Monday, September 28, 2015

Humble

Philippians 2:3-4 NLT
Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

We have grown up in a society that listens to that old radio station WIFM. You know the one. The letters stand for "what's In it for me." We do something for someone else and expect something in return.

But God's word does not say "do for others because they will do likewise for you." No, it says in Luke 6:31 "Do to others as you would like them to do to you." As you would like not only if you have a guarantee they will do for you.

Sure we do have to watch out for our own interests, but not at the expense of others. We must humble ourselves and look out for others. We are to serve others like it says in Galatians 5:13
"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love."

We are to serve out of love, not out of an obligation to God. We serve because He loves us and gave His life for us, for us to be set free. We serve because we want to serve and not to make an impression on others that they may see what we are doing. That would be serving out of a selfish desire to be noticed by others. We serve in secret knowing where our reward comes from.

"Father God, thank you for giving me opportunity after opportunity to serve others as I walk out in the marketplace today. Thank you for opening doors for me to walk through and closing those that I should avoid. Thank you for loving me and giving me an example to follow. In Jesus' name. Amen"

Monday, September 21, 2015

Wisdom

James 3:13 NLT
If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

Wisdom is mentioned 215 times in the NLT Bible. James 3.13 tells us that "If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom."

Webster defines wisdom as: knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life, the natural ability to understand things that most other people cannot understand, and knowledge of what is proper or reasonable; good sense or judgment.

Note the difference between the Bible and the dictionary. Wisdom comes from knowing God's ways. His ways are found throughout our Bibles, throughout His Word. The instructions for life are in His Word. As we read His Word and assimilate what He is telling us through it, we acquire wisdom.

Acquiring worldly knowledge and agreeing with the morals of the world makes us wise in a carnal sense. True wisdom comes not from the world and its evil ways, it come from God.

James 1.5 tells us how to get more wisdom: "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking."

"Father God, thank you for providing your Word to me. Thank you for the wisdom you impart to me as I go and see where you are working so I can join you. Thank you for showing me where I need to discern the difference between worldly wisdom and Your wisdom.. Guide me into all truth. In Jesus' name I pray."

Monday, September 14, 2015

Thoughts

Philippians 4:8 NLT
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 

What do you do when your smartphone beeps? Do you take it out and see who just texted or messaged you? Most people do that. They are so tuned in to their social network they need to check right away. And yet, how often does Holy Spirit try to beep us and we ignore Him?

Our thoughts, what we think about all day long can determine our actions. When we fix our eyes on the situation we find ourselves in, the situation appears to worsen. All our thoughts go towards finding our solution to that situation. Holy Spirit has a hard time getting through our thoughts to bring us the right solution. We are too caught up in fixing it on our own.

No matter what is going on around us, no matter what troubles we find ourselves immersed in, Holy Spirit is right there ready to teach us all we need to move forward; all we need to move out of the grasp of the evil one into the arms of Jesus.

When we fix our thoughts on what is true all worry leaves because our God has got our back. When we give it to Him we can trust Him to take care of it. We no longer have to think about it. Instead we are filled with peace and able to think on what He has for us to do.

Monday, September 07, 2015

Citizens

Ephesians 2:19 NLT
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family.

We don't have to become Jewish to be a Christian. We do not have to follow their non-Christian customs and rituals or those from any other religion. Jesus did not say to become a Jew and follow me, He said to just follow Him and then to have faith and believe without doubting. It is the Jew that becomes a Christian just like you and I.

Jesus did not evolve from being jewish to becoming the son of God. He was born already being the son of God into a family that believed in the one true God. We all come as we are to Jesus. The Father sends Holy Spirit to live in us and teach us all things. He teaches us what we can cast off from our old life. He came not to give us a bunch of new rules, but to free us from the bondage the old rules put us in. He came to show us the truth. He came to welcome all as citizens into the Kingdom of God. Thank you, Jesus!

"Holy Spirit, continue to teach me. Show me in God's Word what I need for the each day I walk on this earth. Help me become the person I was made to be regardless of what I have come out of, regardless of what religion I used to follow, regardless of what wrongs I have already been forgiven of, and of what mistakes I will still make while I live in this mortal shell. It is in the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen."