Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Forgiveness

I was having a conversation with someone and explaining that I feel our relationship is a little onesided. I feel my forgiveness is being taken advantage of. The Holy Spirit, never wasting an opportunity to teach ME a lesson wispered, "What about how you treat me?"

The first verses to come to mind was Romans 6:1-3 1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

The very thing I was speaking to this person about I do to Christ daily.

1 Timothy 1:15-16 15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

Christ has shown me MERCY and yet I was putting a quid pro quo status on a temporal relationship.

Mathew 6:9-15 9"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' 14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Danger! Danger, Will Robinson! The level to which we forgive others is the standard to which God forgives us.

Think about "that person" you've been carrying a grudge against. Think about the family member with the quirk the makes you want to make their face look like a catchers mit. Think of that individual who has sinned against you for the 490th time for the same offense. You know that you were not supposed to count, but you did, because said individual does "it" CONSTANTLY.

If you are a follower of Christ, you must forgive...AGAIN...and AGAIN...and AGAIN...forever.

That's the lesson God had for me today. I hope you benefit from it.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Who is in charge of your life?

That was the final question asked by Charles Stanley this morning. The question dovetails nicely in with the message delivered by Richard Moskos in church on Sunday.

God has been dealing with me of late as I've been struggling with the "me" "mine" "my" syndrome. Let's look at the scripture Richard shared and I'll share with you the questions the Holy Spirit asked me. I won't share any answers. Those are between you and God.

Acts 20:22-24 22"And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

"consider my life worth nothing."
  • How does that fit into "my rights", "my time"and "my wants"?
  • How much to I value "my life"?
"if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me."
  • How does that fit in with "my plan" and "my schedule"?
"the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."
  • How often do I testify?
  • Do I even think of spreading the gospel day to day?
Phil 3:7-11

7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.
  • What is "my profit"?
  • What possition does it hold in "my life"?
  • Does it compare with Christ?
  • Have it become more important than Christ?
I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him,
  • Rubbish? Really? But I've got some pretty nice stuff.
  • Does it really fulfill me?
  • Am I content?
not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
  • Righteousness not of my own.
  • Faith.
  • This is when I truly am content. This is where I find true fulfillment.
10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
  • Am I willing to suffer?
  • Am I willing to give up "my rights", "my time"and "my wants"?

13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
  • What have I done with the freedom Christ has given me?
  • Do I serve where I've been called to serve?
14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
  • Do I love my neighbor?
  • Do I make every effort to live in peace with them? Hebrews 12:14-15
16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
  • Do I live in the Spirit or in the flesh?
  • Do I even care?
I hope the lessons God is teaching me have been of some benefit to you.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Praying the Bible

I learned a long time ago that praying the Bible is a great way to pray. When we do, we are praying God's Word and not our own. Then we can confiendently claim his promises.

Today's message from John Piper reminded me of that truth. I'm only going to post the scripture he used and then quote him in the last paragraph. Read it through. If the Lord so leads, pray it through. I'm still trying to internalize this so I've got nothing to ad right now.

Psalm 119:36 "Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to gain."

Psalm 119:18 "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law."

Ephesians 1:18 "That the eyes of your heart may be enlightened."

Psalm 86:11 "O Lord, I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name."

Psalm 90:14 "O satisfy us in the morning with Your loving kindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

Ephesians 3:16 "That God would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man."

Colossians 1:10 "That [we] will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord... bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

"To remember some of these prayers, I use an acronym - IOUS - almost every day in praying for those I love, asking God to give us an inclination to his Word and not to money or fame or power (Psalm 119:36), and to open our eyes to see wonderful things when we read his Word (Psalm 119:18), and to have hearts united in the fear of God rather than fragmented over a dozen concerns (Psalm 86:11), and to be satisfied in his steadfast love (Psalm 90:14)."
By John Piper. © Desiring God.
Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?

Luke 6:46-49

46 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

One of the dangers in growing up in the "church" is learning the stories at a young age and then later in life thinking, "Oh that's a 'kid's' story. I've known that for years." And then proceed to ignore the lesson. This story falls into that category. I would probably have passed it buy with limited attention except the first verse caught my eye.

Why do I call Him Lord, if I do not do as he says? It's a fair question that I will not answer here. You should ask yourself the same.

The parable teaches us two things.
  1. What we build our life on will have and effect on the quality of life.
  2. Storms are coming.
Is your life built on the Rock of Jesus Christ? When times get tough he will always be there and help you stand even when trouble is all around you.

















Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Isaiah 40:28-31

Isaiah 40:28-31 Read it. Let the Lord speak and then return.

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

How often I forget exactly who God is. The creator. I don't understand quantum physics. God created quantum physics. I don't understand brain chemistry. God created my brain. I don't understand the path that America is on. Yet God has a plan for me and promised that it would be for my good. It may not be what I want, but it will be for my good.

Think of the child that asks for a cookie. The parent who cares about his child may say no and give a piece of fruit or carrot sticks. It is not what was asked for, but it was for their good.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

God never gets tired. He's never going to say, "Daddy's tired. Come talk to me later."

As for God's understanding I am reminded of Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

I also am thinking of how God answered Job's questions in Job 38. 2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? 3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. 4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Thank Him for that. Many times have I just said, "God I can't do this. You need to get me through it." And he does. We serve an awesome God.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

I'm not such a youth any more, (39 and counting) but from the standpoint of a person that woke up at 2:15am today for reasons unknown, I can understand tired.

But there is another kind of tired. It comes from the running around trying to "do good" and please everyone at church, home and work. I've tried to "live the Christian life" and all I did was wipe out and then I'd beat myself up for failure.

Turns out the "Christian life" is a works that is not Biblical.

31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Have you ever seen and eagle soar? Does he beat his wings and work up a sweat? NO! He spreads his wings and rides the currents in the air. The wind lifts him up. That is the way we are supposed to live as Christians. The source of our power comes from him. It's not about the "doing" or "not doing".

John 15:1-6 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

Galations 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

I hope the Lord has blessed you with His word.




Monday, September 13, 2010

Examine yourselves.

Every doubt your salvation? Ever wonder why you keep doing the wrong thing. Do these words from the apostle Paul ring true in your life?

Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

News flash. Every believer at one point or another struggles with this very thing. Look at the quoted verse above. It's from the Apostle Paul. THE GREATEST EVANGELIST THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN. If he struggled with this, why should we believe we won't?

What do we do?

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

What is inside you? What do you believe? Where is your hope? These are the questions you need to ask yourselves.

What about when we sin?

1 John 1:9 Confess! God will forgive. Confession is NOT saying I'm sorry. Confession is admitting and AGREEING with God that you have violated his standards. God promises to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. We will be as if we never sinned.

But we keep on sinning the same stuff over and over.

Romans 5:7-9 We were still sinners when Christ died for us. There was nothing worthy about us that made God do this. We keep forgetting that the Christian walk is NOT a "do/don't list" . It's faith in what Christ has DONE for us and our faith is in HIS work.

I also think we humans limit God to our understanding. When people we care about offend us in the same way over and over our tendancy is to hold a grudge or not believe the person. That is why Jesus had to tell the disciples in Matthew 18:21-22 and Luke 17:3-5 to forgive as God forgives. We're not to count up to 7 or 490 and stop forgiving, that's not the point. We're to keep on forgiving. God knows your heart. If you truely confess over and over, he will forgive over and over.

Search the scripture.

2Timothy 2:15 15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (KJV)

2 Peter 1:3-5 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Ps 119:11 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

We fill our lives with the garbage this world has offer through TV, RADIO, BOOKS, NEWS PAPERS and MAGAZINES and rarely take time to renew our minds with the word of God. Then we wonder why we doubt our salvation and stuggle in our walk with the Lord.

Sunday School and Church are great. Prayer service is great. Men's and women's Bible studies are great. Youth group is great. It's NOT ENOUGH. Get into his Word EVERY DAY. Examine yourself EVERY DAY. See that you are in the faith EVERY DAY.

This what the Lord had been showing me the past few weeks, I hope you benefit from it.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

He knows our needs.

I really needed this today. I have copied Charles Stanley's devotional in it's entirety. I encourage anyone reading this to follow the links at the bottom of the page and sign up for this daily devotional.

September 8 On Eagle's Wings Isaiah 40:28-31
After I'd witnessed an eagle in flight, I understood why God used this bird to describe a relationship with Him. The eagle—which simply opens its wings and soars—is wholly dependent upon air currents to keep it aloft.
In contrast, we often beat our wings trying to be better Christians. We resolve to read the Bible more or to improve at keeping our temper. We strive to escape old habits and temptations. But instead of flying to the mountaintops, we remain on the valley floor with tired wings. This is because believers sometimes get confused about what a spiritually mature person looks like. The godly believer isn't someone who tries and tries to do well. I've been a believer long enough to know that I can't live the Christian life. This flesh of mine isn't a bit better today than it was the day I was saved.
Spiritual maturity means recognizing that we do not change ourselves. Flesh is corrupt, and its vices cannot be suppressed by any human means. But our omnipotent Father subdues believers' human impulses through His Spirit. For example, God's indwelling Spirit calms anger and wields His strength to weaken the lure of old temptations. While others tire from trying to be good, the mature believer relies upon God and will "mount up with wings like eagles" (Is. 40:31).
Isaiah reminds us that even young men stumble and grow weak. Anyone trying to change himself into a model Christian will burn out beating his wings against the world system and his own flesh. God didn't make these human bodies, minds, or spirits to fly solo. He created us to soar on His strength.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit http://www.crosswalkmail.com/wlwnlzdsnfnbdjsybwqmtbktdzbjvqqjfgdtllydndsgnfj_gryrwgkrkwtc.html.
Watch Online Videos of Dr. Charles Stanley and In Touch Ministries at LightSource.comandListen to Dr. Charles Stanley Online Broadcasts at OnePlace.com.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Renewing your Mind

I've been thinking of late that I've been making poor decisions. Spiritually, emotionally, financially, physically and with my food intake. Just the other day I was thinking that it's time to "cut the crap" and do what I know to be right.

Several days ago my devotional from Charles Stanley was from Ephesians 4:20-24

20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Verse 22 speaks of your former way of life. The way we used to be. 2 Corinthians 5:16-18 say those in Christ are a "new creation" "the old has gone, the new has come!". I get frustrated when Christians say "I'm just a sinner saved by grace." No! Romans 5:7-9 says You WERE as sinner Christ died for you. We were "justified by his blood". If I am "just a sinner" then I still under wrath. Since I am a new creation, I am under grace.

That bring us to vs 23 being made new in the attitude of our minds. Immediately I am reminded of Romans 12:2 about "being transformed by the renewing of you mind". And next logical question is, how?

How did you learn about the world? You watched its TV. You read its books and listened to its music. You just through birth immersed yourself in the world. Transforming your mind is no different.

Start with the word of God Ps 119:11: Psalm 1: Romans yeah, the whole book. I used to think this book was too deep to understand. This book is the greatest book in my heart. It is when I scratched the surface of the truth held here that I began to stop making excuses and started moving forward for Christ. The first 11 chapters talk of all that Christ did for us when we were not worthy and the fact that there is nothing we can do to earn it. Mind boggling.

Prayer. Talk to God. You do not need long eloquent prayers. Just pour out your heart to him and the Holy Spirit will help Romans 8:26-27.

I hope the Lord has spoken to you as he has to me through this study. With his help I know that better decisions can be made.