1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (NIV)
A typical day for most is an early rise getting ready for another workday. It may include an exercise routine and breakfast or at least a cup or two of coffee.
Then, liking it or not, off to work we go. It does not matter what the job is. For some it is hard physical labor. Others sit at a desk or stand at a counter all day dealing with the public. Some stare at a computer screen while keeping their cool solving problems for their caller of the moment.
Some love their work and other despise it. Yet they all do it each and every day to survive in this world we live in. Many are so wrapped up in it that it has become their life. They know more about it and their fellow workers than their own family. Retirement becomes a scary thought because it means leaving that family.
Notice that God has not been mentioned and that is typical. God fits in on Sunday if nothing more important does not come first. After all, He understands all that is expected of us in our day to day life. Plenty of time for God when we get older.
Paul tells us to stand firm. I believe he is talking about our faith, our relationship with God. How firm is our relationship? Do we talk to Him during the day? Do we read His word first thing each morning? Do we pray without ceasing during our workday? Do we stand firm when others tempt us to get involved in gossip, dirty jokes, or inappropriate language?
We are to not let Satan and the temptation he sends us through other people or even those thoughts he gives us make us take our focus off of our Father God. Nothing should be able to move us.
And as we go about our workday giving ourselves fully to God, He opens up doors of opportunity for us to be a shining light to others. No matter the obstacles the enemy tries to erect in our path, our labor for the Lord is never in vain.
Let's give every day to the Lord and let the Holy Spirit guide us in all we do and say.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday, June 06, 2011
Five Rules to Live By
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love. (NIV)
Paul throws this in at the end of his first letter to the Corinthians. In this one sentence I find a lot of important points to remember as we travel on our Christian journey.
We are to be on guard.
We are to be aware of what is going on around us always watching out for the works of the enemy and his temptations. Others we know may be used as his vessels to coax us into things to bring us away from our journey.
We are to stand firm in the faith.
The faith being our belief in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And in our knowing that God the Father loves us and is always with us. That He is a loving God always out for our best interest. Yet like any good parent, He allows us to make our own choices in life while standing by to pick up the pieces when we realize we have taken the wrong path.
We are to be courageous.
The easiest thing to do is stand by and watch the world go by. And in this day and age we can do that without ever leaving our house. Many are worldly and opinionated about what is happening in the world only because of their addiction to television and the various news channels. And courageous is not about running into a burning building to save a child. It is about courage to go where most Christians dare not to find the lost and tell them about our faith; tell them about our experience with Jesus Christ.
We are to be strong.
Although it is a good thing to spend time building our physical body up. And I recommend a daily exercise program either at home or at a local gym, but that is not what this is about. We are to be strong in our faith. We know that we know that we know we are a child of God and we are saved by the blood of the Lamb. In Jesus we are strong and able to stand up against the wiles of the enemy which comes in all forms of mankind. Be strong when our friends and family members come against us. Be strong when even strangers confront us. Know that with Christ all things are possible and it is not our strength but His that we walk forth in.
We are to do everything in love.
And this is the most important of all the five rules. God is love and we are children made in the image and likeness of Him. When we fall into temptation, we take our eyes off of God. We momentarily forget who we are in Christ and that He is in us. We ignore the Holy Spirit within and take off on a side road in our journey. We are to love our fellow Christians, the non-believers we come into contact with, and our enemies. But we must be careful to remember the first four rules and not let our love for others allow us to be drawn away from our journey with Christ.
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love. (NIV)
Paul throws this in at the end of his first letter to the Corinthians. In this one sentence I find a lot of important points to remember as we travel on our Christian journey.
We are to be on guard.
We are to be aware of what is going on around us always watching out for the works of the enemy and his temptations. Others we know may be used as his vessels to coax us into things to bring us away from our journey.
We are to stand firm in the faith.
The faith being our belief in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And in our knowing that God the Father loves us and is always with us. That He is a loving God always out for our best interest. Yet like any good parent, He allows us to make our own choices in life while standing by to pick up the pieces when we realize we have taken the wrong path.
We are to be courageous.
The easiest thing to do is stand by and watch the world go by. And in this day and age we can do that without ever leaving our house. Many are worldly and opinionated about what is happening in the world only because of their addiction to television and the various news channels. And courageous is not about running into a burning building to save a child. It is about courage to go where most Christians dare not to find the lost and tell them about our faith; tell them about our experience with Jesus Christ.
We are to be strong.
Although it is a good thing to spend time building our physical body up. And I recommend a daily exercise program either at home or at a local gym, but that is not what this is about. We are to be strong in our faith. We know that we know that we know we are a child of God and we are saved by the blood of the Lamb. In Jesus we are strong and able to stand up against the wiles of the enemy which comes in all forms of mankind. Be strong when our friends and family members come against us. Be strong when even strangers confront us. Know that with Christ all things are possible and it is not our strength but His that we walk forth in.
We are to do everything in love.
And this is the most important of all the five rules. God is love and we are children made in the image and likeness of Him. When we fall into temptation, we take our eyes off of God. We momentarily forget who we are in Christ and that He is in us. We ignore the Holy Spirit within and take off on a side road in our journey. We are to love our fellow Christians, the non-believers we come into contact with, and our enemies. But we must be careful to remember the first four rules and not let our love for others allow us to be drawn away from our journey with Christ.
Monday, May 30, 2011
God Knows Me
1 Corinthians 13:12
All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. (NLT)
How many times have we heard people talking about getting to know themselves? That is not as strange as it may sound.
Others know us as the person we let them see. Often that visible person is not the real us. We hide who we think we are behind a mask of who we want them to see. And yet, who we really are is often hidden deep within and we do not even know who that is.
As we experience life, we learn more about the person behind the face in the mirror. Through the trials we face and our reactions to them we gain understanding of that person within. Sometimes it is a pleasant revelation and other times it reveals traits we are not pleased with.
The good news is that God already knows us completely. He knows who He destined us to become. He knows our potential and waits patiently for us to discover it.
When we become a believer our spirit man is re-born. Our sins are forgiven. The possibility of us becoming all God knows us to be is unlocked and we begin a journey of become Christ like in our nature and our actions.
All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. (NLT)
How many times have we heard people talking about getting to know themselves? That is not as strange as it may sound.
Others know us as the person we let them see. Often that visible person is not the real us. We hide who we think we are behind a mask of who we want them to see. And yet, who we really are is often hidden deep within and we do not even know who that is.
As we experience life, we learn more about the person behind the face in the mirror. Through the trials we face and our reactions to them we gain understanding of that person within. Sometimes it is a pleasant revelation and other times it reveals traits we are not pleased with.
The good news is that God already knows us completely. He knows who He destined us to become. He knows our potential and waits patiently for us to discover it.
When we become a believer our spirit man is re-born. Our sins are forgiven. The possibility of us becoming all God knows us to be is unlocked and we begin a journey of become Christ like in our nature and our actions.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Follow My Example
1 Corinthians 11:1
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (NIV)
I remember that old adage "Do as I say and not as I do." I truly used to expect my children to follow it. If I knew how they should behave and I was not behaving that way myself, how could I expect them to not follow my example?
How many of us made our children attend Sunday School every week and say their prayers each night, but failed to set that example for them? Do we set the right example for them today? Or are we still expecting them to listen to our logic over our life examples?
And what about those we work and socialize with? And by socialize I am including face-to-face as well as the virtual world of email, texting, Facebook, and Twitter.
Are the life examples we set consistent with what we "preach"?
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (NIV)
I remember that old adage "Do as I say and not as I do." I truly used to expect my children to follow it. If I knew how they should behave and I was not behaving that way myself, how could I expect them to not follow my example?
How many of us made our children attend Sunday School every week and say their prayers each night, but failed to set that example for them? Do we set the right example for them today? Or are we still expecting them to listen to our logic over our life examples?
And what about those we work and socialize with? And by socialize I am including face-to-face as well as the virtual world of email, texting, Facebook, and Twitter.
Are the life examples we set consistent with what we "preach"?
Monday, May 16, 2011
Living Power
1 Corinthians 4:20 The Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power. (NLT)
We all know people who can tell us how to do something. They have an answer for everything. When we get excited about starting on a new venture they can always be relied on to explain why will not be successful at it. When it comes to telling about the Good News to strangers they have the exact message that will bring everyone to their knees and to Christ.
But often it is just a lot of talk. We never hear stories of their successful ventures or about their leading someone to Christ. It is always about "how to do" and not about "how I did".
We can be the most informed person in the world and in the things of God. We can recite Bible verses left and right and argue with the best about what the Word of God says. But all that is just a lot of talk.
My cell phone is a great tool, but I have to plug it in to charge it daily so I can continue to benefit from the apps it has to offer.
In order to walk out in His power, we have to walk and not just talk. As we walk out doing what the Holy Spirit shows us, we not only grow in our faith, we see His power unleashed with increasing levels. When we plug in to Him our batteries are recharged and we get to walk out in the gifts as the Holy Spirit directs.
Obedience to His voice unleashes God's power and grows our faith.
We all know people who can tell us how to do something. They have an answer for everything. When we get excited about starting on a new venture they can always be relied on to explain why will not be successful at it. When it comes to telling about the Good News to strangers they have the exact message that will bring everyone to their knees and to Christ.
But often it is just a lot of talk. We never hear stories of their successful ventures or about their leading someone to Christ. It is always about "how to do" and not about "how I did".
We can be the most informed person in the world and in the things of God. We can recite Bible verses left and right and argue with the best about what the Word of God says. But all that is just a lot of talk.
My cell phone is a great tool, but I have to plug it in to charge it daily so I can continue to benefit from the apps it has to offer.
In order to walk out in His power, we have to walk and not just talk. As we walk out doing what the Holy Spirit shows us, we not only grow in our faith, we see His power unleashed with increasing levels. When we plug in to Him our batteries are recharged and we get to walk out in the gifts as the Holy Spirit directs.
Obedience to His voice unleashes God's power and grows our faith.
Friday, May 06, 2011
The Power
Remember that old TV show, "Have Gun--Will Travel"?
Paladin was a good guy with a black hat. His services were for hire. This was one of the most popular shows of the late 1950's. Okay, so you were not even born way back then. Google the show title and watch an episode or two. His Colt .45 gave him the power and those who hired him, the authority to fulfill his missions.
Luke 10:1,17
The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit... When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, "Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!" (NLT)
Jesus gave the disciples authority and power to go out two by two. Had they not gone would they have had the power?
If you want to have the power you have to do the work. It comes as a result of the doing. You do not get it first and then walk out. Power comes in the walk. As we walk God directs us onto the right path. But without motion there can be no direction. You just stand still looking around.
Just as in the law of physics that says every action has an equal and opposite reaction, every time we step out to complete the Father's work here on earth another piece is added to our spiritual man. We don't feel it, but we can tell when the next assignment comes along. We are able to recognize it quicker and complete it with an added level of confidence.
As baptized believers we have been given the Holy Spirit along with the authority and power to do whatever He tells us to do when we do so in the name of Jesus.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Superman
Acts 4:9-10 Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene. (NLT)
We all know about Superman. You remember? "Faster than a speeding bullet..." He was a comic book hero to many of us back in our youth. I recall seeing him first in a black and white serial between two two main shows on Saturday afternoons. He came from outer space and had super powers, but...
The "but" had to do with a particular rock from his home planet called Kryptonite. Whenever he was in close proximity to any of those rocks his powers disappeared and he even became very weak. Of course, one way or another he always made it through the difficult time and came out unscathed on the other side.
After Jesus left the disciples ascending to heaven to be with the Father, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell each believer. We became His ambassadors with authority and power to do what He did and more. He gave us His name to use, the powerful name of Jesus Christ.
When we lay hands on the sick, the weary, the demon possessed we have the power and the authority to use His name. It is His name, the name above all names, that makes it all happen.
Like Kryptonite was to Superman, our enemy is Satan. He drops thoughts into our head making us wonder if we really can heal that person. He temps us into other directions than where the Holy Spirit is leading. He is our nemesis and when we allow him to get in the way, we lose our power.
James 4:7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (NLT)
But all we have to do is resist the devil and he must flee. When we come against him, we regain our power and make it through the difficult time and come out unscathed on the other side.
We all know about Superman. You remember? "Faster than a speeding bullet..." He was a comic book hero to many of us back in our youth. I recall seeing him first in a black and white serial between two two main shows on Saturday afternoons. He came from outer space and had super powers, but...
The "but" had to do with a particular rock from his home planet called Kryptonite. Whenever he was in close proximity to any of those rocks his powers disappeared and he even became very weak. Of course, one way or another he always made it through the difficult time and came out unscathed on the other side.
After Jesus left the disciples ascending to heaven to be with the Father, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell each believer. We became His ambassadors with authority and power to do what He did and more. He gave us His name to use, the powerful name of Jesus Christ.
When we lay hands on the sick, the weary, the demon possessed we have the power and the authority to use His name. It is His name, the name above all names, that makes it all happen.
Like Kryptonite was to Superman, our enemy is Satan. He drops thoughts into our head making us wonder if we really can heal that person. He temps us into other directions than where the Holy Spirit is leading. He is our nemesis and when we allow him to get in the way, we lose our power.
James 4:7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (NLT)
But all we have to do is resist the devil and he must flee. When we come against him, we regain our power and make it through the difficult time and come out unscathed on the other side.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
