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.
In this fast paced world we now live in most are in a "It is all about me" attitude. What can I do to please me? And the media bombards us with new things to try and please us. Others are tolerated as long as they don't mess with "my" agenda.
This is not how God wants us to live. It is not about our own interests at all. It is about His plans for us for today and tomorrow. The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord. Some seem to think it reads that we order our own steps and God comes with us wherever we want to go.
Well Holy Spirit is with every believer and does not leave when we go our own way. But I believe He is not too pleased with our rebellious paths taken to satisfy our own desires doing what pleases us. Not saying we are doing things displeasing to God. Just things that take us off the path He has planned for us.
If we stay on His path we grow at the rate planned for us. As we take side trips here and there our growth is limited and perhaps even placed on hold. I believe as we step into the places Holy Spirit guides us to we experience new things that may be out of our comfort zone. It is when we take a risk and walk out of that zone that we put faith to work. The result is growth in who we are in Christ and a much larger comfort zone.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
Sealed
Ephesians 1:13 NIV
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of his glory.
As we have seen in movies of times long ago, when a message or letter was sent to someone they would seal it with a glob of wax and then press their personal mark into the wax. This would secure the message so the recipient would know who it came from and that it had not been opened since its sealing.
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are saved. Our faith is in our eternal life in heaven with our Father God. But how do we know without a doubt that we are saved? It is because of the promised Holy Spirit.
Father God sends the Holy Spirit to live in each believer as Jesus promised. Remember they all waited in the upper room for the Holy Spirit? And when He came they were all filled with the Spirit and began speaking in tongues; everyone outside the room was hearing what they were saying in their native tongue even though the believers did not speak their language!
This is not a talk on speaking in tongues. It is about the Holy Spirit and the guarantee of our inheritance as God's sons and daughters.
Yes, tongues is proof of having the Holy Spirit and therefore being saved. But the real test is the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. What has changed since we first believed. Are we that same person from our past or are we different? Has our language changed? Are we offended by others that still speak with a foul mouth? Are violent movies now objectionable? Does our Bible come alive as we read it? Do we find ourselves attracted to people of Faith now instead of our old friends? And the list goes on.
Thanks you Jesus for changing me. Thank you for the evidence in my life that the Holy Spirit lives in me. Thank you for my inheritance being guaranteed.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of his glory.
As we have seen in movies of times long ago, when a message or letter was sent to someone they would seal it with a glob of wax and then press their personal mark into the wax. This would secure the message so the recipient would know who it came from and that it had not been opened since its sealing.
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are saved. Our faith is in our eternal life in heaven with our Father God. But how do we know without a doubt that we are saved? It is because of the promised Holy Spirit.
Father God sends the Holy Spirit to live in each believer as Jesus promised. Remember they all waited in the upper room for the Holy Spirit? And when He came they were all filled with the Spirit and began speaking in tongues; everyone outside the room was hearing what they were saying in their native tongue even though the believers did not speak their language!
This is not a talk on speaking in tongues. It is about the Holy Spirit and the guarantee of our inheritance as God's sons and daughters.
Yes, tongues is proof of having the Holy Spirit and therefore being saved. But the real test is the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. What has changed since we first believed. Are we that same person from our past or are we different? Has our language changed? Are we offended by others that still speak with a foul mouth? Are violent movies now objectionable? Does our Bible come alive as we read it? Do we find ourselves attracted to people of Faith now instead of our old friends? And the list goes on.
Thanks you Jesus for changing me. Thank you for the evidence in my life that the Holy Spirit lives in me. Thank you for my inheritance being guaranteed.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Flesh or Spirit
Galatians 6:8.NIV
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
When I was a boy growing up in New England the world's ways and God's ways were pretty close. I mean that the moral code of society and what we learned from His Word lined up pretty well.
This is not so in today's world. Back then my world was the area near my home, my home state, and my country. Daily at school I pledged allegiance to the flag of my country and prayed to my God openly. We all did.
Now the world is all over and we are bombarded daily with news, mostly bad, about what is going on in the far corners of the earth that we only had mentioned in school the middle of the last century. Even our entertainment in movies and on television has brought the world to our living rooms.
People everywhere want things to change to their liking and lawmakers scramble to change the rules so everyone is happy. But of course that is not possible. When they please one group they offend another. Instead of applying God's rules they try to make what they think are better ones.
It is out thinking that has to change, not our laws. When we think about things out of the will of God, we are in the flesh and consequences occur. When we think about things that line up with the will of God, we are in the Spirit.
Father God, help me to stay walking in the Spirit. Help me to get out of my fleshly thinking. In Jesus name, I pray.
Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
When I was a boy growing up in New England the world's ways and God's ways were pretty close. I mean that the moral code of society and what we learned from His Word lined up pretty well.
This is not so in today's world. Back then my world was the area near my home, my home state, and my country. Daily at school I pledged allegiance to the flag of my country and prayed to my God openly. We all did.
Now the world is all over and we are bombarded daily with news, mostly bad, about what is going on in the far corners of the earth that we only had mentioned in school the middle of the last century. Even our entertainment in movies and on television has brought the world to our living rooms.
People everywhere want things to change to their liking and lawmakers scramble to change the rules so everyone is happy. But of course that is not possible. When they please one group they offend another. Instead of applying God's rules they try to make what they think are better ones.
It is out thinking that has to change, not our laws. When we think about things out of the will of God, we are in the flesh and consequences occur. When we think about things that line up with the will of God, we are in the Spirit.
Father God, help me to stay walking in the Spirit. Help me to get out of my fleshly thinking. In Jesus name, I pray.
Monday, September 08, 2014
The Only Work
John 6:29 NLT
Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."
And yet how often are we told there are works that must be done for God? Perhaps most are not for God, but to maintain the church building and programs. Maybe we get a little mixed up with what is for God and what is for man.
After all doesn't scripture tell us to have a church? But doesn't it also define church as a body of believers sharing and serving each other? I cannot find anything that tells me to build a mega building or even a small one. Didn't the early church meet in each other's homes?
When that is the venue then all the offerings can actually go to the work of the ministry of that church. Think about the work we could do if almost all of our offerings went to support the missions of the church instead of the building and staff.
Don't get me wrong. I am not saying we should get rid of church as we know it today. I am saying all we have to do is believe in Jesus. It is that belief that gets us saved. It is that belief that allows the Father to send the Holy Spirit to guide us, to comfort us, to teach us. It is that belief that guarantees eternity with God.
So let's not get hung up on how much work we have to do. We should listen and hear God's voice and obey what He says. He does have work that needs to be done to bring all to a relationship with Him. Remember, His burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."
And yet how often are we told there are works that must be done for God? Perhaps most are not for God, but to maintain the church building and programs. Maybe we get a little mixed up with what is for God and what is for man.
After all doesn't scripture tell us to have a church? But doesn't it also define church as a body of believers sharing and serving each other? I cannot find anything that tells me to build a mega building or even a small one. Didn't the early church meet in each other's homes?
When that is the venue then all the offerings can actually go to the work of the ministry of that church. Think about the work we could do if almost all of our offerings went to support the missions of the church instead of the building and staff.
Don't get me wrong. I am not saying we should get rid of church as we know it today. I am saying all we have to do is believe in Jesus. It is that belief that gets us saved. It is that belief that allows the Father to send the Holy Spirit to guide us, to comfort us, to teach us. It is that belief that guarantees eternity with God.
So let's not get hung up on how much work we have to do. We should listen and hear God's voice and obey what He says. He does have work that needs to be done to bring all to a relationship with Him. Remember, His burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Monday, September 01, 2014
The Work of the Lord
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
When we think of labor it is easy to think of our employment here on earth. Many work a 9 to 5 job and consider it their labor done perhaps reluctantly to earn a paycheck. Some work for themselves perhaps doing manual labor like running a farm or taking care of other people's lawns, swimming pools, and the list goes on.
No matter what type of labor we are involved in, we work towards a goal and usually that is monetary so we can live and live the lifestyle we desire.
I started working very young delivering papers around my neighborhood every day. It taught me much in dealing with people and handling money. And the discipline of being there every day to get those papers delivered on time.
From there I worked in an ice cream parlor where we served people food and ice cream. From there I got right into hands on with money by working at a bank as a teller. That led to learning about computers back when few had them and I was launched in another career that still fascinates me today.
When my wife, Dianne was miraculously healed of Crohn's disease in 1991 everything changed. We accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, were baptised in the Holy Spirit, and God launched us on a labor of His love to lay hands on the sick and see them recover.
All too often our work daily at the job we have seems to be in vain. We do not always feel appreciated in what we do. But the work in this world is rewarded as we receive our paycheck. But our work in the Lord is rewarded in Heaven. That labor done as the Father leads us each day is never done in vain.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
When we think of labor it is easy to think of our employment here on earth. Many work a 9 to 5 job and consider it their labor done perhaps reluctantly to earn a paycheck. Some work for themselves perhaps doing manual labor like running a farm or taking care of other people's lawns, swimming pools, and the list goes on.
No matter what type of labor we are involved in, we work towards a goal and usually that is monetary so we can live and live the lifestyle we desire.
I started working very young delivering papers around my neighborhood every day. It taught me much in dealing with people and handling money. And the discipline of being there every day to get those papers delivered on time.
From there I worked in an ice cream parlor where we served people food and ice cream. From there I got right into hands on with money by working at a bank as a teller. That led to learning about computers back when few had them and I was launched in another career that still fascinates me today.
When my wife, Dianne was miraculously healed of Crohn's disease in 1991 everything changed. We accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, were baptised in the Holy Spirit, and God launched us on a labor of His love to lay hands on the sick and see them recover.
All too often our work daily at the job we have seems to be in vain. We do not always feel appreciated in what we do. But the work in this world is rewarded as we receive our paycheck. But our work in the Lord is rewarded in Heaven. That labor done as the Father leads us each day is never done in vain.
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