Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to interview Jesus. "Why do your disciples disobey our age-old traditions?" they demanded. "They ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat." (NLT Matthew 15:1-2)
Do you know anybody who always talks about the good old days? Hindsight is twenty-twenty. We have all heard that one and we know it is true. The further ahead we get the better we see what we left behind.
Sure, life was different when we were growing up. We had not been through all the trials that got us to where we are right now. It was a simpler life. I for one do not want to go back there. I like cell phones, notebook computers, the Internet, PDAs, movies on demand, microwaves, GPS navigational systems, and all the conveniences we have in the early stages of the twenty-first century.
We want new things without change--a better life without having to give anything up. Everyone wants eternal life. Look how many are using whatever means they can to live longer and longer. It is not just in the movies that people are thinking about cloning themselves as a way to love forever.
True eternity is not a physical thing; it is spiritual. When we become born again, we are born of the Spirit. The next step is to walk in step with Jesus, to take on His nature. As our relationship grows, so do we; change occurs. We must give up the ways of the old traditions to take on the new. No longer do we think how great the good old days were.
Are you ready to give up your age-old traditions?
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Monday, February 05, 2007
FILTERS
Those who have been born into God's family do not sin, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they have been born of God. (NLT 1 John 3:9)
I receive many emails each day and quite a few are spam. To reduce the number of unsolicited emails I use a filter. My email program allows me to set up parameters which, if met drop the unwanted mail into my junk folder. Mail falling into the rules set up in those filters cannot find its way to my inbox.
When we are born again, we are given the chance to start over with a clean slate. All our past sins are not only forgiven, but in God’s eyes, they have never existed. We are truly a new being; truly given a second chance at this life.
Knowing what we know about our past, we must set up our own filters to insure we are not pulled back into an old life. We need to set filters for how we speak, who we hang around, what we are involved in, and whatever else might tempt us back to the old ways. God does not set the filters; we do.
When we do, our lapses into sin will be less and less. We are born of God and cannot keep on sinning because His life is in us--the spirit of Christ is within.
Have you set your filters?
Those who have been born into God's family do not sin, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they have been born of God. (NLT 1 John 3:9)
I receive many emails each day and quite a few are spam. To reduce the number of unsolicited emails I use a filter. My email program allows me to set up parameters which, if met drop the unwanted mail into my junk folder. Mail falling into the rules set up in those filters cannot find its way to my inbox.
When we are born again, we are given the chance to start over with a clean slate. All our past sins are not only forgiven, but in God’s eyes, they have never existed. We are truly a new being; truly given a second chance at this life.
Knowing what we know about our past, we must set up our own filters to insure we are not pulled back into an old life. We need to set filters for how we speak, who we hang around, what we are involved in, and whatever else might tempt us back to the old ways. God does not set the filters; we do.
When we do, our lapses into sin will be less and less. We are born of God and cannot keep on sinning because His life is in us--the spirit of Christ is within.
Have you set your filters?
Sunday, January 07, 2007
MAN IN THE MIRROR
As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person. (NLT Proverbs 27:19)
Mirror mirror on the wall... We all remember that line from Snow White. The reflection we see in the mirror is how we look to others; how they see us with their mortal eyes. It is not a reflection of how we feel or of the deep hurts we many be harboring. It is just the way we have groomed ourselves to appear to the world. It is like the WYSIWYG feature of most computer applications used today; what you see is what you get.
What if we could choose between seeing the reflection of our mortal self, the image others see, and the reflection of our Spirit man, the person whose presence others feel when they are around us? How finished would that reflection be? Would there even be a reflection?
Who do you see in your mirror?
Mirror mirror on the wall... We all remember that line from Snow White. The reflection we see in the mirror is how we look to others; how they see us with their mortal eyes. It is not a reflection of how we feel or of the deep hurts we many be harboring. It is just the way we have groomed ourselves to appear to the world. It is like the WYSIWYG feature of most computer applications used today; what you see is what you get.
What if we could choose between seeing the reflection of our mortal self, the image others see, and the reflection of our Spirit man, the person whose presence others feel when they are around us? How finished would that reflection be? Would there even be a reflection?
Who do you see in your mirror?
RELATIONSHIP
Don't speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God's law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it. (NLT James 4:11)
Many watch shows on television having to do with legal battles. We see guilty and not guilty represented in court by lawyers. Some of us have actually seen it in reality by being called to jury duty. Others have had the misfortune of being the one on trial. The job of the judge is to make sure the law is obeyed.
In an attempt to not be judged wrongly, it can be easy to point fingers at others; to place the blame on them for some wrong. By doing so we are disobeying His commandment to love each other as He loves us. He is the judge; not us.
Our job is to hear His words and obey them. This is not an easy task if we do not really know Him. Sure, we all know about Him. We believe God exists and that He rules over all. I know who the mayor of our city is, too. Without a personal relationship with him, I will never hear his words. So how can any of us expect to hear from God if we do not have a personal relationship with Him?
Are you in relationship with Jesus Christ?
Sunday, December 31, 2006
RELATIONSHIP in 2007
By Dick Evans
As we start this New Year, I believe we should reevaluate relationship.
Relationship is defined in Encarta as a significant connection or similarity between two or more things, or the state of being related to something else. As Christians, we speak about our relationship with God. Those who consider themselves to be born again, say their walk with Christ is not about religion, it is about relationship.
With this in mind, it does not matter which religious group we belong to; what brick and mortar church building we attend each week. What matters is our personal relationship with Christ, our walk with Him each day. Church is the body of Christ; the gathering of two or more believers.
Some believe their relationship with God is centered on time spent in “the Word”. By this they are referring to the Word of God, the Bible as we know it. They bicker back and forth as to translations to use and often refer back to the original text to accurately discover what the original author meant to say to his intended audience. Their relationship is with the Word of God.
Each book of the Bible was penned by man, inspired by God. However, are we not reading about another human being's relationship with God? I believe we are. As we read his book, we discover more about his relationship with God. In a similar way, as we read current day Christian literature and listen to sermons available in all forms, we receive further insight into the relationship those authors have with God.
What we should want is our own relationship with the living God. Yes, we are to be in the Word daily. The Word is Christ, He is in us, and we are in Him. Is reading the Bible the same as being in Him? I do not think so. I believe one way God speaks to us today is through His written Word. It does not matter which translation we use. He knows and will direct us to the scripture pertinent to our situation for today. Be it NIV, NLT, KJV, NASB, NKJV, or any other, He knows how to communicate to us. He knows how to reveal to us a Word for today, a Word to guide us, to instruct us, to comfort us, or to encourage us.
I am not trying to tell you not to read and study the Bible. Nor am I inferring you should stop reading or listening to wisdom from other Christians; not at all. In all we do, God can bring revelation to us. He can take the worldly means of communication and point us to His truth.
Being religious is not bad unless it is a replacement for relationship with Jesus Christ. Daily reading of His word is necessary, but should not be mistaken as having that relationship. Reading other authors or listening to them is good, but is not a replacement for reading and studying His Word for you. He wants us to grow in Him. To do that we must communicate with Him; we speak to Him and listen to His answer. And always rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you into all Truth.
By Dick Evans
As we start this New Year, I believe we should reevaluate relationship.
Relationship is defined in Encarta as a significant connection or similarity between two or more things, or the state of being related to something else. As Christians, we speak about our relationship with God. Those who consider themselves to be born again, say their walk with Christ is not about religion, it is about relationship.
With this in mind, it does not matter which religious group we belong to; what brick and mortar church building we attend each week. What matters is our personal relationship with Christ, our walk with Him each day. Church is the body of Christ; the gathering of two or more believers.
Some believe their relationship with God is centered on time spent in “the Word”. By this they are referring to the Word of God, the Bible as we know it. They bicker back and forth as to translations to use and often refer back to the original text to accurately discover what the original author meant to say to his intended audience. Their relationship is with the Word of God.
Each book of the Bible was penned by man, inspired by God. However, are we not reading about another human being's relationship with God? I believe we are. As we read his book, we discover more about his relationship with God. In a similar way, as we read current day Christian literature and listen to sermons available in all forms, we receive further insight into the relationship those authors have with God.
What we should want is our own relationship with the living God. Yes, we are to be in the Word daily. The Word is Christ, He is in us, and we are in Him. Is reading the Bible the same as being in Him? I do not think so. I believe one way God speaks to us today is through His written Word. It does not matter which translation we use. He knows and will direct us to the scripture pertinent to our situation for today. Be it NIV, NLT, KJV, NASB, NKJV, or any other, He knows how to communicate to us. He knows how to reveal to us a Word for today, a Word to guide us, to instruct us, to comfort us, or to encourage us.
I am not trying to tell you not to read and study the Bible. Nor am I inferring you should stop reading or listening to wisdom from other Christians; not at all. In all we do, God can bring revelation to us. He can take the worldly means of communication and point us to His truth.
Being religious is not bad unless it is a replacement for relationship with Jesus Christ. Daily reading of His word is necessary, but should not be mistaken as having that relationship. Reading other authors or listening to them is good, but is not a replacement for reading and studying His Word for you. He wants us to grow in Him. To do that we must communicate with Him; we speak to Him and listen to His answer. And always rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you into all Truth.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
POPUPS
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (NLT Hebrews 13:8 )
One annoying aspect of some web sites is the way other screens filled with ads pop up as you are working. Because of this nuisance, the latest browsers include a popup blocker feature. Often this eliminates some windows we really do want to pop up, so we have to learn how to turn the feature off and on.
Soon after Jesus left, new religions began to popup. They purported to be believers and followers of Jesus, but they added their own twist. Some differences had to do with their culture, and others from their previous pagan traditions. Encarta tells us religion is a set of strongly held beliefs, values, and attitudes one lives by. It also states that it is a particular institutionalized or personal system of beliefs and practices relating to the divine. We usually think of the institution. Catholicism is what we think of as the first organized Christian religion. Then years later, there was another popup, the protestant religion, and then one popup after another right up to today.
Jesus did not tell us to believe in an institution. He said we were to follow Him and be guided by the one He sent, the Holy Spirit. Man added the religious component. Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will never change. We have to stop looking for the latest popup and go back to just listening to the Holy Spirit as we walk out each day.
When it comes to Windows or worship, we need to keep our popup blockers on.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (NLT Hebrews 13:8 )
One annoying aspect of some web sites is the way other screens filled with ads pop up as you are working. Because of this nuisance, the latest browsers include a popup blocker feature. Often this eliminates some windows we really do want to pop up, so we have to learn how to turn the feature off and on.
Soon after Jesus left, new religions began to popup. They purported to be believers and followers of Jesus, but they added their own twist. Some differences had to do with their culture, and others from their previous pagan traditions. Encarta tells us religion is a set of strongly held beliefs, values, and attitudes one lives by. It also states that it is a particular institutionalized or personal system of beliefs and practices relating to the divine. We usually think of the institution. Catholicism is what we think of as the first organized Christian religion. Then years later, there was another popup, the protestant religion, and then one popup after another right up to today.
Jesus did not tell us to believe in an institution. He said we were to follow Him and be guided by the one He sent, the Holy Spirit. Man added the religious component. Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will never change. We have to stop looking for the latest popup and go back to just listening to the Holy Spirit as we walk out each day.
When it comes to Windows or worship, we need to keep our popup blockers on.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
TUG OF WAR
Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. (NLT Hebrews 12:14)
Most outings include many competitive games to play. Usually found are horseshoes, volleyball, and often tug of war. The later is simply a rope. One team grabs an end and the other team grabs the other end. Both teams pull with all their might trying to cause the other team to fall or be dragged over a middle line.
It is easy to say you want to go to heaven, but not as easy to live a holy life. It is like that game of tug of war--the world on one side and our desire to follow Christ on the other.
We spent most our life on the other side. We know many of the team members and are even trying to convince them to switch sides. The activities they are into are the ones we always had fun with. Temptation is great to go back, if just for a little while. What could it hurt?
The choices we make do count. It is important for us to try to live in peace with everyone, and to try to live a clean and holy life.
Is going over to the other side worth the possibility of not seeing the Lord?
Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. (NLT Hebrews 12:14)
Most outings include many competitive games to play. Usually found are horseshoes, volleyball, and often tug of war. The later is simply a rope. One team grabs an end and the other team grabs the other end. Both teams pull with all their might trying to cause the other team to fall or be dragged over a middle line.
It is easy to say you want to go to heaven, but not as easy to live a holy life. It is like that game of tug of war--the world on one side and our desire to follow Christ on the other.
We spent most our life on the other side. We know many of the team members and are even trying to convince them to switch sides. The activities they are into are the ones we always had fun with. Temptation is great to go back, if just for a little while. What could it hurt?
The choices we make do count. It is important for us to try to live in peace with everyone, and to try to live a clean and holy life.
Is going over to the other side worth the possibility of not seeing the Lord?
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