Thursday, May 30, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
May 29, 2013
Psalm 103:17-18 But from everylasting to everylasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-- those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
No family can claim to be perfect, not even the Waldens, Brady Bunch or Munsters. My family is no differnet. We have our share of mishaps, missteps and mistakes. But for all the warts and blemishes on the family tree, one thing has been a constant- a strong faith in and love for God.
Some inherit land, others large fortunes, but unless there is something my parents are not telling me, a large inheritance tax won't be an issue in my future. However, I grew up knowing that Jesus Christ was the only way to eternal life, God loves his children beyond comprehension and church ain't a bad place to be.
The legacy of faith that was handed down to me through my grandparents and parents is worth far more than silver or gold.
Matthew 6:19-21 and 2 Corinthians 4:19 remind is that earthly wealth is temporary and fleeting. In contrast a life lived for God not only brings an eternal reward for the individual, it benefits countless others along the way.
Not all families bequeath a multi-million dollar portfolio to the heirs, but all families can leave behind a spiritual legacy that will affect people for eternity.
Thank you to my family for that legacy.
No family can claim to be perfect, not even the Waldens, Brady Bunch or Munsters. My family is no differnet. We have our share of mishaps, missteps and mistakes. But for all the warts and blemishes on the family tree, one thing has been a constant- a strong faith in and love for God.
Some inherit land, others large fortunes, but unless there is something my parents are not telling me, a large inheritance tax won't be an issue in my future. However, I grew up knowing that Jesus Christ was the only way to eternal life, God loves his children beyond comprehension and church ain't a bad place to be.
The legacy of faith that was handed down to me through my grandparents and parents is worth far more than silver or gold.
Matthew 6:19-21 and 2 Corinthians 4:19 remind is that earthly wealth is temporary and fleeting. In contrast a life lived for God not only brings an eternal reward for the individual, it benefits countless others along the way.
Not all families bequeath a multi-million dollar portfolio to the heirs, but all families can leave behind a spiritual legacy that will affect people for eternity.
Thank you to my family for that legacy.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
May 23, 2013
Romans 15:2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.
In this verse, Paul is talking about doing things for others even if it is not the best for ourselves. Looking at this verse in context makes this clearer.
v. 1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
v. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."
Here is the rub, where is the line between doing for others at the expense of doing for ourselves? There is no end to the amount of time and money and emotional energy we could give to those who are in need, "the weak".
Is six hours a week given to ministry too much? Too little? What about 10% tithe? What if a married couple has differing ideas on what is an acceptable amount of ministry?
Or course our prayer is that the Lord will make abundantly clear those guidelines for our ministries, but as is far to often the case, our personal agendas get in the way of a clear message from God.
A second question is how do we determine what is "for their good" in regards to helping a neighbor? Are we helping or enabling?
And finally, the verse speaks to motivation. We are instructed to please our neighbors "to build them up". Not to impress others. Not to create a warm fuzzy in our hearts. But for the person we are helping. As much as possible our acts of kindness and generosity need to be 100% selfless.
What seems to be a simple, common sense verse can be quite complex in reality.
In this verse, Paul is talking about doing things for others even if it is not the best for ourselves. Looking at this verse in context makes this clearer.
v. 1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
v. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."
Here is the rub, where is the line between doing for others at the expense of doing for ourselves? There is no end to the amount of time and money and emotional energy we could give to those who are in need, "the weak".
Is six hours a week given to ministry too much? Too little? What about 10% tithe? What if a married couple has differing ideas on what is an acceptable amount of ministry?
Or course our prayer is that the Lord will make abundantly clear those guidelines for our ministries, but as is far to often the case, our personal agendas get in the way of a clear message from God.
A second question is how do we determine what is "for their good" in regards to helping a neighbor? Are we helping or enabling?
And finally, the verse speaks to motivation. We are instructed to please our neighbors "to build them up". Not to impress others. Not to create a warm fuzzy in our hearts. But for the person we are helping. As much as possible our acts of kindness and generosity need to be 100% selfless.
What seems to be a simple, common sense verse can be quite complex in reality.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
May 16, 2013
Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves;
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing."
the Mighty Warrior who saves;
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing."
I think we need to be careful when anthropomorphizing God. Does he have emotions similar to ours? (Sans jealously, rage, lust, etc.) Does the best, most pure earthly love even compare to God's "love"? However, with that caution, today's verse brought to mind all the times either in school or on the athletic field where I have seen a parent truly delight in their child.
Whether it is accepting an academic award, scoring a game winning goal or crossing the finish line first, the delight on a parent's face, in their words and actions is so many times just pure delight. Cheers, whistling, fists pumped in the air. Delight. Joy. Happiness.
The difference is that the delight of a father for his child is often times dependent on an over-the-top action or accomplishment. God's delight in us is not dependent on our being the best or some great achievement.
God delights in his children when we come to him in prayer. He delights in us when we walk away from that dirty joke at work. God gives his children a fist pump when we refuse to pass along that piece of family gossip on the phone. We get an "atta-boy" for befriending the new kid at school whose social skills may be lacking.
God delights in the Billy Grahams of the world. But he also delights in the vacation Bible school Kool-Aid mixer.
God delights in his children. He rejoices over us with singing. Take a few minutes, close your eyes and visualize God smiling at you, just you. Picture his smile. Notice how his eyes are twinkling. See the how deeply and intently his love and delight are focused just on you. Now, smile back and tell him you love him.
Whether it is accepting an academic award, scoring a game winning goal or crossing the finish line first, the delight on a parent's face, in their words and actions is so many times just pure delight. Cheers, whistling, fists pumped in the air. Delight. Joy. Happiness.
The difference is that the delight of a father for his child is often times dependent on an over-the-top action or accomplishment. God's delight in us is not dependent on our being the best or some great achievement.
God delights in his children when we come to him in prayer. He delights in us when we walk away from that dirty joke at work. God gives his children a fist pump when we refuse to pass along that piece of family gossip on the phone. We get an "atta-boy" for befriending the new kid at school whose social skills may be lacking.
God delights in the Billy Grahams of the world. But he also delights in the vacation Bible school Kool-Aid mixer.
God delights in his children. He rejoices over us with singing. Take a few minutes, close your eyes and visualize God smiling at you, just you. Picture his smile. Notice how his eyes are twinkling. See the how deeply and intently his love and delight are focused just on you. Now, smile back and tell him you love him.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
May 15, 2013
Ecclesiastes 11:5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the maker of all things.
We may not know or understand all God has done, is doing or will do, but what we can know is that nothing happens that is not caused/allowed by God and that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
We may not know or understand all God has done, is doing or will do, but what we can know is that nothing happens that is not caused/allowed by God and that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
May 14, 2013
I Corinthians 9:24-27 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Ironical, ain't it? When I most need to focus on God are the times when my mind is most likely to wander to other things.
The end of year is always a busy time full of details, deadlines and to-do lists. It is during these times I am most in need of God's calming, guiding and wisdom, but it is also during these times I have the most trouble giving Him my undivided attention and time.
I find myself rereading verses. Cutting pray time short. And interrupting quiet time to send that one email I forgot to send the day before.
Paul must have known how that felt (minus the email stuff). He writes in 1 Corinthians about the need for self-discipline in Christian growth. His analogy to an athlete's training schedule is very much like the Christian disciplines of meditation, prayer and Bible study. I particularly like verse 26- "therefore I do not run like someone who is running aimlessly."
Paul speaks of striking a blow to his body. In my case I need to strike a blow to my mind to make it focused, purpose driven and intentional when I come before the Lord.
Ironical, ain't it? When I most need to focus on God are the times when my mind is most likely to wander to other things.
The end of year is always a busy time full of details, deadlines and to-do lists. It is during these times I am most in need of God's calming, guiding and wisdom, but it is also during these times I have the most trouble giving Him my undivided attention and time.
I find myself rereading verses. Cutting pray time short. And interrupting quiet time to send that one email I forgot to send the day before.
Paul must have known how that felt (minus the email stuff). He writes in 1 Corinthians about the need for self-discipline in Christian growth. His analogy to an athlete's training schedule is very much like the Christian disciplines of meditation, prayer and Bible study. I particularly like verse 26- "therefore I do not run like someone who is running aimlessly."
Paul speaks of striking a blow to his body. In my case I need to strike a blow to my mind to make it focused, purpose driven and intentional when I come before the Lord.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
May 8, 2013
Colossians 4:5-6 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Christianity is not a part-time job. "Make the most of every opportunity." "Conversation be always full of grace. . ." "Know how to answer everyone."
As Christians we are instructed to view every encounter, every conversation, every interaction as an opportunity to either directly or indirectly share what Christ has done for us or model Christ-like attitudes and actions. On our own, this is an impossibility. But with God, it is possible.
Refer back to yesterday's blog- "Pray continually." That is the key to today's verses.
When I was a teenager in Bolivar, MO, I attended First Baptist Church. We had an outstanding youth pastor. While I cannot remember his last name, I believe his first name was Bob A story us has stuck with me all these years.
He recounted the time when he was younger and working in the meat department at a local supermarket.
There was a particular butcher who he remembered as being a very angry, disgruntled man who did not befriend anyone in the store except for Bob. Bob was involved in his church youth group and tried to live his Christian life outside of the church walls. He remembered the angry butcher treated him with more respect and even a level of kindness. The other meat cutters swore, told dirty jokes and had little use for God, but Bob would tell of his church youth activities, trips, etc.
A game that was played by the meat cutters was to take a butcher knife and slam it down as close as possible to the fingers of another. This was consistently met with a string of curses and deragatory remarks.
Bob told us of a time when the angry butcher slammed his butcher knife close to Bob's fingers and how his reaction was anything but Christian. Bob let loose with a string of curses that equaled anything uttered by the seasoned meat cutters. He said the butcher just stopped, looked him directly in the eyes and said, "I thought you were different." That was the last time the butcher treated him any different than all the other meat cutters at the store. Even though the event was many years in his past, the memory still haunted Bob.
We will make mistakes. Some of those mistakes can be corrected. Others cannot. But our goal needs to be to "make the most of every opportunity and let our conversation be always full of grace".
Pastor Hosea encourages his congregation to be in the Word 7/24. Paul reminds us that the Christian life is 24/7.
Christianity is not a part-time job. "Make the most of every opportunity." "Conversation be always full of grace. . ." "Know how to answer everyone."
As Christians we are instructed to view every encounter, every conversation, every interaction as an opportunity to either directly or indirectly share what Christ has done for us or model Christ-like attitudes and actions. On our own, this is an impossibility. But with God, it is possible.
Refer back to yesterday's blog- "Pray continually." That is the key to today's verses.
When I was a teenager in Bolivar, MO, I attended First Baptist Church. We had an outstanding youth pastor. While I cannot remember his last name, I believe his first name was Bob A story us has stuck with me all these years.
He recounted the time when he was younger and working in the meat department at a local supermarket.
There was a particular butcher who he remembered as being a very angry, disgruntled man who did not befriend anyone in the store except for Bob. Bob was involved in his church youth group and tried to live his Christian life outside of the church walls. He remembered the angry butcher treated him with more respect and even a level of kindness. The other meat cutters swore, told dirty jokes and had little use for God, but Bob would tell of his church youth activities, trips, etc.
A game that was played by the meat cutters was to take a butcher knife and slam it down as close as possible to the fingers of another. This was consistently met with a string of curses and deragatory remarks.
Bob told us of a time when the angry butcher slammed his butcher knife close to Bob's fingers and how his reaction was anything but Christian. Bob let loose with a string of curses that equaled anything uttered by the seasoned meat cutters. He said the butcher just stopped, looked him directly in the eyes and said, "I thought you were different." That was the last time the butcher treated him any different than all the other meat cutters at the store. Even though the event was many years in his past, the memory still haunted Bob.
We will make mistakes. Some of those mistakes can be corrected. Others cannot. But our goal needs to be to "make the most of every opportunity and let our conversation be always full of grace".
Pastor Hosea encourages his congregation to be in the Word 7/24. Paul reminds us that the Christian life is 24/7.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
May 7, 2013
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I am not suggesting a reworking of Paul's epistle to the Thessolians, but in my mind verse 17 is highlighted, bold-faced, italicized and underlined. "Pray continually."
How many mistakes, errors in judgement and poor decisions could be avoided if prayer were continual throughout the day?
Through prayer we have immediate, consistent access to the Creator of the Universe.
Jehovah-Jireh- The Lord our Provider
Need clarity- God Provides
Need strength- God Provides
Need widsom- God Provides
Need direction- God Provides
Need restoration- God Provides
Need peace- God Provides
In addition to the spiritual connection that prayer provides, there mental, emotional and physical benefits to prayer. Prayer calms the breathing, slows the heart rate and can help focus the mind on the issue at hand, or, if needed, help take the focus off the issue for a time.
Although closed eyes are not required for a prayer, there may be times when a person needs to seek out a supply closet, closed office door or even an outdoor park bench where a eyes can be closed and the head bowed. Regardless of one's posture, remember that the wisdom, strength, power and love of the Heavenly Father is ours to access through prayer.
"Pray continually."
I am not suggesting a reworking of Paul's epistle to the Thessolians, but in my mind verse 17 is highlighted, bold-faced, italicized and underlined. "Pray continually."
How many mistakes, errors in judgement and poor decisions could be avoided if prayer were continual throughout the day?
Through prayer we have immediate, consistent access to the Creator of the Universe.
Jehovah-Jireh- The Lord our Provider
Need clarity- God Provides
Need strength- God Provides
Need widsom- God Provides
Need direction- God Provides
Need restoration- God Provides
Need peace- God Provides
In addition to the spiritual connection that prayer provides, there mental, emotional and physical benefits to prayer. Prayer calms the breathing, slows the heart rate and can help focus the mind on the issue at hand, or, if needed, help take the focus off the issue for a time.
Although closed eyes are not required for a prayer, there may be times when a person needs to seek out a supply closet, closed office door or even an outdoor park bench where a eyes can be closed and the head bowed. Regardless of one's posture, remember that the wisdom, strength, power and love of the Heavenly Father is ours to access through prayer.
"Pray continually."
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
May 1, 2013
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, becaue anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Earnest- a serious and intent mental state is my God-seeking "serious and intent" or more casual and sporadic? As I look over the history of my blog, I see large gaps in my entries. Not all these gaps are a lack of earnest seeking, but they do align farily well with the dates when I have spent time alone with God. I tend to write during/after my quiet time.
During those seasons when I am earnestly seeking, what am I truly seeking?
"Seek HIM"- Does my morning time focus on God, or on what God can do for me?
"Help me with this. Please heal him." "She needs a job." "This ministry needs your blessing."
As modeled in the "Lord's Prayer", petitions should be part of a person's prayer life, but seeking God, knowing his fullness, experiencing his majesity, praising his being are, I believe, what God wants most from his children. The "gimme', heal me, help me" stream of prayers turn our relationship with God into a selfish, surface proposition.
First and foremost "earnestly seek him." Make knowing God at a deeper, more intimate level the goal of your Christian life. As our relationship with him grows, only good can come from that. All other aspects of a "good" Christian life will flow from a deeper relationship with the Creator.
Earnest- a serious and intent mental state is my God-seeking "serious and intent" or more casual and sporadic? As I look over the history of my blog, I see large gaps in my entries. Not all these gaps are a lack of earnest seeking, but they do align farily well with the dates when I have spent time alone with God. I tend to write during/after my quiet time.
During those seasons when I am earnestly seeking, what am I truly seeking?
"Seek HIM"- Does my morning time focus on God, or on what God can do for me?
"Help me with this. Please heal him." "She needs a job." "This ministry needs your blessing."
As modeled in the "Lord's Prayer", petitions should be part of a person's prayer life, but seeking God, knowing his fullness, experiencing his majesity, praising his being are, I believe, what God wants most from his children. The "gimme', heal me, help me" stream of prayers turn our relationship with God into a selfish, surface proposition.
First and foremost "earnestly seek him." Make knowing God at a deeper, more intimate level the goal of your Christian life. As our relationship with him grows, only good can come from that. All other aspects of a "good" Christian life will flow from a deeper relationship with the Creator.
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