It's been a couple of weeks since I have added anything new, sometimes things get pretty crazy in our lives, huh? Anyway, thank you for reading these and sharing them with others.
This week, on many occassions, I have been reminded of a song that I learned many, many years ago. I have still sang and led this song on occasion, because it has so much truth in it. Here are the words:
In blessing we are blessed
And in loving we find love
In giving we receive
Everything from God above
It's in the doing of the Word
and not the hearing only
That makes it a reality
That's what living in the Kingdom
Is all about
For people like you and me.
Powerful!! There is so much packed into this little chorus.
When we look at the Scriptures, in James 1:22, from the New American Standard Bible version, it says, "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves." Be a doer! Not just a hearer! Or do what you hear, don't just listen. See, anyone can listen to the Word, that takes no real effort on anyones part. But doing it is another story. Not that we have a struggle to do it, because HE has given us all the power we need to accomplish every task HE desires from us (Phillipians 4:13). No, the struggle is in the deciding, or choosing, to do it. We all have this "gift" of "selective hearing." We hear what we want to, and choose to ignore what we don't want to hear. This same scripture from 2 other translations says it this way. From the Good News Bible, "Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice." Also from The Message, "Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!"
All these sciptures talk about the fact that if we just hear, but don't do, we are deceiving ourselves, or fooling ourselves! Churches are full of people who are just hearing and not doing! I don't mean for that to sound condemning or condescending, but we all know it's true! Did you catch the fact that it says we are fooling ourselves! No one else is fooling us! Not even the enemy of our souls! We are fooling ourselves by just hearing and not doing! We have all said this little saying at one time or another, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me!" If the Bible is true, and I believe it is, I hope you do too, then when it comes to the hearing and doing of the Word, if I am just hearing the Word, but not doing what it says, then I am fooling myself!!
As the chorus I shared with you says, when I bless someone else, then I am blessed in return. When I love someone else, then I am loved in return. When I give to someone else, then I receive in return. Much of our thought is that we want to receive before we give! We want the cart before the horse! We can't have a harvest until we have a planting of the seed! We can't eat apples until apple seeds are planted. We can't eat tomatoes until tomatoe seeds are planted. Someone must plant a seed, before there is a harvest!
Don't just hear HIS Word, but be a doer of HIS Word. Hear it and do it! I understand that we may all have different ideas as to what all that may mean, but let us all make up our minds we will not fool ourselves and just be a hearer!
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Walking Or Sinking?
In Matthew 14, we have the story of Jesus sending the disciples to the other side of the sea ahead of HIM. As HE comes walking on the water, the disciples become terrified of what they are seeing. "It's a ghost", they said. But Jesus tries to assure them that it is HIM, walking on the water. Suddenly Peter speaks up and says, in verse 28, "Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you on the water." Jesus says, "come on!".
Peter climbs over the side of the boat and walks on the water to Jesus! It doesn't say how far Peter got. Maybe 2, 3, or 4 feet. Maybe 20, 30, or 40! Maybe farther! It doesn't say. But it does say, Peter walked on the water! After a ways, he began to look down at the waves and became afraid. Then, he began to sink. But not before he looked away from Jesus!
Peter's step of faith was not when he stepped on to the water and it held him. His step of faith was when he swung his leg over the side of the boat! That was his step of faith!
As I already said, Peter did walk on the water! That must have been exciting for him, and completely shocking to the other disciples in the boat! He started toward Jesus, and was moving across the top of the water. No problems, no worries, no fears! Things were going great! He was heading toward Jesus. Right where he wanted to be. With his Master and Lord!
But something happened. Something caught his attention and drew it away from where it had been all this time, on Jesus. Peter looked down at the waves, then, he became afraid, then he began to sink. But it wasn't until he had taken his eyes off of the goal, which was Jesus!
He got his eyes off of the goal, then began to sink. Have your eyes gotten off of the goal? Are you finding yourself sinking in an ocean of troubles, fears, anxieties, frustrations, jealousy, anger, hatred, hurts, on and on?!?! Peter got his eyes off of Jesus, and on to the waves, then he began to sink. I wonder how far he would have walked with the Lord if he had kept his eye on HIM? I wonder what all he would have accomplished had he not looked down at the waves splashing and crashing all around him?
Everyone has heard of Henry Ford, the father of the automobile industry. Henry Ford said, "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off of the goal".
Are there obstacles in your way? Are there things trying to slow you down from pressing forward into Christ? Keep your eyes on Jesus! Don't look down at the waves. Keep your eyes on HIM. In Hebrews 12:2, it says we are to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." The Amplified Bible says it this way, "Looking away, from all that will distract, to Jesus..."
We can't afford to be distracted. It's the difference between walking and sinking! Don't let the enemy of our souls distract you with his lies. Phillipians 4:13, in The Message, says, "Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."
Even if we have gotten distracted, Jesus is right there in HIS awesome grace and mercy to pick us up from sinking in the waves, setting our feet back on top of the waves, and finishing the walk to the boat! HE is so awesome and great!
You and I are either walking on the water, or sinking in the water! It depends on what we are looking at! HIM or the waves! I choose HIM!
Jesus just might say it this way today, "Come on, let's do this!"
Peter climbs over the side of the boat and walks on the water to Jesus! It doesn't say how far Peter got. Maybe 2, 3, or 4 feet. Maybe 20, 30, or 40! Maybe farther! It doesn't say. But it does say, Peter walked on the water! After a ways, he began to look down at the waves and became afraid. Then, he began to sink. But not before he looked away from Jesus!
Peter's step of faith was not when he stepped on to the water and it held him. His step of faith was when he swung his leg over the side of the boat! That was his step of faith!
As I already said, Peter did walk on the water! That must have been exciting for him, and completely shocking to the other disciples in the boat! He started toward Jesus, and was moving across the top of the water. No problems, no worries, no fears! Things were going great! He was heading toward Jesus. Right where he wanted to be. With his Master and Lord!
But something happened. Something caught his attention and drew it away from where it had been all this time, on Jesus. Peter looked down at the waves, then, he became afraid, then he began to sink. But it wasn't until he had taken his eyes off of the goal, which was Jesus!
He got his eyes off of the goal, then began to sink. Have your eyes gotten off of the goal? Are you finding yourself sinking in an ocean of troubles, fears, anxieties, frustrations, jealousy, anger, hatred, hurts, on and on?!?! Peter got his eyes off of Jesus, and on to the waves, then he began to sink. I wonder how far he would have walked with the Lord if he had kept his eye on HIM? I wonder what all he would have accomplished had he not looked down at the waves splashing and crashing all around him?
Everyone has heard of Henry Ford, the father of the automobile industry. Henry Ford said, "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off of the goal".
Are there obstacles in your way? Are there things trying to slow you down from pressing forward into Christ? Keep your eyes on Jesus! Don't look down at the waves. Keep your eyes on HIM. In Hebrews 12:2, it says we are to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..." The Amplified Bible says it this way, "Looking away, from all that will distract, to Jesus..."
We can't afford to be distracted. It's the difference between walking and sinking! Don't let the enemy of our souls distract you with his lies. Phillipians 4:13, in The Message, says, "Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."
Even if we have gotten distracted, Jesus is right there in HIS awesome grace and mercy to pick us up from sinking in the waves, setting our feet back on top of the waves, and finishing the walk to the boat! HE is so awesome and great!
You and I are either walking on the water, or sinking in the water! It depends on what we are looking at! HIM or the waves! I choose HIM!
Jesus just might say it this way today, "Come on, let's do this!"
Friday, May 14, 2010
Are You Walkin' With A Limp?
In Genesis 32, we have part of the story of Jacob. At this junction in his life , he is getting ready to see his brother, Esau, for the first time in many, many years. Jacob isn't sure what will happen, because the last time he saw Esau, he had stolen Esau's birthright as the older brother (Gen. 27). Esau had swore to kill Jacob next time he saw him. But Jacob heard about it, ran away, and never came back.
Now he is getting ready to meet him. So he has brought all kinds of peace offerings that, hopefully, will calm Esau down if he is still angry.
Now, it is the night before the big meeting. Jacob is still very afraid. Also, very restless. So he sends all his family and some possesions, over to the other side of the brook, as a safety precaution. Then in Genesis 32:24, the Scriptures say, "Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak."
See, here is where the real struggle begins, when we are left alone! Our thoughts, emotions, fears, worries, concerns, all these things begin to rise up from within, and they will do one of two things in our lives. They will either direct us toward God, or direct us away from God! But these are things that we must deal with, and bring them under subjection to the Lordship of Jesus Christ! HE is right there to speak peace into all of those things!
The majority of people don't like to be alone. Even God said in the beginning with Adam, that it was not good for man to be alone, so HE created a helper, or companion, for him. That is why there are so many support groups in the world today. Every kind of thing you can imagine, has a support group for it. Bottom line, no one likes being alone.
Most people believe that the Man Jacob wrestled with, was The Angel of the Lord. As the story continues, it is getting toward morning, and this Man, strikes Jacob in the hip area. The results are that Jacob's hip is knocked out of joint, or dislocated! But Jacob continues to wrestle. Finally, the Man asks Jacob what he wants and Jacobs says he wants HIM to bless him. So The Man blesses Jacob with a name change! HE says his name is now Israel, because he persevered and prevailed!
Now, in the Bible, a person's name also described the nature of that person. So, the blessing The Man gives to Jacob is really a change of his nature, not only a change of his name! The same way The Man changes our nature when we come to HIM, and ask HIM to forgive us and come into our hearts, HE gives us a new nature, HE makes us a new creation in Christ Jesus, 2 Corinthians 5:17.
But, do you remember the part where HE struck Jacob in his hip? No where in the rest of the Bible does it ever say that Jacob was ever any different after that strike! It gives me the impression that the rest of his life, he walked differently than every one else! His hip was knocked out of joint! How would you walk after that?
But it's the same with you and I. When we turn to the LORD, HE touches us, and we walk differently than we did before! As a general rule, it is a significantly different walk. One that is noticeable to everyone! It may even look strange to some. But we remember the night we were touched by God, and how HE changed our walk. We don't walk the same old way we used to. It's different now! Thank GOD!
So, are you walkin' with a limp?
Now he is getting ready to meet him. So he has brought all kinds of peace offerings that, hopefully, will calm Esau down if he is still angry.
Now, it is the night before the big meeting. Jacob is still very afraid. Also, very restless. So he sends all his family and some possesions, over to the other side of the brook, as a safety precaution. Then in Genesis 32:24, the Scriptures say, "Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak."
See, here is where the real struggle begins, when we are left alone! Our thoughts, emotions, fears, worries, concerns, all these things begin to rise up from within, and they will do one of two things in our lives. They will either direct us toward God, or direct us away from God! But these are things that we must deal with, and bring them under subjection to the Lordship of Jesus Christ! HE is right there to speak peace into all of those things!
The majority of people don't like to be alone. Even God said in the beginning with Adam, that it was not good for man to be alone, so HE created a helper, or companion, for him. That is why there are so many support groups in the world today. Every kind of thing you can imagine, has a support group for it. Bottom line, no one likes being alone.
Most people believe that the Man Jacob wrestled with, was The Angel of the Lord. As the story continues, it is getting toward morning, and this Man, strikes Jacob in the hip area. The results are that Jacob's hip is knocked out of joint, or dislocated! But Jacob continues to wrestle. Finally, the Man asks Jacob what he wants and Jacobs says he wants HIM to bless him. So The Man blesses Jacob with a name change! HE says his name is now Israel, because he persevered and prevailed!
Now, in the Bible, a person's name also described the nature of that person. So, the blessing The Man gives to Jacob is really a change of his nature, not only a change of his name! The same way The Man changes our nature when we come to HIM, and ask HIM to forgive us and come into our hearts, HE gives us a new nature, HE makes us a new creation in Christ Jesus, 2 Corinthians 5:17.
But, do you remember the part where HE struck Jacob in his hip? No where in the rest of the Bible does it ever say that Jacob was ever any different after that strike! It gives me the impression that the rest of his life, he walked differently than every one else! His hip was knocked out of joint! How would you walk after that?
But it's the same with you and I. When we turn to the LORD, HE touches us, and we walk differently than we did before! As a general rule, it is a significantly different walk. One that is noticeable to everyone! It may even look strange to some. But we remember the night we were touched by God, and how HE changed our walk. We don't walk the same old way we used to. It's different now! Thank GOD!
So, are you walkin' with a limp?
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Well, Shut My Mouth!
Quite often, when we read the Scriptures, we read across something and we assume that we understand what it is saying. For example, Psalms 37:7 says "Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes." I specifically want to focus on the first part of this verse, it's all good, but just the first part for this blog.
When we think of resting, most of us think about the word relax, or vacation, huh? My mind goes to the cruises that Sheila and I love to go on. Enjoying the view of the water, the wind blowing through my hair, uh, across my scalp! No hurry to get anywhere, just taking it easy. Sounds good, huh?
Well, let me share this with you. In this scripture we are looking at today, rest doesn't mean what I just described. As a matter of fact, it has quite a different meaning from the Hebrew language. In this particular verse, the word "rest" means "to be or grow dumb, silent or still." Please, don't anyone get offended at me for using this term, but that it what the term from the old Hebrew meant. To speak of someone as being dumb was to mean that they couldn't speak. And with our perceptions, we presume if one is deaf, they also are mute. Not always the case though. With the slang in our language, it takes on a whole different meaning though. Just wanted to explain for clarification.
In a nutshell, it is saying to be silent in the Lord, or in words we better understand, TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT!!
After we pray, we need to learn to keep our mouths shut, from the complaining we do because it hasn't happened already. We get anxious and in a hurry, then we want to complain about how long it is taking for our prayers to be answered. Or, we become convinced that God needs a little instruction from the deep wells of our own wisdom! So we start telling HIM how HE needs to handle things.
Zechariah 2:13 says, " Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD...". When we are in the Most Holy Place of the throne of GOD, it is no place, or time, for flesh to speak. There are many scriptures that verify this.
See, if we are not being silent, we are making noise. Now, don't get me wrong, there is a noise that is good and right. That is the sound of praise coming from our hearts and mouths. Psalms 100:1 says, "Make a joyful noise to the LORD...". That is the only "noise" that is acceptable in HIS presence. Not the sound of our flesh, or the sound of our complaining, or could I say here, the sound of our understanding, or lack thereof.
In the Scriptures, we find there is an instruction for us, Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." In The Message it says, "Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own." Also in the Good News Bible it says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know." What is true, or truth, can be very different from what we think! Here we are told to "trust". Most of us have some difficulties in that area, do we not?
So then, to rest in the Lord means to trust HIM and keep my mouth shut! So in the context of out thought today, the real proof of our faith, trust, and confidence in HIM, is our silence! Don't misunderstand me, praise is always good and right! That keeps our mind in a proper place of being on HIM. Lately, I have heard some saying, "Don't tell God how big your problem is, Tell your problem how big your God is!" That's really good stuff!! That goes right in line with what we are saying here.
So, how about it. Are you going to say it with me? Come on.
Well shut my mouth!
When we think of resting, most of us think about the word relax, or vacation, huh? My mind goes to the cruises that Sheila and I love to go on. Enjoying the view of the water, the wind blowing through my hair, uh, across my scalp! No hurry to get anywhere, just taking it easy. Sounds good, huh?
Well, let me share this with you. In this scripture we are looking at today, rest doesn't mean what I just described. As a matter of fact, it has quite a different meaning from the Hebrew language. In this particular verse, the word "rest" means "to be or grow dumb, silent or still." Please, don't anyone get offended at me for using this term, but that it what the term from the old Hebrew meant. To speak of someone as being dumb was to mean that they couldn't speak. And with our perceptions, we presume if one is deaf, they also are mute. Not always the case though. With the slang in our language, it takes on a whole different meaning though. Just wanted to explain for clarification.
In a nutshell, it is saying to be silent in the Lord, or in words we better understand, TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT!!
After we pray, we need to learn to keep our mouths shut, from the complaining we do because it hasn't happened already. We get anxious and in a hurry, then we want to complain about how long it is taking for our prayers to be answered. Or, we become convinced that God needs a little instruction from the deep wells of our own wisdom! So we start telling HIM how HE needs to handle things.
Zechariah 2:13 says, " Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD...". When we are in the Most Holy Place of the throne of GOD, it is no place, or time, for flesh to speak. There are many scriptures that verify this.
See, if we are not being silent, we are making noise. Now, don't get me wrong, there is a noise that is good and right. That is the sound of praise coming from our hearts and mouths. Psalms 100:1 says, "Make a joyful noise to the LORD...". That is the only "noise" that is acceptable in HIS presence. Not the sound of our flesh, or the sound of our complaining, or could I say here, the sound of our understanding, or lack thereof.
In the Scriptures, we find there is an instruction for us, Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." In The Message it says, "Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own." Also in the Good News Bible it says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know." What is true, or truth, can be very different from what we think! Here we are told to "trust". Most of us have some difficulties in that area, do we not?
So then, to rest in the Lord means to trust HIM and keep my mouth shut! So in the context of out thought today, the real proof of our faith, trust, and confidence in HIM, is our silence! Don't misunderstand me, praise is always good and right! That keeps our mind in a proper place of being on HIM. Lately, I have heard some saying, "Don't tell God how big your problem is, Tell your problem how big your God is!" That's really good stuff!! That goes right in line with what we are saying here.
So, how about it. Are you going to say it with me? Come on.
Well shut my mouth!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
"In The Flesh" - We've Had It All Wrong!
As a boy growing up in church, I can remember a lot of talk about not wanting anyone to be in the flesh. We didn't do things because we were afraid it might be the flesh. It seemed that people were quick to "discern" someone was in the flesh if they did something in church that we didn't think was "in the Spirit". There were sermons about it. There were exhortations about staying out of the flesh. On and on and on. As I became an adult, and began looking into the scriptures for myself, I could see where we got into that frame of mind.
Can I tell you something? I've seen some flesh at church! But you know what? I've seen WAY MORE flesh away from church!! Let me show you what I'm talking about.
Gal. 5:19-21, the New American Standard Bible says it this way, "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
vs.20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
vs.21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Every one of those things are contrary to the Holy Spirit. And those are things that can be seen in everyday lives of people!
Now I would like to share those same scriptures from The Message, vs.19 "It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness;
vs.20 trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits;
vs.21 the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom."
Here is the flesh in all of it's glory!! This is the flesh I am most concerned about, not what may show up in a church service! The real show of the flesh comes out in our every day actions, thoughts, and words!!! Please don't think, "man he must be mad or something!" I'm not! Except at the accuser of the family of faith. He had us convinced, and still does to some degree, that it is more wrong to get in the flesh at church than it is to get in the flesh at home with the spouse and kids, or work with other employees, or on the ballfield with our teamates, or at the coffee shop, or at the beauty shop, at the grocery store, in the traffic, wherever we are! We watch our "P's and Q's" at church, but many times after we get away from there, we excuse, or overlook, the way we act or live our lives. The flesh that reveals itself in a church service or worship time, is not anywhere near as distructive as the showing of flesh away from that setting!
Romans 8:8 from the Amplified Bible says, "So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him."
God has given us the ability we need to not live in the flesh. But we must allow that power of the Holy Spirit to fill us full and keep us full. Christ in you, is the hope of glory. HE is so wonderful! HE is full of mercy and grace. Romans 8:37 in the Good News Bible says, "No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!"
Can I tell you something? I've seen some flesh at church! But you know what? I've seen WAY MORE flesh away from church!! Let me show you what I'm talking about.
Gal. 5:19-21, the New American Standard Bible says it this way, "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
vs.20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
vs.21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Every one of those things are contrary to the Holy Spirit. And those are things that can be seen in everyday lives of people!
Now I would like to share those same scriptures from The Message, vs.19 "It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness;
vs.20 trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits;
vs.21 the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom."
Here is the flesh in all of it's glory!! This is the flesh I am most concerned about, not what may show up in a church service! The real show of the flesh comes out in our every day actions, thoughts, and words!!! Please don't think, "man he must be mad or something!" I'm not! Except at the accuser of the family of faith. He had us convinced, and still does to some degree, that it is more wrong to get in the flesh at church than it is to get in the flesh at home with the spouse and kids, or work with other employees, or on the ballfield with our teamates, or at the coffee shop, or at the beauty shop, at the grocery store, in the traffic, wherever we are! We watch our "P's and Q's" at church, but many times after we get away from there, we excuse, or overlook, the way we act or live our lives. The flesh that reveals itself in a church service or worship time, is not anywhere near as distructive as the showing of flesh away from that setting!
Romans 8:8 from the Amplified Bible says, "So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him."
God has given us the ability we need to not live in the flesh. But we must allow that power of the Holy Spirit to fill us full and keep us full. Christ in you, is the hope of glory. HE is so wonderful! HE is full of mercy and grace. Romans 8:37 in the Good News Bible says, "No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!"
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Are You In The Bedliner Of The Truck?
The other day, I was in the front yard, just outside because it was so pretty. I had leaned up against my dad's truck that I have and was just looking around. I happened to look down in the bed of the truck. It has a plastic bed liner in it, some dirt, lots of broken twigs and branches, a couple of old tires, just stuff.
Then suddenly my eyes were drawn to something that I hadn't seen before. There in the bed of this truck, with the pastic liner and all, was some grass growing! Almost instantly the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "See, life can grow anywhere! You can grow in adversity!"
Now, logically, the grass would grow better in the ground. But there was some ground in the bed of that truck! So the grass got some rain, some sunshine, and it began to grow!
If you are determined to stay with, and walk with God, and make it through whatever you may be facing, you can! And not only make it through, but grow in the process! I am fully aware that many things are not comfortable or enjoyable to go through. But the fact remains, we can grow in the bed liner of life!
See, the reason for the ability to grow in any situation, is because the life is in the seed! It isn't in the soil, it's in the seed! Now, I know that the soil has some things that the seed needs, but it is the life in the seed that breaks forth. The seed opens up and begans to take in the things the soil has to offer. But the life is in the seed!
Just the same with our lives. The life is in the seed. The seed of Christ! Our lives are the soil that HIS life is planted in. But the life is in the Seed!
That is why this life in Christ is by grace and not by our works. We don't do works to receive, or get from God. We do the works we do, because we have already received, and gotten, from HIM! Not to get HIS attention, but because we already have HIS attention. Not to get HIS favor, but because we already have HIS favor! Not to get HIM to love us more, but because HE already loves us with all HE has! It is HIS grace! Our growth in Christ is dependant on the seed. The seed is the source of life. Not the soil.
We can grow in any enviroment, because of the determination of life in the seed! We can have peace and even joy when we find ourselves in difficult times, because we know HE is determined to continue HIS work in us. Phillipians 1:6, in The Message says, "There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears." HE is determined to grow in us, and not just give us life, but life more abundantly! (John 10:10)
God knows where you and I are in our lives. HE isn't worried about the things we are facing! We can still grow! The life is in the seed!!
HE isn't worried at all, about us being in the bed liner of the truck!
Then suddenly my eyes were drawn to something that I hadn't seen before. There in the bed of this truck, with the pastic liner and all, was some grass growing! Almost instantly the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "See, life can grow anywhere! You can grow in adversity!"
Now, logically, the grass would grow better in the ground. But there was some ground in the bed of that truck! So the grass got some rain, some sunshine, and it began to grow!
If you are determined to stay with, and walk with God, and make it through whatever you may be facing, you can! And not only make it through, but grow in the process! I am fully aware that many things are not comfortable or enjoyable to go through. But the fact remains, we can grow in the bed liner of life!
See, the reason for the ability to grow in any situation, is because the life is in the seed! It isn't in the soil, it's in the seed! Now, I know that the soil has some things that the seed needs, but it is the life in the seed that breaks forth. The seed opens up and begans to take in the things the soil has to offer. But the life is in the seed!
Just the same with our lives. The life is in the seed. The seed of Christ! Our lives are the soil that HIS life is planted in. But the life is in the Seed!
That is why this life in Christ is by grace and not by our works. We don't do works to receive, or get from God. We do the works we do, because we have already received, and gotten, from HIM! Not to get HIS attention, but because we already have HIS attention. Not to get HIS favor, but because we already have HIS favor! Not to get HIM to love us more, but because HE already loves us with all HE has! It is HIS grace! Our growth in Christ is dependant on the seed. The seed is the source of life. Not the soil.
We can grow in any enviroment, because of the determination of life in the seed! We can have peace and even joy when we find ourselves in difficult times, because we know HE is determined to continue HIS work in us. Phillipians 1:6, in The Message says, "There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears." HE is determined to grow in us, and not just give us life, but life more abundantly! (John 10:10)
God knows where you and I are in our lives. HE isn't worried about the things we are facing! We can still grow! The life is in the seed!!
HE isn't worried at all, about us being in the bed liner of the truck!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Are You Just Mowing Off The Top?
Several years ago, my wife's brother and I cut down an old pine tree in our front yard. It was about 20-25 feet tall. I resolved that would be the last time I would ever be apart of that. As we cut through it, it began to lean toward our neighbors house! It stopped on the chainsaw that was now wedged in the tree. I got really sick to my stomach! Anyway, we got it down without it falling on my neighbors house. Thank the LORD! When the tree fell, it landed with a huge THUD! Sheila said the house shook inside. We began to cut it down to managable sizes to haul it off.
In just a few weeks after we had cut down the tree, I began to notice little miniature trees popping up all over my front yard! They were everywhere! Actually they would be taller than my grass! They grew fast! The original tree was gone, but now I was dealing with the babies, or seedlings, of that original tree! I would mow them down and it looked good. But then a couple of days later, there they were again. Growing, growing, growing!
The LORD spoke to me and said, "As long as you just mow the top of those off, they will continue to grow! Remove them by their root!"
For several weeks, everyday, I would go outside, especially after a rain, reach down to ground level and pull those miniature trees up by their root. It took almost a whole summer of that, but eventually they were gone. I learned a big lesson from the LORD through that.
You and I all have things in our lives that we deal with , most likely, on a daily basis. Much of the time we are just mowing the tops off of the things. But if we really want to deal with the things in our lives that we don't like, or that we believe the LORD is dealing with us about, we have got to remove those things by the root! As long as the root of that thing that is planted in our life is there, it can, and will, continue to grow. Continuing to be a problem to us.
See, God has done that very thing for us. He not only dealt sins (plural) we have committed, but He dealt with the root of the nature of sin in us. That is why we are the righteousness of God in Christ, 2 Corintians 5:21. But have you noticed that there is some residual effects of the nature of sin that still lingers in our souls? That is where we need to begin to remove these things by the root! Our spirit is already a new creation! Our soul is the realm that is being renewed into the image of Christ, or becoming more Christ-like. It is our mind, will, and emotions, or, if you would, what we think, what we want, and what we feel. We still struggle in those areas, don't we? This is the arena where the seedlings of that old tree, or nature, still grow. But as we continue to apply the Word of the LORD to our soul, it removes, at the root, those little seedlings. James 1:21, in the Amplified Bible says, "So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls." Allow the Word of the LORD to be planted, and take root, in your life. That is the renewing, or the saving, our our souls!
To finish this, we must reach down and grab those things by the root and pull them out! Don't just mow off the tops!
In just a few weeks after we had cut down the tree, I began to notice little miniature trees popping up all over my front yard! They were everywhere! Actually they would be taller than my grass! They grew fast! The original tree was gone, but now I was dealing with the babies, or seedlings, of that original tree! I would mow them down and it looked good. But then a couple of days later, there they were again. Growing, growing, growing!
The LORD spoke to me and said, "As long as you just mow the top of those off, they will continue to grow! Remove them by their root!"
For several weeks, everyday, I would go outside, especially after a rain, reach down to ground level and pull those miniature trees up by their root. It took almost a whole summer of that, but eventually they were gone. I learned a big lesson from the LORD through that.
You and I all have things in our lives that we deal with , most likely, on a daily basis. Much of the time we are just mowing the tops off of the things. But if we really want to deal with the things in our lives that we don't like, or that we believe the LORD is dealing with us about, we have got to remove those things by the root! As long as the root of that thing that is planted in our life is there, it can, and will, continue to grow. Continuing to be a problem to us.
See, God has done that very thing for us. He not only dealt sins (plural) we have committed, but He dealt with the root of the nature of sin in us. That is why we are the righteousness of God in Christ, 2 Corintians 5:21. But have you noticed that there is some residual effects of the nature of sin that still lingers in our souls? That is where we need to begin to remove these things by the root! Our spirit is already a new creation! Our soul is the realm that is being renewed into the image of Christ, or becoming more Christ-like. It is our mind, will, and emotions, or, if you would, what we think, what we want, and what we feel. We still struggle in those areas, don't we? This is the arena where the seedlings of that old tree, or nature, still grow. But as we continue to apply the Word of the LORD to our soul, it removes, at the root, those little seedlings. James 1:21, in the Amplified Bible says, "So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls." Allow the Word of the LORD to be planted, and take root, in your life. That is the renewing, or the saving, our our souls!
To finish this, we must reach down and grab those things by the root and pull them out! Don't just mow off the tops!
Monday, April 12, 2010
You Don't Even Smell Funny!
In Romans 8:28 the Bible says, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." This scripture tells us so much about our God. It tells us that HE is aware of everything that is happening in my life and in yours. And His plan is constantly at work in me. We may not understand all the things we go through, but we must understand that God has it all in control, and HE is working HIS will in us!
There is a tremendous story in the Bible about the keeping power of God. In Daniel 3 we have the story of the 3 Hebrew guys that refused to bow down to the idol that the King had set up. They made a stand against the rules, because the rules were against the commandments of God.
We will pick up the the story at this point. They have been confronted by the king and given the opportunity to get it right the next time. The 3 men tell the king there is no chance they will bow down and worship the idol the king set up. The king gets so mad, he has them bound and tells his servants to throw them into a fiery furnace. But he also has the furnace heated up 7 times hotter than normal. When they are thrown in, the fire is so hot it kills the servants of the king that threw the 3 men of God into the fire. Shortly, the king looks into the fire, hoping to see them suffering from the flames, only to be shocked to see them walking around, unbound, with some company! Even the king recognizes that the 4 man in the fire looks like the Son of God! He yells at the men and tells them to come out of the fire, that he knows they are servants of the Most High God!.
Here is the part I like best about this story! After they come out of the fire, everyone in positions of authority gathered around them to check them out! In Daniel 3:27, they all came to this final conclusion - that the fire had no power upon their bodies, the hair of their head wasn't even singed; their garments weren't even scorched or changed in color or condition, and they didn't even have the smell of smoke on them! Wow!! What a God!!! WHAT A GOD!!! God kept them from death and destruction!
Now to bring this home to you and I. Maybe some of us are going through some firey tests and trials. You made a stand for God and it seems that things have gotten worse. You were bound up, heard the command from the enemy of our souls to heat the furnace up 7 times hotter than it had ever been heated up before. Then finally thrown into the fire, only to find that it really wasn't as bad as you thought it would be! Actually, you get up look around at your brothers, see they are ok, then turn and see you have someone else there that you didn't see before! The Son of God standing there with you! Then you remember the scripture in Hebrews 13, that says HE will never leave you or forsake you. And a peace that surpasses all of your understanding comes over you!
Right there, in the midst of the fire from the enemy, a fire that was intended to steal, kill, and destroy you, you have the greatest experience of your life! Jesus Christ manifests Himself to you. And not only you, but everyone watching to see you be destroyed by this fire, they see this One, this appearance of Christ in and with you, the hope of Glory!!!
The results are this, they see God in a way they have never seen HIM before, it opens the eyes of their understanding that they see HIM, and accept HIM, as the One True God!
The enemy of our soul is out to destroy us, but God is working everything out together for us, and not only us, but everyone around us, that they might see the Son of God on display as the One True God!
Whatever is happening in our lives right now, just remember that because we love God, HE is working things out for my, and your, good. Don't worry about the fire, it can't kill you, it can't destroy you, it can't steal from you. It can't even make you smell burnt! All the fire did was burn off the man-made bondages placed on you! Remember, the Bible says in Hebrews 12:29, that "our God is a consuming fire."
So after you have been in the firey furnace, you don't even smell funny!
There is a tremendous story in the Bible about the keeping power of God. In Daniel 3 we have the story of the 3 Hebrew guys that refused to bow down to the idol that the King had set up. They made a stand against the rules, because the rules were against the commandments of God.
We will pick up the the story at this point. They have been confronted by the king and given the opportunity to get it right the next time. The 3 men tell the king there is no chance they will bow down and worship the idol the king set up. The king gets so mad, he has them bound and tells his servants to throw them into a fiery furnace. But he also has the furnace heated up 7 times hotter than normal. When they are thrown in, the fire is so hot it kills the servants of the king that threw the 3 men of God into the fire. Shortly, the king looks into the fire, hoping to see them suffering from the flames, only to be shocked to see them walking around, unbound, with some company! Even the king recognizes that the 4 man in the fire looks like the Son of God! He yells at the men and tells them to come out of the fire, that he knows they are servants of the Most High God!.
Here is the part I like best about this story! After they come out of the fire, everyone in positions of authority gathered around them to check them out! In Daniel 3:27, they all came to this final conclusion - that the fire had no power upon their bodies, the hair of their head wasn't even singed; their garments weren't even scorched or changed in color or condition, and they didn't even have the smell of smoke on them! Wow!! What a God!!! WHAT A GOD!!! God kept them from death and destruction!
Now to bring this home to you and I. Maybe some of us are going through some firey tests and trials. You made a stand for God and it seems that things have gotten worse. You were bound up, heard the command from the enemy of our souls to heat the furnace up 7 times hotter than it had ever been heated up before. Then finally thrown into the fire, only to find that it really wasn't as bad as you thought it would be! Actually, you get up look around at your brothers, see they are ok, then turn and see you have someone else there that you didn't see before! The Son of God standing there with you! Then you remember the scripture in Hebrews 13, that says HE will never leave you or forsake you. And a peace that surpasses all of your understanding comes over you!
Right there, in the midst of the fire from the enemy, a fire that was intended to steal, kill, and destroy you, you have the greatest experience of your life! Jesus Christ manifests Himself to you. And not only you, but everyone watching to see you be destroyed by this fire, they see this One, this appearance of Christ in and with you, the hope of Glory!!!
The results are this, they see God in a way they have never seen HIM before, it opens the eyes of their understanding that they see HIM, and accept HIM, as the One True God!
The enemy of our soul is out to destroy us, but God is working everything out together for us, and not only us, but everyone around us, that they might see the Son of God on display as the One True God!
Whatever is happening in our lives right now, just remember that because we love God, HE is working things out for my, and your, good. Don't worry about the fire, it can't kill you, it can't destroy you, it can't steal from you. It can't even make you smell burnt! All the fire did was burn off the man-made bondages placed on you! Remember, the Bible says in Hebrews 12:29, that "our God is a consuming fire."
So after you have been in the firey furnace, you don't even smell funny!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Are You Missing A Shoe?
The day and time we live in, it seems to me that many Christians have the idea that once they received Jesus into their life, that everything from that point on is about God being there for them at their every whim. To many of us Christians, God has become just a servant to take care of us and do what we want HIM to do. This may come as a surprise to some, but guess what, HE is not our servant!
Look at this scripture with me. 1 Corinthians 6:20, "he bought you for a price...". HE bought me, and HE bought you. Do you realize what that means? We belong to HIM!!! HE doesn't belong to us. We didn't pay a price, but HE paid a price. In 1 Peter 1:19 it tells us that the price HE paid was the blood of Jesus Christ! Again we belong to HIM!!!
I hope that the realization of this hits you and I right between the eyes! What is HIS, HE takes care of!!! We belong to HIM. He will take care of you and I in every situation. I woke up this morning with a song going through my heart. It goes something like this --- "In HIS time, in HIS time, HE makes all things beautiful in HIS time, Lord please show me every day, that your teaching me your way, and You do just what you say, in Your time."
Here in the greatest country in the world, America, we don't have a clear understanding of what it is to be under the rule of a king. We have been under the freedoms we have since the early days of our existance. We have a right to vote and make our choie as to who we want in positions of authority. We have our rights! We have our say! And if we don't like it, we have the right to voice our opinion! But, I think we have not had a very good grasp of kingdom authority. I believe that our democratic mindset has effected the way we see HIM as Lord. We don't realize that to be under that kingdom authority is to be under the direction of the king. HE is our king! Our ruler. We belong to HIM!
Some of us won't like this thought because it takes away our individual liberty to do what we want! See, we love to have our own say! We want what we want! We want to do what we want to do. We don't want anyone telling us what we can and can't do. And yet we say and sing with our mouth, "HE is Lord". We must be talking about somebody else, because many of us don't want a Lord over our lives. I heard this years ago, "A Savior gives, A Lord requires." The greatest blessing we can have is the blessing of being under HIS Lordship! HIS authority! His rulership! HIM telling us where to go, what to say, when to wait, how to do it. The best place I can be is submitted to HIS rule and reign as Lord!
In Ruth 4:7, from the Good News Bible, it says, "Now in those days, to settle a sale or an exchange of property, it was the custom for the seller to take off his sandal and give it to the buyer. In this way the Israelites showed that the matter was settled." When the seller took off his shoe, it signified he no longer had any rights to whatever he had just sold. Remember, we started of with the scripture that said we were bought with a price. In effect, we were the seller, God was the buyer, and he paid for us with the precious blood of Christ! We, as the seller, have taken off our shoe and given up our rights to ourselves, to the buyer, God, so we belong to HIM!!! That is Lordship!!!
So, do you have a pair, or are you missing one shoe?
Look at this scripture with me. 1 Corinthians 6:20, "he bought you for a price...". HE bought me, and HE bought you. Do you realize what that means? We belong to HIM!!! HE doesn't belong to us. We didn't pay a price, but HE paid a price. In 1 Peter 1:19 it tells us that the price HE paid was the blood of Jesus Christ! Again we belong to HIM!!!
I hope that the realization of this hits you and I right between the eyes! What is HIS, HE takes care of!!! We belong to HIM. He will take care of you and I in every situation. I woke up this morning with a song going through my heart. It goes something like this --- "In HIS time, in HIS time, HE makes all things beautiful in HIS time, Lord please show me every day, that your teaching me your way, and You do just what you say, in Your time."
Here in the greatest country in the world, America, we don't have a clear understanding of what it is to be under the rule of a king. We have been under the freedoms we have since the early days of our existance. We have a right to vote and make our choie as to who we want in positions of authority. We have our rights! We have our say! And if we don't like it, we have the right to voice our opinion! But, I think we have not had a very good grasp of kingdom authority. I believe that our democratic mindset has effected the way we see HIM as Lord. We don't realize that to be under that kingdom authority is to be under the direction of the king. HE is our king! Our ruler. We belong to HIM!
Some of us won't like this thought because it takes away our individual liberty to do what we want! See, we love to have our own say! We want what we want! We want to do what we want to do. We don't want anyone telling us what we can and can't do. And yet we say and sing with our mouth, "HE is Lord". We must be talking about somebody else, because many of us don't want a Lord over our lives. I heard this years ago, "A Savior gives, A Lord requires." The greatest blessing we can have is the blessing of being under HIS Lordship! HIS authority! His rulership! HIM telling us where to go, what to say, when to wait, how to do it. The best place I can be is submitted to HIS rule and reign as Lord!
In Ruth 4:7, from the Good News Bible, it says, "Now in those days, to settle a sale or an exchange of property, it was the custom for the seller to take off his sandal and give it to the buyer. In this way the Israelites showed that the matter was settled." When the seller took off his shoe, it signified he no longer had any rights to whatever he had just sold. Remember, we started of with the scripture that said we were bought with a price. In effect, we were the seller, God was the buyer, and he paid for us with the precious blood of Christ! We, as the seller, have taken off our shoe and given up our rights to ourselves, to the buyer, God, so we belong to HIM!!! That is Lordship!!!
So, do you have a pair, or are you missing one shoe?
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Are You Turning Green?
What a beautiful day the Lord gave us today! I was on the motorcycle quite a bit today. Just couldn't resist. Not to mention, the Lord speaks to me a lot while I am cruisin' around on the scooter.
As a matter of fact, the Lord showed something to me today. I turned my head and told Sheila, "look, you can see just a hint of green on the trees, especially those in the distance."
That hint of green is a sign of life! In the scriptures, the color green is interpreted as new life. There is nothing like the signs of new life we see come forth during the first part of spring. Like I said in my last post, spring is here!!
The hint of green tells us many things, the harshness of winter is over, the cold is gone, the cruel north wind is changed. Instead of the bitternes and death of the winter season, we are now seeing the new life of the spring season! We love the spring because we love the new life it represents.
The same with our life in the spirit. We love the new life it represents. There is nothing like the excitement of the new life we have in Christ. Even if it has been many years, there is, and should be, a freshness, and newness to this life. Even daily! The grass is coming forth. The ground is turning green from the dingy brown color it was! The trees are greening out! The flowers are blooming! It is an exciting time in the natural, as well as the spritual!
We flock around new born babies. They bring such an excitment to our lives. It's something new! We admire the beauty of the spring flowers as they grow and color this wonderful world GOD has given us to live in. It's new!
This is the time of Easter where we celebrate the ressurection of Jesus Christ. It is something new! The new life HE gave us is fresh, new, exciting, green (and not in a ecological way either!) HE IS RISEN!!! And because HE is risen, we have life! Our life is green because it is new life!
It is the time of year when many new things come forth in the earth. In the realm of the spirit, the same can be said, many new things coming forth. Look for some new things to come forth in your life this spring, or, Easter season. Look with a watchful eye, it might be small and you might miss it, so keep an eye out for it. Look for things that have seemed dead to be resurrected at this time. It is resurrection time! Do not lose heart, for the life giving Spirit of Jesus Christ is ready to bring some new life to you!
Look for it! New life is coming! Do you see it? Do you feel it? Are you turning green?
As a matter of fact, the Lord showed something to me today. I turned my head and told Sheila, "look, you can see just a hint of green on the trees, especially those in the distance."
That hint of green is a sign of life! In the scriptures, the color green is interpreted as new life. There is nothing like the signs of new life we see come forth during the first part of spring. Like I said in my last post, spring is here!!
The hint of green tells us many things, the harshness of winter is over, the cold is gone, the cruel north wind is changed. Instead of the bitternes and death of the winter season, we are now seeing the new life of the spring season! We love the spring because we love the new life it represents.
The same with our life in the spirit. We love the new life it represents. There is nothing like the excitement of the new life we have in Christ. Even if it has been many years, there is, and should be, a freshness, and newness to this life. Even daily! The grass is coming forth. The ground is turning green from the dingy brown color it was! The trees are greening out! The flowers are blooming! It is an exciting time in the natural, as well as the spritual!
We flock around new born babies. They bring such an excitment to our lives. It's something new! We admire the beauty of the spring flowers as they grow and color this wonderful world GOD has given us to live in. It's new!
This is the time of Easter where we celebrate the ressurection of Jesus Christ. It is something new! The new life HE gave us is fresh, new, exciting, green (and not in a ecological way either!) HE IS RISEN!!! And because HE is risen, we have life! Our life is green because it is new life!
It is the time of year when many new things come forth in the earth. In the realm of the spirit, the same can be said, many new things coming forth. Look for some new things to come forth in your life this spring, or, Easter season. Look with a watchful eye, it might be small and you might miss it, so keep an eye out for it. Look for things that have seemed dead to be resurrected at this time. It is resurrection time! Do not lose heart, for the life giving Spirit of Jesus Christ is ready to bring some new life to you!
Look for it! New life is coming! Do you see it? Do you feel it? Are you turning green?
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Are You A Bradford Pear Tree?
Sheila and I went for a pretty nice little motorcycle ride around town today, minus the very strong wind! Seen many trees and plants beginning to blossom. Even our neighbor had her yard mowed today. It is spring!
As we were riding today, I noticed how many Bradford Pear trees were pretty much in full bloom. They are everywhere! It reminded me of something the Lord stirred in my heart a few years ago. Are you, or is your life, like a Bradford Pear tree? Please hang with me for a bit on this!
They seem to be one of the very first trees to blossom. First, the blossoms are white, then, eventually, turns to the green leaves. Big, full shaped trees. They are beautiful to look at.
Here is what the Lord spoke to me. Fruit trees have fruit on them! Cherry trees, apple trees, orange trees, pineapple trees, on and on. But a tree that bears the name of a fruit and does not have any fruit on it! What is up with that? I realize that it partly gets its name from its shape. But still, no fruit?! A fruit tree with no fruit!
How many of us professing Christians are just like that? A tree that is supposed to bear fruit but has no fruit on it? The scriptures make it pretty plain that the world would know us Christians by our love, or our fruit. Not our doctrine, not by how we look, not our ability to quote Scripture to them, not our ability to tell them how wrong they are in the things they do! By our fruit! Which, according to Galatians 5:22, is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Remember, fruit grows from a seed to full size. You and I may be a little sprout in one of these listed, but more mature in another. The point is that fruit is there and growing!
Remember when Jesus came up to the fig tree to pick some fruit to eat, only to find no fruit on it? HE rebuked and cursed the tree, and that doesn't mean HE cussed it out, for those of us from Oklahoma :). Next day it was dead. Our lives need to have fruit in it or we are not presenting properly the life that is in us to present. If we are by name, a fruit tree, but have no fruit, what good are we? See, fruit trees don't bear fruit for their own consumption! They bear fruit for someone else to feed on!
Another thing about the Bradford Pear, their branches are very brittle. They break fairly easy in strong winds and storms. Remember the ice storms in Oklahoma the last few years? There were hundreds of these trees that were lost as a result of the extra weight placed on them. They don't do well in storms! A friend once told me of an old man that worked in a tree nursery. The story was the old man would go out and shake a small tree he had planted in his front yard. My friend asked him why he was doing that? Would he not kill the tree? The old man told him that when he shakes the little tree, it, by nature, thinks it is in a storm and its roots begin to go deeper to hang on for dear life. The ultimate results is a much stronger tree as it grows and matures.
How about you? Do you do well in storms? Do you stand strong in the face of the storms of life? We all face things, even on a daily basis. It is not that we don't make mistakes, or stumble. It is that we have a Greater One that lives in us, and HE is ready to help us in a moment's notice. HE is our strength! We can stand strong if we rely on the work of Christ HE has accomplished for us. Our problem, we want to try to accomplish it much of the time ourselves!
Finally, to bring all this to a close, how is the fruit section in your life? Are you bearing fruit that others can see, partake of, be fed, sustained, and encouraged? How about the strength in your life? Are you strong enough to weather the storms of life that come? Or do you break and fall apart with every storm?
We have all the fruit and strength we need to accomplish the task HE has for us. 2 Peter 1:3 says God's divine power has given us everything we need for life and for godliness. We need to trust that! HE has given us everything we need through Jesus Christ!
Or, are you a Bradford Pear tree?
As we were riding today, I noticed how many Bradford Pear trees were pretty much in full bloom. They are everywhere! It reminded me of something the Lord stirred in my heart a few years ago. Are you, or is your life, like a Bradford Pear tree? Please hang with me for a bit on this!
They seem to be one of the very first trees to blossom. First, the blossoms are white, then, eventually, turns to the green leaves. Big, full shaped trees. They are beautiful to look at.
Here is what the Lord spoke to me. Fruit trees have fruit on them! Cherry trees, apple trees, orange trees, pineapple trees, on and on. But a tree that bears the name of a fruit and does not have any fruit on it! What is up with that? I realize that it partly gets its name from its shape. But still, no fruit?! A fruit tree with no fruit!
How many of us professing Christians are just like that? A tree that is supposed to bear fruit but has no fruit on it? The scriptures make it pretty plain that the world would know us Christians by our love, or our fruit. Not our doctrine, not by how we look, not our ability to quote Scripture to them, not our ability to tell them how wrong they are in the things they do! By our fruit! Which, according to Galatians 5:22, is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Remember, fruit grows from a seed to full size. You and I may be a little sprout in one of these listed, but more mature in another. The point is that fruit is there and growing!
Remember when Jesus came up to the fig tree to pick some fruit to eat, only to find no fruit on it? HE rebuked and cursed the tree, and that doesn't mean HE cussed it out, for those of us from Oklahoma :). Next day it was dead. Our lives need to have fruit in it or we are not presenting properly the life that is in us to present. If we are by name, a fruit tree, but have no fruit, what good are we? See, fruit trees don't bear fruit for their own consumption! They bear fruit for someone else to feed on!
Another thing about the Bradford Pear, their branches are very brittle. They break fairly easy in strong winds and storms. Remember the ice storms in Oklahoma the last few years? There were hundreds of these trees that were lost as a result of the extra weight placed on them. They don't do well in storms! A friend once told me of an old man that worked in a tree nursery. The story was the old man would go out and shake a small tree he had planted in his front yard. My friend asked him why he was doing that? Would he not kill the tree? The old man told him that when he shakes the little tree, it, by nature, thinks it is in a storm and its roots begin to go deeper to hang on for dear life. The ultimate results is a much stronger tree as it grows and matures.
How about you? Do you do well in storms? Do you stand strong in the face of the storms of life? We all face things, even on a daily basis. It is not that we don't make mistakes, or stumble. It is that we have a Greater One that lives in us, and HE is ready to help us in a moment's notice. HE is our strength! We can stand strong if we rely on the work of Christ HE has accomplished for us. Our problem, we want to try to accomplish it much of the time ourselves!
Finally, to bring all this to a close, how is the fruit section in your life? Are you bearing fruit that others can see, partake of, be fed, sustained, and encouraged? How about the strength in your life? Are you strong enough to weather the storms of life that come? Or do you break and fall apart with every storm?
We have all the fruit and strength we need to accomplish the task HE has for us. 2 Peter 1:3 says God's divine power has given us everything we need for life and for godliness. We need to trust that! HE has given us everything we need through Jesus Christ!
Or, are you a Bradford Pear tree?
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Just Answer The Question!
In John 5, we have the story of the sick people all laying around the pool at Bethesda. Those who were blind, crippled, paralyzed, were waiting on the water to be stirred by an angel of the Lord. The first one in, was then healed.
A certain man had been there for 38 years, waiting. Can you imagine? Waiting 38 years for something? It is amazing to me that he never lost hope and gave up! In this day and time, we can barely wait 38 days, 38 minutes, maybe 38 seconds! We have no real ability to wait on things these days.
Jesus shows up, and HE knows how long the man has been waiting! Aren't you glad when Jesus shows up in your situation? Jesus asks the man if he wished to get well? The man takes a breath and says that he has no one to help him get in the pool after it has been stirred by the angel. When he gets there, someone has beaten him in, so he is left with nothing.
Why is it that when things are difficult in our lives, we always lay blame to our circumstances as to what is preventing us from attaining what we need and/or desire? The man said, "I have no one to help me..." First of all, let me tell you that I believe we need one another in our lives. No man, or woman, can be productive in their life if they are an island to themselves. We need each other! We are all a part of the Body of Christ!
Old #38, he just began to explain his situation and circumstances to Jesus as to why he couldn't get well. Sounds like you and I today, doesn't it? We are full of explanations as to why we can't have what we want. I know that there are somethings that can't be changed. I think some of our explanations may be real, others may be imagined. Or could some of those explanations be excuses? A friend of mine once said, "Behind every excuse is a lack of desire." I'm not saying #38 didn't want to be healed! I am saying he did not answer Jesus' question! Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, his response was to detail his circumstances why he couldn't! Jesus had not asked him why he hadn't been healed. Jesus listens, then just tells him to get up and walk!
In our lives of prayer and commitment to Christ, HE may ask you many things. Be careful how you answer! Don't just toss out there why you can't, or haven't been able to. If HE asks you straight up, "Do you want...", don't tell HIM why you haven't or can't, just say yes!!!
See, #38 was waiting on something, then giving explanation, or excuse, why he couldn't or didn't. Are you waiting on something that is beyond your control? Well, when Jesus shows up and asks, "Do you want..."? Just answer the question!
A certain man had been there for 38 years, waiting. Can you imagine? Waiting 38 years for something? It is amazing to me that he never lost hope and gave up! In this day and time, we can barely wait 38 days, 38 minutes, maybe 38 seconds! We have no real ability to wait on things these days.
Jesus shows up, and HE knows how long the man has been waiting! Aren't you glad when Jesus shows up in your situation? Jesus asks the man if he wished to get well? The man takes a breath and says that he has no one to help him get in the pool after it has been stirred by the angel. When he gets there, someone has beaten him in, so he is left with nothing.
Why is it that when things are difficult in our lives, we always lay blame to our circumstances as to what is preventing us from attaining what we need and/or desire? The man said, "I have no one to help me..." First of all, let me tell you that I believe we need one another in our lives. No man, or woman, can be productive in their life if they are an island to themselves. We need each other! We are all a part of the Body of Christ!
Old #38, he just began to explain his situation and circumstances to Jesus as to why he couldn't get well. Sounds like you and I today, doesn't it? We are full of explanations as to why we can't have what we want. I know that there are somethings that can't be changed. I think some of our explanations may be real, others may be imagined. Or could some of those explanations be excuses? A friend of mine once said, "Behind every excuse is a lack of desire." I'm not saying #38 didn't want to be healed! I am saying he did not answer Jesus' question! Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, his response was to detail his circumstances why he couldn't! Jesus had not asked him why he hadn't been healed. Jesus listens, then just tells him to get up and walk!
In our lives of prayer and commitment to Christ, HE may ask you many things. Be careful how you answer! Don't just toss out there why you can't, or haven't been able to. If HE asks you straight up, "Do you want...", don't tell HIM why you haven't or can't, just say yes!!!
See, #38 was waiting on something, then giving explanation, or excuse, why he couldn't or didn't. Are you waiting on something that is beyond your control? Well, when Jesus shows up and asks, "Do you want..."? Just answer the question!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
What Do Your Words Say About You?
This lesson will most likely challenge you and I, but that is ok! The Word of God does and should challenge us, daily, to live in the fullness of Christ and the things HE has made available to us!
In Matthew 26, we find the story where Jesus has been taken into custody and is standing before the high priest, Caiaphas. Verse 58 says that Peter was following at a distance to see how things would turn out. The story begins to tell how Peter denies knowing Jesus.
In verse 73, we reach the place in the story that I want to talk about in this writing. "After a little while the men standing there came to Peter. "Of course you are one of them," they said. "After all, the way you speak gives you away!"
"The way you speak gives you away!"
Here is my question, does the way you talk give you away? Can people tell the difference from you, as a believer, and others, who may not be believers? Is your speech, or the way you talk, describe, by itself, that you have a different pattern for your life to live by?
Years ago, a dear friend of mine made a statement. "We cannot face the world with the same countenance that it faces us with". I will add to that, we cannot speak to the world with the same speech that it speaks to us with! No hope, no joy, no peace, no rest, no victory. We have all that, and more, in and through Christ Jesus!!
Most of the world is in such confusion and chaos right now. They are looking for answers, and here we are with the answer to life right here in our heart. Jesus! Not religion!! Most of the world looks at religion and laughs, and I am not so sure it doesn't deserve to be laughed at! We talk about how people need to change their life and ask Jesus into their hearts, then we turn around and rant and rave, with our speech, about how bad we have it, or running down another believer, or another church, passing judgment on others, gossiping, all those things. Then we wonder why the world isn't knocking down our door to try to find their way. Their way to what? The same kind of mess they are already in? No!! The world wants peace, joy, hope, victory! Do they hear that in yours and my speech?
Peter's speech, or the way he talked, gave him away. It exposed who he was. Does your speech do that? Does it tell others that you are a disciple of Christ? Does it tells others that you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? Does it tell others that you understand the things they are going through and have a sympathetic heart, or does it present you as being better than others with no compassion for them and the things that they are facing. Many years ago a preacher friend said this, "People don't care what you know. till they know that you care!" We, the church, the Body of Christ, those born again, have the answer to the world's cries. The answer is in a person, the man, Christ Jesus. He is our hope, joy, peace, victory!
Our words, or speech, gives us away! My question is, what do your words say about you?
In Matthew 26, we find the story where Jesus has been taken into custody and is standing before the high priest, Caiaphas. Verse 58 says that Peter was following at a distance to see how things would turn out. The story begins to tell how Peter denies knowing Jesus.
In verse 73, we reach the place in the story that I want to talk about in this writing. "After a little while the men standing there came to Peter. "Of course you are one of them," they said. "After all, the way you speak gives you away!"
"The way you speak gives you away!"
Here is my question, does the way you talk give you away? Can people tell the difference from you, as a believer, and others, who may not be believers? Is your speech, or the way you talk, describe, by itself, that you have a different pattern for your life to live by?
Years ago, a dear friend of mine made a statement. "We cannot face the world with the same countenance that it faces us with". I will add to that, we cannot speak to the world with the same speech that it speaks to us with! No hope, no joy, no peace, no rest, no victory. We have all that, and more, in and through Christ Jesus!!
Most of the world is in such confusion and chaos right now. They are looking for answers, and here we are with the answer to life right here in our heart. Jesus! Not religion!! Most of the world looks at religion and laughs, and I am not so sure it doesn't deserve to be laughed at! We talk about how people need to change their life and ask Jesus into their hearts, then we turn around and rant and rave, with our speech, about how bad we have it, or running down another believer, or another church, passing judgment on others, gossiping, all those things. Then we wonder why the world isn't knocking down our door to try to find their way. Their way to what? The same kind of mess they are already in? No!! The world wants peace, joy, hope, victory! Do they hear that in yours and my speech?
Peter's speech, or the way he talked, gave him away. It exposed who he was. Does your speech do that? Does it tell others that you are a disciple of Christ? Does it tells others that you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? Does it tell others that you understand the things they are going through and have a sympathetic heart, or does it present you as being better than others with no compassion for them and the things that they are facing. Many years ago a preacher friend said this, "People don't care what you know. till they know that you care!" We, the church, the Body of Christ, those born again, have the answer to the world's cries. The answer is in a person, the man, Christ Jesus. He is our hope, joy, peace, victory!
Our words, or speech, gives us away! My question is, what do your words say about you?
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Keep Your Hands Off!
In Genesis 15, we hear about Abram and Sarai being told by God Himself, that they are going to have a son. In Genesis 16, we see where they begin to try to figure out what God meant, and how that might come to pass. Sarai says to Abram, "I am an old lady and you are an old man, maybe God meant that I would have children through my servant, Hagar. So take her, Abram, and cause her to conceive and bring forth the promise from God." That is just a bit paraphrased.
At the end of verse 2 it says, "And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai."
Now don't jump ahead of me in this story. I am not going to talk about not listening to our wives. That is just plain stupid! I can boldly say I have had bad counsel come from men as well as from women. It is not a gender thing! But it just might be a thing where we find someone who thinks like us, so we agree with them in their thoughts.
I want to talk about how we try to help God do HIS job!
First let me say, God needs no help from us! I am pretty sure that is why HE created the heavens and the earth, and everything else HE created, then HE created mankind. God didn't need someone around, who knew nothing about anything, trying to tell HIM how to do it all!
And yet we do it all the time! We pray, and many times we tell God how to fix someone, take care of this one or that one. You know how we are! I used to tell people all the time, it is dangerous to pray!! Not dangerous in a bad way, but in a way that may take your hands off of a situation. Or may remove your will in a situation, so God can perform HIS will in that person or situation! God may want to do something in a way that you might not even recognize as being God!!! Does that challenge your thoughts? God knows the end from the beginning. And if HE is the creator of all of this earth and heavens, then HE knows better than we how to fix a thing!
Abram and Sarai got themselves in a mess. They ended up with a child, that some 13 years later, was found to not be the promise God had in mind. Finally, God brought to pass the promise HE had made to them. It was after they gave up trying to take care of it themselves, and left it to the wonderful hands of our loving God! In Ephesians 3:20, from The Message translation, it says, "God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."
I understand, we all get anxious, and want things to hurry up! But God wants us to be patient! My time frame is not always God's time frame. Besides, God plan is so much better than what I can try to do!!
God can do HIS job just fine! I just have to learn one thing, keep my hands off!!
At the end of verse 2 it says, "And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai."
Now don't jump ahead of me in this story. I am not going to talk about not listening to our wives. That is just plain stupid! I can boldly say I have had bad counsel come from men as well as from women. It is not a gender thing! But it just might be a thing where we find someone who thinks like us, so we agree with them in their thoughts.
I want to talk about how we try to help God do HIS job!
First let me say, God needs no help from us! I am pretty sure that is why HE created the heavens and the earth, and everything else HE created, then HE created mankind. God didn't need someone around, who knew nothing about anything, trying to tell HIM how to do it all!
And yet we do it all the time! We pray, and many times we tell God how to fix someone, take care of this one or that one. You know how we are! I used to tell people all the time, it is dangerous to pray!! Not dangerous in a bad way, but in a way that may take your hands off of a situation. Or may remove your will in a situation, so God can perform HIS will in that person or situation! God may want to do something in a way that you might not even recognize as being God!!! Does that challenge your thoughts? God knows the end from the beginning. And if HE is the creator of all of this earth and heavens, then HE knows better than we how to fix a thing!
Abram and Sarai got themselves in a mess. They ended up with a child, that some 13 years later, was found to not be the promise God had in mind. Finally, God brought to pass the promise HE had made to them. It was after they gave up trying to take care of it themselves, and left it to the wonderful hands of our loving God! In Ephesians 3:20, from The Message translation, it says, "God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."
I understand, we all get anxious, and want things to hurry up! But God wants us to be patient! My time frame is not always God's time frame. Besides, God plan is so much better than what I can try to do!!
God can do HIS job just fine! I just have to learn one thing, keep my hands off!!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Pig Or The Chicken
Back in about 1983, while in service, a preacher was preaching and he made a statement that has stayed with me all these years. He said, "You are either the pig or the chicken." He then went on to explain what he meant. "It's like with breakfast, the ham and eggs. You are either the chicken, who gives a portion of itself and goes on its merry way, or you are like the pig, who must lay down his life to give his portion."
As I said earlier, that has stayed with me all these years. It has had a profound effect in my life also. You could probably say it was life changing. Much of my mindset was from the chicken side. I just wanted to go, leave a portion of myself in some capacity, and then go on my merry little way. But this thought, it began to stir in me something that I had not really thought about too much. Commitment!
See, in the breakfast senario, the chicken is involved but the pig is committed! It cost the pig his life! But the chicken just gave a portion and went on. Many times our lives are like that very situation. We want to just give a portion, but we don't want it to cost us! We are willing to give just about anything that God wants from us, except what costs us! We say we want to be HIS disciples, but we don't want HIS discipline! We want HIS blessings, but we don't want HIS correction! My question is, how can we have one without the other? I really don't think it is possible.
What about those of us who are married? Do we want our spouses to just be involved in our marriage, or do we want them committed to it? Do we want them to do just enough to get things by, or do we want them laying down their lives to make sure it works. And remember with this, we can't expect more from them than we are willing to give ourselves!
In regards to the Kingdom of our God - Do we just want to be involved? Or do we want to be committed! Do we want people to teach our children who are not committed? Do we want people to lead us into HIS presence in worship who are just involved? Do we want the men and women of God to stand and declare to us The Truth, and they themselves not be committed to the same Word they are declaring to us? Never expect more from others than you are willing to expect, and give, from yourself!
So, in your personal life with Christ, are you involved, or are you committed? Are you getting all the blessings you can, or trying to be all the blessings you can be? Are you giving a portion of your life or are you laying your life down for HIM?
Are you the Pig or the Chicken?
As I said earlier, that has stayed with me all these years. It has had a profound effect in my life also. You could probably say it was life changing. Much of my mindset was from the chicken side. I just wanted to go, leave a portion of myself in some capacity, and then go on my merry little way. But this thought, it began to stir in me something that I had not really thought about too much. Commitment!
See, in the breakfast senario, the chicken is involved but the pig is committed! It cost the pig his life! But the chicken just gave a portion and went on. Many times our lives are like that very situation. We want to just give a portion, but we don't want it to cost us! We are willing to give just about anything that God wants from us, except what costs us! We say we want to be HIS disciples, but we don't want HIS discipline! We want HIS blessings, but we don't want HIS correction! My question is, how can we have one without the other? I really don't think it is possible.
What about those of us who are married? Do we want our spouses to just be involved in our marriage, or do we want them committed to it? Do we want them to do just enough to get things by, or do we want them laying down their lives to make sure it works. And remember with this, we can't expect more from them than we are willing to give ourselves!
In regards to the Kingdom of our God - Do we just want to be involved? Or do we want to be committed! Do we want people to teach our children who are not committed? Do we want people to lead us into HIS presence in worship who are just involved? Do we want the men and women of God to stand and declare to us The Truth, and they themselves not be committed to the same Word they are declaring to us? Never expect more from others than you are willing to expect, and give, from yourself!
So, in your personal life with Christ, are you involved, or are you committed? Are you getting all the blessings you can, or trying to be all the blessings you can be? Are you giving a portion of your life or are you laying your life down for HIM?
Are you the Pig or the Chicken?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Do You Remember?
Almost everyone has heard the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Well, let me take you back in the story a little before their battle, such as it was!
David gets there just in time to see both armies line up for battle. Suddenly, Goliath comes out and begins his usual scoffing and laughing at the armies of Israel. David hears it, and sees the Israelites shrink back in fear. The men begin to talk about the rewards given to the man who defeats Goliath. David asks them to repeat the part about the rewards. David's older brother gets mad at David and tells him to go back where he came from. The King of Israel, Saul, hears about Davids questions, and sends for him. David tells the king to not worry, that he would go take care of this sorry dog that has ridiculed the armies of the Almighty God! King Saul tells David that he doesn't have what it takes to beat this giant, since Goliath has been a soldier since before David was born!
Here is where I want to make my point with this word ----
Suddenly David begins tell, or testify, about some of the victories he has had in his life. He tells him of a lion that came out and stole a lamb, how he rescued the lamb and killed the lion. He tells him of a bear that came out and stole a lamb, how he rescued the lamb and killed the bear. Then he tells him that this Philistine pig will be just like the lion and the bear!
What did David do? He remembered and testified about his previous victories! In Isaiah 46:9, in the Good News Bible, it says, "Remember what happened long ago; acknowledge that I alone am God and that there is no one else like me."
What am I trying to say to you? Remember your former victories!!!
In remembering them, it gives us the strength to continue to stand in the faith we are in! Rehearse them, tell them, testify of them. Bring them to your rememberance! There is strength, hope, joy, refreshing, renewed vision, in the remembering of our former victories, whether they are small or great!
I know, Philippians 3:13 says, "Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead." (from the Good News Bible) Paul is talking about all the things he thought were so important from before. He isn't talking about the victories Christ has worked in his life! He remembers the victories Christ has accomplished in him, just like we should! Even the children of Israel, in the Old Testament, set up memorial stones, to remind them what God had done for them! How about the song, "Look what the Lord has done!" That is remembering your former victories!
Don't let the victories in your life drift off and away, out of your mind and heart. Remember! Remember! Remember!
Remember your former victories! So you can move with confidence to your future victories!
David gets there just in time to see both armies line up for battle. Suddenly, Goliath comes out and begins his usual scoffing and laughing at the armies of Israel. David hears it, and sees the Israelites shrink back in fear. The men begin to talk about the rewards given to the man who defeats Goliath. David asks them to repeat the part about the rewards. David's older brother gets mad at David and tells him to go back where he came from. The King of Israel, Saul, hears about Davids questions, and sends for him. David tells the king to not worry, that he would go take care of this sorry dog that has ridiculed the armies of the Almighty God! King Saul tells David that he doesn't have what it takes to beat this giant, since Goliath has been a soldier since before David was born!
Here is where I want to make my point with this word ----
Suddenly David begins tell, or testify, about some of the victories he has had in his life. He tells him of a lion that came out and stole a lamb, how he rescued the lamb and killed the lion. He tells him of a bear that came out and stole a lamb, how he rescued the lamb and killed the bear. Then he tells him that this Philistine pig will be just like the lion and the bear!
What did David do? He remembered and testified about his previous victories! In Isaiah 46:9, in the Good News Bible, it says, "Remember what happened long ago; acknowledge that I alone am God and that there is no one else like me."
What am I trying to say to you? Remember your former victories!!!
In remembering them, it gives us the strength to continue to stand in the faith we are in! Rehearse them, tell them, testify of them. Bring them to your rememberance! There is strength, hope, joy, refreshing, renewed vision, in the remembering of our former victories, whether they are small or great!
I know, Philippians 3:13 says, "Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead." (from the Good News Bible) Paul is talking about all the things he thought were so important from before. He isn't talking about the victories Christ has worked in his life! He remembers the victories Christ has accomplished in him, just like we should! Even the children of Israel, in the Old Testament, set up memorial stones, to remind them what God had done for them! How about the song, "Look what the Lord has done!" That is remembering your former victories!
Don't let the victories in your life drift off and away, out of your mind and heart. Remember! Remember! Remember!
Remember your former victories! So you can move with confidence to your future victories!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Who Are You, Pleasant Or Bitter?
In the book of Ruth, chapter 1, we see the story of Naomi. Her, her husband, and 2 sons, left Bethlehem Judah because there was a famine. They went to Moab to live. After being there a while, the husband died. Later the 2 sons married women from there. It doesn't say how long it was, but then both sons died. There Naomi was, with no one but her daughters-in-law.
Naomi hears that God has visited her homeland and the famine is over, so she decides to go back to Bethlehem Judah and tries to get the girls to stay. One stays, and one goes back with Naomi.
As they come into town, there is a stir among the people. The people of Bethlehem think they recognize Naomi and the women begin to call out to her, "Naomi, Naomi!"
But Naomi answers and says, "Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara!"
Let me say here, the name Naomi literally means "pleasant", and the name "Mara" means "bitter"!
What she is saying is, "Don't call me pleasant anymore, because I am not! Call me bitter, because now, that is what I am!" She goes on and tells them that she left her hometown in a difficult time and went somewhere else where it was easier. She tells them she left full, but God has brought her back empty. Then she begins to do what many of us do when we have had difficulties in our life -- blame God!
We need to see that Naomi and her family left Bethlehem Judah without God telling them to leave. I know we have all made decisions based on what seemed logical at the time, but we need to understand that God wants to lead us in our decisions so we don't make hasty ones, or the wrong ones!
Remember, she said she left full, but came back empty. Many of us have done this very thing. I told a friend of mine, Charlie, just the other day that we make decisions based on what we want, or what seems logical at the time, and then we ask God to bless what we have done. The problem is that God doesn't want to follow behind and clean up the mess. HE wants to lead us so HE can bless!! Stepping out in faith does not mean moving without the Word of the Lord! If you don't have the Word of the Lord, you have no foundation on which to stand when things get tough. Faith isn't stupidity, or as one brother many years ago said, presumptous. It hears the directions of the Holy Spirit and then follows! That is faith. Standing, and moving, on the Word of God!
The decisions Naomi and family made were without the Word of the Lord, and she ended up bitter. The bed partner for bitterness is blame. We get bitter, then we begin to blame. We start to blame God when it was us that got us there! I know many people that once walked with God, made decisions, then ended up bitter, and then blamed God for the loss they began to experience in their life. You can always tell when someone is bitter. They lash out at the very first chance they have, at anything and everything! And the lashing out includes the blame game. Remember --- Bitterness Breeds Blame!!
But, there is a happy ending to this story! God turned Mara back to Naomi! HE removed her bitterness and restored her pleasantness!
If you find yourself in this story, repent for hasty decisions, ask God to remove the weight of bitterness from your life, and repent for blaming HIM and, or, anyone else.
HE is faithful to meet us where we are. HE loves us.
Naomi hears that God has visited her homeland and the famine is over, so she decides to go back to Bethlehem Judah and tries to get the girls to stay. One stays, and one goes back with Naomi.
As they come into town, there is a stir among the people. The people of Bethlehem think they recognize Naomi and the women begin to call out to her, "Naomi, Naomi!"
But Naomi answers and says, "Do not call me Naomi, call me Mara!"
Let me say here, the name Naomi literally means "pleasant", and the name "Mara" means "bitter"!
What she is saying is, "Don't call me pleasant anymore, because I am not! Call me bitter, because now, that is what I am!" She goes on and tells them that she left her hometown in a difficult time and went somewhere else where it was easier. She tells them she left full, but God has brought her back empty. Then she begins to do what many of us do when we have had difficulties in our life -- blame God!
We need to see that Naomi and her family left Bethlehem Judah without God telling them to leave. I know we have all made decisions based on what seemed logical at the time, but we need to understand that God wants to lead us in our decisions so we don't make hasty ones, or the wrong ones!
Remember, she said she left full, but came back empty. Many of us have done this very thing. I told a friend of mine, Charlie, just the other day that we make decisions based on what we want, or what seems logical at the time, and then we ask God to bless what we have done. The problem is that God doesn't want to follow behind and clean up the mess. HE wants to lead us so HE can bless!! Stepping out in faith does not mean moving without the Word of the Lord! If you don't have the Word of the Lord, you have no foundation on which to stand when things get tough. Faith isn't stupidity, or as one brother many years ago said, presumptous. It hears the directions of the Holy Spirit and then follows! That is faith. Standing, and moving, on the Word of God!
The decisions Naomi and family made were without the Word of the Lord, and she ended up bitter. The bed partner for bitterness is blame. We get bitter, then we begin to blame. We start to blame God when it was us that got us there! I know many people that once walked with God, made decisions, then ended up bitter, and then blamed God for the loss they began to experience in their life. You can always tell when someone is bitter. They lash out at the very first chance they have, at anything and everything! And the lashing out includes the blame game. Remember --- Bitterness Breeds Blame!!
But, there is a happy ending to this story! God turned Mara back to Naomi! HE removed her bitterness and restored her pleasantness!
If you find yourself in this story, repent for hasty decisions, ask God to remove the weight of bitterness from your life, and repent for blaming HIM and, or, anyone else.
HE is faithful to meet us where we are. HE loves us.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Leaving, Crossing Over, And Taking Hold!
The children of Israel had come out of Egypt some 40 years ago. Now they are at a place where their leader, Moses, who had heard from God and led them for those 40 years through the wilderness, has just died. I am sure there were some who began to wonder what in the world they were going to do!
In Joshua, chapter 1, verse 2, we see God speak to Moses' right hand man, Joshua. It says, in The Message, "Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I'm giving to the People of Israel." God is letting Joshua know that he is now the new leader.
Remember, this country, is the place God had promised to them. It is the "promised land." There is so much God had promised them and it is just past the Jordon River in that land. It is the place of blessing! The place of abundance! The place of refreshing! Everything they wanted and desired!
We are like those travelers. We are in the process of crossing over from where we are to where HE is taking us. This whole life is a life of crossing over to the fullness of all that God has for us. We just have to cross over and take hold of it!
So, in crossing over, we are leaving something in order to gain something else. How about these things --
Leaving bondage to take hold of freedom!
Leaving fear to take hold of faith!
Leaving less to to take hold of more!
Leaving lack to take hold of plenty!
Leaving rebellion to take hold of obedience!
Wow, that sounds great, doesn't it? But add these to that list!!!
Leaving weakness to take hold of strength!
Leaving rejection to take hold of acceptance!
Leaving unforgiveness to take hold of forgiveness!
Leaving discouragement to take hold of encouragement!
Leaving sadness to to take hold gladness!
Leaving hate to take hold of love!
Leaving emptiness to take hold of fullness!
Leaving law to to take hold of grace!
Leaving judgement to to take hold of mercy!
Leaving darkness to to take hold of light!
Leaving carnality to to take hold of spirituality!
Leaving disagreement to to take hold of agreement!
Leaving defeat to to take hold of victory!
Leaving unholiness to to take hold of holiness!
Leaving dishonor to to take hold of honor!
Leaving deception to take hold of truth!
Leaving weariness to take hold of refreshing!
Leaving sorrow to to take hold of joy!
Leaving death to to take hold of life!
There is so much in this life in Christ! But, we have to cross over Jordon. Leave the old to take hold of the new!
In Joshua, chapter 1, verse 2, we see God speak to Moses' right hand man, Joshua. It says, in The Message, "Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I'm giving to the People of Israel." God is letting Joshua know that he is now the new leader.
Remember, this country, is the place God had promised to them. It is the "promised land." There is so much God had promised them and it is just past the Jordon River in that land. It is the place of blessing! The place of abundance! The place of refreshing! Everything they wanted and desired!
We are like those travelers. We are in the process of crossing over from where we are to where HE is taking us. This whole life is a life of crossing over to the fullness of all that God has for us. We just have to cross over and take hold of it!
So, in crossing over, we are leaving something in order to gain something else. How about these things --
Leaving bondage to take hold of freedom!
Leaving fear to take hold of faith!
Leaving less to to take hold of more!
Leaving lack to take hold of plenty!
Leaving rebellion to take hold of obedience!
Wow, that sounds great, doesn't it? But add these to that list!!!
Leaving weakness to take hold of strength!
Leaving rejection to take hold of acceptance!
Leaving unforgiveness to take hold of forgiveness!
Leaving discouragement to take hold of encouragement!
Leaving sadness to to take hold gladness!
Leaving hate to take hold of love!
Leaving emptiness to take hold of fullness!
Leaving law to to take hold of grace!
Leaving judgement to to take hold of mercy!
Leaving darkness to to take hold of light!
Leaving carnality to to take hold of spirituality!
Leaving disagreement to to take hold of agreement!
Leaving defeat to to take hold of victory!
Leaving unholiness to to take hold of holiness!
Leaving dishonor to to take hold of honor!
Leaving deception to take hold of truth!
Leaving weariness to take hold of refreshing!
Leaving sorrow to to take hold of joy!
Leaving death to to take hold of life!
There is so much in this life in Christ! But, we have to cross over Jordon. Leave the old to take hold of the new!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
So Are You Unworthy?
How many of you can admit that you have struggled at times with a sense of not being worthy? I think every one of us have at one time or another. Many of us still live in an "Old Testament Mentality", but we need to see, and move toward, "New Testament Reality!"
We have a mentality that stays more aware of sin than righteousness. And what I really want to say is, we believe there is more power in sin than in the blood of Jesus! But let me ask you, how much power is in the blood of Jesus? Back in the day, we used to sing about the power in the blood. Was it just a song, or were we declaring the truth? I say there is power in the blood of Jesus. Enough power to wipe us clean from our past life!
Paul said in 2 Corintians 7:2, "...we have wronged no man...". Remember, he was in charge of killing the Christians at one time! Look at how powerful the blood of Jesus is. It gave Paul the ability to move forward in the newness of life and forget those things that were behind. In 2 Corintians 5:17, from the God's Word Translation, it says, "Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence."
The last post on this blog was that faith would not operate without love working in our heart. But there is another thing that will keep faith from working. Conscieness of sin! We get into this thing of telling ourselves, "O I'm not worthy for God to do anything for me. After all, look at all I have done!" Let me ask you, what can wash away your sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Let me say this, faith cannot rise above your sense of self worth! It isn't about what you have done to deserve anything from God! It is about what God has already done for you! He provided the power in the blood to cleanse you and I from a conscieness of sin! We are free from that old mentality that we have to work for our salvation.
We need to become righteous conscience. What I mean by that is, aware of all that has been placed into our lives! 2 Peter 1:3, from the Contemporary English Version Bible, says, "We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God's own power, when we learned that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness." Did you see that? "...everything we need to live a life that pleases God." God didn't short change us when he gave us this life! We have everything we need!! 2 Corinthians 5:21, says in the Message translation, "In Christ, God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God." We have been made right!!! We are righteous because of Christ! You are righteous!
So, are you going to believe what God says about you and all HE has provided for you to live this life? Or are you just going to think how you are not worthy? You have to believe one or the other, there is no in between!
We have a mentality that stays more aware of sin than righteousness. And what I really want to say is, we believe there is more power in sin than in the blood of Jesus! But let me ask you, how much power is in the blood of Jesus? Back in the day, we used to sing about the power in the blood. Was it just a song, or were we declaring the truth? I say there is power in the blood of Jesus. Enough power to wipe us clean from our past life!
Paul said in 2 Corintians 7:2, "...we have wronged no man...". Remember, he was in charge of killing the Christians at one time! Look at how powerful the blood of Jesus is. It gave Paul the ability to move forward in the newness of life and forget those things that were behind. In 2 Corintians 5:17, from the God's Word Translation, it says, "Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence."
The last post on this blog was that faith would not operate without love working in our heart. But there is another thing that will keep faith from working. Conscieness of sin! We get into this thing of telling ourselves, "O I'm not worthy for God to do anything for me. After all, look at all I have done!" Let me ask you, what can wash away your sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Let me say this, faith cannot rise above your sense of self worth! It isn't about what you have done to deserve anything from God! It is about what God has already done for you! He provided the power in the blood to cleanse you and I from a conscieness of sin! We are free from that old mentality that we have to work for our salvation.
We need to become righteous conscience. What I mean by that is, aware of all that has been placed into our lives! 2 Peter 1:3, from the Contemporary English Version Bible, says, "We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God's own power, when we learned that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness." Did you see that? "...everything we need to live a life that pleases God." God didn't short change us when he gave us this life! We have everything we need!! 2 Corinthians 5:21, says in the Message translation, "In Christ, God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God." We have been made right!!! We are righteous because of Christ! You are righteous!
So, are you going to believe what God says about you and all HE has provided for you to live this life? Or are you just going to think how you are not worthy? You have to believe one or the other, there is no in between!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Faith Not Working? Try This!
Let me put it this way. Have you ever prayed and tried to believe for something. You prayed and prayed. Nothing ever happened. We may even begin to wonder why God isn't listening to you. We have all been there.
Well, Galatians 5:6, in the Good News Bible, says, "For when we are in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor the lack of it makes any difference at all; what matters is faith that works through love. According to what I see in this scripture, the bottom line for my faith to operate, or work, is LOVE.
Many years ago the Lord showed me this scripture and gave me an understanding of it that has helped me for many years. Let me share it with you, maybe it can help you too!
We have all heard messages about the door of faith. Well, the Lord showed me something that went a little farther than just the door of faith. See, every door opens and closes by a little thing that many times we don't see, a hinge. The hinge is what enables that door to open and close. Without a hinge, you can't have a door. You end up with either an open space, or hole in the wall, or you have a solid wall, with no way to move between rooms.
If you want the door of faith to be wide open to you, you must realize there is a hinge on that door, and that hinge is called love. The door of faith operates on the hinge of love.
Bottom line, if my faith doesn't seem to be operating to well, maybe I better look to my heart and see if I am walking in love. If I am not, faith will not work, because faith works by love. In 1 Corinthians 13:8, it says, "love never fails...". So we see that love is a very powerful force. So powerful, that it is stronger than faith, because faith will not work without it!!
So, let me ask you? Has faith been working in you? Maybe you should try this!
Well, Galatians 5:6, in the Good News Bible, says, "For when we are in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor the lack of it makes any difference at all; what matters is faith that works through love. According to what I see in this scripture, the bottom line for my faith to operate, or work, is LOVE.
Many years ago the Lord showed me this scripture and gave me an understanding of it that has helped me for many years. Let me share it with you, maybe it can help you too!
We have all heard messages about the door of faith. Well, the Lord showed me something that went a little farther than just the door of faith. See, every door opens and closes by a little thing that many times we don't see, a hinge. The hinge is what enables that door to open and close. Without a hinge, you can't have a door. You end up with either an open space, or hole in the wall, or you have a solid wall, with no way to move between rooms.
If you want the door of faith to be wide open to you, you must realize there is a hinge on that door, and that hinge is called love. The door of faith operates on the hinge of love.
Bottom line, if my faith doesn't seem to be operating to well, maybe I better look to my heart and see if I am walking in love. If I am not, faith will not work, because faith works by love. In 1 Corinthians 13:8, it says, "love never fails...". So we see that love is a very powerful force. So powerful, that it is stronger than faith, because faith will not work without it!!
So, let me ask you? Has faith been working in you? Maybe you should try this!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Are You Crammed Full Of It?
In Romans 15:13, from the New American Standard Bible, it says, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." I am thankful that HE is The God Of Hope. The word here for hope also means "expectation." HE is to be my hope and expectation.
See, part of where we end up getting disappointed and discouraged is that we often place our hope in something or someone other than HIM. Our hope is in our prayer, our study of the Word, our going to church regularly, etc.. You know, all the things that we do. But God wants our hope and expectation to be HIM, not our attempts at serving HIM and doing all the right things!
I want to look at something else from this scripture. Paul's prayer was that the God of hope would fill you and I with joy and peace while we are believing! I like that and I am in agreement with it. Let it be Lord!!
But look at this one word, "fill". This word excites me! It means "to make replete, or (fig.) to furnish or satisfy". But literally it means "to cram (like a net)." Being crammed full!! That is so cool!!
See, it is the period of "while we are believing" that we do much of our struggling. That waiting period, between when we first ask, to the time that prayer is fulfilled, can be a short time or seemingly a long time, or anywhere in between! The longer it takes, the more we seem to struggle with faith. But God doesn't want us to struggle. Paul recognized this and prayed this prayer for all of us because he knew that it was easier to continue in this walk if we are crammed full of joy and peace and all the other things of God's Spirit.
I love the idea of being crammed full of joy and peace while I am believing God. It gives me the understanding that God wants me to be successful in this walk, and HE wants me to enjoy it while I am doing it! I need the joy of the Lord and I need the peace of God.
Crammed full of HIS joy, crammed full of HIS peace, crammed full of HIS love, crammed full of HIS strength, crammed full of HIS Spirit, crammed full of HIS faith, crammed full of HIS gentleness, crammed full of HIS faithfulness, and every other attribute of God that HE wants in our life. He doesn't just want us full, but "crammed full."
So, are you crammed full of it?
See, part of where we end up getting disappointed and discouraged is that we often place our hope in something or someone other than HIM. Our hope is in our prayer, our study of the Word, our going to church regularly, etc.. You know, all the things that we do. But God wants our hope and expectation to be HIM, not our attempts at serving HIM and doing all the right things!
I want to look at something else from this scripture. Paul's prayer was that the God of hope would fill you and I with joy and peace while we are believing! I like that and I am in agreement with it. Let it be Lord!!
But look at this one word, "fill". This word excites me! It means "to make replete, or (fig.) to furnish or satisfy". But literally it means "to cram (like a net)." Being crammed full!! That is so cool!!
See, it is the period of "while we are believing" that we do much of our struggling. That waiting period, between when we first ask, to the time that prayer is fulfilled, can be a short time or seemingly a long time, or anywhere in between! The longer it takes, the more we seem to struggle with faith. But God doesn't want us to struggle. Paul recognized this and prayed this prayer for all of us because he knew that it was easier to continue in this walk if we are crammed full of joy and peace and all the other things of God's Spirit.
I love the idea of being crammed full of joy and peace while I am believing God. It gives me the understanding that God wants me to be successful in this walk, and HE wants me to enjoy it while I am doing it! I need the joy of the Lord and I need the peace of God.
Crammed full of HIS joy, crammed full of HIS peace, crammed full of HIS love, crammed full of HIS strength, crammed full of HIS Spirit, crammed full of HIS faith, crammed full of HIS gentleness, crammed full of HIS faithfulness, and every other attribute of God that HE wants in our life. He doesn't just want us full, but "crammed full."
So, are you crammed full of it?
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
How Do You Sound?
There is a small book toward the end of the Old Testament by the name of Habakkuk. In this small book is one of the largest truths given to us in the Bible. In chapter 3, verses 17 and 18, the Good News Bible says, "Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes grow on the vines, even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no grain, even though the sheep all die and the cattle stalls are empty, I will still be joyful and glad, because the LORD God is my savior."
What a determined way of thinking! Actually, what a determined way of living!! See, The Lord our God is a good God, and HE deserves all of our praise. HE actually commands us to praise HIM in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 , from the Message translation, "Thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." . See, we really don't even have the right to not praise HIM. In Habakkuk, we see that no matter what is happening, how things are going, the writer of this book said, "I will still be joyful and glad..."
It is easy for us to give God praise when everything is going pretty well in our lives. Not much of a problem to praise God when you are on the mountaintop. But when things begin to get a little uncertain, or troublesome, the praise that is in our mouth seems to dry up like a creek in the hot summer. Many times, we then begin to struggle in our walk with the Lord. But God wants us to realize that when we praise Him, we are showing that our confidence and faith are in God! We are putting, and keeping, our trust in HIM!!
Our scripture in Habakkuk lists all kinds of things going wrong, problems happening. Just like some of the things going on in your life and in my life. We may have all kinds of things going wrong, not working out the way we wanted them to, or hoped they would. Poor me! I feel so sorry for me! Nothing ever goes my way! That is the sound of defeat! But you know something? All those problems do not change God at all!! He deserves our praise! Even when we don't feel like it, or even want to!
See, everything you and I do in this walk with HIM is by faith. God never intended for us to walk this walk by our feelings. If that were the case then about half the time we wouldn't even feel like the child of God! In Hebrews 11:6 in the Good News Bible it says, "No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him." Praise is the biggest act of faith you and I can operate in. As I said in an earlier post, purposeful praise increases faith.
I know some of us may be facing huge things on the horizon, but, even in the midst of facing these things, God has not changed!! Giving praise to HIM in these times is what helps keep our focus on Jesus and not the problems. HE is a Great Big God and HE deserves Great Big Praise.
Psalms 34:1, again in the Good News Bible, says, "I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him."
Psalms 33:1, from the Message translation says, "Good people, cheer GOD! Right-living people sound best when praising."
So, how do you sound?
What a determined way of thinking! Actually, what a determined way of living!! See, The Lord our God is a good God, and HE deserves all of our praise. HE actually commands us to praise HIM in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 , from the Message translation, "Thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." . See, we really don't even have the right to not praise HIM. In Habakkuk, we see that no matter what is happening, how things are going, the writer of this book said, "I will still be joyful and glad..."
It is easy for us to give God praise when everything is going pretty well in our lives. Not much of a problem to praise God when you are on the mountaintop. But when things begin to get a little uncertain, or troublesome, the praise that is in our mouth seems to dry up like a creek in the hot summer. Many times, we then begin to struggle in our walk with the Lord. But God wants us to realize that when we praise Him, we are showing that our confidence and faith are in God! We are putting, and keeping, our trust in HIM!!
Our scripture in Habakkuk lists all kinds of things going wrong, problems happening. Just like some of the things going on in your life and in my life. We may have all kinds of things going wrong, not working out the way we wanted them to, or hoped they would. Poor me! I feel so sorry for me! Nothing ever goes my way! That is the sound of defeat! But you know something? All those problems do not change God at all!! He deserves our praise! Even when we don't feel like it, or even want to!
See, everything you and I do in this walk with HIM is by faith. God never intended for us to walk this walk by our feelings. If that were the case then about half the time we wouldn't even feel like the child of God! In Hebrews 11:6 in the Good News Bible it says, "No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him." Praise is the biggest act of faith you and I can operate in. As I said in an earlier post, purposeful praise increases faith.
I know some of us may be facing huge things on the horizon, but, even in the midst of facing these things, God has not changed!! Giving praise to HIM in these times is what helps keep our focus on Jesus and not the problems. HE is a Great Big God and HE deserves Great Big Praise.
Psalms 34:1, again in the Good News Bible, says, "I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him."
Psalms 33:1, from the Message translation says, "Good people, cheer GOD! Right-living people sound best when praising."
So, how do you sound?
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Is This Fish God's Hand?
We have all heard messages about Jonah and the great big fish (or whale if you prefer). How he heard from God to go preach to Ninevah, but ran the other way. We have heard about his rebellion, fear, repentance, eventual obedience, more anger, his pity party, depression, death wish, and more anger. He was quite character! Like most of us that God wants and does use! Every message I have heard from the story of Jonah, I enjoyed. So much truth there that applies to my life right now, everyday!
But I want to share something about this story that I think is so cool! I can honestly say I have never heard anyone preach about this with this story. One night as I was preaching at the church I attended at the time, this just began to come out of me! I had not even considered this till I heard it coming out of my mouth. Please! I am not saying no one else has ever preached this. I am saying, I just haven't heard anyone else preach this!
Here it is -- I think one of the biggest things we miss from this story is the divine protecton of God! See, many of us have thought and considered that the big fish was prepared, appointed, made ready, sent, commanded, assigned (these are all the words used in many different translations of the Bible for this verse) to go get Jonah because of His rebellion and disobedience. I want to tell you, I think the big fish was there to swallow Jonah up and to protect him from everything else that was in the sea!!!
God knew that Jonah was going to repent and turn back to HIM! The Bible tells us in Isaiah 46:10 that God says HE declared, or announced, the end of things from the very beginning! God knows everything, or HE is not God! So, with that in mind, we must look at all the things that Jonah was rescued from by being in the belly of this great big fish!
Obviously, sharks? How about other great big fish? What about the octopus? Giant squids? Jelly fish? More storms? Other ships? Birds flying overhead? Waves crashing over his head? Deadly sea snakes? I don't know all that is out there, but I trust you are getting the idea. God protected him because God still had a plan for Jonah and didn't want him to die at sea!
I am convinced that God has protected us, when maybe we thought it was the enemy trying to kill us! Think about it! If it were you swallowed up by a great big fish, what would your thoughts be? "This is it, I'm going to die in this thing! This isn't how I wanted to go. I don't remember learning to fish from the inside?! I should have bought a donkey instead of a boat ticket! Nobody even knows where I am!" And finally, "God forgive me and help me!!!" We could all come up with some pretty colorful dialog right here. I wonder if Jonah thought that if he wasn't in the belly of this thing, he might could swim to shore? Or maybe float on some of the things that had been thrown overboard?!
And yet this fish had a purpose!!! To protect Jonah till he repented!!! Then deliver him to the shore as close to Ninevah as it could!!!
Don't despise things you don't understand! You might think it is the end and you are going to die where you are, but it likely is God's protection on you to get you where HE wants you!!!
But I want to share something about this story that I think is so cool! I can honestly say I have never heard anyone preach about this with this story. One night as I was preaching at the church I attended at the time, this just began to come out of me! I had not even considered this till I heard it coming out of my mouth. Please! I am not saying no one else has ever preached this. I am saying, I just haven't heard anyone else preach this!
Here it is -- I think one of the biggest things we miss from this story is the divine protecton of God! See, many of us have thought and considered that the big fish was prepared, appointed, made ready, sent, commanded, assigned (these are all the words used in many different translations of the Bible for this verse) to go get Jonah because of His rebellion and disobedience. I want to tell you, I think the big fish was there to swallow Jonah up and to protect him from everything else that was in the sea!!!
God knew that Jonah was going to repent and turn back to HIM! The Bible tells us in Isaiah 46:10 that God says HE declared, or announced, the end of things from the very beginning! God knows everything, or HE is not God! So, with that in mind, we must look at all the things that Jonah was rescued from by being in the belly of this great big fish!
Obviously, sharks? How about other great big fish? What about the octopus? Giant squids? Jelly fish? More storms? Other ships? Birds flying overhead? Waves crashing over his head? Deadly sea snakes? I don't know all that is out there, but I trust you are getting the idea. God protected him because God still had a plan for Jonah and didn't want him to die at sea!
I am convinced that God has protected us, when maybe we thought it was the enemy trying to kill us! Think about it! If it were you swallowed up by a great big fish, what would your thoughts be? "This is it, I'm going to die in this thing! This isn't how I wanted to go. I don't remember learning to fish from the inside?! I should have bought a donkey instead of a boat ticket! Nobody even knows where I am!" And finally, "God forgive me and help me!!!" We could all come up with some pretty colorful dialog right here. I wonder if Jonah thought that if he wasn't in the belly of this thing, he might could swim to shore? Or maybe float on some of the things that had been thrown overboard?!
And yet this fish had a purpose!!! To protect Jonah till he repented!!! Then deliver him to the shore as close to Ninevah as it could!!!
Don't despise things you don't understand! You might think it is the end and you are going to die where you are, but it likely is God's protection on you to get you where HE wants you!!!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Who You Been Fightin?
Several years ago, in the middle of worship, the Lord showed me something that I have never forgot.
We had been in an extended time of prophetic worship and were just lingering in His presence. All of a sudden, by the Spirit, I began to see a sword in the distance, but it was moving toward me. I had the sense that this sword had been in battle, don’t know exactly how I knew that, but that was what I felt. The sword continued to get closer and closer. I began to see a shine on the sword. It shined and shined. It finally reached me.
Instantly, I felt the Lord speak to my heart. HE said, “Notice that there is no blood on this sword, even though it has been in battle.” No blood, no grime, no dirt, just a shine.
Then I felt the Holy Spirit bring back to my memory a scripture. Ephesians 6:12, in the Modern King James Version, says, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places." The Good News Bible puts it this way, “For we are not fighting against human beings, but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. “ I began to understand that the Lord was trying to speak to me about the real battle.
Many times the enemy of our life will try to get you and I engaged with someone else in anger, envy, lies, resentment, unforgiveness, jealousy, manipulation, intimidation, fear, you know, all these kind of things. But remember, we just read, we aren’t in a fight with human beings over our spiritual life. What the Scriptures do say is, that other people are not our enemy! The Bible is pretty clear who our enemy is, it is the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual wickedness in high places. IT IS NOT EACH OTHER!!!
We, as the Body of Christ, have fought each other to such a degree that there are some who will not even fellowship or have anything to do with others who are not like them. And yet those others are blood-bought, with the very same blood of the Lamb that you and I have! They are just like you and I! Jesus died for all those who were lost in sin! That was every one of us! Those of us who have accepted Jesus into our hearts are members of the same body. We are brothers and sisters by the blood, not belief and doctrine!
I know people hurt us in many ways. Our self-defense mechanisms kick in to gear when we think we are being taken advantage of. We put up walls to keep others out because we are afraid that we are going to get hurt. The problem is, we put the walls up in the wrong place! We have just cut ourselves off from the rest of the Body of Christ. We have got to remember, that person who is being used to inflict the pain or anguish, is not our enemy. They might obviously be a tool the real enemy is using, but they are not my enemy.
We are all having to walk this walk by faith. As my friend Deb says, “it’s a faith thing.” The problem with thinking we are in a warfare against others is, that it is not a battle of faith. A battle of faith doesn’t work against other blood-bought believers. It most likely doesn't even work against people who are not born again. It probably only works against the real enemy of our soul.
So, who you been fightin ?
We had been in an extended time of prophetic worship and were just lingering in His presence. All of a sudden, by the Spirit, I began to see a sword in the distance, but it was moving toward me. I had the sense that this sword had been in battle, don’t know exactly how I knew that, but that was what I felt. The sword continued to get closer and closer. I began to see a shine on the sword. It shined and shined. It finally reached me.
Instantly, I felt the Lord speak to my heart. HE said, “Notice that there is no blood on this sword, even though it has been in battle.” No blood, no grime, no dirt, just a shine.
Then I felt the Holy Spirit bring back to my memory a scripture. Ephesians 6:12, in the Modern King James Version, says, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places." The Good News Bible puts it this way, “For we are not fighting against human beings, but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. “ I began to understand that the Lord was trying to speak to me about the real battle.
Many times the enemy of our life will try to get you and I engaged with someone else in anger, envy, lies, resentment, unforgiveness, jealousy, manipulation, intimidation, fear, you know, all these kind of things. But remember, we just read, we aren’t in a fight with human beings over our spiritual life. What the Scriptures do say is, that other people are not our enemy! The Bible is pretty clear who our enemy is, it is the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual wickedness in high places. IT IS NOT EACH OTHER!!!
We, as the Body of Christ, have fought each other to such a degree that there are some who will not even fellowship or have anything to do with others who are not like them. And yet those others are blood-bought, with the very same blood of the Lamb that you and I have! They are just like you and I! Jesus died for all those who were lost in sin! That was every one of us! Those of us who have accepted Jesus into our hearts are members of the same body. We are brothers and sisters by the blood, not belief and doctrine!
I know people hurt us in many ways. Our self-defense mechanisms kick in to gear when we think we are being taken advantage of. We put up walls to keep others out because we are afraid that we are going to get hurt. The problem is, we put the walls up in the wrong place! We have just cut ourselves off from the rest of the Body of Christ. We have got to remember, that person who is being used to inflict the pain or anguish, is not our enemy. They might obviously be a tool the real enemy is using, but they are not my enemy.
We are all having to walk this walk by faith. As my friend Deb says, “it’s a faith thing.” The problem with thinking we are in a warfare against others is, that it is not a battle of faith. A battle of faith doesn’t work against other blood-bought believers. It most likely doesn't even work against people who are not born again. It probably only works against the real enemy of our soul.
So, who you been fightin ?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Get The Chains Off !
In Acts 16, Paul and Silas are sitting in jail. They had been beaten with rods and locked into the stocks. It is dark and gloomy and really smells, because they are in the inner prison, the belly of the prison, the place where the raw sewage runs out of the building. The absolute worst part of the prison. This is as bad as it could possibly be. Do you get the idea?
But something bigger was about to happen. The Bible tells us they were praying and worshipping God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, around midnight, there was an earthquake that shook the foundation of the prison and the doors of the cells began to open and everyone's chains began to unfasten! The jailer wakes up from it all and sees the doors opened, so he pulls out his sword to kill himself because he was sure the prisoners had already escaped. Paul yells out for him to stop and tells him everyone is still there, no one has left! The guard asks them what does he need to do to be saved! He then takes them to his own house and his the whole family gets saved! Great story! Really exciting to think of the power of God at work to do such a wonderful feat! But I want to point out something to you that might have been overlooked by many of us.
See, in verse 25, we see that the other prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas praying and singing. Then in verse 26 we see that everyone's chains were unfastened! All the prisoners! Not just Paul and Silas'! Everyone's!
Here is my point - our praying and worshipping of God might be what sets someone else free and opens up the way for them to experience God for themselves!
As Christions, we know that people are listening to, and watching our lives with a sharp ear and eye. Some to critize, some to encourage, some to laugh, some to scorn, some out of curiosity. Whatever the case, we are being listened to and watched. Our response can have a greater impact in the lives of others than we can possibly imagine!
I must come to understand that life is not about me! There is a bigger picture that I need to see. Many years ago, my pastor said, "If your vision is smaller than God's, it's too small". If my focus is always and only on my self, then I have a vision that is much too small. My deliverance can be someone elses deliverance! I never know all the needs of the people around my life. So I don't know what all is going on in their minds.
We all experience difficulties in this life. No of us are exempt. When others see me going through difficult times, and hear me singing and talking about how good and faithful my God is, in spite of what I am going through, it just might cause them to be set free enough from their prisons that they might be able to turn their hearts and minds to the goodness of our God!
So let me ask you? When you find yourself in a difficult time, or a "prison" of any kind, what do the other "prisoners" hear coming from you? Is it complaining, frustration, pity parties, stuff like that? Or do they hear you praying to God asking for help, strength, direction, and listening to you sing to God of how great and how faithful HE is in spite of what seems to be going on?
As your and my chains come off, others chains can come off too!
But something bigger was about to happen. The Bible tells us they were praying and worshipping God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly, around midnight, there was an earthquake that shook the foundation of the prison and the doors of the cells began to open and everyone's chains began to unfasten! The jailer wakes up from it all and sees the doors opened, so he pulls out his sword to kill himself because he was sure the prisoners had already escaped. Paul yells out for him to stop and tells him everyone is still there, no one has left! The guard asks them what does he need to do to be saved! He then takes them to his own house and his the whole family gets saved! Great story! Really exciting to think of the power of God at work to do such a wonderful feat! But I want to point out something to you that might have been overlooked by many of us.
See, in verse 25, we see that the other prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas praying and singing. Then in verse 26 we see that everyone's chains were unfastened! All the prisoners! Not just Paul and Silas'! Everyone's!
Here is my point - our praying and worshipping of God might be what sets someone else free and opens up the way for them to experience God for themselves!
As Christions, we know that people are listening to, and watching our lives with a sharp ear and eye. Some to critize, some to encourage, some to laugh, some to scorn, some out of curiosity. Whatever the case, we are being listened to and watched. Our response can have a greater impact in the lives of others than we can possibly imagine!
I must come to understand that life is not about me! There is a bigger picture that I need to see. Many years ago, my pastor said, "If your vision is smaller than God's, it's too small". If my focus is always and only on my self, then I have a vision that is much too small. My deliverance can be someone elses deliverance! I never know all the needs of the people around my life. So I don't know what all is going on in their minds.
We all experience difficulties in this life. No of us are exempt. When others see me going through difficult times, and hear me singing and talking about how good and faithful my God is, in spite of what I am going through, it just might cause them to be set free enough from their prisons that they might be able to turn their hearts and minds to the goodness of our God!
So let me ask you? When you find yourself in a difficult time, or a "prison" of any kind, what do the other "prisoners" hear coming from you? Is it complaining, frustration, pity parties, stuff like that? Or do they hear you praying to God asking for help, strength, direction, and listening to you sing to God of how great and how faithful HE is in spite of what seems to be going on?
As your and my chains come off, others chains can come off too!
Friday, January 1, 2010
New Years Resolutions? Yeah, Right!
My son and some of his friends were talking about the New Year and some changes they wanted to make in their lives. I shared with them a quote that I had ran across a few weeks back, "Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is raise your standards", by Tony Robbins. They were pretty receptive to that word and I began to think, that is a pretty good word for us all.
My dear friend, Steve Hines, was the first I ever heard quote this phrase, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got." Don't know where the origination of that came from (most likely the Holy Spirit!), but it is good too.
This New Years Day, many are planning to make changes in their lives for this year. We call them New Years Resolutions. I haven't been to big on those for a variety of reasons. I think it is because we miss the whole idea of making changes. If we want to make real changes in our lives, we must first, as Tony Robbins put it, "...raise our standards."
See, our standard in the Kingdom of God, is Jesus Christ Himself. In Hebrews 12:2, in the Message translation, it says, " Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because He never lost sight of where he was headed--that exhilarating finish in and with God--he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God." In another translation it says, "fixing our eyes on Jesus..." We are to keep our eyes on Jesus! Not the problems, not the solutions that the world tells us, not even our own strength or understanding! On Jesus! As we keep our gaze and attention on Him, we are then "...raising our standards." We look at so many things, and people, that we have clouded our own lives and vision.
If we really want change, we "raise our standards", then we quit "doing what we have always done." Again, we want change in our lives, but many times we think we can continue to do the same old things we have always done and still get the change we want! Where in the world did we ever get the idea we could do that!! If you want to grow apples, you have to plant apples. If you want green beans, plant green beans. The seed that you plant is what you are going to grow in your garden. If you don't like the things you are growing, plant something different! If you don't like the way your life has been, quit doing the things you have been doing!!
If you want real change in your life, first, raise your standards, then, stop doing things the way you have always done them.
My dear friend, Steve Hines, was the first I ever heard quote this phrase, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got." Don't know where the origination of that came from (most likely the Holy Spirit!), but it is good too.
This New Years Day, many are planning to make changes in their lives for this year. We call them New Years Resolutions. I haven't been to big on those for a variety of reasons. I think it is because we miss the whole idea of making changes. If we want to make real changes in our lives, we must first, as Tony Robbins put it, "...raise our standards."
See, our standard in the Kingdom of God, is Jesus Christ Himself. In Hebrews 12:2, in the Message translation, it says, " Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because He never lost sight of where he was headed--that exhilarating finish in and with God--he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God." In another translation it says, "fixing our eyes on Jesus..." We are to keep our eyes on Jesus! Not the problems, not the solutions that the world tells us, not even our own strength or understanding! On Jesus! As we keep our gaze and attention on Him, we are then "...raising our standards." We look at so many things, and people, that we have clouded our own lives and vision.
If we really want change, we "raise our standards", then we quit "doing what we have always done." Again, we want change in our lives, but many times we think we can continue to do the same old things we have always done and still get the change we want! Where in the world did we ever get the idea we could do that!! If you want to grow apples, you have to plant apples. If you want green beans, plant green beans. The seed that you plant is what you are going to grow in your garden. If you don't like the things you are growing, plant something different! If you don't like the way your life has been, quit doing the things you have been doing!!
If you want real change in your life, first, raise your standards, then, stop doing things the way you have always done them.
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