Monday, December 30, 2013

Count the Cost

Luke 14:29 NLT
But don't begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?

So often we jump into something but fail to think it through. We are trapped by the clever marketing. Think about how many of those demonstrations on TV are for products you can buy for 3 payments of only $9.99. Or those satellite dish ads for all those stations for only $29 per month. Hidden somewhere is the massive increase starting in month 13 of a 24 month contract.

Counting the cost is not something most of us do. We bought that great house for $100,000 on credit for 30 years not even thinking about the fact that we would be paying back over double the selling price by the time we were done with the mortgage. All we could see was the "low" monthly payment.

How about the excitement over that new car; our dream car. Then when we signed on the dotted line and took ownership we found out our insurance payment went up, we had to pay a sales tax, and if our state has a personal property tax we had to pay a large tax every year. We failed to count the cost.

Well, Jesus warns us here in Luke that there is a cost to being His disciple. A disciple is not one who just attends a church on Sunday. A disciple is willing to give up everything to walk the walk God has prepared for him to walk.

In verse 26 Jesus tells us that "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison-your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple."

Are we truly ready to be His disciple? Or do we just want to go to church on Sunday?

Monday, December 23, 2013

Prove It

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.

Remember when we were children and went for a ride on a merry go round? The one I can recall had a place you could reach that contained brass rings. If you were able to grab one you either got a prize or even a free ride.

We grow up focused on making a life for ourselves and our family. We find work and earn a living. Most of us try to live an honest life doing good. Some bend the rules and seem to get further ahead than most. But their lifestyle eventually catches up with them.

Some die alone. Many have all the things money can buy, but still cannot find happiness. They burn out marriages and friends searching for what is right there available for all who truly seek.

You see, God is always ready for us to catch the brass ring He has for us. But sometimes we are too busy running to catch the lifestyle we crave that we miss Him.

Jesus came to earth to show us the way to everlasting life. He was born in a manger, lived as a man, died on a cross, and came back to give us salvation. He is the way, the light, and the truth.

God wants us to grab the brass ring. He wants us to prove we understand His ways by living that honorable life doing His works as He leads.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Humble then Resist

James 4:7 NLT
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

There are many promises in the Bible. And we remember them; at least the second half. In this case we remember that if we resist the devil he has to leave. Right? How many of us remember the sentence before?

As a programmer from a long time ago, I think of this as an "If Then" statement. The first half has to be satisfied, then the second will come to pass. So we cannot expect the devil to flee unless we have first humbled ourselves before God.

Matthew 23:12 tells us that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Where Romans 12:3 says not to think we are better than we really are. And to be honest in our evaluation of ourselves, measuring ourselves by the faith God has given us.

In other words, we are to realize we cannot do it on our own. Only God can really fix any situation we find ourselves in. We are but a small pebble on an infinite beach compared to Him. We need to admit that to ourselves and then when we resist the devil he will flee, but not because of who we are. He has to go because of who lives in us.

Religion

James 1:27 NLT
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Having religion involves having serious commitment to something. Being religious is being highly dedicated to something. Usually we attribute these terms to our faith practice. Many will ask what religion you are. What they are really asking is what church you are part of. Are we Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Muslim, Buddhist, etc.

But this verse is not speaking from the world's definition. It is telling us what God's meaning is. In His eyes we have genuine religion not by belonging to a certain church or movement. No, it is about our personal actions.

First we have to be serving others and especially orphans and widows who are in need. Second we have to not let the world system corrupt us.

The first is easy and yet we often ignore it because of the world system. We figure someone else will take care of them for us. We don't have to bother. We do our part by working in the system and the system will take care of them. Or we give plenty at church and they have people to do that.

And that is one way we allow the world to corrupt us. We figure we are giving all we can. But what do we expect to see when we are on the receiving end of that need? Will we be happy with the system taking over or will we expect our brothers and sister's in Christ to be with us?

But l have digressed from the point. I believe God expects us to serve one another and not let the world system do what He has called us to do.

Monday, December 09, 2013

Judgment

John 3:36 NLT
And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment.

The Old Testament is filled with examples of God's angry judgment. Entire groups of people were wiped out in wars and even a great flood that destroyed all but those on Noah's boat. And yet those books were written about His chosen people, the Israelites.

God told them to live by His Ten Commandments and had them create a number of additional laws for them to follow; even traditions to follow to stay in His favor. These laws should have kept His chosen on a straight and narrow path. But this is not what happened.

Those who were not of His chosen people, the gentiles did not come under these books of laws and rules for living a righteous life. And yet I believe good people everywhere have these moral standards built into them along with their basic belief in God.

As Christians it is easy to think everyone on earth is under God's grace and that the days of judgement are over. But as John 3 tells us those who are not walking with Jesus remain under God's angry judgment.

Be Jew or gentile, if we have not given our life to Jesus and follow Him, we are as if living in the Old Testament times. The New Testament does not apply to us. His grace is not for us. His judgement reigns down on all who do not follow Jesus.

Thank God for His saving grace!

Monday, December 02, 2013

How to Live

2 Peter 3:10-11 NLT
But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live.

Some think they can predict when Jesus is coming back. Others are certain all that is going on in the world means we are in the end times and His return is imminent. I do not believe we are to be doing either. It does not matter when He is returning or what is happening in the world.

No. What matters is what we are doing with what God has given us. Each day we are given is gift to be used to glorify Him. And yet how easy it is to wrap ourselves up in the day to day stuff and our desire to accumulate things.

The Christmas season begins early on what is reffered to as Black Friday. Hard to imagine Christmas being welcomed by a black Friday, isn't it? And it is all about the stuff we can get to add to our collection as well as what we can get to give to others for their collections.

Is this the Holy and godly lives you should live mentioned here? I don't think so. I believe He still wants us to do what Jesus told us. He wants us to be His light shining for all to see. He wants us to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone and to make disciples (Mark 16:15-18). Through all that is going on around us, shouldn't that still be our focus?

Monday, November 11, 2013

Simon Says

Romans 12:2 NLT 
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

We have all played that childrens game of Simon Says. If you do not follow the leader exactly, you lose.

It is so easy to get caught up in the way other people think. We are trained to do just that when we grow up. Our parents give us examples to follow in the way they live their lives. Our teachers in school show us their right way to do things and expect us to follow exactly if we want a good grade.

Some move on to the military and are expected under the threat of severe penalty to do exactly as they are taught. And that is important for deviation could be life threatening in situations of war.

So our life in Christ is not about following the rules in our Bible word by word. That we can do in our own mind; in our own understanding. You do not have to be born again to decide to do that. When we are in Him and allow Him to move in us, He changes us.

When we let God transform us into a new person, we are not playing Simon Says. We are giving Him permission to change the way we think so we will know the right things to do and so we will be pleasing to Him.

Monday, November 04, 2013

It Takes Belief

Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT 
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

No matter how hard we work at being a good person following all the rules in the Bible it does not get us salvation. It takes belief. And that is not an easy thing to have in this fast paced techno world we live in.

We can't say we will get into heaven because of the amount of money we donated to our church. Nor can we credit the hours we spend volunteering at the local food bank or even the hospital. Serving others doesn't do it either. It takes belief.

It is that simple. We can be the most successful person in town or be out of work living in a homeless camp. Our circumstances do not matter. It takes belief.

All that is needed is belief that Jesus died for you and forgave you of all your sins. All that takes is for you to follow Him. Ask Him into your heart today. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior. It is that simple. It just takes belief.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Serving Others

Acts 20:35 NLT 
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

In society we are filled with workers dedicated to serve their superiors so they can keep their job and depend on that weekly paycheck. The basic desire to serve is out of a need to be paid not a desire to bless them.

Oh that is not true, you say. Consider this. When you leave one job for another you no longer have any thought of serving your former bosses. The need is gone for they no longer have any control over you or your paycheck.

God has given us each gifts to serve the body of Christ. This has nothing to do with finances. It has everything to do with helping each other grow in our relationship with God. For the gifts are given to build up the body of Christ.

"Lord show me how I can serve my fellow Christians today. How I can be a blessing to each I come in contact with. Teach me how to pray for their needs. In Jesus name I pray."

Monday, October 21, 2013

Morally Right Lives

Jude 1:4 NLT 
I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God's marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

If they took down all the speed limit signs on the highway would it be lawful for us to go as fast as we wanted? Of course not. The speed limit is the same even if you don't see the sign. If you do not think so just try going as fast as you want. When you get pulled over explain that you did not see the sign and see how that works for you.

By God's grace we are saved. It is not a get of out jail free card. Jesus came to fulfill the law, but not to abolish it. We still have to live an upstanding life guided by His laws. Because of His grace we will not be judged worthy based on our living up to the law. However, grace does not give us a license to blatantly ignore Him and do whatever we want.

His commandments show us how to live a morally right life. The world shows us what it thinks is morally right. The world's view on morality changes like the wind. What was good years ago is the opposite today. More and more we see our society shifting away from God. Let us not do the same. There is no shifting with God. What He established years ago stands firm today.

"Father, help me to stand on your Word in all I do here on earth. Holy Spirit guide me into each day and help be be ready to be the Light of Jesus to all I come in contact with. In Jesus name I pray."

Monday, October 14, 2013

The Example

John 13:15 NKJV
For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

Do as I say not as I do. We have all heard that at least once. And we may have even said it when we knew the example we were setting did not live up to how we wanted to live.

We can't do it on our own. Our human desires are used by the enemy to pull us off course; off the course God has for us. So the lifestyle we live may not be portraying a Christ centered one.
Only with God's help can we hope to become the person we truly want to become. I believe we need to rely on Holy Spirit in every facet of our life and not just when we find ourself in need.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light. But He is relying on us, our lifestyle, the way we live in the presence of others, to shine His light in the world.

Monday, October 07, 2013

The Father's DNA

1 John 4:15 NLT 
All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.

We were all born of a father and a mother. Most of us grew up with a mom and dad, but sometimes they were not our birth mother and father. We acknowledged them in the role they were in often not even knowing until later in life that they were not completely who we thought they were.

Years ago there was no way to tell for sure who we came from. Outward appearance was one way. If you looked exactly like your mother or father when they were you age chances are real good they are your parents. The medical way was to check blood types. It could prove they were not your parents, but not definitely tell if they were.

Today we have DNA testing which can tell at the genetic level if we are a match to the DNA of our parents. I have no first hand experience with this but have watched enough examples on the many crime shows on television to get a feel for it.

So if we acknowledge Jesus as God's Son, then we are born again and He lives in us.

How can we prove it? We cannot go to the doctor and ask for a DNA test to show that we are a child of Father God.

1 John 3:9-10 NLT 
Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

They will know us by our lifestyle, by how we live our life and love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our actions as we go about our daily life at home, at work, in the marketplace, and at church is the evidence of who we are in Christ; the evidence of us having the DNA of the Father.

Monday, September 30, 2013

The Good Work

Philippines 1:6 NLT
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

When we get a new computer or a vehicle or even a new HD television, we get everything with the package. And yet we have no idea about all the things we can do with it.

Sure we can turn on the computer. But can we actually use it? Maybe if we had one before we can poke around to get those applications we are familiar with to work. But there are applications on our computer we know nothing about. And key combinations that open up things. And multiple ways to do things.

Anyone who can drive a car can get behind the wheel of another car and know how to drive it. Sure, we can drive it, but we do not know how to use many of the features or even where the gas cap is. A few months ago I got behind the wheel of a car that did not have a place for a key. There was only a big button to press! I had no idea how to start it.

The gas cap on my vehicle opens with a remote button on the drivers side door. It worked fine until one day it seemed to have a mind of its own. It worked when it wanted to and not always when I pulled in for a fillup. Our son looked at the situation and found we had a manual override in the trunk. It was there in the vehicle from day one. We just had not found out about it yet.

And those super controls on some of the new televisions... The TV can do so much and it is all built in. But it takes awhile to figure it out. And there are still things you probably cannot do.

When we accept Jesus into our lives and the Father sends Holy Spirit to live in us, we get the entire package. We do not get 10% of Holy Spirit; we get all of Him. So right inside us we have all the answers. But we only get to see what we need to do the works He has for us. As we walk out in faith to accomplish them, God frees up more of the knowledge stored within for us to access.

And He will continue the good work within us; continue to grow us to be more and more like Christ. And then someday we will have it all opened us to us

Monday, September 23, 2013

Transform You

Romans 12:2 NLT 
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

There is a fine line between adapting to the changes all around us and letting ourselves be absorbed by them. That is, letting them get between us and God. And it is so subtle. The movies we watch are filled with people and actions that are not the norm and are not Godly. Yet the more we watch them the more "normal" it seems.

And our children only know what they observe and if they are subjected only to the world view, they will have a difficult time being brought back to the God view.

When we are born again we give God permission to change us, to work in our life to help us become more like Christ in what we do and how we think. But are we letting Him do that when we continue to put ourselves with others not following God? We become like those we associate with.

Sure, we can go to church and hear how we should behave. We can read our Bible and get a better understanding of how God wants to see us. We can listen to Christian CD's in the car and go to Bible studies.

This is all good. But what about the rest of the time? Who do we associate with during our days and most nights? Who are they following?

Either Holy Spirit will transform us or the world will. I vote for the former.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Sinning

1 John 5:18 NLT  
We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.

If you ask ten people what sin is you probably will hear ten different answers. And they probably assign levels to each. You know, like to kill someone is a worse sin than to steal a shirt from a retail store. And lying on your income tax does not even count!

Many think that doing something that is against the law is not sin unless you get caught! Like going over the speed limit by a substantial amount. If you do not get stopped you did not do anything wrong. I guess that is like the old question "If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?"

The worlds definition of sin varies with the changing moral values of society. What was sin fifty years ago may not be considered sin today. Webster defines it as "a breaking of a moral or legal code".

James 4:17 ESV 
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

As Christians we know Jesus died for all our sins; past, present, and future. But that does not give us a license to sin. It means that when Holy Spirit reveals our sin to us, we must repent and not continue in it.

Sin is not a list of do nots. Sin is anything that takes our focus off of God and His plan for us. Anytime we bend to satan and his evil plans, we sin. Man may have levels of sin with some being worse and having higher penalties attached to them. God see sin as sin. He forgives all our sin no matter how great in the eyes of man. All we have to do is recognize it ask for His forgiveness.

Are we sinners? We certainly were before we accepted what Jesus did for us on the cross. Having accepted Him into our heart we no longer have that moniker. Are we capable of sinning? Yes we are, but it is not our lifestyle. And as we grow closer in our relationship with God, the instances of sin in our lives become less and less.

Monday, September 09, 2013

Stand Firm

2 Thessalonians 2:15 NIV
So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings [traditions] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

We listen to so many voices today. Think about the sources you are hearing from every day. There is the local news, the national news, the newspaper, the postings by others on Facebook, the news that pops up on your browser when you sign in, emails from others, the chatter around the coffee machine at work, Ad infinitum.

What is true and what is false? It can be very hard to know and often we are swayed into the wrong camp. We take on others offenses and begin to fight their battles. We get so caught up in today we miss who we are in Christ. We think because of the battle we are in that we are all right with God. But we do not take time to discern whether the battle is where He wants us. The voices told us we should be there.

God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. He has even laid out a plan for right living and given it to us in His Bible. We are shown how to pray. We are shown how to live with one another; christian to christian and christian to non-christian. When making decisions each day we can look to His Word and decide what is right.

So let us stop turning to others, to the news media, to the opinions of Facebook ranting and turn to the B I B L E. Let's turn to the teaching and traditions we have learned. Listen to Holy Spirit for He is in us to teach us all things.

Let us stand firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Monday, September 02, 2013

Temptation

James 1:14 NLT
Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.

Does a day go by when temptation does not come our way?

If you are thinking you are not tempted, you are deceiving yourself. We are all tempted.

How about that piece of cake or pie when we should not be eating it because we need to drop a few pounds? We think, one little piece can't hurt.

Or what about that movie you watched last evening? The reviews looked good and the trailer was exciting. So it was rated R. Doesn't that stand for recommended? We can just ignore the bad language and the violence forgetting our minds remember all we see, hear, taste, and feel.

What about when we are in conversation with a friend and it turns to gossip. Do we stop it? Or do we not only listen but add to the unnecessary chatter without offering up a prayer in love instead?

Sure, some are tempted in much harsher ways. Tempted to disobey one or more of the ten commandments. But falling into any temptation is sin.

"Father God, help me today to recognize the temptation that comes at me either from my own desires or from others that could lead me astray. Help me, Lord to keep my eyes focused on You. In Jesus name I pray. Amen"

Monday, August 26, 2013

Free to Sin

Romans 6:15 NLT
Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!

I grew up in church. We went every Sunday since I was born. My parents were in the Word daily. God was everywhere in our house, our car, and with us anywhere we went. I knew I could not hide from Him.

I knew right from wrong, but that did not exclude me from sin. Temptation is always gathering us in and it seems almost impossible not to give in. Giving in with everyone else is much easier than standing our ground.

Even now that I have grown up and have Jesus as my Lord and savior. Holy Spirit resides in me. And yet, I still give in to temptation. I still find myself on the wrong side from time to time.

But I do not look for ways to sin. No, the tempter gains ground every now and then. With the help of Holy Spirit, I recognize what is happening and step back to the right side asking His forgiveness for what I did.

We are set free from the limits of law, but that does not mean we are free to do whatever we want to do. No, we are free to do what He wants us to do.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Trust in the Lord

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

We go through circumstances beyond our control every day of our life. Some are small and others are bigger than we can comprehend. Because of our earthly experiences the result of past successes and failures we think we know what to do, how to react. We lean on our own understanding.

The truth is that we do not have all the answers. Our choices are limited by our experiences. Even if we seek the counsel of others because they have had different experiences than us, we still may make the wrong choice.

The only one with all the answers is God. He knows us like nobody on this earth can know us; even ourselves. He knows His plan for our life and the choices that will keep us on that path. And yet we tend to seek Him last; after all the other options run out.

Or we try to do it both ways. We seek man made opinions and options while at the same time seeking Him for a solution. I am not sure if that is trusting in man with God as a backup plan or the other way around; trusting God but having man's plan as a backup in case God does not come through or come through in our timing.

God wants all of us all the time. He does not want to be a part time God. He wants us to trust in Him with all our heart, mind, and soul. He wants us to step past our own understanding and let Holy Spirit take over. Do that and He will show us the path that leads to Him to healing to righteousness.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Work At It

Hebrews 12:14 NLT 
Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

It is easy to fall into the trap that once saved we are holy. All we have to do is go to church once in awhile and we are all set for that final trip to heaven, eternity with God the father.

Just because we asked Jesus into our heart we think we are done. No, that is just the beginning. From that point on to our ultimate death in this life we change. Holy Spirit guides us down the path so those changes can occur.

Often we are plagued with challenges and as we look to God for help through them we are changed. We grow closer to Him and shed a little more of this earthly life.

Some change happens right away. Other change takes place as we listen for His voice correcting us when we fall into sin. Then we ask for His forgiveness and repent changing so we do not do that again.

Even before we are prodded by Holy Spirit, we find guidelines to living in our Bible and work to live the life we see we should be living. We give up the things of our old life, even many of our old acquaintances and friends so we can model Jesus in our day to day life.

We work at living in peace with everyone. We listen to that still small voice and work at doing what He says. We ask Him to help us change and to guide us daily down the right path.

Monday, August 05, 2013

On Purpose

1 Corinthians 9:26 NLT 
So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.

The health insurance plan I am on includes membership at the Y. This allows me to go as often as I want and train. That is to join an exercise program that gets me off my seat in front of my computer and actually use muscles other than my fingers typing.

Some go to professional looking gyms and hit bags or get in a ring and actually spar with others. Years ago I was into non contact Karate and enjoyed it. Others like kick boxing and other physical sports to keep in physical shape.

Then there is our spiritual training. We do not have a gym to go to; our training ground is other Christians. We hear a message at the church gathering of our choice and perhaps even attend a Bible study or two during the week. But the real training occurs as we allow Holy Spirit to guide us in a journey through God's Word as we let Him reveal to us as He peels away the next layer for our understanding.

It is time to get out of the gym sparring with others in training. It is time to get on with the mission Jesus gave us; the mission to go into all the world and preach the Good News!

Monday, July 29, 2013

Preachers Teachers and Speakers

Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 

We go to church with varied expectations each week. The senior pastor is ready with a message for the day. And yet we expect this pastor to all of a sudden be a preacher, a teacher, or a Christian motivational speaker. We hear all three of those gifts from ministers on television but do not understand there is a difference. They are not all rolled up into one gift.

Here is my simple understanding of four types I see speaking from the church platform today.

A pastor is a servant caring for those in the church God has entrusted him with. He is constantly in prayer and in communion with God. He cares for all the needs of his church family be they physical or spiritual. He visits the members at home, in nursing or extended care facilities, and in the hospitals. He is ready 24x7 to take a phone call from someone in need of a shoulder to cry on, a prayer, or even a visit.

A preacher is ready in season and out of season. He is constantly in prayer and in God's Word receiving revelation knowledge from Holy Spirit. That is Holy Spirit preparation. He stands in front of the church and opens his mouth expecting Holy Spirit to fill it. And He does. What we hear is exactly what we need for that time and place because he is lined up with God.

A teacher is also prepared, but differently. He too is in constant prayer and communication with Father God. Holy Spirit gives him what is needed and he creates a PowerPoint presentation to present it to the church. He knows what he is going to deliver line by line before he steps up on the platform. It is Holy Spirit created, but delivered by the teacher.

A Christian motivational speaker comes with a prepared message; one he has probably given at a number of churches. It was created by blending a number of facts with knowledge gained from many others and pieced together to speak to any crowd. He has a relationship with God and allows Holy Spirit to help generate the message and is available to hear from Holy Spirit as he gives it.

In all types listed above, Holy Spirit may cause the presentation to drift into what He knows need to be said for the people being spoken to that day. That is His prerogative.

Can one person be all four? With God all things are possible, and Holy Spirit will give us the gift we need at the point He needs us to have it. Typically we are gifted in one area and open for Holy Spirit to use us however He chooses.

We should realize what our "pastor" is gifted in and praise God for it. We should not expect things from him outside of that gift but be happy when Holy Spirit allows it to happen.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Time Eternal

Isaiah 46:10 NIV
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.'

I guess my interest in series started in the 50's when I would go to the movies on Saturdays and see the Superman serial in between the two main shows. I can't tell you what those movies were about, but I always remembered what was happening with Clark Kent and Lois Lane.

Dianne and I like to watch TV series. Years ago we would have our favorite shows and each week see the next episode. What we like about them is the way the characters develop and the relationships form between them. Now we stream them on Netflix through our Roku box and get to go from the beginning to the end of the series one right after another without commercials.

One of most difficult concepts to grasp is how God knows the beginning and the end and everything in between. It is not because our lives, our every step is predetermined. It is because we live on two different planes of existence.

We live in a time that has a beginning and and end. It is a linear existence. We start at point A and move on to point B and so on. When we are at point D we cannot go back a revisit A, B or C. They were and will never be again except in our memories. And we cannot see into a future time to know what is coming for E and beyond. We take it one day at a time; one experience after another. Our choices while at point D determine the destination for point E.

God, on the other hand, lives in a timeless environment. There is no beginning or end. He sees into our plane of existence at any point He wishes and perhaps even at all of our life all at once. Our choices determine our next path in our life and He sees all the future points based on each choice we make. This does not make our life predestined, it makes His view timeless.

This was a difficult concept to grasp. But a couple of weeks ago we started to watch a TV series we had watched on regular TV a few years ago. We had not started the series on TV at the beginning. I think we picked it up in the middle. It took a few nights to settle in and we enjoyed watching it.

Recently we found it on Netflix and decided to watch it from the beginning. We enjoy the relationships and the character development occurring from episode to episode. After a watching a few of the series we realized we knew the future. We knew what was going to happen and could see how the choices being made would affect the outcome. Because we had seen the second half of the series we knew what was to come. We had a God like, timeless view of their lives.

"Father, help us to make choices each day to make us more like Christ. Help us decide to take the path that leads us closer to you. In Jesus name, we pray."

Monday, July 15, 2013

The Name

Philippians 2:5, 9-11 NIV
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When someone comes knocking we want to be sure we know who they are before we let them into our home or answer their questions. We are careful to check their identification; at least we should be. If it is a policeman, we expect a badge or uniform we recognize.

Their identification gives them the authority to enter or speak with us. In the matter at hand they have a higher place than we do and we acknowledge that.

God wants us to have the mindset of Jesus in our relationships with other believers. He wants us to treat them as we expect to be treated; as we would expect Jesus to treat us. God even gave Jesus the highest lace and the name above all names. And that name is Jesus.

So when we pray asking for anything we can ask in the name of Jesus and expect an answer. He did not say to pray in "your name" or in "your son's name" or in "Christ's name". He said to pray in the name of Jesus, the name above all names.

Monday, July 08, 2013

Shout it Out

Isaiah 12:4 NLT
In that wonderful day you will sing: Thank the Lord! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!

When we are excited about something, we shout it out to everyone we know. Think about that last great meal you had at a local restaurant. You told someone how good it was, I bet. And when your favorite team won, you let everyone know about it. You let them know how mighty your team is.

When was the last time you shouted out about our Lord and savior and what He has done? Sure we go to church on the weekend and listen to praise music, but do we even shout it out there? Many just stand there and listen. Is that what we do at the ball game? I bet they are on their feet screaming when their team hits a homerun.

Well Jesus has hit the ultimate homerun for all of mankind. All we have to do is believe and follow Him. So let's shout it out during praise and worship at church and let's shout it out to all we see; that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Monday, July 01, 2013

Faith Not Enough

James 2:17 NLT 
So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

Being a believer and having faith by themselves are good things, but they cannot stand alone. Few do not believe in God. My father used to tell me about the men in war who with the bullets screaming over their heads all of sudden found God. They called them foxhole Christians.

Some that sit in the pews on Sunday mornings have made it to that first step. They believe in God and have gone so far as to show up each week to listen. But that is not an exercise in faith; perhaps it is hope. They hope their meer showing up is enough, but is it?

Step two is exercising that little faith we all have been given and expressing our heart's desire to believe in and follow Jesus making Him Lord of out lives. When that happens change occurs. We become new in Christ.

How do we know that has occurred? They can tell because of our fruit. The good deeds we do out of the Love of Jesus is an example of our fruit. Is there fruit growing on your tree?

Monday, June 24, 2013

Renewed Each Day

2 Corinthians 4:16 NKJV  
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day

Each year we have to renew things. I just renewed my driver's license and my vehicle registration. I renew the auto insurance, homeowners, and flood insurance as well. Then there are the magazine subscriptions and my Web site domain names. And the list goes on and on.

We renew them so they do not expire and we can keep receiving the benefits or not get any penalties. 

We do things for our bodies to attempt to renew them or at least keep them going according the the latest ideas from the medical profession. We go to the gym and take vitamins to supplement what we may not be receiving in the food we eat. 

No matter how much we try, our bodies are perishing. The only finish line for these mortal vessel is death. As believers, we are promised that we will not see death. But this is not speaking to the mortal body. It speaks to the spiritual body that will live for eternity with Christ.

As that mortal body deteriorates daily, our spiritual man is renewed day by day as it continues to grow as we become more and more Christ like in our thoughts and actions. His mercies are new each morning.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT) 

Monday, June 17, 2013

The Called

Luke 5:32 NLT 
I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.

I heard a pastor say recently that unless you know you are a sinner there is no way you will know that you need to be saved. And how true that is.

We can talk to someone until we are blue in the face and never get them to want to know Jesus; to want even to come to church with us. If they believe their life to be perfect, why would they want to change it?

It is easy for us who believe to expect others to want the same. Fact is to them we are the strange one. Our definition of fun differs from theirs. It is not about our taking time to go to church on Sundays. It is about our not wanting to do all they do on the other six days of the week anymore.

Until they hear that still small voice calling, they will not be convinced of any need to know Him. That convincing does not come from the words we speak. It comes from who we are and the Love of Jesus we project as we live our lives.

Are our lives producing fruit evident to others?

Monday, June 10, 2013

When They Ask

1 Peter 3:15 NLT 
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

Most would have a lot to say if they were asked about their football, baseball, or hockey team. And all they do is watch the games on television. Rarely do they have the opportunity to actually see a game live.

We can even spend long periods of time telling all about the jobs we have had and perhaps the one we have right now. We can go on and on sometimes from a positive aspect and for some the reverse.

As believers we are in the marketplace and the workplace daily. As we allow the light of Jesus shine through us, they will ask us. Are we ready to explain who Jesus is to us as quickly as we are the statistics for our favorite team or the latest gossip about work?

Monday, June 03, 2013

Rules

Colossians 2:23 NLT  
These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person's evil desires.  

We live with rules everywhere we go. How many have said to their children something like "When you live in my house you live by my rules!"?

There are rules in church and rules in school and rules everywhere we turn. They make clear what we can and cannot do according to those who made up the rules.

And the rules are always in a state of flux; always changing or being added to. Seldom are any removed from the list and the list gets bigger and bigger.

I have often said "You cannot legislate morality." No matter how many new laws or rules the governing bodies pass and impose on us they never change the populations evil desires. Who we are deep inside does not change just because we are told to change. Not even when there are penalties if we don't.

After a while we accept the new rules and even forget when they were enacted. We go with the flow being like everyone else. But who we are does not change no matter how strongly we believe in the rules.

The guiding force in our lives is either evil or good. Only God can change us so that under pressure we follow Him. Satan and his evil ways were defeated at the Cross. He can no longer control us or our actions, unless we decide to bend to him under pressure.

"Father, God thank you for sending Jesus to save me and be Lord of my life. Thank you for the encouragement and guidance of Holy Spirit each day of my life. Thank you for making me more Christ like each day so I follow Your ways and live up to your standards. In Jesus name I pray."

Monday, May 27, 2013

Please Everyone

1 Corinthians 10:33 NLT 
I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.

How often are we looking out for ourselves and looking to please us? Or perhaps helping others but looking for something in return. If I please them they will owe me one. Too often we expect the return and as such lose the blessing. We are too ME centered.

Now I believe the serendipity of doing what is best for others is a blessing for us. And it may come from anywhere; usually not from those we are helping. Yet, that is not why we are to be there for others.

So the next time someone is in need, Lord, send me. I am ready to be used as your servant to bless your people. Thank you, Jesus!

Monday, May 20, 2013

Our Fragrance

2 Corinthians 2:15 NLT  
Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.

We are so careful to shower and apply deodorant before going out. We want others to see us clean and with a pleasant fragrance. Those of us who work at jobs where we perspire much come home and head right to the shower to wash away that not so pleasant fragrance.

Our dog is so aware of the presence of others. She wags her tail and shows obvious love to those whose fragrance is good. But let someone or even another dog come near with either a bad odor or an evil spirit and she is right in their face ready to protect us.

What about spiritual fragrance? Are our lives evident of a Christ-like fragrance? Do others "smell" Jesus in all we do and say?

Father God, may the fragrance of Christ through Your Holy Spirit be evident in all that I do and say. In Jesus name, I pray.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Malware

Proverbs 12:26 NLT 
The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray. 

I help others with their computers quite often. The biggest issue is malware or viruses coming from opening websites or emails that are meant to add apps unbenounced to us that corrupt our machine making it run slowly. Often these come from the extra toolbars we allow to be added to our browsers. 

I suggest a number of tools to help fight these incursions into an otherwise good computer. These apps dig into the hard drive and pull out the offenders thus cleaning up the computer from the inside out. 

Like our computers we must keep ourselves cleaned up all the time too. It is easy to let things of the world creep in like malware or a computer virus does. We need to always be on guard and clean it out right away before it affects the way we live. 

We must choose our friends carefully and not continue relationships that can lead us astray. Often those longtime friends that have rejected the Gospel message have to be left behind as we move forward in our walk with Christ.

Monday, May 06, 2013

Transforming

Romans 12:2 NLT 
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Back when I was growing up the behavior and customs of the world as I knew it was very much Biblical. This was back in the 1940's and 1950's in New England. The morals of society was pretty much the same as what the Bible was teaching me. It may not have been this way in other places as this was just my experience being raised in a Christian home.

It was in this period of time that the words "In God We Trust" was added to our paper money and "Under God" to our pledge of allegiance. There was a clear difference between right and wrong, good and bad.

Now what we knew to be wrong behavior is considered right behavior. Fifty years ago it was more difficult to tell the difference between a believer and nonbeliever. Their behavior and customs were similar. Not today! We can be considered a good person by today's standards and be way out of line with what the Bible teaches.

Thank you, Jesus for coming into my life. And thank you Holy Spirit for continuing to change me into the way He thinks. Forever transforming me to be more Christ like.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Hope

Romans 8:24 NIV  
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Hoping the traffic light will turn green while sitting there at the red light is pretty silly. You know it is going to turn, you just have to wait for it. Hoping it will be sunny tomorrow when the forecast says it will, is also pretty silly. It is like saying I hope an hour from now it will be 9:00 AM when it is 8:00 AM right now.

Of course the hope here, if you read a little before this verse, is in our ultimate salvation and the new bodies we will receive for eternity. This hope is grounded in faith. And faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1).

And our assurance of this faith rests on the belief in God, His promises, and the Truth of His Word that Jesus Christ came, died, and was resurrected for all. Thank you, Jesus!

Monday, April 22, 2013

Chosen

Acts 13:47 NLT
For the Lord gave us this command when he said, "I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth." When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.

You have probably heard the idiom about beating a dead horse. It has to do with continuing to pursue a situation where nothing is happening. One can spend all their energy to try to change someones mind about something. There is no moving them from their position on the matter. They just will not see your point of view. Going at it again with them is truly like "beating a dead horse".

In Matthew 10:14, Jesus tells the disciples "Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet." In other words, if they do not open up to receiving the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ do not keep beating a dead horse. Get up and leave them. Move on to a new place where you might find others chosen for eternal life.

God loves all His children, but those He chooses become believers.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Who We Are

John 13:35 NLT
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

We all must have some type of identifying information with us. When we drive it must be a valid operators license for the state we come from. If we want to cross the border into another country, we have to have an up to date passport. Want to open a bank account, apply for a credit card, go to a doctor or hospital? Need identification relevant to what you are applying to.

It is hard to imagine in this culture that you do not have to have a card or a mark on you to prove you are a disciple of Christ. "The proof is in the pudding". That is to say, our actions tell others who we are. When we have Christ in us and we are in Christ it shows.

When we are with another believer, our love one to another is evident. And even when we are with non-believers our nonjudgmental actions and the love of Christ we display lets them know we are different. We are disciples of Jesus Christ.

Monday, April 08, 2013

No In Between in 2013

2 Timothy 4:3 ESV  
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

We look to what sounds good; what tickles our ears. Many go from church to church looking for what pleases them instead of allowing Holy Spirit to direct them. We say we are Christians and yet we do find ourselves caught in between the lure of worldly things and the hope of forever.

We spend time on both sides of the isle. And I not speaking about politics in Washington. One side of the isle I am referring to is our flesh and the other our spirit. We are about fun and that can lead us into many fleshly things.

We need the latest computer, cell phone, big TV, and vehicle. Our needs seem to be easily centered around things of this world. We spend our earnings and even go into debt to have them. Then we ask God in Jesus name to miraculously pay off our debt.

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

The more time we spend hanging with other committed Christians, the less the worldly things matter to us. Our conversation is God centered instead of world centered. The only game in town is the race we are in to finish our quest to be more and more like Christ finishing the race He has set before us.

Monday, April 01, 2013

Do Unto Others

Matthew 7:12 
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (NIV)

This is often turned around both in a good way and in a bad way. Someone treats us poorly and we turn around and retaliate with similar treatment to them. It becomes a "Do unto them what they did to me" attitude.

We see it on the highway all the time. Someone is cut off or is riding too close and the other driver gets around them and does the same thing to them and usually at a higher speed; an accident waiting to happen.

Some folks in church are friendly and others tend to walk right by. They may be the ones who are shaking your hand and looking away and perhaps even talking to someone else. Are we to turn away from the ones who ignore us and only be with the friendly ones? I don't think so.

Then there is the "They gave us a gift or they had us over for dinner, we must do the same back to them" situation. It is that same attitude, but in the positive. Who made up that rule anyway?

My mother always said "Love is reflected in love" and she was right on. We are to do unto others as we would hope they would do to us. That does not mean we are expecting them to do it to us or expect to give to get something in return. It means we are to Love everyone and not to treat them in any way we would not want to be treated.

dick

Monday, March 25, 2013

Be Humble and Gentle

Ephesians 4:2 
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. (NLT)

One who is humble is said to show meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit. They are not arrogant or prideful and show submissive respect. Being gentle is about being considerate or amiable. And patient is about being tolerant; showing understanding and handling whatever the situation is with calmness.

I bet you know someone who displays those traits. I wish I could say I do all the time. In low pressure situations, we all can put on those traits. We know how to act so we tailor or reactions to fit what we know to be correct.

When someone makes a mistake in front of us, how do we react? Do we move on and help them or jump on them telling them how they should have done it?

When the clock is running and we have to be somewhere, how do we react to that slow driver in front of us, or the one that cuts us off and makes us miss the green light?

When someone compliments us do we humbly accept it or does pride show its face with an "of course I was great" look?

"Holy Spirit, show me what I have to do to change; to be able to more easily show these traits in all my interactions with others. Make me more Christ like. In Jesus name, I pray."

Monday, March 18, 2013

Hide and Go Seek

Jeremiah 29:11-13 
For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (NLT)

Remember playing "hide and go seek" when you were a kid? Or maybe you do now with your own children or grandchildren. The game has been around of hundreds of years and does not require an Internet access or a cell phone! One person is "it" and closes their eyes for a count of whatever while all the other participants hide.

Remember shouting out "Olly olly oxen free"? That was the phrase used to indicate that anyone still hiding could safely come out into the open.

An offshoot of that game is called "sardines" where one hides and all the others look for them. When the person is found, that seeker hides with them as well until all but one seeker remains. The number of those hiding in one place is likened to a can of sardines.

Our Lord knows the plan for our life, but He is not playing "hide and go seek." He will not come looking for us. We are to look wholeheartedly for Him and we will find Him. He will lay out the best plan for each day of our life, a plan to walk with Him into the next layer of life, one step closer to eternity with Him.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Actions are Louder

1 John 3:18
Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. (NLT)

We think we can tell all about someone by what we read about them and what they have written. And we have all heard the words of Napoleon Bonaparte that a picture is worth a thousand words.

We tell everyone we love them as we walk around and shake hands on Sunday morning. We make sure we do not hang up the phone with our friend until we say "I love you".

Truth is no matter what facade someone presents to us, the real person comes across by their actions.

When an event happens in their life, a catastrophic event or even just an illness that puts them at home in bed for a few days, where are we? Sure, we say and probably do pray for them. Do we show up to help? Do we bring a meal or two? Do we call others to have them pray or be part of a food chain? Do we offer to come and clean?

The fact is, actions do speak louder than words. If someone were to take our picture, what would those thousand words say?

"Lord, help me be the person you made me to be. May my actions speak your love to others in all circumstances of life:"

Monday, March 04, 2013

Words of Encouragement

Ephesians 4:29 
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (NLT)

Why is it that when people visit someone in the hospital they talk about all the other people they know that are sick or have been in the hospital? And even about people who have died with the same condition the person they are visiting is dealing with.

It reminds me of the story about the person who comes to work feeling really good. Had a good nights sleep and a great breakfast. The drive in was uneventful and he is ready for a good day. The first person who sees him remarks, "Are you feeling alright? You look like you had a tough night!" Wow, he sonders to the restroom and checks himself in the mirror.

My mother used to tell that "if don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all." And yet we find it so easy to say just the wrong thing so often. God, forgive us.

The definition of foul or abusive language sure has changed over the last half century. What a commotion it caused when those words "I don't give a damn" were used in Gone with the Wind. What an uproar that made. Then look where we are now. Todays PG-13 flicks are filled with much worse language. It is like the movie could not tell the same story without the expletives. I don't think so.

So we should be watching our words in a couple of ways. Simply stated, we need to keep them clean and encouraging. Anything less is not shining the light of Jesus everywhere we go.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Keep Away

1 John 5:21 
Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts. (NLT)

Remember telling your child not to touch the stove because they would get burned? Maybe you even remember getting burned when you touched it. Most do not listen to those warning words. It seems like something inside makes us do what we know we shouldn't.

Have you ever gone into a store and come out with more than you paid for? By that I mean that the good deal was because there was more in your shopping bag then what was rung up by the cashier. Did you think of it as a hidden blessing or go back in and pay for that extra item?

Then you were a teenager and all your friends were involved in things you knew from your upbringing were not right. The quandary was should you remove yourself from them or ignore that inner voice reminding you of what was right and wrong.

God wants all of us. He wants to be first in our life. Our relationship with Him is not a Sunday morning thing or even worse a Christmas and Easter date. Anything that takes our focus off of Him is sin. He wants us to be happy and to enjoy things while we are here on Earth. However, He does not want those things to replace our relationship with Him.

So let's not keep away from God. Let's seek Him out in all we do talking to Him throughout the day while we do what He has provided for us to have.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Open The Book

Matthew 7:7
Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. (NLT)

It is not what you dig out of scripture through research and debate. It is what Holy Spirit digs out of it just for you; what jumps off the page to fit your circumstances today! He knows what you need and all you need to do is Open The Book!

Having the intellect we possess because of how God made us is a good thing. However, He did not give that to us to circumvent relationship with Him.

Before I was Spirit filled, I would read the Bible and see the history and moral lessons it contained. And that was all good. Psalms and Proverbs were good sources of godly information. The Gospels showed me about the life of Jesus as He walked the earth in His ministry. And the rest of the stories in the New Testament gave me examples of others walking out their faith as they shared the Good News and then discipled those that came to Christ.

After the infilling of Holy Spirit my reading changed. I read the same passages but truth I had never seen before would jump out at me. It was not that the stories changed. No, they took on new meaning that spoke to me about my life circumstances. Holy Spirit was guiding me and teaching me truth through the same book I had been reading for many years.

I am saved, you say, but when will Holy Spirit begin to make these things available to me? I can only tell you what happened with me. When I took the time to ask, He presented Himself to me in new ways. Of course I also had to make an effort to stop what life was luring me do and listen to Him.

Take the time to ask for the infilling of the Holy Spirit and get ready to have the words jump off the pages as you Open The Book.

Monday, February 11, 2013

The Reruns

1 John 2:27
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true-it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. (NLT)

Okay,  we enroll in a course at college or wherever. That gets us permission to attend. We have no opportunity to learn by just enrolling. Then again, showing up for class does not mean we learn anything either. Sure, the teacher has a lot to say that could be beneficial, but  we  have to pay attention and participate.

And to really gain something out of the course we have to put our own time into reviewing the notes we took, doing the homework, and reading the material in the textbook required by the instructor.

If we do not take the time to do our part, we will gain nothing from the class. Our commitment and participation is necessary to our success, to our goal of learning the material we signed up to learn.

Sure, we gave our life to Jesus and He had the Father send Holy Spirit to live within. He can teach us everything we need to know.  But. we must participate. We need to have a true relationship with Jesus and take time to read and reread His Word daily.

The first time through the Bible  is great, but the  re-runs are even better. Holy Spirit teaches us as He reveals new truth to us right in His Word.

Monday, February 04, 2013

Good Works

James 3:13 
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. (NLT)

We all know many that appear to live an honorable life and that do good works. This does not mean they understand God's ways or even acknowledge Him at all. Good works are noticed by others especially when they are bragged about by those that do them. We see this in all walks of life as they tend to attached their names to the works they did.

Often when someone dies you hear about how good they were as an explanation of where they were spending eternity. The world has this formula that says you get to heaven based on how many good things you did in life. The Bible tells us a different story,

First one has to be saved and to do that they must acknowledge not only God, but accept Jesus as their Lord and savior. They must invite Jesus into their life; into their heart. When that truly happens, the Father sends Holy Spirit to reside in them. They are born again and on the path to an eternity with God; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Does God expect good works from us? Yes, He requires it. But as we become more Christ like over time our life of good works becomes second nature. We do because of who we have become. The works we do are not a calculated list of what we feel God would have us do. They are a result of listening to Holy Spirit as He instructs us and guides through our salvation experience; our walk with Him through this earthly life.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Living Life

Philippians 2:14-16
Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. (NLT)


Sounds just like me. Right! I wish this is how others saw me all the time. But it is probably not true. I can be seen complaining and arguing. When I am right, how can I help but challenge those who disagree with me?

It is tough to live life in this fast paced, competitive world and be the person this passage is suggesting. However, this is what we should be like. As believers and followers of Jesus who was just like this, doesn't God expect it of us?

How can we be shining His light in the world if we are engaging in things others can criticize us for? Being a believer is not a "do as I say not as I do" venture.

"Father, I know I fall short as I live this life you gave me. I want to be just like Jesus in all I do and say. Help me. Change me. Make me a living example of Jesus to all I come in contact with. In Jesus name, I pray."

Monday, January 21, 2013

Gossip

Proverbs 26:20. 
Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. (NLT) 

I wish I could say I am not one to gossip. But I guess I am. We just cannot seem to keep our nose out of others business. Of course everyone wants to tell us their business. That is not gossip. When we tell others about what they told us it becomes gossip.

Often we might meddle just to get the latest scoop on what is happening. Then we tell others what we heard and that is gossip.

Fact is, it is easier to deal with everyone elses stuff than to deal with our own. It is easy to understand their problems. We even have answers for them. We can tell them exactly why they are in the middle of their mess and what they have to do to fix it. This probably is because of all the movies and television we have watched. Isn't that where we get to be detectives and psychologists?

They ought to give a degree for the amount of crime shows we have digested. Go to college and earn an AS, BS, or PHD. Watch enough television and earn a TV degree.

It is often the meddling and resultant gossip that causes quarrels among family members and friends. If we could just stop the gossip, the quarrels will disappear.

Monday, January 14, 2013

He Intercedes

Hebrews 7:25. 
Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. (NLT) 

When I was growing up my parents had my back. They were praying for me and there for me whenever I did anything wrong and encouraging me through good and bad times as I learned to stand on my own two feet. Of course I did not realize this until I was a bit older and on my own. 

Even later in life as I dealt with grown up issues, I know they were back at their home interceding for me. And I am sure you are doing the same for those close to you. We care and pray for those we love without any need for them to know we are doing so. 

As believers who have asked Jesus into our hearts, He forever intercedes for us. He is a shield between us and the Father only allowing our best to pass through. He protects us and forgives us as we go about our lives bouncing from temptation to temptation trying hard to live as He who lives in us.

Monday, January 07, 2013

Drifting Away

Hebrews 2:1 
So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. (NLT)

It is so easy to drift away. Remember those friends you had at the last job your worked at? There were some you were close to, even did things with them outside of work. Then you left for another job. You still lived in the same city, but your relationship with them drifted away to a card at Christmas or perhaps to no contact at all.

Daily contact kept that relationship alive. Keeping in contact is a conscience decision we have to make. Sure the phone rings both ways, but that is not an excuse for not making the effort. And today with emailing, texting, and Facebook there is no reason we cannot retain some type of contact with others.

What about our relationship with God? Have we kept in contact with Him? Do we take the time to talk to Him, to pray to Him, to read His Word daily? That conscience decision of ours to stay in touch is all it takes to keep us from drifting away from Him.