Psalms 90:17 NLT
And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful!
We grow up seeking approval from our parents and then our teachers in school. And we know to have gotten that approval we had to be doing things they approved of. Our actions had to line up with what they had taught us. And I am not just thinking about what they told us was right or wrong. No, their actions did more to educate us than their words.
When we work for someone we follow the instructions given to us to perform our job successfully. Our bosses approval of our actions allows us to keep our jobs and perhaps even move up the ladder in that company with a better position and a bigger paycheck. Their approval will make our efforts successful.
In the natural we probably understand all that. But in the spiritual we need to be seeking God's approval as well. Yet we do not see evidence in the natural of His approval or disapproval. So how do we know and does it really matter?
By staying in His word, our Bible we learn what His will is. We learn the should and should nots of living in this mortal state we find ourselves in. His will matters and it is up to us to develop a close relationship with God to know His will and gain His approval. And Yes, He will make our efforts successful!
Monday, January 27, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
Having Hope
Isaiah 40:31 NIV
Those who hope in the lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
I believe we are all born with a built in right and wrong meter. When we think about doing something that is not in line with God's will, the meter swings way to the left and we just know it is wrong. When we think about doing something that is in line with Him, it swings to the right and we have a peace about it.
With all the rules and regulations and laws we have, it is easy to become confused. The meter swings hard left and yet the latest laws tell us it is okay. So we do it anyway and after a while we don't sense the left swing of the meter. We are desensitized to the sin in our lives.
As we get discouraged as a result of all the sin we have allowed ourselves to get into we turn to this scripture and ask God to renew our strength and to let us walk in victory.
But this scripture is not a magic pill. We can't just turn our hope in the Lord on and off. We can't just live our lives in sin ignoring what we know to be right. We need to watch that meter and when it swings to the left we need to stop doing or thinking about doing whatever was about to lead us down the road to destruction.
Then we will soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, and walk and not be faint.
Those who hope in the lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
I believe we are all born with a built in right and wrong meter. When we think about doing something that is not in line with God's will, the meter swings way to the left and we just know it is wrong. When we think about doing something that is in line with Him, it swings to the right and we have a peace about it.
With all the rules and regulations and laws we have, it is easy to become confused. The meter swings hard left and yet the latest laws tell us it is okay. So we do it anyway and after a while we don't sense the left swing of the meter. We are desensitized to the sin in our lives.
As we get discouraged as a result of all the sin we have allowed ourselves to get into we turn to this scripture and ask God to renew our strength and to let us walk in victory.
But this scripture is not a magic pill. We can't just turn our hope in the Lord on and off. We can't just live our lives in sin ignoring what we know to be right. We need to watch that meter and when it swings to the left we need to stop doing or thinking about doing whatever was about to lead us down the road to destruction.
Then we will soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, and walk and not be faint.
Monday, January 13, 2014
How to Live
Titus 2:12 NLT
We are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.
Now that is no simple thing. First off the godless living and sinful pleasures part. What God considers sinful pleasures and what the world considers sinful are no where near close. Just look at living arrangements today. Acceptable practice today is to practice sex as a sport and to live together without marriage. Even to have children out of wedlock.
It is all about convenience rather than commitment. Guess is like having a Beta relationship.. Once the bugs are ironed out we can go for the all out install and then install patches along the way. If the patches don't work well enough we can always bail on the marriage and find someone else.
Wow. What is acceptable in the world today is far from acceptable by Father God.
Many think the criteria for being a Christian is attending a Christian church. It is not about where you go to church it is about believing in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. But how many unbelievers do just that and think everything is rosey?
Then there is the junk we allow our minds to be wrapped up with. We watch movies and TV shows the portray godless living and listen to vulgarity and watch violence so much it becomes normal behavior to us. The content is convincing us that sse out of wedlock is normal and homosexualty is just a norma a lifestyle.
There is not living on both sides of the street. If we really did live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God we would not watch those shows and would live life as the Bible teaches. We would not cross over to the other side no matter how much peer preasure we might feel.
We are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.
Now that is no simple thing. First off the godless living and sinful pleasures part. What God considers sinful pleasures and what the world considers sinful are no where near close. Just look at living arrangements today. Acceptable practice today is to practice sex as a sport and to live together without marriage. Even to have children out of wedlock.
It is all about convenience rather than commitment. Guess is like having a Beta relationship.. Once the bugs are ironed out we can go for the all out install and then install patches along the way. If the patches don't work well enough we can always bail on the marriage and find someone else.
Wow. What is acceptable in the world today is far from acceptable by Father God.
Many think the criteria for being a Christian is attending a Christian church. It is not about where you go to church it is about believing in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. But how many unbelievers do just that and think everything is rosey?
Then there is the junk we allow our minds to be wrapped up with. We watch movies and TV shows the portray godless living and listen to vulgarity and watch violence so much it becomes normal behavior to us. The content is convincing us that sse out of wedlock is normal and homosexualty is just a norma a lifestyle.
There is not living on both sides of the street. If we really did live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God we would not watch those shows and would live life as the Bible teaches. We would not cross over to the other side no matter how much peer preasure we might feel.
Monday, January 06, 2014
Authority and Power
Mark 6:7 NLT
And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits.
Jesus gave the disciples authority and power to go out two by two. Had they not gone would they have had the power?
If you want to have the power you have to do the work; you get it as a result of doing. You do not get it first and then walk out. Power comes in the walk. As we walk God directs us onto the right path. But without motion there can be no direction. You just stand still looking around.
Just as the law of physics says every action has a reaction, every time we step out to complete the Father's work here on earth another piece is added to our spiritual man. We don't feel it but can tell when the next assignment comes along. We are able to recognize it quicker and complete it with an added level of confidence.
As baptized born again believers we have been given the Holy Spirit and the authority and power to do whatever He tells us to do in Jesus name.
Brings to mind that old TV show Have Gun Will Travel. We have the Holy Spirit but as we travel the authority and power comes from above.
And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits.
Jesus gave the disciples authority and power to go out two by two. Had they not gone would they have had the power?
If you want to have the power you have to do the work; you get it as a result of doing. You do not get it first and then walk out. Power comes in the walk. As we walk God directs us onto the right path. But without motion there can be no direction. You just stand still looking around.
Just as the law of physics says every action has a reaction, every time we step out to complete the Father's work here on earth another piece is added to our spiritual man. We don't feel it but can tell when the next assignment comes along. We are able to recognize it quicker and complete it with an added level of confidence.
As baptized born again believers we have been given the Holy Spirit and the authority and power to do whatever He tells us to do in Jesus name.
Brings to mind that old TV show Have Gun Will Travel. We have the Holy Spirit but as we travel the authority and power comes from above.
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