever be declared righteous in the sight of God by observing the law. Rather through the law we are aware of how much of a sinner we really are. We are all sinners and while we were sinners, God sent Jesus Christ to save us. Only Jesus could forever take away the sins of the world – once and for all. No-one or nothing else would do. Only a true God would go that far and give up his only Son for a sinful people.
In the world we live in today, nobody is willing to lay their lives down for another. Truth be told, only very few are willing to stretch out a helping hand. I’ve heard people say things like “I’ll die for my wife or for my child”; all I can say is that I pray that their assertions never get tested! We live in a cruel and selfish world where everyone kind of look out for themselves and themselves alone. Even within the same family, a child is suffering and people don’t care simply because the suffering child is not theirs but only happens to be from another member of the family. As a parent, I can’t understand how you will not care for any child – yours or not. Caring about another and the well-being of your neighbor is rare these days only a few practice the act of lending a hand.
For believers who understand the world and how it functions, it is imperative that you keep Christ first in your life and everything you do because when push comes to shove, He is all you have! The majority may hang around initially when things are not too good but at the same time not all that bad. When things get really deplorable, folks varnish fast. They cannot afford to be seen with you anymore. Only the Christ who died for you will really stand up for you when things get difficult. The love of God cannot be compared to any love we feel or experience in this realm. It’s like a wind, you can’t see it but you can surely feel its effects – once you have it, it never really leaves you.
So God went all the way for your life and you are grateful. That’s all well and good but what are doing with this wonderful gift? Are you all about self? Are you living a selfish life where you are prepared to give up nothing of real worth for another? Are you using the opportunities you have to teach those around you about the gift of salvation – your children and your friends? Have you abandoned your heavenly responsibilities to monkey around – confident that you’re headed to heaven but not really helping anyone else make the right decisions to get them there?
Give your priorities an overhaul today. Re-align what comes first. When you rightly place things in the correct order, your life will sure change.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Are You a Friend of God?
You are my friends if you do what I command. – John 15:14
How are you living your life? Are you living strictly for self? Are you preoccupied with satisfying your own needs and desires without any regard for others? Are you too busy getting all you can, canning all that you can get and sitting on the lid? Are you focused on making a living that you do not have a life in Christ Jesus? Whose laws are you living your life by – God’s laws? Are you a friend of God?
It is difficult to say that you are a friend of God if you don’t know the Bible. How do you leave according to commands you know nothing about? In order for you to be a friend of God, you have to be knowledgeable about what the criteria is. The most important criteria to being a friend of God is accepting the His sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross for the sins of the entire world. By studying the Bible, you will become familiar with what God commands you to do with your life and in this realm.
How are you living your life? Are you living strictly for self? Are you preoccupied with satisfying your own needs and desires without any regard for others? Are you too busy getting all you can, canning all that you can get and sitting on the lid? Are you focused on making a living that you do not have a life in Christ Jesus? Whose laws are you living your life by – God’s laws? Are you a friend of God?
It is difficult to say that you are a friend of God if you don’t know the Bible. How do you leave according to commands you know nothing about? In order for you to be a friend of God, you have to be knowledgeable about what the criteria is. The most important criteria to being a friend of God is accepting the His sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross for the sins of the entire world. By studying the Bible, you will become familiar with what God commands you to do with your life and in this realm.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Humble Yourself before the Lord
That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up. James 4:6-10
God is never happy with the proud. When we are proud and arrogant we claim to be our own god. The Bible tells us in many ways that the Lord always gives ear to the humble. When we express humility in the presence of God, we are submitting ourselves completely to Him and giving Him full authority over our lives. Many of us persist in doing the wrong things and we blame the devil for our actions. But as believers in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit helps us in taking a stand against the enemy. In order for the devil to get to us, he needs to go through God; the enemy to cannot have any control in our lives unless God allows it. God has assured us victory over the wiles of the enemy by the sacrifice of His Precious Son, Jesus Christ. We have already been declared victorious by the Blood of the Lamb – Hallelujah to the Lamb of God! I believe most of us blame the devil for stuff he really should not be given credit for. In many cases, we are our own worst enemy. The Holy Spirit lives within us to guide us and he alerts us many times as we choose to head down the wrong road; we often make a conscious decision to ignore the Spirit’s promptings. If we stand against the enemy, the Bible assures us that he will flee from us. But selfish and prideful needs sometimes stops us from being able to take this important stand so we make ourselves “tools” that can be used by the enemy to serve his purposes.
It takes humility to turn our lives and decision making processes over to God. But it is an important step in our Christian walk that we all must perform. The Bible says that enemy is moving around like a roaring lion looking for whom to devour. To avoid falling victim to his pranks, we are to move closer to the Lord and pursue an intimate relationship with Him. We are to surrender control of our lives over to Him. When we do this, we can tell the enemy confidently “ I hear you knocking but you can’t come in”. As we resist the devil and flee from sin, God will move us from one height of victory to the next for His purpose.
God is never happy with the proud. When we are proud and arrogant we claim to be our own god. The Bible tells us in many ways that the Lord always gives ear to the humble. When we express humility in the presence of God, we are submitting ourselves completely to Him and giving Him full authority over our lives. Many of us persist in doing the wrong things and we blame the devil for our actions. But as believers in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit helps us in taking a stand against the enemy. In order for the devil to get to us, he needs to go through God; the enemy to cannot have any control in our lives unless God allows it. God has assured us victory over the wiles of the enemy by the sacrifice of His Precious Son, Jesus Christ. We have already been declared victorious by the Blood of the Lamb – Hallelujah to the Lamb of God! I believe most of us blame the devil for stuff he really should not be given credit for. In many cases, we are our own worst enemy. The Holy Spirit lives within us to guide us and he alerts us many times as we choose to head down the wrong road; we often make a conscious decision to ignore the Spirit’s promptings. If we stand against the enemy, the Bible assures us that he will flee from us. But selfish and prideful needs sometimes stops us from being able to take this important stand so we make ourselves “tools” that can be used by the enemy to serve his purposes.
It takes humility to turn our lives and decision making processes over to God. But it is an important step in our Christian walk that we all must perform. The Bible says that enemy is moving around like a roaring lion looking for whom to devour. To avoid falling victim to his pranks, we are to move closer to the Lord and pursue an intimate relationship with Him. We are to surrender control of our lives over to Him. When we do this, we can tell the enemy confidently “ I hear you knocking but you can’t come in”. As we resist the devil and flee from sin, God will move us from one height of victory to the next for His purpose.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Competence and Confidence through Jesus Christ
Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter but of the Sprit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. – 2 Corinthians 3:4-6
True competence and confidence comes only from God. A lot of people are qualified but many are not walking in the divine favor of God. Not every one that has the outward qualifications are inwardly qualified by God’s standards. It is God who gives one the power to tell another about the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us at the Cross of Calvary. Sometimes God will choose someone who by our standards does not meet the qualifications of a minister. Maybe we knew them in their prior life and because of that we have placed a label over their existence. But the Bible tells us that anyone who accepts Christ by faith is a new creature and that all things have passed away and behold everything is now new.
Often when God’s inspired confidence meets insecurity, insecurity will be quick to call it arrogance. But the Spirit of God is designed to bring competence and confidence. Once we accept Jesus Christ into our lives and our hearts, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside of us and there is a sudden boldness of the Spirit that comes with that. We become confident, not in anything we have done or are doing, but confident in the totality of the work of Christ on the Cross. We can boldly declare that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Proclaiming the supremacy of God does not require any letters of recommendation from the Pope or a Bishop written in ink, all it requires is the acceptance of Jesus Christ through faith and a spiritual letter of recommendation written on the tablet of our hearts.
True competence and confidence comes only from God. A lot of people are qualified but many are not walking in the divine favor of God. Not every one that has the outward qualifications are inwardly qualified by God’s standards. It is God who gives one the power to tell another about the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us at the Cross of Calvary. Sometimes God will choose someone who by our standards does not meet the qualifications of a minister. Maybe we knew them in their prior life and because of that we have placed a label over their existence. But the Bible tells us that anyone who accepts Christ by faith is a new creature and that all things have passed away and behold everything is now new.
Often when God’s inspired confidence meets insecurity, insecurity will be quick to call it arrogance. But the Spirit of God is designed to bring competence and confidence. Once we accept Jesus Christ into our lives and our hearts, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside of us and there is a sudden boldness of the Spirit that comes with that. We become confident, not in anything we have done or are doing, but confident in the totality of the work of Christ on the Cross. We can boldly declare that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Proclaiming the supremacy of God does not require any letters of recommendation from the Pope or a Bishop written in ink, all it requires is the acceptance of Jesus Christ through faith and a spiritual letter of recommendation written on the tablet of our hearts.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Put It All In His Hands
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. – Proverbs 16:3
Pray continually. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Daily prayer and time in the presence of God is crucial to the faith life of any believer. We are called to pray continually without ceasing. We are to commit all our plans to God – on a daily basis. When we start our day off with God, we are giving Him absolute control over all we will do for the day. We are acknowledging Him to be Lord over our lives and all that we will do. We are not burying our heads in the sand and saying that nothing could go wrong. Rather we are saying that if something does go wrong, may we have the grace and the strength to deal with difficult situations appropriately.
Putting all our small and big plans in the hand of God helps Him know that we put Him first and that we are open to His will. Regardless of hoe mundane you think the things you are trying to do are, be rest assured that God is interested in the intricate details of your life. It is true that God knows our heart and He knows what we are thinking at all times even before we say anything. But talking to God on a daily basis on what we want to do helps to build our relationship with Him. Having a personal relationship with God is everything.
Pray continually. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Daily prayer and time in the presence of God is crucial to the faith life of any believer. We are called to pray continually without ceasing. We are to commit all our plans to God – on a daily basis. When we start our day off with God, we are giving Him absolute control over all we will do for the day. We are acknowledging Him to be Lord over our lives and all that we will do. We are not burying our heads in the sand and saying that nothing could go wrong. Rather we are saying that if something does go wrong, may we have the grace and the strength to deal with difficult situations appropriately.
Putting all our small and big plans in the hand of God helps Him know that we put Him first and that we are open to His will. Regardless of hoe mundane you think the things you are trying to do are, be rest assured that God is interested in the intricate details of your life. It is true that God knows our heart and He knows what we are thinking at all times even before we say anything. But talking to God on a daily basis on what we want to do helps to build our relationship with Him. Having a personal relationship with God is everything.
Monday, February 2, 2009
God Has a Plan
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
Since ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. – Isaiah 64:4
For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” _ Jeremiah 29:11-14
Even if we cannot see any changes in our circumstances outwardly, we must know that God is at work inwardly. God’s wonderful transformation always occurs from the inside out. God has a unique plan for every thing He has created and God has a plan for your life. The hardest thing to do is to wait; even harder is to continue to live life to the fullest whilst waiting. But God commands us to wait for Him. He instructs us to hold on even in the difficult circumstances. He promises to bring us peace, inner joy and contentment even in the midst of our storms.
Regardless of what we are going through during these trying times, we must never cease our prayers. Every prayer we pray God listens attentively and hears us and every tear that we cry, He holds in the palm of His hand. Whatever resources we may have to give up in order to pass through this wilderness period, God will definitely restore in His time. Based on the not-so-good” news we are hearing from the media, things in the world will get a lot worse before they get better. In this waiting period, hold firmly to that which you believe. Do not lose heart or let your faith slip. All this too shall surely pass.
Since ancient times, no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. – Isaiah 64:4
For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” _ Jeremiah 29:11-14
Even if we cannot see any changes in our circumstances outwardly, we must know that God is at work inwardly. God’s wonderful transformation always occurs from the inside out. God has a unique plan for every thing He has created and God has a plan for your life. The hardest thing to do is to wait; even harder is to continue to live life to the fullest whilst waiting. But God commands us to wait for Him. He instructs us to hold on even in the difficult circumstances. He promises to bring us peace, inner joy and contentment even in the midst of our storms.
Regardless of what we are going through during these trying times, we must never cease our prayers. Every prayer we pray God listens attentively and hears us and every tear that we cry, He holds in the palm of His hand. Whatever resources we may have to give up in order to pass through this wilderness period, God will definitely restore in His time. Based on the not-so-good” news we are hearing from the media, things in the world will get a lot worse before they get better. In this waiting period, hold firmly to that which you believe. Do not lose heart or let your faith slip. All this too shall surely pass.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Controlled By My Love for Christ
For the love of Christ compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died. And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. – Romans 8:5-8
We are all moved to action by someone or something. Some are driven by their desire to accumulate wealth; some are driven by their looks and physical appearance and others may be moved by the person in their life that they believe they love and cannot live without. Regardless of what our individual motivations are, we are all motivated by something or someone. With the recent economic woes in the world, it is evident that wealth is like a vapor. It can be here today and gone tomorrow. A lot of people close to retirement and felt that they would surely make it four to five years ago have been left high and dry. 401K retirement has been rendered worthless and house prices are in the toilet. Marriages and other close relationships are cracking under the strain of finances. People are killing themselves and their entire families because they see no other way out of the mess that they are in.
If nothing else, the recent situation with the global economy should teach every blood-washed believer one lesson – and this is only the love of Jesus Christ must be our motivation. Everything we do should be motivated by our commitment to Christ so that when all is said and done, we are still standing. What would make one man commit suicide and another press on with identical problems? When you are truly compelled by your love for God, the economic situation becomes just another circumstance – another tribulation that will surely pass. You no longer have the need to live for self but for the good of mankind. How much better off do you think Wall Street would have been if the executives who made away with $18 billion just before its collapse, were compelled by Christ? Their decisions will surely have been different and many of the problems the world now faces with regards to finances may have been well avoided. But we are all suffering from the epidemic of living for “self” and putting “self” first above God and others. The Bible tells us to love God with all our hearts, minds and souls and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The morons on Wall Street definitely didn’t live according to this most important commandment.
Let the love of Christ compel you in all that you do. He loved the world so much that He gave up His life as a ransom for many. Let us pray that all we will think do and say will bring glory to His Holy Name and not shame.
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. – Romans 8:5-8
We are all moved to action by someone or something. Some are driven by their desire to accumulate wealth; some are driven by their looks and physical appearance and others may be moved by the person in their life that they believe they love and cannot live without. Regardless of what our individual motivations are, we are all motivated by something or someone. With the recent economic woes in the world, it is evident that wealth is like a vapor. It can be here today and gone tomorrow. A lot of people close to retirement and felt that they would surely make it four to five years ago have been left high and dry. 401K retirement has been rendered worthless and house prices are in the toilet. Marriages and other close relationships are cracking under the strain of finances. People are killing themselves and their entire families because they see no other way out of the mess that they are in.
If nothing else, the recent situation with the global economy should teach every blood-washed believer one lesson – and this is only the love of Jesus Christ must be our motivation. Everything we do should be motivated by our commitment to Christ so that when all is said and done, we are still standing. What would make one man commit suicide and another press on with identical problems? When you are truly compelled by your love for God, the economic situation becomes just another circumstance – another tribulation that will surely pass. You no longer have the need to live for self but for the good of mankind. How much better off do you think Wall Street would have been if the executives who made away with $18 billion just before its collapse, were compelled by Christ? Their decisions will surely have been different and many of the problems the world now faces with regards to finances may have been well avoided. But we are all suffering from the epidemic of living for “self” and putting “self” first above God and others. The Bible tells us to love God with all our hearts, minds and souls and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The morons on Wall Street definitely didn’t live according to this most important commandment.
Let the love of Christ compel you in all that you do. He loved the world so much that He gave up His life as a ransom for many. Let us pray that all we will think do and say will bring glory to His Holy Name and not shame.
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