Romans 13:13
Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. (NLT)
The world we live in and the people we know probably think us strange. We no longer have any interest in the things we used to like to do. No more parties. No more looking for things to fill our time until we had to go to work once more. And at work we would brag about the great times we had on the weekend and look forward to the plans for the the next weekend.
O we still might go to dinner and a movie together, but the eatery is not a local club anymore. We go for the food and not the beverages. And the movie is uplifting and happy instead of filled with sex and violence.
Was that change in us like flipping a switch. Not for most of us. It takes time while God is changing us from the inside out. At first we stopped the old ways not because our desire was gone. We still wanted to do those old things. We just knew we shouldn't. Over time our desire to repeat them was actually gone. With the help of Holy Spirit we no longer wanted them.
As we persistently seek His face the old desires fade away to be replaced with godly ones. At first we do because we should and over time we do because want to. And that journey takes us closer to God.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Monday, October 08, 2012
Copycat
Romans 12:2
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. (NLT)
Growing up the only way to make a copy of something was to take it to a professional printer. They would make a plate of it and then print any number of copies. Then technology came allowing us to feed the original into a machine with a special kind of paper. Out the other side came the original and a copy that was yellowish with a poor but readable copy of the original burned into it.
Then Xerox came out with a copy machine and it was so popular that even today when someone wants a copy of something they ask for a Xerox of it. "Can you Xerox this for me?" But with the home printers that include scanners available today, making a copy is as simple as pressing a button and the copy comes out in color. Often the original and the duplicate are so alike you cannot tell which is which.
As easy as it is to make a copy of a document or a photograph, it is just as easy to copy what everyone around us is doing. We become copycats without even realising it. After all, as the logical thinking goes, if everyone else is doing it or acting this way or agreeing with him, why shouldn't I do the same? Wrong!
The only copy we are to be is a copy of Jesus Christ. At first this might require conscious decisions as we go through each day. But God changes the way we think. As we allow Holy Spirit to teach us and change us, the decisions become as natural as breathing because we have taken on more of the mind of Christ.
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. (NLT)
Growing up the only way to make a copy of something was to take it to a professional printer. They would make a plate of it and then print any number of copies. Then technology came allowing us to feed the original into a machine with a special kind of paper. Out the other side came the original and a copy that was yellowish with a poor but readable copy of the original burned into it.
Then Xerox came out with a copy machine and it was so popular that even today when someone wants a copy of something they ask for a Xerox of it. "Can you Xerox this for me?" But with the home printers that include scanners available today, making a copy is as simple as pressing a button and the copy comes out in color. Often the original and the duplicate are so alike you cannot tell which is which.
As easy as it is to make a copy of a document or a photograph, it is just as easy to copy what everyone around us is doing. We become copycats without even realising it. After all, as the logical thinking goes, if everyone else is doing it or acting this way or agreeing with him, why shouldn't I do the same? Wrong!
The only copy we are to be is a copy of Jesus Christ. At first this might require conscious decisions as we go through each day. But God changes the way we think. As we allow Holy Spirit to teach us and change us, the decisions become as natural as breathing because we have taken on more of the mind of Christ.
Monday, October 01, 2012
Who Has Control
Romans 8:6
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. (NLT)
There is a difference form being led by our sinful nature, the Adamic nature and being led by our intellect. The difference as I see it is whether the results line up with the word of God; whether all the glory goes to Him.
If what we do is driven out of greed or anger, it is coming from that sinful nature. God is love and we are to be a reflection of that love. Because we know the right response or the good path to follow in life, we think we are saved. But are we?
Knowing the truth intellectually is not knowing God. It is following His principles in life. It is relying on our intellect to do the right thing. Hidden in the recesses of our mind is that Adamic spirit laughing at our ignorance. We think we are good and godly in how we live our lives, and yet the future is dim.
We wonder why things are always going awry. We are in a constant battle to stay focussed on the path we know to be true. We feel the enemy always confronting us at every decision, every fork in the road of life. Is it really him or is it the difficulty of trying to do the right thing without Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us each day?
When we give ourselves totally to God and follow Jesus, Holy Spirit comes to reside in us. And when we allow Him to rule and reign in us giving all control over to Him for our daily decisions our lives are filled with a peace that defies all human understanding.
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. (NLT)
There is a difference form being led by our sinful nature, the Adamic nature and being led by our intellect. The difference as I see it is whether the results line up with the word of God; whether all the glory goes to Him.
If what we do is driven out of greed or anger, it is coming from that sinful nature. God is love and we are to be a reflection of that love. Because we know the right response or the good path to follow in life, we think we are saved. But are we?
Knowing the truth intellectually is not knowing God. It is following His principles in life. It is relying on our intellect to do the right thing. Hidden in the recesses of our mind is that Adamic spirit laughing at our ignorance. We think we are good and godly in how we live our lives, and yet the future is dim.
We wonder why things are always going awry. We are in a constant battle to stay focussed on the path we know to be true. We feel the enemy always confronting us at every decision, every fork in the road of life. Is it really him or is it the difficulty of trying to do the right thing without Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us each day?
When we give ourselves totally to God and follow Jesus, Holy Spirit comes to reside in us. And when we allow Him to rule and reign in us giving all control over to Him for our daily decisions our lives are filled with a peace that defies all human understanding.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Patient Endurance
Hebrews 10:35
So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. (NLT)
We begin early in life to make lists of what we want--for birthdays, Christmas, marriage, new babies, and more. Then we look for others to give those things they have promised us. We do not always get all we asked for.
God's word is filled with promises to us. As we continue to abide in His word and do His will, He fulfills those promises in the timing important to our individual growth in our transformation walk.
What we need is trust; our fully trusting God. We do not get to make our own list of wants like our birthday or Christmas presents. Of course we can ask for anything, but He chooses if and when always looking to it lining up with His word.
All we need to do is continue to do God's will. Then in time, with patience, we will receive all that he has promised.
So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. (NLT)
We begin early in life to make lists of what we want--for birthdays, Christmas, marriage, new babies, and more. Then we look for others to give those things they have promised us. We do not always get all we asked for.
God's word is filled with promises to us. As we continue to abide in His word and do His will, He fulfills those promises in the timing important to our individual growth in our transformation walk.
What we need is trust; our fully trusting God. We do not get to make our own list of wants like our birthday or Christmas presents. Of course we can ask for anything, but He chooses if and when always looking to it lining up with His word.
All we need to do is continue to do God's will. Then in time, with patience, we will receive all that he has promised.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Doing Good
Galatians 6:10
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith. (NLT)
I remember my mother telling me "If you can't say something good, don't say anything at all". Doing good has to do with what we say as well as what we do. But what does it really mean to do good?
Sure, we send out checks to various charities and volunteer at the local soup kitchen. And that is good, but those are not the only opportunities we come across. Many we simply avoid because they don't fit our lifestyle, social status, or personal desires.
It is easy to do good when it fits our plan. But what about His plan? Do we pay attention to what is going on around us or are we too focused on our plan, on our to-do list?
When someone is in need, especially someone we are in relationship with, someone who goes to church with us, are we there with a meal, a prayer, an anonymous donation, or even just an ear to listen?
Being a Christian is more than getting a bus ride to heaven. It is about the journey from now until then. And it is about who we become during the journey. The more we give to others out of their need instead of ours, the more Christ like we become.
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith. (NLT)
I remember my mother telling me "If you can't say something good, don't say anything at all". Doing good has to do with what we say as well as what we do. But what does it really mean to do good?
Sure, we send out checks to various charities and volunteer at the local soup kitchen. And that is good, but those are not the only opportunities we come across. Many we simply avoid because they don't fit our lifestyle, social status, or personal desires.
It is easy to do good when it fits our plan. But what about His plan? Do we pay attention to what is going on around us or are we too focused on our plan, on our to-do list?
When someone is in need, especially someone we are in relationship with, someone who goes to church with us, are we there with a meal, a prayer, an anonymous donation, or even just an ear to listen?
Being a Christian is more than getting a bus ride to heaven. It is about the journey from now until then. And it is about who we become during the journey. The more we give to others out of their need instead of ours, the more Christ like we become.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Encourage
Romans 1:12
When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. (NLT)
I remember playing on a baseball team when I was growing up. The shortest one on the team and I got a walk most of the time. The strike zone was pretty small. The only time I did not get a walk was when I tried to hit the ball. I was not very good at it and no matter how many times I tried, I struck out. The worst was when we were down a run, bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two outs and I was up to bat. You guessed it. I struck out and we lost the game. I was discouraged but my teammates and my coach still encouraged me.
How important it is to encourage others in their faith walk. They look at others and see how their faith works in their lives. And they have a hard time relating because they cannot picture themselves letting go of the steering wheel. They want to remain in control.
And isn't this true with us as well? No matter how far we have walked, there are places we have not gotten to yet and others we can look up to that have made it. In that area their faith is stronger than ours.
We all need encouragement in our walk as God helps us change one little bit at a time. As we hear testimony from others about what they had to go through to walk the walk they are walking, we will be encouraged to keep on keepin on.
So take the time today to encourage another in their walk with Jesus.
When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. (NLT)
I remember playing on a baseball team when I was growing up. The shortest one on the team and I got a walk most of the time. The strike zone was pretty small. The only time I did not get a walk was when I tried to hit the ball. I was not very good at it and no matter how many times I tried, I struck out. The worst was when we were down a run, bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two outs and I was up to bat. You guessed it. I struck out and we lost the game. I was discouraged but my teammates and my coach still encouraged me.
How important it is to encourage others in their faith walk. They look at others and see how their faith works in their lives. And they have a hard time relating because they cannot picture themselves letting go of the steering wheel. They want to remain in control.
And isn't this true with us as well? No matter how far we have walked, there are places we have not gotten to yet and others we can look up to that have made it. In that area their faith is stronger than ours.
We all need encouragement in our walk as God helps us change one little bit at a time. As we hear testimony from others about what they had to go through to walk the walk they are walking, we will be encouraged to keep on keepin on.
So take the time today to encourage another in their walk with Jesus.
Monday, September 03, 2012
Faith Grows
Colossians 2:6
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (NLT)
There is no one way. Yes, the one way to Heaven is through God's saving grace. But the way we travel between now and then is as varied as the number of persons on this earth. We each accept Jesus as our Lord and through prayer and study we sink our roots deep in Him.
Our roots are not the same as anyone else and they are not tangled up with any other roots. Our path is unlike any other. But this is not all we are to do. Sure we should be praying, reading our Bibles, and meditating on what we read.
I go a gym during the week and exercise my muscles. As I am faithful to do that, my muscle grow in proportion to the time I spend in exercise. Limited exercise equals limited growth.
It is what we do with our lives that builds our faith. We all begin with little faith; faith the size of a mustard seed. As we listen and let Holy Spirit guide us each day our lives become built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Just like a muscle, as we exercise our faith, as we do what He tells us to do, our faith grows a little bit at a time.
Faith grows, but not because we study His word. No, it grows as we let our roots go down deep and then build our lives on Him.
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (NLT)
There is no one way. Yes, the one way to Heaven is through God's saving grace. But the way we travel between now and then is as varied as the number of persons on this earth. We each accept Jesus as our Lord and through prayer and study we sink our roots deep in Him.
Our roots are not the same as anyone else and they are not tangled up with any other roots. Our path is unlike any other. But this is not all we are to do. Sure we should be praying, reading our Bibles, and meditating on what we read.
I go a gym during the week and exercise my muscles. As I am faithful to do that, my muscle grow in proportion to the time I spend in exercise. Limited exercise equals limited growth.
It is what we do with our lives that builds our faith. We all begin with little faith; faith the size of a mustard seed. As we listen and let Holy Spirit guide us each day our lives become built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Just like a muscle, as we exercise our faith, as we do what He tells us to do, our faith grows a little bit at a time.
Faith grows, but not because we study His word. No, it grows as we let our roots go down deep and then build our lives on Him.
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