Have Your Cake...Eat It Too!!
Being pleasing to God and approved by men! Can you really eat your cake and still have it? We live in a world where we are told that we deserve to have our cake and eat it too and eat our cake and always have it.
Romans 14:16-18
God calls us to a life that is suppose to be set apart from the world. We are suppose to be different than the people around us. This does not mean that we are sinless or that we should become judgmental. Our example should be should should lead others to God.
How can I be pleasing to God and approved by men! Living a life that pleases God does not mean that I am judgmental of the world. I will never have the impact for God and be approved by men if I am self righteous and judgmental. Jesus had compassion on the world and yet he called them to live a better life!
The ingredients to spiritual cake: R+P+J (HS) = Cake
Righteousness
Peace
Joy
Holy Spirit
Stuff can make you happy temporarily but it can never make you joyful. We need the right ingredients to make the cake that God intends for us to make. We need to follow Gods recipe in order to create the life that God intends for us to create.
The world is trying to sell me counterfeit cake!. It is possible to please God and be approved by men! How to please God and be approved by men?
Romans 12:1-2
Philippians 4:18
Colossians 3:20
Hebrews 13:21
What am I pursing in my life? What are my priorities? Are they inline with Gods priorities? Everyday I am facing two options. The cake that God is offering or the cake that the world is offering. One is everlasting and fully satisfying, the other is temporary and leaves me empty and unfulfilled.
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Saturday, August 29, 2015
Sunday, August 9, 2015
The Power of Spiritual Thinking
The Power of Spiritual Thinking
The Power of Positive Thinking
THe statement of "The power of positive thinking" Does not include God but it does not exclude God either. God calls us to positive spiritual thinking and God gives us great power in positive thinking. Positive thinking alone is not enough without God.
What happens to positive thinking when life deals us negativity? Spiritual thinking addresses the positive and negative in our lives
Ephesians 4:17-19
Sin darkens our understanding. Sin breeds darkness and dark times that engulfs us in negativity and death. Sin creates confusion as well. Spiritual thinking provides clarity!
Sin breeds and leads to more sin. Sins progression if left unchecked will lead us to complete darkness.
Ephesians 4:20-24
Jesus brightens! Jesus shines brightness into every dark corner! Vs. 23 -- we need to renew our minds through Jesus! We start in darkness and have to search for Jesus and follow the light in order to get out of the darkness.
Through Jesus we are recreated. Jesus has taken something broken and made it anew!
Ephesians 4:25-32
Vs 25 "therefore" is a transition that makes us look back and see that it is because of Jesus and the light that he brings to our lives!
What I feed my soul is what is going to come out in my life. If I feed my heart the word of God and if I feast on Jesus and his goodness then my life will show good things, positive things!
The Power of Positive Thinking
THe statement of "The power of positive thinking" Does not include God but it does not exclude God either. God calls us to positive spiritual thinking and God gives us great power in positive thinking. Positive thinking alone is not enough without God.
What happens to positive thinking when life deals us negativity? Spiritual thinking addresses the positive and negative in our lives
Ephesians 4:17-19
Sin darkens our understanding. Sin breeds darkness and dark times that engulfs us in negativity and death. Sin creates confusion as well. Spiritual thinking provides clarity!
Sin breeds and leads to more sin. Sins progression if left unchecked will lead us to complete darkness.
Ephesians 4:20-24
Jesus brightens! Jesus shines brightness into every dark corner! Vs. 23 -- we need to renew our minds through Jesus! We start in darkness and have to search for Jesus and follow the light in order to get out of the darkness.
Through Jesus we are recreated. Jesus has taken something broken and made it anew!
Ephesians 4:25-32
Vs 25 "therefore" is a transition that makes us look back and see that it is because of Jesus and the light that he brings to our lives!
What I feed my soul is what is going to come out in my life. If I feed my heart the word of God and if I feast on Jesus and his goodness then my life will show good things, positive things!
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Ephesians 1
Ephesians 1
A letter to the church in Ephesians. Not just a letter to a church but rather a form of communication to teach and instruct all christians. Most of the letters written in the New Testimate are problem solving letters. Letters that address sin and problems in the church.
Ephesians is the broadest of all the letters and does not address any person specifically or any problems specifically. The letter was written and meant for everyone to read and apply to their life.
Ephesians is a great book to study as an introductory book for someone learning about God for the first time. It is also a very deep and profound book. No matter who you are or what stage of life you are in, the book of Ephesians will help you focus your attention on the glory of God!
Paul describes himself as an apostle of Christ, a servant of Christ, and an ambassador in chains. He asserts his authority and then humble acknowledges his true role in Christ.
Ephesians 1:1-10
God chose us before the world was even created! God had us in mind as he created everything we see today! His love for us is unmeasurable! He blesses us with grace and mercy through Jesus. He gives us redemption through Jesus blood.
We are in debt with sin and bound for death and God redeems (purchases) us with the blood of Jesus!
God laves us with grace! He gives us more than we need and guarantees that it will never run out!
Ephesians 1:11-22
Paul charges us to beg God in prayer. To fall on our knees and cry out to God! If we believe that God has all authority and power. That he actually rose Jesus from the dead, then how would my prayer life reflect that? God listens to us and want to grant us everything through Jesus.
We are no longer foreigners to God. We have been reconciled through Jesus and are now legitimate children of God. Through Jesus God has adopted us a true sons!
A letter to the church in Ephesians. Not just a letter to a church but rather a form of communication to teach and instruct all christians. Most of the letters written in the New Testimate are problem solving letters. Letters that address sin and problems in the church.
Ephesians is the broadest of all the letters and does not address any person specifically or any problems specifically. The letter was written and meant for everyone to read and apply to their life.
Ephesians is a great book to study as an introductory book for someone learning about God for the first time. It is also a very deep and profound book. No matter who you are or what stage of life you are in, the book of Ephesians will help you focus your attention on the glory of God!
Paul describes himself as an apostle of Christ, a servant of Christ, and an ambassador in chains. He asserts his authority and then humble acknowledges his true role in Christ.
Ephesians 1:1-10
God chose us before the world was even created! God had us in mind as he created everything we see today! His love for us is unmeasurable! He blesses us with grace and mercy through Jesus. He gives us redemption through Jesus blood.
We are in debt with sin and bound for death and God redeems (purchases) us with the blood of Jesus!
God laves us with grace! He gives us more than we need and guarantees that it will never run out!
Ephesians 1:11-22
Paul charges us to beg God in prayer. To fall on our knees and cry out to God! If we believe that God has all authority and power. That he actually rose Jesus from the dead, then how would my prayer life reflect that? God listens to us and want to grant us everything through Jesus.
We are no longer foreigners to God. We have been reconciled through Jesus and are now legitimate children of God. Through Jesus God has adopted us a true sons!
Ephesians 2
Ephesians 2
Perspective is a very important thing and you need to have the right perspective when studying out any passage of scripture. Paul writes this letter from jail. In prisoned and while sitting in a jail cell, Paul writes a passionate letter of how strong and powerful God is. Paul does not allow his circumstance to sway his faith and convictions!
After explaining how powerful God is, Paul starts chapter two with "as for you". In comparison to Gods great power and strength, Paul confirms how powerless mankind is. We are powerless!
"Dead in your sins" can become a religious saying that looses meaning. With out God we are dead in our sins! Death is final -- there is no coming back. Death is inevitable. Death = powerless. We cannot influence or affect our world, self, love ones...etc. No one can help you either. Nothing can be done to change death!
Part of the power of God is being able to remember who we are and from where we have come from!
Am I dead in sin today? Powerless and trapped in this world unable to break free? Either you are dead in sin or alive in christ. Either you are in death or have been in death!
What God did for us is change the rules. Death was final and then it was not. We were destined to perish and then he provided a savior. Life to death has all was been the natural progression. By grace God changed the rules so that we have the opportunity to go from death to life!
Death was final and then God said it wasn't!
Jesus went first. He took the punishment for sin. He conquered death for us so that we would know that we have nothing to fear! Death Jesus showed us that death can be conquered, that death has no sting!
Because of the cross God is now able to live inside of us. God has made what is unholy -- holy and can now rest in us! I am being built into the temple of God! Everyday I should become more and more like Jesus!
Through the power of the cross we are now united with God in a way that we never could have been! Praise God for his endless grace and mercy!!!
Perspective is a very important thing and you need to have the right perspective when studying out any passage of scripture. Paul writes this letter from jail. In prisoned and while sitting in a jail cell, Paul writes a passionate letter of how strong and powerful God is. Paul does not allow his circumstance to sway his faith and convictions!
After explaining how powerful God is, Paul starts chapter two with "as for you". In comparison to Gods great power and strength, Paul confirms how powerless mankind is. We are powerless!
"Dead in your sins" can become a religious saying that looses meaning. With out God we are dead in our sins! Death is final -- there is no coming back. Death is inevitable. Death = powerless. We cannot influence or affect our world, self, love ones...etc. No one can help you either. Nothing can be done to change death!
Part of the power of God is being able to remember who we are and from where we have come from!
Am I dead in sin today? Powerless and trapped in this world unable to break free? Either you are dead in sin or alive in christ. Either you are in death or have been in death!
What God did for us is change the rules. Death was final and then it was not. We were destined to perish and then he provided a savior. Life to death has all was been the natural progression. By grace God changed the rules so that we have the opportunity to go from death to life!
Death was final and then God said it wasn't!
Jesus went first. He took the punishment for sin. He conquered death for us so that we would know that we have nothing to fear! Death Jesus showed us that death can be conquered, that death has no sting!
Because of the cross God is now able to live inside of us. God has made what is unholy -- holy and can now rest in us! I am being built into the temple of God! Everyday I should become more and more like Jesus!
Through the power of the cross we are now united with God in a way that we never could have been! Praise God for his endless grace and mercy!!!
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Is God enough?
Is God enough?
Is God really enough? Do you need God plus _________blank to be satisfied or happy? Do you really want to go to enough-ness in your life?
Example: American Idol
Mark 4:1-12
This scriptures is about the kingdom of God and the struggle Israel had with idolatry. Exodus 20:3-6, God equates idolatry here to hatred. Idolatry = hatred towards God.Psalm 135:15-18, When we create idols we put our trust in them. Isaiah 46:7, Things that we rely on can be considered idols. Deuteronomy 32:17-18, Idolatry is also forget about who God really is in our lives. 1 Corinthians 10:14, we need to run from idolatry! Idolatry is a spiritual danger that we need to flee from.
Idolatry has always been a struggle for man since the beginning of time. Even today the lure of material wealth and what the world has to offer is a great temptation that leads to idolatry!
Mark 4:13-20
The first soil, shows the idol of distraction or sin. The second soil, is the idol of self gratification and sin. When things get tough they walk away because God is not pleasing anymore. The third soil, is the idol of worrying. We worry about the things that matter the most to us which can be an idol. Do i worry about my relationship with God? Yet we worry about so many other things that we are concerned about or care about!
Matthew 6 shows us that needing clothing is not bad but is the worrying about clothes, food and shelter as being bad. When we worry about these things we are saying that you have to be the provider and take control when God should be our provider!
We are constantly being dragged away from God to something when we give into idols! If we trust in anything other than God it is idolatry!
The idol of wealth: Money can buy a bed but not rest, can buy a house but not a home, can buy a clock but not time, can buy treasures on earth but not treasures in heaven. Money can buy a lot of things but it is deceitful. Money promises us less worry.
Is God really enough? Do you need God plus _________blank to be satisfied or happy? Do you really want to go to enough-ness in your life?
Example: American Idol
Mark 4:1-12
This scriptures is about the kingdom of God and the struggle Israel had with idolatry. Exodus 20:3-6, God equates idolatry here to hatred. Idolatry = hatred towards God.Psalm 135:15-18, When we create idols we put our trust in them. Isaiah 46:7, Things that we rely on can be considered idols. Deuteronomy 32:17-18, Idolatry is also forget about who God really is in our lives. 1 Corinthians 10:14, we need to run from idolatry! Idolatry is a spiritual danger that we need to flee from.
Idolatry has always been a struggle for man since the beginning of time. Even today the lure of material wealth and what the world has to offer is a great temptation that leads to idolatry!
Mark 4:13-20
The first soil, shows the idol of distraction or sin. The second soil, is the idol of self gratification and sin. When things get tough they walk away because God is not pleasing anymore. The third soil, is the idol of worrying. We worry about the things that matter the most to us which can be an idol. Do i worry about my relationship with God? Yet we worry about so many other things that we are concerned about or care about!
Matthew 6 shows us that needing clothing is not bad but is the worrying about clothes, food and shelter as being bad. When we worry about these things we are saying that you have to be the provider and take control when God should be our provider!
We are constantly being dragged away from God to something when we give into idols! If we trust in anything other than God it is idolatry!
The idol of wealth: Money can buy a bed but not rest, can buy a house but not a home, can buy a clock but not time, can buy treasures on earth but not treasures in heaven. Money can buy a lot of things but it is deceitful. Money promises us less worry.
It's Not About Me
It's Not About Me
There is more to loving God than saying "I love God". There has to be a life style of love and God has giving us a model for what this life style should look like in Jesus!
Philippians 2:1-8
Paul is basically telling the Philippians church that "it is not about you". This phrase is what I need to adopt in order to be more like Jesus. "It's not about me"! Self denial is so important to please God and truly love Him!
Gods wisdom is completely opposite of the worlds wisdom! The world tells you to look out for number one. To look out for you because no one else will! Self centeredness and selfishness has no place in a relationship worth God!
Everything that God has done for me in my life has been for a reason. God has blessed me so that I can bless other people. In return I need to lay down my life for the people around me! "it's not about me"!
That's what Jesus did. He said "if it is for him/her I will lay down my life!" When we lay down our lives for each other we created brotherhood!
John 13:34-35
Jesus shared this with his disciples right after he washed the disciples feet and before he ultimately went to the cross and died for them!
I can live a quote un quote right life but Jesus says that the one thing that will set me apart and make me know as a disciple is my love for my brothers. My love for the people around me.
There is more to loving God than saying "I love God". There has to be a life style of love and God has giving us a model for what this life style should look like in Jesus!
Philippians 2:1-8
Paul is basically telling the Philippians church that "it is not about you". This phrase is what I need to adopt in order to be more like Jesus. "It's not about me"! Self denial is so important to please God and truly love Him!
Gods wisdom is completely opposite of the worlds wisdom! The world tells you to look out for number one. To look out for you because no one else will! Self centeredness and selfishness has no place in a relationship worth God!
Everything that God has done for me in my life has been for a reason. God has blessed me so that I can bless other people. In return I need to lay down my life for the people around me! "it's not about me"!
That's what Jesus did. He said "if it is for him/her I will lay down my life!" When we lay down our lives for each other we created brotherhood!
John 13:34-35
Jesus shared this with his disciples right after he washed the disciples feet and before he ultimately went to the cross and died for them!
I can live a quote un quote right life but Jesus says that the one thing that will set me apart and make me know as a disciple is my love for my brothers. My love for the people around me.
Independent or In Dependence
Independent or In Dependence
John 8:31-36
Worldly freedom vs Godly freedom!
July 4 our nation celebrates independence. America is founded on freedom. But with all this "freedom" are we truly free. In America we mistake freedom with independence. Jesus came to redefine freedom! Not independence but in dependence on God is true freedom!!
True freedom leads to life, liberty and true joy and in the pursuit of happiness!
Galatians 5:1
John 15:11
Warnings about freedom:
1 Corinthians 8:9
Galatians 5:13
1 Peter 2:16
Freedom is not really free. Freedom comes at a cost. The world uses freedom to cover sin and do what ever they desire!!
2 Corinthians 3:17
I'm a more concerned about independence or righteousness?
Luke 4:14-21 Jesus's deceleration outlined three things that Jesus came to do!
-Proclaim freedom!
What am I still enslaved to? Jesus came to set me free.
-Recovery of site to the blind!
Jesus came to help heal spiritual blindness! What sins in my life am I blind to?
-Release! This is not the same as freedom. This is the moment when sin no longer oppresses us! What sins am I allowing to oppress me in my life?!
Galatians 3:22-29
John 8:31-32
If we do not add obedience to your faith then you are still in bondage and not set free!!
"IF" you hold to my teachings!" "IF" is conditional. We don't receive freedom until we hold to Jesus teachings. I must seek true freedom and not just for independence!
We have to hold to Jesus teachings and not mans teaching! No matter what laws are passed or what the religious world caves to we need to hold to Jesus teachings!
John 8:34-36 Jesus answered the Pharisees with the real answer to our issue! We're in bondage because we are in sin!! When the son sets you free....Jesus has the power to set us free!!
Further instructions on gaining true freedom!! James 1:21-25
Throw out the garbage in your life! Stop just listened my to the world but take action and do what it says!!
God's love language is obedience!
John 8:31-36
Worldly freedom vs Godly freedom!
July 4 our nation celebrates independence. America is founded on freedom. But with all this "freedom" are we truly free. In America we mistake freedom with independence. Jesus came to redefine freedom! Not independence but in dependence on God is true freedom!!
True freedom leads to life, liberty and true joy and in the pursuit of happiness!
Galatians 5:1
John 15:11
Warnings about freedom:
1 Corinthians 8:9
Galatians 5:13
1 Peter 2:16
Freedom is not really free. Freedom comes at a cost. The world uses freedom to cover sin and do what ever they desire!!
2 Corinthians 3:17
I'm a more concerned about independence or righteousness?
Luke 4:14-21 Jesus's deceleration outlined three things that Jesus came to do!
-Proclaim freedom!
What am I still enslaved to? Jesus came to set me free.
-Recovery of site to the blind!
Jesus came to help heal spiritual blindness! What sins in my life am I blind to?
-Release! This is not the same as freedom. This is the moment when sin no longer oppresses us! What sins am I allowing to oppress me in my life?!
Galatians 3:22-29
John 8:31-32
If we do not add obedience to your faith then you are still in bondage and not set free!!
"IF" you hold to my teachings!" "IF" is conditional. We don't receive freedom until we hold to Jesus teachings. I must seek true freedom and not just for independence!
We have to hold to Jesus teachings and not mans teaching! No matter what laws are passed or what the religious world caves to we need to hold to Jesus teachings!
John 8:34-36 Jesus answered the Pharisees with the real answer to our issue! We're in bondage because we are in sin!! When the son sets you free....Jesus has the power to set us free!!
Further instructions on gaining true freedom!! James 1:21-25
Throw out the garbage in your life! Stop just listened my to the world but take action and do what it says!!
God's love language is obedience!
Monday, June 1, 2015
Luke 15
In Luke 15 Jesus tells three stories in response to the Pharisees being self righteous.
Luke 15:1-32
Jesus gives three stories back to back in a row on the same topic. In the first two stories the people loose a sheep or coin and then they go looking for the lost item. The third story is a little different. How many of the 99 sheep that were left behind were jealous. How many of the 9 coins that were left behind were jealous? None. Only the brother is jealous.
This was a direct analogy of the Pharisees and they way were looking down on the sinners that Jesus was drawing near to him.
1 Timothy 1:12-17
This is the way a true leader of God should view himself. When we have the heart of Paul there is no room for self righteousness or judgmental attitudes.
Luke 15:1-32
Jesus gives three stories back to back in a row on the same topic. In the first two stories the people loose a sheep or coin and then they go looking for the lost item. The third story is a little different. How many of the 99 sheep that were left behind were jealous. How many of the 9 coins that were left behind were jealous? None. Only the brother is jealous.
This was a direct analogy of the Pharisees and they way were looking down on the sinners that Jesus was drawing near to him.
1 Timothy 1:12-17
This is the way a true leader of God should view himself. When we have the heart of Paul there is no room for self righteousness or judgmental attitudes.
Ephesians 5
Ephesians 5
Before God defines our roles as husband and wife he says to submit with one another in reverence in Christ!
As a husband it is my job to present my wife radiant. If my wife is not radiant I need to take responsibility regardless of whether I am right or wrong. Jesus never said to the church, I've done all I can do for you!
Prideful areas I need work on:
Pride loves to talk, revealing in every self exalting form of self-expression. Pride uses conversation as broadcast time.
Humility has never found someone it couldn't learn something from!
Before God defines our roles as husband and wife he says to submit with one another in reverence in Christ!
As a husband it is my job to present my wife radiant. If my wife is not radiant I need to take responsibility regardless of whether I am right or wrong. Jesus never said to the church, I've done all I can do for you!
Prideful areas I need work on:
Pride loves to talk, revealing in every self exalting form of self-expression. Pride uses conversation as broadcast time.
Humility has never found someone it couldn't learn something from!
Who is Helen Keller? Everyone knows Helen Kellers
Who is Helen Keller? Everyone knows Helen Kellers name.Who is Ann Sullivan? Not many people recognize Ann Sullivan and yet she was the teacher that help Helen Keller achieve the great things she achieved in her life.
Great teachers can have a huge impact on our lives. Jesus was the greatest teacher that ever lived! Matthew 7:28 More often than not people were more amazed by Jesus teachings than the physical elements he was able to manipulate in his miracles.
Matthew 7:-28-29
Peopel were amazed by Jesus teaching because he taught with authority. Was it hat he was more strict and had more convictions about Gods word? Luke 11:46; 13:14 tells us that the Pharisees were too strict. What gave Jesus such power and authority was the way he lived his life!
Jesus could have came down and taught the same things and if he did not live the life that he lead no one would have remembered his name. Jesus came teaching from the old testament and in many ways teaching over and over again to people that knew the old testament and what it taught. What made Jesus different was he spoke the truth and then lived it in his life!
We would never listen to a personal trainer, no matter how knowledgable they were, that was over weight and did not live the life that they preached. Same thing with Jesus. Jesus was able to lead and teach the way that he did because of the life that he lived!
John 13:14-15
Jesus taught by example and called everyone who wants to be a disciple to do the things that he did.
The Pharisees memorized the entire old testament and yet Jesus called them hypocrites because they did not live the life that he did. Am I focused more on knowing the right answers or living them?
Mark 6:6-7;34-36
Not everything that Jesus said was written down. Why? The majority of the gospel is about the way Jesus lived. Jesus taught through the way he lived! Vs 34 -- "he began to teach many things." We think we need to be taught XYZ but God knows that what we need is to see the life that Jesus lived. My life should reflect the same thing. It is not about what I say but about what I do and the example that I set!
If my christianity is just about words. To say the right words at the right time or know the right things I am just becoming religious.
John 12:47-50
Although Jesus's words will judge us and hold us accountable his life and the way he lived it ultimately provides us salvation and grace! We have salvation, grace and mercy because of the way Jesus lived his life and the death that he chose to surrender to!
Great teachers can have a huge impact on our lives. Jesus was the greatest teacher that ever lived! Matthew 7:28 More often than not people were more amazed by Jesus teachings than the physical elements he was able to manipulate in his miracles.
Matthew 7:-28-29
Peopel were amazed by Jesus teaching because he taught with authority. Was it hat he was more strict and had more convictions about Gods word? Luke 11:46; 13:14 tells us that the Pharisees were too strict. What gave Jesus such power and authority was the way he lived his life!
Jesus could have came down and taught the same things and if he did not live the life that he lead no one would have remembered his name. Jesus came teaching from the old testament and in many ways teaching over and over again to people that knew the old testament and what it taught. What made Jesus different was he spoke the truth and then lived it in his life!
We would never listen to a personal trainer, no matter how knowledgable they were, that was over weight and did not live the life that they preached. Same thing with Jesus. Jesus was able to lead and teach the way that he did because of the life that he lived!
John 13:14-15
Jesus taught by example and called everyone who wants to be a disciple to do the things that he did.
The Pharisees memorized the entire old testament and yet Jesus called them hypocrites because they did not live the life that he did. Am I focused more on knowing the right answers or living them?
Mark 6:6-7;34-36
Not everything that Jesus said was written down. Why? The majority of the gospel is about the way Jesus lived. Jesus taught through the way he lived! Vs 34 -- "he began to teach many things." We think we need to be taught XYZ but God knows that what we need is to see the life that Jesus lived. My life should reflect the same thing. It is not about what I say but about what I do and the example that I set!
If my christianity is just about words. To say the right words at the right time or know the right things I am just becoming religious.
John 12:47-50
Although Jesus's words will judge us and hold us accountable his life and the way he lived it ultimately provides us salvation and grace! We have salvation, grace and mercy because of the way Jesus lived his life and the death that he chose to surrender to!
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Motherly qualities in God!
Motherly qualities in God!
There are many many Godly women in the bible that were used to do powerful things to for God.
Genesis 1:27
"Man" is made in the image of God. "Man" being just as much mankind and includes women. There is a side of Gods character that is directly connected to the good qualities and characters of a mother!
Every good masculine quality reflects the character of God and every good feminine qualities reflect the character of God as well!
To say that the image of God is only masculine is incorrect. God is both perfectly masculine and perfectly feminine. Although this is true, God chose to associate himself and distinguish himself as a father to us!
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
A mother has pure motives! They give and give without expecting anything in return. Mothers always find forgiveness for their children. Mothers poor themselves out physically and emotionally for their children! Mothers love unconditionally. There is not a better example on earth of unconditional love than the example God has given us in our mothers!
Mothers are constantly sacrificing what is best for them for the needs of their children! Paul used the example of a mother to describe his relationship with the church in Thessalonica.
What we want most in a God is a God that loves unconditionally. We want a God that loves like a mother. Who loves us at our worst like a mother would! Romans 5:6
God calls all of us live out these examples. Am I loving unconditionally? Am I poring my self out emotionally and physically for the people around me?
A mother holds nothing back!
An infant wants only what they need. As kids grow up they start wanting more and more things that they do not need. Children grow older and want more and more of the things that they do not need. A mother never holds back from giving her children what they need. God is the same way!
I can make a long list of what I've wanted in life that I have not received but there is nothing that I have not received that I needed. Like a mother God gives us exactly what we need! God holds nothing back and always supplies us with what we need!
A mother does what ever it takes!
1 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Paul worked when he did not have too. Paul was not a burden to the church. Paul did what ever it took. Mothers work when they don't have too, they are not a burden, and they do what ever it takes. Moms become what ever their children need her to be. God is for us what ever we need God to be. He meets all of our needs!
God is a God that does what ever it takes, how does what ever we need when we need it! He knows what we need and what we don't need. God will be what ever it takes because he loves us like a mother loves her children!
When we needed someone to take the blame for our sin and need to be saved he supplied a way for us to have life when we deserved death!
Sent from my iPad
There are many many Godly women in the bible that were used to do powerful things to for God.
Genesis 1:27
"Man" is made in the image of God. "Man" being just as much mankind and includes women. There is a side of Gods character that is directly connected to the good qualities and characters of a mother!
Every good masculine quality reflects the character of God and every good feminine qualities reflect the character of God as well!
To say that the image of God is only masculine is incorrect. God is both perfectly masculine and perfectly feminine. Although this is true, God chose to associate himself and distinguish himself as a father to us!
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
A mother has pure motives! They give and give without expecting anything in return. Mothers always find forgiveness for their children. Mothers poor themselves out physically and emotionally for their children! Mothers love unconditionally. There is not a better example on earth of unconditional love than the example God has given us in our mothers!
Mothers are constantly sacrificing what is best for them for the needs of their children! Paul used the example of a mother to describe his relationship with the church in Thessalonica.
What we want most in a God is a God that loves unconditionally. We want a God that loves like a mother. Who loves us at our worst like a mother would! Romans 5:6
God calls all of us live out these examples. Am I loving unconditionally? Am I poring my self out emotionally and physically for the people around me?
A mother holds nothing back!
An infant wants only what they need. As kids grow up they start wanting more and more things that they do not need. Children grow older and want more and more of the things that they do not need. A mother never holds back from giving her children what they need. God is the same way!
I can make a long list of what I've wanted in life that I have not received but there is nothing that I have not received that I needed. Like a mother God gives us exactly what we need! God holds nothing back and always supplies us with what we need!
A mother does what ever it takes!
1 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Paul worked when he did not have too. Paul was not a burden to the church. Paul did what ever it took. Mothers work when they don't have too, they are not a burden, and they do what ever it takes. Moms become what ever their children need her to be. God is for us what ever we need God to be. He meets all of our needs!
God is a God that does what ever it takes, how does what ever we need when we need it! He knows what we need and what we don't need. God will be what ever it takes because he loves us like a mother loves her children!
When we needed someone to take the blame for our sin and need to be saved he supplied a way for us to have life when we deserved death!
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Perseverance!
Perseverance!
Perseverance is a theme that we see in the bible over and over again!
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Don't just run aimlessly. Run for the prize. We can persevere through many things but am I persevering with a purpose? What is my purpose and what is my prize?
You hear that your spiritual life is not a sprint but a marathon. This is partially true and partially false. With God we run a sprintathon! We don't need to pace our selves and yet the race is like a marathon in length. We need to run with every ounce of our being all of the time! This is only possible with God!
Story -- Kayla Montgomery -- State champion who ran with Multiple Sorosis -- She ran because she still could. Every moment she was able to run was a blessing. Perseverance was a blessing to her!
Never Give Up!
1 Timothy 4:15-16
"Persevere and IF you do you will be saved". Paul is very clear that perseverance is key to our salvation. Persevere in what you believe. Persevere in the the way you live your life! Persevere and push through when life is hard. Persevere through temptation...etc.
Life and doctrine are equally important! A life for Jesus demands perseverance.
Running the race is not about a sinless life where you never fall down. The key is running with everything we have and when we fall we get back up quickly and run with everything we have again!
Its About How You Finish The Race!
Its not about how you start a race but how you finish! No one remembers how won the first lap or who came in last place after the 2nd lap. The only won remembered is the won who came in first place and crossed the finish line in the last lap!
2 Timothy 4:6-8
The christian life is about how you finish and not how you start. My start was an ugly one. Full of sin and destruction! All that matters is the end of the end. If I run with perseverance and finish the race I will get the prize!
Death is the end. The prize is eternal life! I need to dream about heaven. No matter when my race is scheduled to end I need to be able to say, I finished it! None of us know when we will die or when our race will end. We need to live everyday able to say, "I finished it"!
Am I poured out, giving everything I have and able to finish the race leaving nothing behind!? Grace is what allows me to get back up, dust my self off and continue to run and to never give up!
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Perseverance is a theme that we see in the bible over and over again!
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Don't just run aimlessly. Run for the prize. We can persevere through many things but am I persevering with a purpose? What is my purpose and what is my prize?
You hear that your spiritual life is not a sprint but a marathon. This is partially true and partially false. With God we run a sprintathon! We don't need to pace our selves and yet the race is like a marathon in length. We need to run with every ounce of our being all of the time! This is only possible with God!
Story -- Kayla Montgomery -- State champion who ran with Multiple Sorosis -- She ran because she still could. Every moment she was able to run was a blessing. Perseverance was a blessing to her!
Never Give Up!
1 Timothy 4:15-16
"Persevere and IF you do you will be saved". Paul is very clear that perseverance is key to our salvation. Persevere in what you believe. Persevere in the the way you live your life! Persevere and push through when life is hard. Persevere through temptation...etc.
Life and doctrine are equally important! A life for Jesus demands perseverance.
Running the race is not about a sinless life where you never fall down. The key is running with everything we have and when we fall we get back up quickly and run with everything we have again!
Its About How You Finish The Race!
Its not about how you start a race but how you finish! No one remembers how won the first lap or who came in last place after the 2nd lap. The only won remembered is the won who came in first place and crossed the finish line in the last lap!
2 Timothy 4:6-8
The christian life is about how you finish and not how you start. My start was an ugly one. Full of sin and destruction! All that matters is the end of the end. If I run with perseverance and finish the race I will get the prize!
Death is the end. The prize is eternal life! I need to dream about heaven. No matter when my race is scheduled to end I need to be able to say, I finished it! None of us know when we will die or when our race will end. We need to live everyday able to say, "I finished it"!
Am I poured out, giving everything I have and able to finish the race leaving nothing behind!? Grace is what allows me to get back up, dust my self off and continue to run and to never give up!
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Living HIStory
Living HIStory
Story of Hiroo Onoda: 26 years after WW2, Hiroo refused to accept that the war was over and continued to fight and kill anyone that came to the island of Lubang.
The war was won at the cross! The spiritual battle between God and Satan was fought and ended at when Jesus died and resurrected. Satan although defeated continues to fight and to destroy and attack as many souls as he can before his time ends!
Acts 3:1-10
This beggar was never healed by Jesus because he left work to be done for Peter and John. To show Gods power through them. In the same way God puts people in our lives today that need healing and God has a story to write for them and for us. The battle has already been won! We only need to surrender to Him!
Jesus ministry and life was marked by three things:
1.) Physical healing
2.) Saving souls
3.) Getting those Souls to Heaven
These things need to define us as well as followers of Christ! If these things do not describe your life then your life is not describing a christian life.
It starts with the healing of physical needs. The second that the beggar is healed and starts jumping up praising God, Peter and John start preaching Gods word and healing him spiritually!
Do I meet the physical needs of the people around me? If there is a need and Jesus was there he would meet it and because Jesus is not physically there it is my job as Christ ambassador to meet those needs in His name! I need to start doing more for the people that are hurting around me!
Acts 4:32-37; 4:4; 2:41, 47...etc Too many scriptures about the disciples and their work in meeting peoples physical needs and saving souls!
Acts 4:28-31
Paul in his ministry spent the majority of his time strengthening the church and making sure that the disciples made it to heaven. Who has a better chance of staying faithful because you are in their lives!? Too many of us are independent spiritually. How am I staying deeply involved in someone else's life spiritually?
Becoming a disciples is easy. Its just a decision to surrender and make Jesus Lord of our lives. Staying faithful and fighting through temptation is the hard part. How awful would it be to die after the war was over and already one?
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Story of Hiroo Onoda: 26 years after WW2, Hiroo refused to accept that the war was over and continued to fight and kill anyone that came to the island of Lubang.
The war was won at the cross! The spiritual battle between God and Satan was fought and ended at when Jesus died and resurrected. Satan although defeated continues to fight and to destroy and attack as many souls as he can before his time ends!
Acts 3:1-10
This beggar was never healed by Jesus because he left work to be done for Peter and John. To show Gods power through them. In the same way God puts people in our lives today that need healing and God has a story to write for them and for us. The battle has already been won! We only need to surrender to Him!
Jesus ministry and life was marked by three things:
1.) Physical healing
2.) Saving souls
3.) Getting those Souls to Heaven
These things need to define us as well as followers of Christ! If these things do not describe your life then your life is not describing a christian life.
It starts with the healing of physical needs. The second that the beggar is healed and starts jumping up praising God, Peter and John start preaching Gods word and healing him spiritually!
Do I meet the physical needs of the people around me? If there is a need and Jesus was there he would meet it and because Jesus is not physically there it is my job as Christ ambassador to meet those needs in His name! I need to start doing more for the people that are hurting around me!
Acts 4:32-37; 4:4; 2:41, 47...etc Too many scriptures about the disciples and their work in meeting peoples physical needs and saving souls!
Acts 4:28-31
Paul in his ministry spent the majority of his time strengthening the church and making sure that the disciples made it to heaven. Who has a better chance of staying faithful because you are in their lives!? Too many of us are independent spiritually. How am I staying deeply involved in someone else's life spiritually?
Becoming a disciples is easy. Its just a decision to surrender and make Jesus Lord of our lives. Staying faithful and fighting through temptation is the hard part. How awful would it be to die after the war was over and already one?
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HIStory!
HIStory!
Gods story is the greatest story ever told! Gods story goes far beyond history. It includes history, the present, the future, and the heavenly realms!
Ephesians 6:12
For us our story has a lot to do with struggles. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. It's not of physical things. It is purely spiritual. Satan rules the darkness and his story is just the opposite. While Gods story is about saving us, Satan's story is about how best to destroy us! At every turn Satan is there!
Satan is not Gods equal. He is s not the other side of the coin. Satan does not have the power that God has so he has to undermine God in every way he can! He does this through lies and deceit!
The lowest point of Gods story is the death of His one and only son!
Mark 2-3
All through these two chapters the religious people of the day question Jesus and eventually plotted to kill him because of the way he lived his life. They questioned him on forgiving sin, fasting, and the sabbath!
Jesus is attacked all through out the gospel! Jesus was under attack from the moment his ministry began! Mark 12:1-12 A parable that sums up Gods story and relationship with the Israelites!
Everyone of us has had a lowest point in their lives as well! Gods lowest point was made necessary by our lowest points! An all powerful God chooses to show his power and love by his sacrifice for us! God could have written His story any way he wanted to. God chose to sacrifice His Son because there was no better way to show his love for me!
Mark 14:10-11; 15:15; 33-34; 37
The highest point of Gods story is the resurrection of His one and only son!
The cross arrives at the perfect time! The New Testament writers of the episcopal wrote about Jesus resurrection more that his physical death. The high point in n Gods story is our salvation.
1 Peter 2:21-25; Acts 2:23-24;
Jesus took on the full punishment for my sins but God did not abandon him to the grave! Through Jesus resurrection I am able to live a new life!
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 God has triumphed over death! Death is what we fear the most but through God we are able to not fear! Because Jesus did not stay in the grave and resurrected we have hope in death and the start of a new life!!
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Gods story is the greatest story ever told! Gods story goes far beyond history. It includes history, the present, the future, and the heavenly realms!
Ephesians 6:12
For us our story has a lot to do with struggles. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. It's not of physical things. It is purely spiritual. Satan rules the darkness and his story is just the opposite. While Gods story is about saving us, Satan's story is about how best to destroy us! At every turn Satan is there!
Satan is not Gods equal. He is s not the other side of the coin. Satan does not have the power that God has so he has to undermine God in every way he can! He does this through lies and deceit!
The lowest point of Gods story is the death of His one and only son!
Mark 2-3
All through these two chapters the religious people of the day question Jesus and eventually plotted to kill him because of the way he lived his life. They questioned him on forgiving sin, fasting, and the sabbath!
Jesus is attacked all through out the gospel! Jesus was under attack from the moment his ministry began! Mark 12:1-12 A parable that sums up Gods story and relationship with the Israelites!
Everyone of us has had a lowest point in their lives as well! Gods lowest point was made necessary by our lowest points! An all powerful God chooses to show his power and love by his sacrifice for us! God could have written His story any way he wanted to. God chose to sacrifice His Son because there was no better way to show his love for me!
Mark 14:10-11; 15:15; 33-34; 37
The highest point of Gods story is the resurrection of His one and only son!
The cross arrives at the perfect time! The New Testament writers of the episcopal wrote about Jesus resurrection more that his physical death. The high point in n Gods story is our salvation.
1 Peter 2:21-25; Acts 2:23-24;
Jesus took on the full punishment for my sins but God did not abandon him to the grave! Through Jesus resurrection I am able to live a new life!
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 God has triumphed over death! Death is what we fear the most but through God we are able to not fear! Because Jesus did not stay in the grave and resurrected we have hope in death and the start of a new life!!
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Job 31:1-4
Job 31:1-4
Revelation 2:20-29
God is patient but he is not tolerant! God does not tolerate sexual sin! God will work with me through my purity but he will not tolerate it. It also says that God give pure men authority over the nations! How can you have authority over anything through impurity. We feel defeated when we struggle with sexual sins.
What is purity? Unmixed, unpolluted, 100% with no additives. Sexual purity is saving all sexual gratification for the covenant of marriage. Purity in general is a relationship with God when God alone is enough! Genesis 2:4-7; 18-25. All sin is a lie from satan that telling us that God is not enough and that we need something else! The same with Adam. He was with God, walking with him and God was not enough!
Why absolute purity? There is only a union in marriage when there is total and complete commitment.
Satan is at was and attacking what God created to be pure!
1 Corinthians 6:16-18
All sin is not the same. Sexual sin is in a different category. Sexual sin is a sin against our own bodies and our bodies are the temple of God!
Ephesians 4:19; Proverbs 5:6-7; 7:21-23
Sexual Cycle......Negative Emotions = Disconnect/Isolation = Preoccupation/Ritual = Acting Out = Regret/Vow = Time = back to Negative Emotions.
Hebrews 3:12 -- Turning away starts at Disconnecting/Isolation! Instead of disconnecting and isolation we need to encourage one another and connect.
Help Cycle.....Emotions = Connect= Surrender = Help = Victory = Confidence = time = back to Emotions!
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Revelation 2:20-29
God is patient but he is not tolerant! God does not tolerate sexual sin! God will work with me through my purity but he will not tolerate it. It also says that God give pure men authority over the nations! How can you have authority over anything through impurity. We feel defeated when we struggle with sexual sins.
What is purity? Unmixed, unpolluted, 100% with no additives. Sexual purity is saving all sexual gratification for the covenant of marriage. Purity in general is a relationship with God when God alone is enough! Genesis 2:4-7; 18-25. All sin is a lie from satan that telling us that God is not enough and that we need something else! The same with Adam. He was with God, walking with him and God was not enough!
Why absolute purity? There is only a union in marriage when there is total and complete commitment.
Satan is at was and attacking what God created to be pure!
1 Corinthians 6:16-18
All sin is not the same. Sexual sin is in a different category. Sexual sin is a sin against our own bodies and our bodies are the temple of God!
Ephesians 4:19; Proverbs 5:6-7; 7:21-23
Sexual Cycle......Negative Emotions = Disconnect/Isolation = Preoccupation/Ritual = Acting Out = Regret/Vow = Time = back to Negative Emotions.
Hebrews 3:12 -- Turning away starts at Disconnecting/Isolation! Instead of disconnecting and isolation we need to encourage one another and connect.
Help Cycle.....Emotions = Connect= Surrender = Help = Victory = Confidence = time = back to Emotions!
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Sunday, April 19, 2015
Lessons from the early church of Christ!
Lessons from the early church of Christ!
Acts 4:8-13
Peter and the apostles were unschooled ordinary men! Because the walked with Jesus they new scripture. I need to spend time in Gods word! Being close to Jesus through Gods word! People should view us the same way, in awe that we are unschooled ordinary men who fell in love with Gods word just by having a relationship Jesus!
The last time Peter was confronted by the religious authorities was two months earlier in the court yard where he denied Jesus three times. Peter grew spiritually through Gods word and his love for Jesus to become me a man who stood up to the religious authorities and held his conviction and in Gods word!
It doesn't take a long time to change and grow! I have to be committed to studying Gods word! What is my personal plan of growth in Gods word? Daily study is important!
Acts 4:23-31
Praying was essential for the early church. Their power came from prayer. I'm not praying enough! There is always a good time to pray and always good to pray about everything!
The early church was completely United! One of the biggest obstacles to Godly convictions is our own opinions! We need to stop trust in other things and rely solely on Gods word!!
Acts 4:8-13
Peter and the apostles were unschooled ordinary men! Because the walked with Jesus they new scripture. I need to spend time in Gods word! Being close to Jesus through Gods word! People should view us the same way, in awe that we are unschooled ordinary men who fell in love with Gods word just by having a relationship Jesus!
The last time Peter was confronted by the religious authorities was two months earlier in the court yard where he denied Jesus three times. Peter grew spiritually through Gods word and his love for Jesus to become me a man who stood up to the religious authorities and held his conviction and in Gods word!
It doesn't take a long time to change and grow! I have to be committed to studying Gods word! What is my personal plan of growth in Gods word? Daily study is important!
Acts 4:23-31
Praying was essential for the early church. Their power came from prayer. I'm not praying enough! There is always a good time to pray and always good to pray about everything!
The early church was completely United! One of the biggest obstacles to Godly convictions is our own opinions! We need to stop trust in other things and rely solely on Gods word!!
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Life through Jesus
Ephesians 2:1-10
It's important that we never forget about the depths that God saved us from. We should never forget life we on we lived away from God and the sin that was rampant in our lives! By not forget we see Gods mercy. We are able to see how much grace has been given to us.
Paul did not describe us as sick or hurt. He describes us as dead! We were dead in our transgressions. Only through Christ have we been able to live and have a new life! How grateful should we be?
God sees me as a disciple. God sees me as blameless as Jesus! Praise God that I am not seen anymore for who I really am. Praise Jesus for his sacrifice and love for me. Praise Jesus for interceding for me and allowing me to have a relationship with God!
Romans 12:2; Galatians 4:6-7
No matter what is going on in my life God has given me hope through Jesus! I am no longer a slave to sin. I am no longer trapped in circumstance. I have been redeemed!
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It's important that we never forget about the depths that God saved us from. We should never forget life we on we lived away from God and the sin that was rampant in our lives! By not forget we see Gods mercy. We are able to see how much grace has been given to us.
Paul did not describe us as sick or hurt. He describes us as dead! We were dead in our transgressions. Only through Christ have we been able to live and have a new life! How grateful should we be?
God sees me as a disciple. God sees me as blameless as Jesus! Praise God that I am not seen anymore for who I really am. Praise Jesus for his sacrifice and love for me. Praise Jesus for interceding for me and allowing me to have a relationship with God!
Romans 12:2; Galatians 4:6-7
No matter what is going on in my life God has given me hope through Jesus! I am no longer a slave to sin. I am no longer trapped in circumstance. I have been redeemed!
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Discipleship
Discipleship
125 Billion spent last year on training and development but company's in the US. Corporate America see a huge benefit in training and personal development. Life coaches, conferences, classes, mentoring and consulting are many of the tools that were used. A lot of these things can be directly connected to discipleship.
As a church we need to put as much value in our spiritual development in the same way. As disciples of Jesus we are called to help each other in these ways. Counseling, coaching, teaching, mentoring and training each other through Gods word! If the business world values these things enough to spend 125 billion, how much more should we value discipleship.
People in the world are attending conferences and training sessions and spending countless dollars trying to better them selves in many different areas in their life! In Gods church we have these resources for free in our brothers and sisters.
God also places a huge value on discipleship, one another relationships and accountability. The fist step in valuing these things is having the heart that is willing to learn and willing to imitate! The challenge is to maintain this heart. If we are going to be learners we also have to be qualified counselors and teachers.
We need to have vision for each other. We need to help each other dream spiritual dreams and encourage each other. Sometimes someone else can dream for you in a way that you never would be able to dream for your self.
Jesus inspired and gave his disciples vision. He lead them and gave them confidence.
If we have hearts to learn and hearts to teach our lives will mirror the disciples in the early church. It starts with all of us saying I am willing to learn and I am prepared to teach.
125 Billion spent last year on training and development but company's in the US. Corporate America see a huge benefit in training and personal development. Life coaches, conferences, classes, mentoring and consulting are many of the tools that were used. A lot of these things can be directly connected to discipleship.
As a church we need to put as much value in our spiritual development in the same way. As disciples of Jesus we are called to help each other in these ways. Counseling, coaching, teaching, mentoring and training each other through Gods word! If the business world values these things enough to spend 125 billion, how much more should we value discipleship.
People in the world are attending conferences and training sessions and spending countless dollars trying to better them selves in many different areas in their life! In Gods church we have these resources for free in our brothers and sisters.
God also places a huge value on discipleship, one another relationships and accountability. The fist step in valuing these things is having the heart that is willing to learn and willing to imitate! The challenge is to maintain this heart. If we are going to be learners we also have to be qualified counselors and teachers.
We need to have vision for each other. We need to help each other dream spiritual dreams and encourage each other. Sometimes someone else can dream for you in a way that you never would be able to dream for your self.
Jesus inspired and gave his disciples vision. He lead them and gave them confidence.
If we have hearts to learn and hearts to teach our lives will mirror the disciples in the early church. It starts with all of us saying I am willing to learn and I am prepared to teach.
Believe
Do you believe in a God that can do anything? Is there anything that is too big for your God?
1 Samuel 22:1-2
David's "mighty men" were a group of guys who fully earned that title. Their courage and faith earned them this title. They were fiercely loyal to David and to God. Am I a mighty man for God?
The story did not start with the mighty men on top. They learned their courage and faith through many struggles and hard times! David pulled together a bunch of distressed, in debt, and discontented group of men!
2 Samuel 21:20-22
Not only did David face his own giant he also taught his mighty men to face their giants as well. Davids brother did not back down when this giant taunted Gods people. Am I facing the giants in my life? With God it is possible to defeat any giant that may oppose God and threaten my relationship with Him.
1 Samuel 22:1-2
David's "mighty men" were a group of guys who fully earned that title. Their courage and faith earned them this title. They were fiercely loyal to David and to God. Am I a mighty man for God?
The story did not start with the mighty men on top. They learned their courage and faith through many struggles and hard times! David pulled together a bunch of distressed, in debt, and discontented group of men!
2 Samuel 21:20-22
Not only did David face his own giant he also taught his mighty men to face their giants as well. Davids brother did not back down when this giant taunted Gods people. Am I facing the giants in my life? With God it is possible to defeat any giant that may oppose God and threaten my relationship with Him.
Living HIStory
Living HIStory
The land that Israel owned was everything to them. It was a physical thing that gave them an emotional connection to God. During the excile they lost that connection with God and lost the land that God had given them. The promise land meant everything to them and devastated the nation.
Generations of sin and generations of one evil king after another lead to God excelling Israel and removing them from their land. The kingdom is divided into the north and south. The start of Israel's down fall began with idolatry. When Israel returned they immediately rebuilt the temple of God. The rebuilding of the wall was really the final piece of coming back home and returning to God and to a relationship with him.
Nehemiah 8:18-19; 9:1-3
Israel was moved by Gods word and by confessing! Am I moved by Gods word? There is a power in Gods word that will impact my life by just reading it! There is a power in Gods word of reading scriptures to meet a specific need or to receive a specific instruction, but there is also a power in Gods word in just reading it with out an agenda. Bluntly reading Gods word has a power in it that we need in our relationship with God. Israel was reading Gods word in this way!
Israel understood at this point who they were before God. Do I understand who I am before God? Confessing sins help you realize who you really are before God. Worship recognizes how full God is and confessing recognizes how empty we are. Confession and worship go together.
Nehemiah 9:38
Israel made a decision before God. Having a relationship with God cause you to make a decision. You cannot be in a relationship with God and be on the fence. Like Israel we need a binding commitment to love and serve God. Romans 6:2 Paul explains that our binding commitment is to die to sin. If you want to change anything in your life you need to speak it out loud and right it down. You need to make a binding commitment with God and others!
What commitments should I make to God this week? What commitments should I make today? Say it out loud! Make it public! Allow your self to be held accountable!
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The land that Israel owned was everything to them. It was a physical thing that gave them an emotional connection to God. During the excile they lost that connection with God and lost the land that God had given them. The promise land meant everything to them and devastated the nation.
Generations of sin and generations of one evil king after another lead to God excelling Israel and removing them from their land. The kingdom is divided into the north and south. The start of Israel's down fall began with idolatry. When Israel returned they immediately rebuilt the temple of God. The rebuilding of the wall was really the final piece of coming back home and returning to God and to a relationship with him.
Nehemiah 8:18-19; 9:1-3
Israel was moved by Gods word and by confessing! Am I moved by Gods word? There is a power in Gods word that will impact my life by just reading it! There is a power in Gods word of reading scriptures to meet a specific need or to receive a specific instruction, but there is also a power in Gods word in just reading it with out an agenda. Bluntly reading Gods word has a power in it that we need in our relationship with God. Israel was reading Gods word in this way!
Israel understood at this point who they were before God. Do I understand who I am before God? Confessing sins help you realize who you really are before God. Worship recognizes how full God is and confessing recognizes how empty we are. Confession and worship go together.
Nehemiah 9:38
Israel made a decision before God. Having a relationship with God cause you to make a decision. You cannot be in a relationship with God and be on the fence. Like Israel we need a binding commitment to love and serve God. Romans 6:2 Paul explains that our binding commitment is to die to sin. If you want to change anything in your life you need to speak it out loud and right it down. You need to make a binding commitment with God and others!
What commitments should I make to God this week? What commitments should I make today? Say it out loud! Make it public! Allow your self to be held accountable!
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Living HIStory
Living HIStory
400+ years of silence from God between the Old Testimate and the New Testimate. The New Testimate starts with John the Baptize just as the Old Testimate had prophesied!
Isaiah 40:3-5; Mathew 11:11
Even Jesus reiterated the significance and importance of John the Baptist in HIStory! What made John the Baptist so great? Out of all the prophets and people before John the Baptist he was the greatest? Abraham, Moses, David and his mighty men, Solomon...etc. John the Baptists was greater than all the other men that had come before him!
There is not much written in the gospel about John the Baptist. You would think that there would be more written about him. So what made John the Baptist so great?
Matthew 3:1-12
This is the lesson that John came to preach and this is what made him great. It was not the belt he wore or the diet he ate but the words that came off his lips. The message that God wanted to delivery to his people and break the silence for over 400 years!
John preached the message of repentance and baptism! This was what made him so great. He was the messenger that God chose to prepare the hearts of Gods people before Jesus!
How important is repentance? We can not be saved without repentance! True repentance! Not an apology and deceleration of change but rather an action of change!
After John the baptist, Jesus preached the same thing. "Repent for the kingdom of God is near" Repentance is the first message of the gospel. Without it we cannot have a relationship with God!
Luke 13:1-5
Everyone will perish without repentance! Repentance does not care who you are, what you have done, or how religious you are. We all must repent in the same way! What did Jesus say to the Pharisees? Whether you have only sinned once or a million times, you need to repent or you will perish.
Repentance must come first. Just like John the baptist came first and laid the ground work for the message of Jesus. We also need to put repentance first to lay the ground work for us to to do what God wants to call us to do.
Although repentance is important, we cannot be saved by repentance! We must have grace! Repentance does not save but it is the beginning. Grace cannot do its work without a start of repentance. Repentance is like a spark. A spark never kept anyone warm but without a spark there will never be a fire!
What role does repentance play in my life! Am I on fire for God? If I am not its not because there is not enough grace to keep me on fire it is because there was no spark of repentance to get the fire going. What role does repentance play in my personal life?
Where do I need to repent the most. What areas in my life do I need to repent the most? Am I looking for specific areas in my life where I am wrong? We should always be repenting of something! There should never be a time when we are not actively repenting of something!
1 Corinthians 15:10
With all the repentance in the world we are still not saved unless we have grace! What role does grace play in my life? We all need forgiveness but grace cannot be without effect. Repentance leads to grace and grace leads to more repentance. Grace cannot just be a feel good idea!
2 Corinthians 5:14; Titus 2:11-12
Grace also requires action and compels us to more repentance. When we try to change without grace we fail. When repentance and grace are brought together...then we are able to truly change and honor God with our lives!
Grace teaches us to say no and repent by teaching us to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives! Grace allows us to become a person that we never would have been possible to become. It allows us to become like Jesus!
So how do you receive grace from God? Acts 2:38!
Sent from my iPhone
400+ years of silence from God between the Old Testimate and the New Testimate. The New Testimate starts with John the Baptize just as the Old Testimate had prophesied!
Isaiah 40:3-5; Mathew 11:11
Even Jesus reiterated the significance and importance of John the Baptist in HIStory! What made John the Baptist so great? Out of all the prophets and people before John the Baptist he was the greatest? Abraham, Moses, David and his mighty men, Solomon...etc. John the Baptists was greater than all the other men that had come before him!
There is not much written in the gospel about John the Baptist. You would think that there would be more written about him. So what made John the Baptist so great?
Matthew 3:1-12
This is the lesson that John came to preach and this is what made him great. It was not the belt he wore or the diet he ate but the words that came off his lips. The message that God wanted to delivery to his people and break the silence for over 400 years!
John preached the message of repentance and baptism! This was what made him so great. He was the messenger that God chose to prepare the hearts of Gods people before Jesus!
How important is repentance? We can not be saved without repentance! True repentance! Not an apology and deceleration of change but rather an action of change!
After John the baptist, Jesus preached the same thing. "Repent for the kingdom of God is near" Repentance is the first message of the gospel. Without it we cannot have a relationship with God!
Luke 13:1-5
Everyone will perish without repentance! Repentance does not care who you are, what you have done, or how religious you are. We all must repent in the same way! What did Jesus say to the Pharisees? Whether you have only sinned once or a million times, you need to repent or you will perish.
Repentance must come first. Just like John the baptist came first and laid the ground work for the message of Jesus. We also need to put repentance first to lay the ground work for us to to do what God wants to call us to do.
Although repentance is important, we cannot be saved by repentance! We must have grace! Repentance does not save but it is the beginning. Grace cannot do its work without a start of repentance. Repentance is like a spark. A spark never kept anyone warm but without a spark there will never be a fire!
What role does repentance play in my life! Am I on fire for God? If I am not its not because there is not enough grace to keep me on fire it is because there was no spark of repentance to get the fire going. What role does repentance play in my personal life?
Where do I need to repent the most. What areas in my life do I need to repent the most? Am I looking for specific areas in my life where I am wrong? We should always be repenting of something! There should never be a time when we are not actively repenting of something!
1 Corinthians 15:10
With all the repentance in the world we are still not saved unless we have grace! What role does grace play in my life? We all need forgiveness but grace cannot be without effect. Repentance leads to grace and grace leads to more repentance. Grace cannot just be a feel good idea!
2 Corinthians 5:14; Titus 2:11-12
Grace also requires action and compels us to more repentance. When we try to change without grace we fail. When repentance and grace are brought together...then we are able to truly change and honor God with our lives!
Grace teaches us to say no and repent by teaching us to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives! Grace allows us to become a person that we never would have been possible to become. It allows us to become like Jesus!
So how do you receive grace from God? Acts 2:38!
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Exodus 3:4-6
Exodus 3:4-6
We need to find our strength and confidence from God! We cannot rely on our own strength! Some things we do we may do well and God has given us a talent in a certain area. The challenge is to always depend on God even when we think we can do it on our own!
At one time in Moses life he was rich, a man of authority, in many ways he was royalty. He was put in charge of many things in Egypt and now 40years later he finds himself in the desert with little to nothing. Moses is at a point in his life where he does not have the strength and confidence he once had.
God is forcing Moses to reply on him. The calling is not watered down or made easy. The standard and challenge for Moses is the same. God wants us to accept his calling by trusting in him and getting our strength from Him! It was no different for Moses.
Exodus 4:10-16
Even when Moses had no faith and no security in bing able to do anything that God was calling Him to do, God provided a way through Aaron! It angered God that Moses did not trust and believe in Him. It angers God when we do not accept Gods calling out of fear or insecurity. Romans 8:31 if God is for us who can be against us!!
Moses felt incapable in performing the task that God was calling him to do. God did not suggest and use Aaron to let Moses out of doing what he needed to do. He provided Aaron to help Moses accomplish what God wanted him to accomplish.
Moses felt incapable because he was relying his own strength and his own abilities! God loves to chose people like Moses to show His power in our lives!
God would not accept any of Moses excuses. Chapter 5 shows Aaron speaking to Pharaoh and by chapter 8 Moses was speaking to Pharaoh and honoring the calling that God has given him!
Galatians 2:20-21; 5:22-26
We can do all things through Christ because we are a new person in Christ. Through the cross we can live by the spirit and our lives will show the fruits of the spirit.
We need to find our strength and confidence from God! We cannot rely on our own strength! Some things we do we may do well and God has given us a talent in a certain area. The challenge is to always depend on God even when we think we can do it on our own!
At one time in Moses life he was rich, a man of authority, in many ways he was royalty. He was put in charge of many things in Egypt and now 40years later he finds himself in the desert with little to nothing. Moses is at a point in his life where he does not have the strength and confidence he once had.
God is forcing Moses to reply on him. The calling is not watered down or made easy. The standard and challenge for Moses is the same. God wants us to accept his calling by trusting in him and getting our strength from Him! It was no different for Moses.
Exodus 4:10-16
Even when Moses had no faith and no security in bing able to do anything that God was calling Him to do, God provided a way through Aaron! It angered God that Moses did not trust and believe in Him. It angers God when we do not accept Gods calling out of fear or insecurity. Romans 8:31 if God is for us who can be against us!!
Moses felt incapable in performing the task that God was calling him to do. God did not suggest and use Aaron to let Moses out of doing what he needed to do. He provided Aaron to help Moses accomplish what God wanted him to accomplish.
Moses felt incapable because he was relying his own strength and his own abilities! God loves to chose people like Moses to show His power in our lives!
God would not accept any of Moses excuses. Chapter 5 shows Aaron speaking to Pharaoh and by chapter 8 Moses was speaking to Pharaoh and honoring the calling that God has given him!
Galatians 2:20-21; 5:22-26
We can do all things through Christ because we are a new person in Christ. Through the cross we can live by the spirit and our lives will show the fruits of the spirit.
Joshua
Joshua
The inheritance for God's people was much more than just about getting a new piece of land. The promise land was broken down into sections that were given to every man. It was important to God that they posses the land. All of the land. The boundaries that were created were viewed as ownership in Gods land. This ownership gave them a physical relationship with God and confirmed that they were Gods people.
The inheritance was not given them without challenges. They had to cross the Jordan river and they had a to face Jericho and the many nations that were occupying the land that God was giving them. For the Israelites the thought of this new land brought with it opportunity not only to prosper financially but rather to have a closer relationship with God. This land would forever be known as the nation of Gods people!
The story of Joshua is story about trusting God. Several times Joshua calls his people to be "strong and courageous" and to trust God. Whether they were crossing a huge river or facing another hostile nation they were all called to be strong and courageous. God knew that taking over this land was going to be terrifying. God never intended it to be easy!
The same is true with us. We are called to be strong and courageous! We have to trust God every day in every situation. Life was not meant to be easy and having a relationship with God does not come without trials. When things are hard and we have are uncertain of what will happen in our lives. When life becomes terrifying and we do not know how we are going to get through our struggles or trials, God is there and wants us to rely and trust in him.
The inheritance for God's people was much more than just about getting a new piece of land. The promise land was broken down into sections that were given to every man. It was important to God that they posses the land. All of the land. The boundaries that were created were viewed as ownership in Gods land. This ownership gave them a physical relationship with God and confirmed that they were Gods people.
The inheritance was not given them without challenges. They had to cross the Jordan river and they had a to face Jericho and the many nations that were occupying the land that God was giving them. For the Israelites the thought of this new land brought with it opportunity not only to prosper financially but rather to have a closer relationship with God. This land would forever be known as the nation of Gods people!
The story of Joshua is story about trusting God. Several times Joshua calls his people to be "strong and courageous" and to trust God. Whether they were crossing a huge river or facing another hostile nation they were all called to be strong and courageous. God knew that taking over this land was going to be terrifying. God never intended it to be easy!
The same is true with us. We are called to be strong and courageous! We have to trust God every day in every situation. Life was not meant to be easy and having a relationship with God does not come without trials. When things are hard and we have are uncertain of what will happen in our lives. When life becomes terrifying and we do not know how we are going to get through our struggles or trials, God is there and wants us to rely and trust in him.
Marriage Workshop Part 1
Marriage Workshop Part 1
Genesis 2:18-25
God brought Adam every animal for him to name and inspect. All of Gods other creations were not enough to be a suitable helper for him. God created woman so that man would have a suitable helper. To have a partner that would be compatible and that they could become one!
Marriage is such a mystery to the world in many ways. The world makes fun of marriage in every sitcom on tv and in the movies. There is no commitment in marriage. Infidelity is normal and there is no exclusive relationships. There is no unity.
Marriage is a glorious thing. there is nothing else like it on earth and God created marriage for a purpose. Marriage is something that we must protect. Marriage was designed by God for a specific purpose!
"What God has joined together let no man separate." 2 Thessalonians 3:5 -- we are called to persevere like Jesus in our marriage. It is a long term commitment and not a commitment that should be viewed lightly.
God uses our marriages to help us grow spiritually. We may have many trials in our marriage and we need to view those trials and difficulties as God teaching and molding us. Romans 14:19
Marriage has to take priority in our lives. We need to view our marriages with the same value that God does. If there is something that is testing your marriage or causing harm to your marriage, you need to sacrifice it. Whether it is a job, hobby, friends...etc. Nothing should come before your marriage.
Our spouses need to fill honored! They need to fill that they are the most important thing in our lives after our relationship with God! In what ways can I honor my spouse? How patient am I with my spouse? How much grace do I give my spouse? How often do I uplift my spouse?
God made them "Male and female". Go made us differently and for a purpose. Together we create the full image and personality of God. When we work through our differences and unify our strengths we become the full image of God.
God intends for us to be complete in our differences and Satan intends to use our differences against us. Satan's purpose is to divide our marriage and he wants us to be critical of our differences. We need to be thankful for the differences that our spouses have. They are a benefit and not hindrance. Part of honoring our spouse is embracing our differences.
Genesis 2:18-25
God brought Adam every animal for him to name and inspect. All of Gods other creations were not enough to be a suitable helper for him. God created woman so that man would have a suitable helper. To have a partner that would be compatible and that they could become one!
Marriage is such a mystery to the world in many ways. The world makes fun of marriage in every sitcom on tv and in the movies. There is no commitment in marriage. Infidelity is normal and there is no exclusive relationships. There is no unity.
Marriage is a glorious thing. there is nothing else like it on earth and God created marriage for a purpose. Marriage is something that we must protect. Marriage was designed by God for a specific purpose!
"What God has joined together let no man separate." 2 Thessalonians 3:5 -- we are called to persevere like Jesus in our marriage. It is a long term commitment and not a commitment that should be viewed lightly.
God uses our marriages to help us grow spiritually. We may have many trials in our marriage and we need to view those trials and difficulties as God teaching and molding us. Romans 14:19
Marriage has to take priority in our lives. We need to view our marriages with the same value that God does. If there is something that is testing your marriage or causing harm to your marriage, you need to sacrifice it. Whether it is a job, hobby, friends...etc. Nothing should come before your marriage.
Our spouses need to fill honored! They need to fill that they are the most important thing in our lives after our relationship with God! In what ways can I honor my spouse? How patient am I with my spouse? How much grace do I give my spouse? How often do I uplift my spouse?
God made them "Male and female". Go made us differently and for a purpose. Together we create the full image and personality of God. When we work through our differences and unify our strengths we become the full image of God.
God intends for us to be complete in our differences and Satan intends to use our differences against us. Satan's purpose is to divide our marriage and he wants us to be critical of our differences. We need to be thankful for the differences that our spouses have. They are a benefit and not hindrance. Part of honoring our spouse is embracing our differences.
Marriage Workshop Part 2
Marriage Workshop Part 2
Our cultures definition of what it takes for a marriage to last a life time is different than what God would define it. Marriage today in our world is more of a legal contract that is seeing as a financial benefit than as a matter of love. God said, "it is not good for man to be alone." God created a helper but it has a different meaning that just someone who helps. The same word is used to describe Jesus.
It was not Adam who felt alone and asked God for a helper. It was God who saw man's need and ordained that it was not good for man to be alone! It takes God to make a marriage meaningful and useful. On of the greatest failures in marriage is seeking advice from the world instead of seeking spiritual Godly advice.
God said, "I hate divorce!" Divorce should not be an option except for extreme circumstances involving infidelity. The world views divorce as a legal way to end the marriage commitment. God never intended it to be this way.
1 Peter 3:1-7 Wives are called to not give into fear and the husbands are called to be considerate to their wives. Our spiritual lives can be hindered if we are not treating our spouses the way God intended us too. Couples don't fall out of love so easily, they fall out of repentance instead! Sin will always separate you from your spouse. No relationship brings out our own faults like the relationship with our spouses and we need to embrace repentance so we can grow in our characters.
God uses the troubles and issues in our marriage with our spouses to refine and purify our hearts and characters. When we are completely humble and gentle with each other there is room for growth. We become more intimate and vulnerable with each other. We are able to be who we really are.
Your marriage needs accountability and discipleship. We need to be open with other people where we are at in our marriages. Open about our struggles...etc. "The heart is deceitful above all things" and we are not able to objectively see our own situations and short comings. We need other people in our lives. God can use godly people around us to speak to us and challenge us to be more like God.
Marriage is a divine reality that takes work! it is not easy! It takes a lot of grace and mercy given and received! Communication is key. We need to be open about our feelings and open to hear the areas we need to change in. We need to grow as listeners to be able to understand what our spouses need.
Communication is a big part of intimacy. It really matters how we speak to each other. We need to be quick to listen and slow to speak in all situations. Listening is more important than speaking! Communication can help you stop issues before they become bigger problems.
Divorce should not be a discussion. It should be viewed as a four letter word and not a back door. You should never use the word divorce period!
Our cultures definition of what it takes for a marriage to last a life time is different than what God would define it. Marriage today in our world is more of a legal contract that is seeing as a financial benefit than as a matter of love. God said, "it is not good for man to be alone." God created a helper but it has a different meaning that just someone who helps. The same word is used to describe Jesus.
It was not Adam who felt alone and asked God for a helper. It was God who saw man's need and ordained that it was not good for man to be alone! It takes God to make a marriage meaningful and useful. On of the greatest failures in marriage is seeking advice from the world instead of seeking spiritual Godly advice.
God said, "I hate divorce!" Divorce should not be an option except for extreme circumstances involving infidelity. The world views divorce as a legal way to end the marriage commitment. God never intended it to be this way.
1 Peter 3:1-7 Wives are called to not give into fear and the husbands are called to be considerate to their wives. Our spiritual lives can be hindered if we are not treating our spouses the way God intended us too. Couples don't fall out of love so easily, they fall out of repentance instead! Sin will always separate you from your spouse. No relationship brings out our own faults like the relationship with our spouses and we need to embrace repentance so we can grow in our characters.
God uses the troubles and issues in our marriage with our spouses to refine and purify our hearts and characters. When we are completely humble and gentle with each other there is room for growth. We become more intimate and vulnerable with each other. We are able to be who we really are.
Your marriage needs accountability and discipleship. We need to be open with other people where we are at in our marriages. Open about our struggles...etc. "The heart is deceitful above all things" and we are not able to objectively see our own situations and short comings. We need other people in our lives. God can use godly people around us to speak to us and challenge us to be more like God.
Marriage is a divine reality that takes work! it is not easy! It takes a lot of grace and mercy given and received! Communication is key. We need to be open about our feelings and open to hear the areas we need to change in. We need to grow as listeners to be able to understand what our spouses need.
Communication is a big part of intimacy. It really matters how we speak to each other. We need to be quick to listen and slow to speak in all situations. Listening is more important than speaking! Communication can help you stop issues before they become bigger problems.
Divorce should not be a discussion. It should be viewed as a four letter word and not a back door. You should never use the word divorce period!
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Marriage Workshop 02/15
Marriage Workshop
Genesis 2:18-25
God brought Adam every animal for him to name and inspect. All of Gods other creations were not enough to be a suitable helper for him. God created woman so that man would have a suitable helper. To have a partner that would be compatible and that they could become one!
Marriage is such a mystery to the world in many ways. The world makes fun of marriage in every sitcom on tv and in the movies. There is no commitment in marriage. Infidelity is normal and there is no exclusive relationships. There is no unity.
Marriage is a glorious thing. there is nothing else like it on earth and God created marriage for a purpose. Marriage is something that we must protect. Marriage was designed by God for a specific purpose!
"What God has joined together let no man separate." 2 Thessalonians 3:5 -- we are called to persevere like Jesus in our marriage. It is a long term commitment and not a commitment that should be viewed lightly.
God uses our marriages to help us grow spiritually. We may have many trials in our marriage and we need to view those trials and difficulties as God teaching and molding us. Romans 14:19
Marriage has to take priority in our lives. We need to view our marriages with the same value that God does. If there is something that is testing your marriage or causing harm to your marriage, you need to sacrifice it. Whether it is a job, hobby, friends...etc. Nothing should come before your marriage.
Our spouses need to fill honored! They need to fill that they are the most important thing in our lives after our relationship with God! In what ways can I honor my spouse? How patient am I with my spouse? How much grace do I give my spouse? How often do I uplift my spouse?
God made them "Male and female". Go made us differently and for a purpose. Together we create the full image and personality of God. When we work through our differences and unify our strengths we become the full image of God.
God intends for us to be complete in our differences and Satan intends to use our differences against us. Satan's purpose is to divide our marriage and he wants us to be critical of our differences. We need to be thankful for the differences that our spouses have. They are a benefit and not hindrance. Part of honoring our spouse is embracing our differences.
Genesis 2:18-25
God brought Adam every animal for him to name and inspect. All of Gods other creations were not enough to be a suitable helper for him. God created woman so that man would have a suitable helper. To have a partner that would be compatible and that they could become one!
Marriage is such a mystery to the world in many ways. The world makes fun of marriage in every sitcom on tv and in the movies. There is no commitment in marriage. Infidelity is normal and there is no exclusive relationships. There is no unity.
Marriage is a glorious thing. there is nothing else like it on earth and God created marriage for a purpose. Marriage is something that we must protect. Marriage was designed by God for a specific purpose!
"What God has joined together let no man separate." 2 Thessalonians 3:5 -- we are called to persevere like Jesus in our marriage. It is a long term commitment and not a commitment that should be viewed lightly.
God uses our marriages to help us grow spiritually. We may have many trials in our marriage and we need to view those trials and difficulties as God teaching and molding us. Romans 14:19
Marriage has to take priority in our lives. We need to view our marriages with the same value that God does. If there is something that is testing your marriage or causing harm to your marriage, you need to sacrifice it. Whether it is a job, hobby, friends...etc. Nothing should come before your marriage.
Our spouses need to fill honored! They need to fill that they are the most important thing in our lives after our relationship with God! In what ways can I honor my spouse? How patient am I with my spouse? How much grace do I give my spouse? How often do I uplift my spouse?
God made them "Male and female". Go made us differently and for a purpose. Together we create the full image and personality of God. When we work through our differences and unify our strengths we become the full image of God.
God intends for us to be complete in our differences and Satan intends to use our differences against us. Satan's purpose is to divide our marriage and he wants us to be critical of our differences. We need to be thankful for the differences that our spouses have. They are a benefit and not hindrance. Part of honoring our spouse is embracing our differences.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Finding Strength and Confidence in God!
Finding Strength and Confidence in God!
Exodus 3:4-6
We need to find our strength and confidence from God! We cannot rely on our own strength! Some things we do we may do well and God has given us a talent in a certain area. The challenge is to always depend on God even when we think we can do it on our own!
At one time in Moses life he was rich, a man of authority, in many ways he was royalty. He was put in charge of many things in Egypt and now 40years later he finds himself in the desert with little to nothing. Moses is at a point in his life where he does not have the strength and confidence he once had.
God is forcing Moses to reply on him. The calling is not watered down or made easy. The standard and challenge for Moses is the same. God wants us to accept his calling by trusting in him and getting our strength from Him! It was no different for Moses.
Exodus 4:10-16
Even when Moses had no faith and no security in bing able to do anything that God was calling Him to do, God provided a way through Aaron! It angered God that Moses did not trust and believe in Him. It angers God when we do not accept Gods calling out of fear or insecurity. Romans 8:31 if God is for us who can be against us!!
Moses felt incapable in performing the task that God was calling him to do. God did not suggest and use Aaron to let Moses out of doing what he needed to do. He provided Aaron to help Moses accomplish what God wanted him to accomplish.
Moses felt incapable because he was relying his own strength and his own abilities! God loves to chose people like Moses to show His power in our lives!
God would not accept any of Moses excuses. Chapter 5 shows Aaron speaking to Pharaoh and by chapter 8 Moses was speaking to Pharaoh and honoring the calling that God has given him!
Galatians 2:20-21; 5:22-26
We can do all things through Christ because we are a new person in Christ. Through the cross we can live by the spirit and our lives will show the fruits of the spirit.
Exodus 3:4-6
We need to find our strength and confidence from God! We cannot rely on our own strength! Some things we do we may do well and God has given us a talent in a certain area. The challenge is to always depend on God even when we think we can do it on our own!
At one time in Moses life he was rich, a man of authority, in many ways he was royalty. He was put in charge of many things in Egypt and now 40years later he finds himself in the desert with little to nothing. Moses is at a point in his life where he does not have the strength and confidence he once had.
God is forcing Moses to reply on him. The calling is not watered down or made easy. The standard and challenge for Moses is the same. God wants us to accept his calling by trusting in him and getting our strength from Him! It was no different for Moses.
Exodus 4:10-16
Even when Moses had no faith and no security in bing able to do anything that God was calling Him to do, God provided a way through Aaron! It angered God that Moses did not trust and believe in Him. It angers God when we do not accept Gods calling out of fear or insecurity. Romans 8:31 if God is for us who can be against us!!
Moses felt incapable in performing the task that God was calling him to do. God did not suggest and use Aaron to let Moses out of doing what he needed to do. He provided Aaron to help Moses accomplish what God wanted him to accomplish.
Moses felt incapable because he was relying his own strength and his own abilities! God loves to chose people like Moses to show His power in our lives!
God would not accept any of Moses excuses. Chapter 5 shows Aaron speaking to Pharaoh and by chapter 8 Moses was speaking to Pharaoh and honoring the calling that God has given him!
Galatians 2:20-21; 5:22-26
We can do all things through Christ because we are a new person in Christ. Through the cross we can live by the spirit and our lives will show the fruits of the spirit.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
When God Calls Your Name
When God Calls Your Name
Genesis 12:1-7
Notice that Abram was minding his own business and God just showed up. That is the way God works sometimes. When we least expect it God shows up. God called Abram to pack up everything and go to another land. Abram had no idea where he was going but God would lead him. No wonder Abraham is a father of faith.
Our lives are a lot like Abrahams life. God calls us and we have no idea where we are going but God knows! And God has already been there! God is already there! There is no reason to not trust.
When God calls your name you have got to answer! We were each given a name for a reason. So that when someone calls your name you can answer. God knows your name and everyone of us is being called by God. We can either answer the calling now or later. Later maybe too late!
Abraham was not perfect. God did not call Abraham because he was perfect. God is not looking at a specific point in our lives. He knows we are going to mess up and that we are not perfect. God is looking at the totality of our lives. He sees what our lives stand for. He see's the total picture of who we are. As long as we repent and continue to follow, that is what God is looking at!
Jeremiah 1:4-5
God knows me! He set me a part! God knows me by name!
God answers our prayers in 4 different ways.
1.) HE says NO.
2.) HE says YES.
3.) HE says WAIT.
4.) HE says I HAVE SOMETHING BETTER FOR YOU!
Everyday we have faith and don't even think about. We have faith in very little things through out the day. Every week we work with the faith that our employer will pay us at the end of that two weeks. We have faith that our cars will start in the morning....etc. We have faith in so many things without even thinking about it.
When God calls you to Go you just need to trust and go!
Psalm 139:16
God has a plan for our lives!
Genesis 12:1-7
Notice that Abram was minding his own business and God just showed up. That is the way God works sometimes. When we least expect it God shows up. God called Abram to pack up everything and go to another land. Abram had no idea where he was going but God would lead him. No wonder Abraham is a father of faith.
Our lives are a lot like Abrahams life. God calls us and we have no idea where we are going but God knows! And God has already been there! God is already there! There is no reason to not trust.
When God calls your name you have got to answer! We were each given a name for a reason. So that when someone calls your name you can answer. God knows your name and everyone of us is being called by God. We can either answer the calling now or later. Later maybe too late!
Abraham was not perfect. God did not call Abraham because he was perfect. God is not looking at a specific point in our lives. He knows we are going to mess up and that we are not perfect. God is looking at the totality of our lives. He sees what our lives stand for. He see's the total picture of who we are. As long as we repent and continue to follow, that is what God is looking at!
Jeremiah 1:4-5
God knows me! He set me a part! God knows me by name!
God answers our prayers in 4 different ways.
1.) HE says NO.
2.) HE says YES.
3.) HE says WAIT.
4.) HE says I HAVE SOMETHING BETTER FOR YOU!
Everyday we have faith and don't even think about. We have faith in very little things through out the day. Every week we work with the faith that our employer will pay us at the end of that two weeks. We have faith that our cars will start in the morning....etc. We have faith in so many things without even thinking about it.
When God calls you to Go you just need to trust and go!
Psalm 139:16
God has a plan for our lives!
Wrestling with God
Wrestling with God
We like smooth roads. No bumps in the road.We like things to go the way we plan and when we want them. We like to be in control; however, life has a way of creating bumps, breaking plans, and causing us to loose control!
James 1:2-4 God did not promise us an easy life. Testing and hardship will come! Onlu through God can we view these things with great joy and be confident to get through them!
Genesis 32:22-32
Jacob has been away for 20years. He lied to his father and stole his brothers birth right. He manipulated his whole family. He was a liar, deceiver and manipulator. He is on his way home back to Israel and fears that his brother is going to kill him. He was full of fear, uncertainty and had no control over what was going to happen.
Here Jacob is on the threshold of the promise land and he is wrestling with someone he does not know. He is wrestling with him all alone.
Sometimes when we are alone it is self inflicted. No one knows me. We want a pity party and sympathy....etc. We get frustrated with the hardships of life.
Jacob never gave up and continued to keep fighting and wrestling with the angel of God until God agreed to bless him. Because Jacob never gave up God changed his name. No longer was Jacob going to be known as a liar and manipulator.
Jacob was no longer able to control and manipulate the situation. The angle used the super natural to immobilize Jacob and reduce all of his talents and abilities to nothing. Everything that Jacob thought brought him security was taken away and he was left exposed before God.
To Jacobs credit he would not let go! He was crippled and blessed at the same time. He took a new direction in his life and God gave him a new name and new purpose in life.
God gave Jacob the name that means "God fights". God fights for you or against you? If your prideful, arrogant, and full of sin, God fights against you; however, if you are humble, selfless, and close to God he will fight for you! Jacob's name had a double meaning.
Sometimes you have to wrestle even when you don't want to. When you want to grow spiritually and grow closer to God, sometimes you have to wrestle through your hardships and pain.
Jacob was able to go back to Israel and face his brother because God told him to go and God told him he would be blessed. Jacob trusted in Gods word and had faith that God would deliver him from his brothers hand. Wrestling with God changed Jacobs purpose and view on his life. If you are not willing to wrestle then you will not be able to change who you are.
We like smooth roads. No bumps in the road.We like things to go the way we plan and when we want them. We like to be in control; however, life has a way of creating bumps, breaking plans, and causing us to loose control!
James 1:2-4 God did not promise us an easy life. Testing and hardship will come! Onlu through God can we view these things with great joy and be confident to get through them!
Genesis 32:22-32
Jacob has been away for 20years. He lied to his father and stole his brothers birth right. He manipulated his whole family. He was a liar, deceiver and manipulator. He is on his way home back to Israel and fears that his brother is going to kill him. He was full of fear, uncertainty and had no control over what was going to happen.
Here Jacob is on the threshold of the promise land and he is wrestling with someone he does not know. He is wrestling with him all alone.
Sometimes when we are alone it is self inflicted. No one knows me. We want a pity party and sympathy....etc. We get frustrated with the hardships of life.
Jacob never gave up and continued to keep fighting and wrestling with the angel of God until God agreed to bless him. Because Jacob never gave up God changed his name. No longer was Jacob going to be known as a liar and manipulator.
Jacob was no longer able to control and manipulate the situation. The angle used the super natural to immobilize Jacob and reduce all of his talents and abilities to nothing. Everything that Jacob thought brought him security was taken away and he was left exposed before God.
To Jacobs credit he would not let go! He was crippled and blessed at the same time. He took a new direction in his life and God gave him a new name and new purpose in life.
God gave Jacob the name that means "God fights". God fights for you or against you? If your prideful, arrogant, and full of sin, God fights against you; however, if you are humble, selfless, and close to God he will fight for you! Jacob's name had a double meaning.
Sometimes you have to wrestle even when you don't want to. When you want to grow spiritually and grow closer to God, sometimes you have to wrestle through your hardships and pain.
Jacob was able to go back to Israel and face his brother because God told him to go and God told him he would be blessed. Jacob trusted in Gods word and had faith that God would deliver him from his brothers hand. Wrestling with God changed Jacobs purpose and view on his life. If you are not willing to wrestle then you will not be able to change who you are.
How do you build a strong church?
How do you build a strong church?
The only way to build Gods church is through Jesus. You have to build the way Jesus built his ministry. Jesus lived his life as an example of how to build ministry and grow his church.
As disciples we are called to embrace the ministry of Jesus. When people come to church they want to see the heart of Jesus. They want to see and fell Gods love. The brother hood that is created through true christianity.
Matthew 4:23-25; John 6:38-40
One of the reason came to earth was to keep the saved, saved. Part of our mission is to help each other get to heaven. When our church represents who Jesus is then people will take notice and want to follow the way they followed Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:16 Every disciple is capable to teach one another. We have to be humble in allowing our brothers to teach us and hold us accountable. Part of helping each other making it to heaven has to do with teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training each other in righteousness.
Jesus impacted what ever community he was in. He created new communities. Jesus also came to call sinners and he was comfortable in doing so. Am I judgmental or do I call people higher with out making them feel judged.
Jesus life created buzz that caused people to share the "come and see" approach. Come and see what God is doing. Come and see the lives that are being changed. Come and see the miracles that God is doing...etc.
It can be easy to share "come and see" but we need to honor God in being the example that people will be able to come and see God through our lives. We must set the example!
Jesus came not to be served but to serve. Everyone in Gods church needs to serve in some capacity. How can you serve? Serving also has to do with being out of your self and giving to others through relationships. Serving emotionally by being there for people that need relationships.
Following Jesus in creating his church is all about lordship. If we are subject to Jesus and his authority, then our lives should show it. When Jesus speaks we should react and it should be evident in our lives! What is Jesus calling me to do that I am not willing to do?
The only way to build Gods church is through Jesus. You have to build the way Jesus built his ministry. Jesus lived his life as an example of how to build ministry and grow his church.
As disciples we are called to embrace the ministry of Jesus. When people come to church they want to see the heart of Jesus. They want to see and fell Gods love. The brother hood that is created through true christianity.
Matthew 4:23-25; John 6:38-40
One of the reason came to earth was to keep the saved, saved. Part of our mission is to help each other get to heaven. When our church represents who Jesus is then people will take notice and want to follow the way they followed Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:16 Every disciple is capable to teach one another. We have to be humble in allowing our brothers to teach us and hold us accountable. Part of helping each other making it to heaven has to do with teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training each other in righteousness.
Jesus impacted what ever community he was in. He created new communities. Jesus also came to call sinners and he was comfortable in doing so. Am I judgmental or do I call people higher with out making them feel judged.
Jesus life created buzz that caused people to share the "come and see" approach. Come and see what God is doing. Come and see the lives that are being changed. Come and see the miracles that God is doing...etc.
It can be easy to share "come and see" but we need to honor God in being the example that people will be able to come and see God through our lives. We must set the example!
Jesus came not to be served but to serve. Everyone in Gods church needs to serve in some capacity. How can you serve? Serving also has to do with being out of your self and giving to others through relationships. Serving emotionally by being there for people that need relationships.
Following Jesus in creating his church is all about lordship. If we are subject to Jesus and his authority, then our lives should show it. When Jesus speaks we should react and it should be evident in our lives! What is Jesus calling me to do that I am not willing to do?
Living HIStory
Living HIStory
Exodus 1:6-12
Joseph was not sent to Egypt because he had done anything wrong. Joseph and all his family ended up in Egypt as a result of a famine. This was all apart of God plan to raise up a nation and a people of His own. The jews became a great nation within Egypt and were forced to be their slaves.
The Israelites had done nothing wrong and yet they were going through this hardship. Even though the conditions were hard, God was protecting them. He saved Moses and raised him up to deliver them from this hardship.
Before Moses can become the man that God needs to do his will, Moses must go through several years of refining! God had a dream for Moses and for his people Israel.
God has a dream for you!
Exodus 3:1-10
This is the calling and dream that God has given Moses. Sometimes God give us dreams at very awkward moments. Not all ways at the time when we think we a ready for it.
Moses fled to the desert and God blessed him with a family. For the first time in Moses life he has a place where he belongs. In Egypt h was never high enough to be Egyptian and never low enough to be a Jew. In the desert Moses has security with his family and yet God calls him to go back to Egypt where there would be no security.
Even though Moses is being called to do Gods will and God is with him there are challenges. Moses mission is not going to be easy and God never intended it to be easy.
God has a dream for you and the reality is that you're not good enough for that dream. Exodus 3:11 but God is good enough! God is enough to help us do anything that he calls us to do. To be used by God and follow him you have to trust and faith that God is enough!
Exodus 4:13-18 We come up with these excuses of why we cannot do what God calls us to do and Gods answer is "I made you". For Moses God mad the mouth that Moses complained was not good enough. God made us and has equipped us with everything we need to for fill his will.
No matter what our excuse is. God says "I AM". God is enough for us. God is enough in every situation in our lives!
Moses obeyed. Moses goes with fear, baggage and everything else that could hinder him. but he obeyed. Obeying is the first step.
God always dreams big for us. God always test the limits of our faith and love for him. The dream can change. The excuses that we use can change but one thing remains! "I AM!" Where ever you are in your life, God has a dream for you and a purpose for you life!
Exodus 1:6-12
Joseph was not sent to Egypt because he had done anything wrong. Joseph and all his family ended up in Egypt as a result of a famine. This was all apart of God plan to raise up a nation and a people of His own. The jews became a great nation within Egypt and were forced to be their slaves.
The Israelites had done nothing wrong and yet they were going through this hardship. Even though the conditions were hard, God was protecting them. He saved Moses and raised him up to deliver them from this hardship.
Before Moses can become the man that God needs to do his will, Moses must go through several years of refining! God had a dream for Moses and for his people Israel.
God has a dream for you!
Exodus 3:1-10
This is the calling and dream that God has given Moses. Sometimes God give us dreams at very awkward moments. Not all ways at the time when we think we a ready for it.
Moses fled to the desert and God blessed him with a family. For the first time in Moses life he has a place where he belongs. In Egypt h was never high enough to be Egyptian and never low enough to be a Jew. In the desert Moses has security with his family and yet God calls him to go back to Egypt where there would be no security.
Even though Moses is being called to do Gods will and God is with him there are challenges. Moses mission is not going to be easy and God never intended it to be easy.
God has a dream for you and the reality is that you're not good enough for that dream. Exodus 3:11 but God is good enough! God is enough to help us do anything that he calls us to do. To be used by God and follow him you have to trust and faith that God is enough!
Exodus 4:13-18 We come up with these excuses of why we cannot do what God calls us to do and Gods answer is "I made you". For Moses God mad the mouth that Moses complained was not good enough. God made us and has equipped us with everything we need to for fill his will.
No matter what our excuse is. God says "I AM". God is enough for us. God is enough in every situation in our lives!
Moses obeyed. Moses goes with fear, baggage and everything else that could hinder him. but he obeyed. Obeying is the first step.
God always dreams big for us. God always test the limits of our faith and love for him. The dream can change. The excuses that we use can change but one thing remains! "I AM!" Where ever you are in your life, God has a dream for you and a purpose for you life!
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Spiritual Biography
In Deuteronomy 26, Moses is giving his final instructions to the Israelites and he commands every family to do something to remember who they are and where they came from.
Deuteronomy 26:2-11 Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us." 4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 7 Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders.9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 10 and now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me." Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.
It is important that we too remember the great things God has done for us and the blessings that we have in a relationship with Him. We need to constantly remind our selves of who we were before God and how far we have come with God. God has rescued each of us from the world and blessed us so much! Take a moment and write your own spiritual Biography and document the things that God has done in your life!
CUT AND PASTE THIS STATEMENT IN A WORD DOCUMENT AND FILL IN THE BLANKS TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL BIOGRAPHY:
I was wandering in life doing what I thought as best. I did not live for God and found myself a slave to these sins____________. Sin held me captive and Satan treated me harshly. These consequences were everywhere__________, and I was hopeless. Finally, I cried out to the Lord and He heard me. He saw how lost and hopeless I was and He rescued me with His mighty arm. He performed these awesome miracles to save me___________. He brought me to His Church, a family filled with these blessings________. And now I bring to God the first fruits of the life He himself gave me, and serve Him and His Church in these ways _________. And my family rejoices before God with His Church for all of the good things the Lord has given me!
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Parenting practicals in the 2015 Part 1
Parenting practicals in the 2015 Part 1
Esther 4:12-14 as parents we have been given children for "such a time as this"! God has given us children to parent through God and to raise them in Him!
The family unit is designed to help us grow spiritually. Parents learn patients, grace, compassion. Children learn authority, submission, and unconditional love.
Just as much as God wants to use our families to bring us closer to Him, Satan wants to divid our families and create division for the sole purpose of pulling us away from God! Galatians 5:19-21 describes the sins that Satan uses to destroy the family unit!
Esther 2:1-11 This story describes a very bad situation. Many of us have not come from an "ideal" family structure or situation. The majority of us come from a dysfunctional family. As disciples of God we are called to change that! To build the family that God originally designed. We have to break the chains of dysfunction.
Esther 2:20 Mordecai was a huge influence in Esther's life. Esther obeyed Mordecai because he disciples her, adopted her and provided her with a Godly home.
What happens at home in your house? Is it TV, sports, sacrificing for God, devotions...etc. What is most important in you home?
--> Children see, children do Video on youtube <--
We have a huge influence in our kids lives. They will become what they see in us. Psalms 112:6. Gods way is what works. We are here to glorify God in our families. We need to set the examples that our kids should follow!
One of the biggest mistakes we make as parents is to try and control or manipulate our kids. We have to trust God and allow our kids to experience life. God could be very controlling in our lives and yet he does not try to control us. He allows us to have free will!
Mordecai provided a Godly home and Esther save a nation! Esther was chosen not only because of her beauty but also because of her radiance, convictions...etc.
There are so many things we need to help our kids with. Purity, selfishness, fear, Godly convictions, pride, humility, positive thinking....etc. As a parent are you helping your kids through their sinful nature? Do you walk them through it or do you shut them down? Do they fell like you believe in them and show them grace? We have to help mold our kids characters through discipleship and Gods word.
We need to hate what Gods hate and love what God loves in raising our kids. Our kids will see Gods character though us as parents. We must be righteous leaders at home. Everything we do from correcting to discipline needs to be out of love!
Esther 5:9 Haman was trying to kill the jews and Mordecai never rose or trembled before him. Mordecai was more concerned with what please God than what pleased Haman. Mordecai set an example that Esther could follow. Mordecai was not a people pleaser.
Practical ways to interact with our kids and set the example. Family dinners several times a week, family devotionals, sports activities...etc. The important thing is spending time as family and using every opportunity to set the example and lead our children.
Esther 4:12-14 as parents we have been given children for "such a time as this"! God has given us children to parent through God and to raise them in Him!
The family unit is designed to help us grow spiritually. Parents learn patients, grace, compassion. Children learn authority, submission, and unconditional love.
Just as much as God wants to use our families to bring us closer to Him, Satan wants to divid our families and create division for the sole purpose of pulling us away from God! Galatians 5:19-21 describes the sins that Satan uses to destroy the family unit!
Esther 2:1-11 This story describes a very bad situation. Many of us have not come from an "ideal" family structure or situation. The majority of us come from a dysfunctional family. As disciples of God we are called to change that! To build the family that God originally designed. We have to break the chains of dysfunction.
Esther 2:20 Mordecai was a huge influence in Esther's life. Esther obeyed Mordecai because he disciples her, adopted her and provided her with a Godly home.
What happens at home in your house? Is it TV, sports, sacrificing for God, devotions...etc. What is most important in you home?
--> Children see, children do Video on youtube <--
We have a huge influence in our kids lives. They will become what they see in us. Psalms 112:6. Gods way is what works. We are here to glorify God in our families. We need to set the examples that our kids should follow!
One of the biggest mistakes we make as parents is to try and control or manipulate our kids. We have to trust God and allow our kids to experience life. God could be very controlling in our lives and yet he does not try to control us. He allows us to have free will!
Mordecai provided a Godly home and Esther save a nation! Esther was chosen not only because of her beauty but also because of her radiance, convictions...etc.
There are so many things we need to help our kids with. Purity, selfishness, fear, Godly convictions, pride, humility, positive thinking....etc. As a parent are you helping your kids through their sinful nature? Do you walk them through it or do you shut them down? Do they fell like you believe in them and show them grace? We have to help mold our kids characters through discipleship and Gods word.
We need to hate what Gods hate and love what God loves in raising our kids. Our kids will see Gods character though us as parents. We must be righteous leaders at home. Everything we do from correcting to discipline needs to be out of love!
Esther 5:9 Haman was trying to kill the jews and Mordecai never rose or trembled before him. Mordecai was more concerned with what please God than what pleased Haman. Mordecai set an example that Esther could follow. Mordecai was not a people pleaser.
Practical ways to interact with our kids and set the example. Family dinners several times a week, family devotionals, sports activities...etc. The important thing is spending time as family and using every opportunity to set the example and lead our children.
Parenting practicals in the 2015 Part 2
Parenting practicals in the 2015 Part 2
Luke 2:34-35 raising children is not a painless ambition. Children have a way of piercing our hearts and yet our relationship with them teaches us so much about Gods unconditional love for us.
--> Cowboys herding cats video from youtube <--
Raising a family and parenting kids is a lot like herding cats...lol
Luke 15:11-32 Imagine the context in which Jesus was sharing this story. Which son would you rather have? The one that ran off and squandered everything he had or the one that stayed home but had critical attitudes and is ungrateful. The younger son was full of sinful rebellion and the older son was full of sinful moral self righteousness! Both sons resented the fathers authority and both neither loved the father for himself. Which son do you want?
The challenge we have as a parent is to understand where our children are at. Without knowing what their sinful nature is there is no way to help mold and correct their character.
We need to study our children to understand how they learn and what motivates them. We have to refrain from manipulating and trying to control them emotionally. If your child is doing something that frustrates, embarrasses or hurts may not be right; however, we cannot manipulate or guilt them out over it. The frustration, embarrassment and feelings of hurt we have are our own and we need to work through them and take responsibility for what we can control.
When our children are living in irony, we do not need to run down the rabbit whole always ready to point out their flaws and issues. We do not need to get self righteous our selves and makes sure they know we told them so. The younger son came to his senses on his own. All the father did was wait and be ready to embrace his son when he was ready to come home!
What does Prodigal mean? Prodigal means reckless abandonment, reckless spending, reckless love. Who was the prodigal person in the story. We always assume it was the son and prodigal is a bad thing. The father was reckless in his spending and love and forgiveness!
--> reference to the book the Five Love Languages <--
Affirmation, Physical touch, Quality time, Acts of service, Gifts.
Which love language does your child speak? We need to love our children in the way they need to be loved. Most people are one or two of these different love language. Do you know which love language your child speaks? Loving your child in a love language that is not specific to them will only leave them frustrated and empty!
Malachi 4:6; Luke 1:17 God ends the new Testimate talking about the Fathers and their sons and God starts the new Testimate in Luke talking about Fathers and their sons! Fathers are crucial to the development of their children!
The final example from Luke 15 is that the prodigal father did not react with bitterness, anger or frustration from all the hurt and disappointment he received from his sons. He responded to both of them with humility and love!
Luke 2:34-35 raising children is not a painless ambition. Children have a way of piercing our hearts and yet our relationship with them teaches us so much about Gods unconditional love for us.
--> Cowboys herding cats video from youtube <--
Raising a family and parenting kids is a lot like herding cats...lol
Luke 15:11-32 Imagine the context in which Jesus was sharing this story. Which son would you rather have? The one that ran off and squandered everything he had or the one that stayed home but had critical attitudes and is ungrateful. The younger son was full of sinful rebellion and the older son was full of sinful moral self righteousness! Both sons resented the fathers authority and both neither loved the father for himself. Which son do you want?
The challenge we have as a parent is to understand where our children are at. Without knowing what their sinful nature is there is no way to help mold and correct their character.
We need to study our children to understand how they learn and what motivates them. We have to refrain from manipulating and trying to control them emotionally. If your child is doing something that frustrates, embarrasses or hurts may not be right; however, we cannot manipulate or guilt them out over it. The frustration, embarrassment and feelings of hurt we have are our own and we need to work through them and take responsibility for what we can control.
When our children are living in irony, we do not need to run down the rabbit whole always ready to point out their flaws and issues. We do not need to get self righteous our selves and makes sure they know we told them so. The younger son came to his senses on his own. All the father did was wait and be ready to embrace his son when he was ready to come home!
What does Prodigal mean? Prodigal means reckless abandonment, reckless spending, reckless love. Who was the prodigal person in the story. We always assume it was the son and prodigal is a bad thing. The father was reckless in his spending and love and forgiveness!
--> reference to the book the Five Love Languages <--
Affirmation, Physical touch, Quality time, Acts of service, Gifts.
Which love language does your child speak? We need to love our children in the way they need to be loved. Most people are one or two of these different love language. Do you know which love language your child speaks? Loving your child in a love language that is not specific to them will only leave them frustrated and empty!
Malachi 4:6; Luke 1:17 God ends the new Testimate talking about the Fathers and their sons and God starts the new Testimate in Luke talking about Fathers and their sons! Fathers are crucial to the development of their children!
The final example from Luke 15 is that the prodigal father did not react with bitterness, anger or frustration from all the hurt and disappointment he received from his sons. He responded to both of them with humility and love!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Jude 1:14-16
Jude 1:14-16
Vs 14/15 – Jude references Enoch, a man who walked with God and never died, to further depict the kind of men that reject Gods word and follow their own desires for personal gain. Judgment is imminent and no one will be able to escape!
Enoch prophesied that God would bring an army of thousands (undefinable number) to judge the wicked men that Jude has been describing.
These men are defined as ungodly men in every way.
Ungodly acts they have committed.
Ungodly ways they have lived.
Ungodly words they have spoken.
Vs 16 – Jude further describes these men as grumblers and faultfinders who put their own evil desires above the words of God. They boast about themselves to make themselves look good in front of men.
Why are they faultfinders?
These men do not want to take any responsibility for their actions.
Why are they grumblers?
These men are never satisfied.
Why do they boast?
They puff themselves up to hide the sin and rebellion in their hearts.
Jude is warning us not to be like these men. We have to stay humble and hold on to Gods word with deep convictions. All of the character issues described in these men are in many ways common human traits that are rooted in our sinful natures. We have to fight daily to not give into these temptations and in doing so Jude is assuring us that we will escape the wrath of God that is reserved for men like this!
Monday, January 26, 2015
The Book of Psalms By Topic
Topical List of the book of Psalms
Knowing God 9 16 17 23 25 27 29 40 41 46 54 56 57 59 62 63 68 73 76 84 91 92 97
111 138 143 145 149
God the creator 8 19 29 33 65 104 124 135 136 148
When you want to get closer to God
25 27 42 61 63 70 84 99 105 116 119 131 143
Jesus on the cross 22 85 98
Praising God 9 40 71 67 92 96 105 145 149
Putting God first 40 84 86 95 97 103 115 127 132 135
Righteousness 5 14 15 17 19 25 32 40 51 53 86 90 101 119 141 143
Help from God 1 5 14 19 26 32 48 53 60 81 90 101 108 111 115 122 127 128 139 141
143 144
Faith in righteousness 1 15 24 37 39 73 75 109 112 126 128
Encouragement to live a righteous life
1 5 16 19 25 32 81 86 101 119 141 143
Salvation 14 49 53 85 87
Having a bad day 11 25 46 61 88 102 124 131 142
Guilt, Sin and Confession 14 32 38 41 51 53 89 103 107 143
Forgiveness 19 22 25 32 39 41 51 65 85 86 99 103 106 107 130 143
Sin and consequences 5 14 53 78 79 81 101 106 107 141 143
You belong to God 16 20 37 40 48 65 67 84 87 92 95 99 100 104 113 114 135 144 145 147
149
God is with you 9 16 17 18 21 23 27 34 37 41 46 56 68 73 89 91 92 103 108 109 114
115 118 121 124 125 138 139 144 145 147
God answers prayer 3 4 5 9 17 18 20 21 27 28 31 34 39 40 54 55 61 65 66 69 81 86 91 99
102 107 116 118 119 120 123 130 138 141 142 143 145
God the avenger 9 10 35 44 45 58 59 60 64 94 109 120 123
God listens to you 27 31 34 55 61 99 116
Injustice 10 14 36 37 41 45 50 52 53 58 59 73 76 82 94 146
Boasting 20 52 53 75 108 135
Humility 14 30 39 53 60 76 106 107 108 127 131 132 134
Security in God 4 16 27 46 56 91 121 125 139
Confidence 14 20 25 39 53 60 71 84 108 112 125 127 130 131 138 141 143
Fear and courage 3 27 46 49 55 56 57 91 112 118 120
Protection in God 3 5 17 23 25 27 36 40 44 46 55 57 59 61 62 66 70 71 91 115 118 120
121 125 129 140 143 144
God is strong 18 21 24 29 33 35 46 54 57 59 62 65 68 76 89 93 97 99 108 114 125
135 147
God is love 21 23 33 36 59 68 86 89 100 103 106 116 118 130 136 138 145 146
God is righteous and just 9 21 24 33 36 45 46 47 48 62 65 72 75 76 82 87 89 92 93 96 97 98 99
109
Jesus is coming back 2 24 45 47 72 76 82 96 98 110 146 150
Feeling down 6 9 13 25 42 69 70 88 89 102 107 113 116 126 142
Feeling forgotten 13 42 44 74 102 134 138
Feeling rejected 43 60 74 77 80 88 108
When you are weeping 6 31 42 43 56 69 80 88 107 116 126
Trusting God 9 12 33 37 49 65 66 78 81 84 85 91 95 108 112 115 119 121 125 127
Putting your trust and hope in God
9 13 25 42 43 60 86 102 112 113 126 130
Trusting God in difficult situations
4 11 13 23 25 27 28 31 34 42 43 46 54 55 56 57 59 61 62 89 91 94 102
105 107 123 138 143
Thankful for Gods word 1 12 19 33 56 111 119 138 147
Thankful for Gods blessings 16 18 21 23 36 65 66 67 84 86 92 100 103 113 116 126 138 145 147
Knowing God 9 16 17 23 25 27 29 40 41 46 54 56 57 59 62 63 68 73 76 84 91 92 97
111 138 143 145 149
God the creator 8 19 29 33 65 104 124 135 136 148
When you want to get closer to God
25 27 42 61 63 70 84 99 105 116 119 131 143
Jesus on the cross 22 85 98
Praising God 9 40 71 67 92 96 105 145 149
Putting God first 40 84 86 95 97 103 115 127 132 135
Righteousness 5 14 15 17 19 25 32 40 51 53 86 90 101 119 141 143
Help from God 1 5 14 19 26 32 48 53 60 81 90 101 108 111 115 122 127 128 139 141
143 144
Faith in righteousness 1 15 24 37 39 73 75 109 112 126 128
Encouragement to live a righteous life
1 5 16 19 25 32 81 86 101 119 141 143
Salvation 14 49 53 85 87
Having a bad day 11 25 46 61 88 102 124 131 142
Guilt, Sin and Confession 14 32 38 41 51 53 89 103 107 143
Forgiveness 19 22 25 32 39 41 51 65 85 86 99 103 106 107 130 143
Sin and consequences 5 14 53 78 79 81 101 106 107 141 143
You belong to God 16 20 37 40 48 65 67 84 87 92 95 99 100 104 113 114 135 144 145 147
149
God is with you 9 16 17 18 21 23 27 34 37 41 46 56 68 73 89 91 92 103 108 109 114
115 118 121 124 125 138 139 144 145 147
God answers prayer 3 4 5 9 17 18 20 21 27 28 31 34 39 40 54 55 61 65 66 69 81 86 91 99
102 107 116 118 119 120 123 130 138 141 142 143 145
God the avenger 9 10 35 44 45 58 59 60 64 94 109 120 123
God listens to you 27 31 34 55 61 99 116
Injustice 10 14 36 37 41 45 50 52 53 58 59 73 76 82 94 146
Boasting 20 52 53 75 108 135
Humility 14 30 39 53 60 76 106 107 108 127 131 132 134
Security in God 4 16 27 46 56 91 121 125 139
Confidence 14 20 25 39 53 60 71 84 108 112 125 127 130 131 138 141 143
Fear and courage 3 27 46 49 55 56 57 91 112 118 120
Protection in God 3 5 17 23 25 27 36 40 44 46 55 57 59 61 62 66 70 71 91 115 118 120
121 125 129 140 143 144
God is strong 18 21 24 29 33 35 46 54 57 59 62 65 68 76 89 93 97 99 108 114 125
135 147
God is love 21 23 33 36 59 68 86 89 100 103 106 116 118 130 136 138 145 146
God is righteous and just 9 21 24 33 36 45 46 47 48 62 65 72 75 76 82 87 89 92 93 96 97 98 99
109
Jesus is coming back 2 24 45 47 72 76 82 96 98 110 146 150
Feeling down 6 9 13 25 42 69 70 88 89 102 107 113 116 126 142
Feeling forgotten 13 42 44 74 102 134 138
Feeling rejected 43 60 74 77 80 88 108
When you are weeping 6 31 42 43 56 69 80 88 107 116 126
Trusting God 9 12 33 37 49 65 66 78 81 84 85 91 95 108 112 115 119 121 125 127
Putting your trust and hope in God
9 13 25 42 43 60 86 102 112 113 126 130
Trusting God in difficult situations
4 11 13 23 25 27 28 31 34 42 43 46 54 55 56 57 59 61 62 89 91 94 102
105 107 123 138 143
Thankful for Gods word 1 12 19 33 56 111 119 138 147
Thankful for Gods blessings 16 18 21 23 36 65 66 67 84 86 92 100 103 113 116 126 138 145 147
The Book of Psalms By Theme
The book of Psalms indexed by theme.
The Attributes Of God
1) The Lord is our judge and defense – Psalm 7:8-10.
2) The refuge of the poor – Psalm 14:6.
3) He is our Rock, fortress, strength and high tower – Psalm 18:2.
4) Our Redeemer – Psalm 19:14.
5) The King of Glory – Psalm 24:10.
6) “My light and my salvation” – Psalm 27:1.
7) He is our Shield – Psalm 28:7.
8) “My hiding place” – Psalm 32:7.
9) “Our refuge and strength” – Psalm 46:1.
10) “A God full of compassion” – Psalm 86:15.
11) “Our dwelling place in all generations” – Psalm 90:1.
Psalms That Praise God
1) Extolling the goodness of God – Psalm 85,95,100,136.
2) Praising God’s glory, wisdom, power & majesty – Psalm 18,19,29,62,66,93,97,99,118,147.
3) God as creator and preserver of all of His works – Psalm 33,89,104.
4) His infinite knowledge – Psalm 139.
5) God’s eternity contrasted with man’s temporal nature – Psalm 90.
6) Divine providence seen in God’s wonderful works in behalf of his chosen people, Israel – Psalm
105.
7) The source of all help, who keeps His people – Psalm 121.
8) The whole creation praises Him – Psalm 148.
Christ In The Psalms
1) The coronation hymn – Psalm 2.
2) The crucifixion psalm – Psalm 22.
3) The resurrection psalm – Psalm 16.
4) The reign of the righteous king – Psalm 45,72,110,132:11.
5) The Messiah’s manhood – Psalm 8:4-5.
6) The Messiah’s sonship – Psalm 2:7.
7) His deity – Psalm 45:6, Psalm 11.
8) His holiness – Psalm 45:7; Psalm 89:18-19.
9) His priesthood – Psalm 110:4.
10) His kingship – Psalm 2:6; Psalm 89:18-19,27.
11) His eternity – Psalm 61:6-7; Psalm 45:17; Psalm 102:25-27.
12) His universal sovereignty – Psalm 72:8; Psalm 103:19.
13) His obedience – Psalm 40:6-8.
14) His zeal – Psalm 69:9.
15) His sufferings – Psalm 69:4,9.
16) His betrayal – Psalm 41:9.
17) His death – Psalm 22:1-21; Psalm 69:20-21.
18) His resurrection – Psalm 16:10.
19) His ascension – Psalm 68:18.
20) His coming again to judge – Psalm 96-98.
Some Historical Psalms
1) The exodus and crossing the red sea – Psalm 136:10-15.
2) The period of wandering – Psalm 114.
3) The period of judges – Psalm 106:34-46.
4) David’s early period when fleeing from Saul – Psalm 7,11,34.
5) David’s reign – Psalm 24,30,51 (David’s sin with Bathsheba).
6) Absalom’s rebellion – Psalm 3,55.
7) The glory of Solomon’s reign – Psalm 72.
8) The fall of Jerusalem – Psalm 74, 79.
9) The Jews in Babylon – Psalm 80, 137.
10) The restoration – Psalm 85:1-6; Psalm 126.
Psalms Concerning Man
1) Exaltation of man – Psalm 8 (fulfilled in the “perfect” man – Hebrews 2:5-9).
2) Man’s sinfulness – Psalm 10,14,36,55,59.
3) The wicked contrasted with the godly – Psalm 1,4,5.
4) The folly of the wicked and of those who trust in riches – Psalm 37,49,53.
5) The fate of the ungodly – Psalm 9,11,73.
Psalms Of Trust And Thanksgiving
1) Trust – Psalm 3,16,20,27,31,34,42,61,62,91.
2) The shepherd psalm – Psalm 23.
3) God our refuge – Psalm 46.
4) “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving” – Psalm 100.
5) “Pay thy vows unto the most High” – Psalm 50.
6) “My help cometh from the Lord” – Psalm 121.
Prayer Psalms
1) For mercy in time of trouble – Psalm 6.
2) Prayers of assurance – Psalm 27,116.
3) Penitence, seeking forgiveness – Psalm 51.
4) For destruction of the deceitful – Psalm 55.
5) For deliverance – Psalm 70.
6) For mercy – Psalm 86.
7) For help in trouble – Psalm 142.
8) For guidance – Psalm 143.
The Lord’s Church
1) Safety of “The city of God” – Psalm 46.
2) The beauty and glory of Zion – Psalm 48,87.
3) Love for the house of God – Psalm 84,122.
4) Unity among brethren – Psalm 133.
Psalms Concerning Experiences In Religion & In Life
1) Magnifying the word of God – Psalm 19,119.
2) Praise – Psalm 96,98,100,103,107,136,145,148-150.
3) Worship – Psalm 43,84,100,122,132.
4) The vanity of life – Psalm 39,49,90.
5) The home – Psalm 127.
The Attributes Of God
1) The Lord is our judge and defense – Psalm 7:8-10.
2) The refuge of the poor – Psalm 14:6.
3) He is our Rock, fortress, strength and high tower – Psalm 18:2.
4) Our Redeemer – Psalm 19:14.
5) The King of Glory – Psalm 24:10.
6) “My light and my salvation” – Psalm 27:1.
7) He is our Shield – Psalm 28:7.
8) “My hiding place” – Psalm 32:7.
9) “Our refuge and strength” – Psalm 46:1.
10) “A God full of compassion” – Psalm 86:15.
11) “Our dwelling place in all generations” – Psalm 90:1.
Psalms That Praise God
1) Extolling the goodness of God – Psalm 85,95,100,136.
2) Praising God’s glory, wisdom, power & majesty – Psalm 18,19,29,62,66,93,97,99,118,147.
3) God as creator and preserver of all of His works – Psalm 33,89,104.
4) His infinite knowledge – Psalm 139.
5) God’s eternity contrasted with man’s temporal nature – Psalm 90.
6) Divine providence seen in God’s wonderful works in behalf of his chosen people, Israel – Psalm
105.
7) The source of all help, who keeps His people – Psalm 121.
8) The whole creation praises Him – Psalm 148.
Christ In The Psalms
1) The coronation hymn – Psalm 2.
2) The crucifixion psalm – Psalm 22.
3) The resurrection psalm – Psalm 16.
4) The reign of the righteous king – Psalm 45,72,110,132:11.
5) The Messiah’s manhood – Psalm 8:4-5.
6) The Messiah’s sonship – Psalm 2:7.
7) His deity – Psalm 45:6, Psalm 11.
8) His holiness – Psalm 45:7; Psalm 89:18-19.
9) His priesthood – Psalm 110:4.
10) His kingship – Psalm 2:6; Psalm 89:18-19,27.
11) His eternity – Psalm 61:6-7; Psalm 45:17; Psalm 102:25-27.
12) His universal sovereignty – Psalm 72:8; Psalm 103:19.
13) His obedience – Psalm 40:6-8.
14) His zeal – Psalm 69:9.
15) His sufferings – Psalm 69:4,9.
16) His betrayal – Psalm 41:9.
17) His death – Psalm 22:1-21; Psalm 69:20-21.
18) His resurrection – Psalm 16:10.
19) His ascension – Psalm 68:18.
20) His coming again to judge – Psalm 96-98.
Some Historical Psalms
1) The exodus and crossing the red sea – Psalm 136:10-15.
2) The period of wandering – Psalm 114.
3) The period of judges – Psalm 106:34-46.
4) David’s early period when fleeing from Saul – Psalm 7,11,34.
5) David’s reign – Psalm 24,30,51 (David’s sin with Bathsheba).
6) Absalom’s rebellion – Psalm 3,55.
7) The glory of Solomon’s reign – Psalm 72.
8) The fall of Jerusalem – Psalm 74, 79.
9) The Jews in Babylon – Psalm 80, 137.
10) The restoration – Psalm 85:1-6; Psalm 126.
Psalms Concerning Man
1) Exaltation of man – Psalm 8 (fulfilled in the “perfect” man – Hebrews 2:5-9).
2) Man’s sinfulness – Psalm 10,14,36,55,59.
3) The wicked contrasted with the godly – Psalm 1,4,5.
4) The folly of the wicked and of those who trust in riches – Psalm 37,49,53.
5) The fate of the ungodly – Psalm 9,11,73.
Psalms Of Trust And Thanksgiving
1) Trust – Psalm 3,16,20,27,31,34,42,61,62,91.
2) The shepherd psalm – Psalm 23.
3) God our refuge – Psalm 46.
4) “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving” – Psalm 100.
5) “Pay thy vows unto the most High” – Psalm 50.
6) “My help cometh from the Lord” – Psalm 121.
Prayer Psalms
1) For mercy in time of trouble – Psalm 6.
2) Prayers of assurance – Psalm 27,116.
3) Penitence, seeking forgiveness – Psalm 51.
4) For destruction of the deceitful – Psalm 55.
5) For deliverance – Psalm 70.
6) For mercy – Psalm 86.
7) For help in trouble – Psalm 142.
8) For guidance – Psalm 143.
The Lord’s Church
1) Safety of “The city of God” – Psalm 46.
2) The beauty and glory of Zion – Psalm 48,87.
3) Love for the house of God – Psalm 84,122.
4) Unity among brethren – Psalm 133.
Psalms Concerning Experiences In Religion & In Life
1) Magnifying the word of God – Psalm 19,119.
2) Praise – Psalm 96,98,100,103,107,136,145,148-150.
3) Worship – Psalm 43,84,100,122,132.
4) The vanity of life – Psalm 39,49,90.
5) The home – Psalm 127.
Noah
Noah
Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah went against the rest of the world. He was surrounded by wickedness on every side! Regardless Noah maintained his righteousness and honored God with his life! Noah was asked by God to build a massive boat that made no sense and required absolute faith to believe that what God said was true!
"If God says were gonna build an ark then we're going to build an Ark"' this was Noah's heart! Am I willing to do the impossible for God? Am I willing to do what ever God ask me to do even when it doesn't make sense to me?
First Noah had faith when warned by God! What warnings has God given me?
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
1 Corinthians 10:5-12 vs 11 these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us!
Ephesians 5:3-7; 2
Peter 3:9-12 God is warning me of what I could miss.
Noah allowed Gods warnings to direct his life and guide his steps. Am I taking Gods warnings seriously?
In holy reverence, Noah obeyed God through faith. Faith produces holy fear and reverence for God! Holy fear produced obedience to allow Noah to do the impossible. God has not asked me to build an Ark but he has asked me to build a temple for him in the godly life that I love!
By faith Noah condemned the world. Noah separated himself form the world. Noah refused to follow their wickedness and stood on his convictions through faith.
Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah went against the rest of the world. He was surrounded by wickedness on every side! Regardless Noah maintained his righteousness and honored God with his life! Noah was asked by God to build a massive boat that made no sense and required absolute faith to believe that what God said was true!
"If God says were gonna build an ark then we're going to build an Ark"' this was Noah's heart! Am I willing to do the impossible for God? Am I willing to do what ever God ask me to do even when it doesn't make sense to me?
First Noah had faith when warned by God! What warnings has God given me?
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
1 Corinthians 10:5-12 vs 11 these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us!
Ephesians 5:3-7; 2
Peter 3:9-12 God is warning me of what I could miss.
Noah allowed Gods warnings to direct his life and guide his steps. Am I taking Gods warnings seriously?
In holy reverence, Noah obeyed God through faith. Faith produces holy fear and reverence for God! Holy fear produced obedience to allow Noah to do the impossible. God has not asked me to build an Ark but he has asked me to build a temple for him in the godly life that I love!
By faith Noah condemned the world. Noah separated himself form the world. Noah refused to follow their wickedness and stood on his convictions through faith.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Living HIStory! Part 2
Living HIStory!
In the garden there were no barriers between God and man. Once man sinned the intimacy with God was broken. God's story is to take fallen man and return him to paradise. To return man back to an intimate relationship with God with no barriers.
As God's story marches through history, Abraham becomes a key character in God's plan.
Genesis 10:2-7; Genesis 11:10-26
Most of the time when we see a genealogy in the bible we skip it; however, there is a lot of meaning and importance in this genealogy. We see that Gods people and gods plan was passed down from father to son over hundreds of generations!
In the Old Testimate, Gods people had no concept of heaven or eternity. The promise of God at that time was not heaven or hell. The promise that God gave Abraham was that he would have a long line and be the father of all nations. Through this genealogy God was faithful to Abraham.
Genesis 15:1-6
God chose to save Abraham and wanted to be his great reward! Abraham questioned Gods love because he had no sons. God showed so much grace and mercy to Abraham by reconfirming his promise to Abraham. When Abraham chose to believe and had faith he was considered righteous.
Abraham was the first man called into a relationship with God outside of the garden and Gods plan was to be with Abraham for ever. God started setting eternity into the hearts of men through Abraham and his genealogy.
We have to look and seek eternity with God. If we are looking to God to solve all of our problems in the "here and now" then we are going to have a hard time loving God when things do not go the way we think they should. Like Abraham we need to trust God and his promise for us in our lives. Eternity with God should be our focus and great reward!
When we live for eternity it solves all the problems we have in the "here and now"! Our focus has to be on being with God for ever!
God chose Abraham to pass it on. If God called Abraham to pass it on, what do you think he is calling us to do? Through our children, our neighbors, people at work, and any other relationships we have need to be focused on passing on Gods plan for eternity!
1 Corinthians 4:14-15 Gods used Paul to pass it on. The same father to son concept. What spiritual generations am I creating for God? Who are my spiritual sons and daughters?
The true cost of hell is a complete and total separation from God or eternity. Heaven is a complete and total connection with God for eternity! When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Abraham saw it as God asking him to sacrifice eternity with Him. God was ultimately asking Abraham to sacrifice his promise and relationship with God for eternity. Abraham had faith that God would keep his promise and was willing to do what ever God called him to do.
God did not call Abraham to do anything that God was not willing to do himself! God spared Abrahams son and sacrificed His own. Jesus took the place of Isaac and took the place of you and me!
Sent from my iPad
In the garden there were no barriers between God and man. Once man sinned the intimacy with God was broken. God's story is to take fallen man and return him to paradise. To return man back to an intimate relationship with God with no barriers.
As God's story marches through history, Abraham becomes a key character in God's plan.
Genesis 10:2-7; Genesis 11:10-26
Most of the time when we see a genealogy in the bible we skip it; however, there is a lot of meaning and importance in this genealogy. We see that Gods people and gods plan was passed down from father to son over hundreds of generations!
In the Old Testimate, Gods people had no concept of heaven or eternity. The promise of God at that time was not heaven or hell. The promise that God gave Abraham was that he would have a long line and be the father of all nations. Through this genealogy God was faithful to Abraham.
Genesis 15:1-6
God chose to save Abraham and wanted to be his great reward! Abraham questioned Gods love because he had no sons. God showed so much grace and mercy to Abraham by reconfirming his promise to Abraham. When Abraham chose to believe and had faith he was considered righteous.
Abraham was the first man called into a relationship with God outside of the garden and Gods plan was to be with Abraham for ever. God started setting eternity into the hearts of men through Abraham and his genealogy.
We have to look and seek eternity with God. If we are looking to God to solve all of our problems in the "here and now" then we are going to have a hard time loving God when things do not go the way we think they should. Like Abraham we need to trust God and his promise for us in our lives. Eternity with God should be our focus and great reward!
When we live for eternity it solves all the problems we have in the "here and now"! Our focus has to be on being with God for ever!
God chose Abraham to pass it on. If God called Abraham to pass it on, what do you think he is calling us to do? Through our children, our neighbors, people at work, and any other relationships we have need to be focused on passing on Gods plan for eternity!
1 Corinthians 4:14-15 Gods used Paul to pass it on. The same father to son concept. What spiritual generations am I creating for God? Who are my spiritual sons and daughters?
The true cost of hell is a complete and total separation from God or eternity. Heaven is a complete and total connection with God for eternity! When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Abraham saw it as God asking him to sacrifice eternity with Him. God was ultimately asking Abraham to sacrifice his promise and relationship with God for eternity. Abraham had faith that God would keep his promise and was willing to do what ever God called him to do.
God did not call Abraham to do anything that God was not willing to do himself! God spared Abrahams son and sacrificed His own. Jesus took the place of Isaac and took the place of you and me!
Sent from my iPad
Thursday, January 22, 2015
High Expectations!
High Expectations!
What spiritual expectations do I have in my life? What expectations do I have for my brothers? What expectations do I have for our church?
Without high expectations you will always hit your mark and there will be no growth. Jesus had high expectations for his disciples. Jesus said that you will do greater things for God than He did. Jesus had high expectations for the disciples and has not lowered them for us.
As men we need to have high expectations and standards for each other. We need to have high expectations and standards in purity, one another relationships, unity, integrity...etc.
As brothers we need to challenge each other. We need to disciple each other. God has high expectations for us because he loves us and we need to have expectations for ourselves and the people around us out of love!
Above all we need to have high expectations and standards for being committed to Gods word!
Jeremiah 20:1-6; 7-12
Jeremiah was not happy about preach the words of God that were full of destruction and doom. He was beaten and smitten by everyone around him for confronting Israel in sin. Holding the people of Israel accountable and to the standards of Gods people was not an easy task. He did even though it was uncomfortable and not something he liked.
Even though Jeremiah did not like the message he was asked to give, he could not keep it in. It burned like a fire inside of him! Only Gods word has this affect. To be like Jeremiah I need to not hold back the words that God puts on my heart. I cannot hold back the convictions that God has given me.
If Gods word is not written on my heart the worlds desires will be!
What spiritual expectations do I have in my life? What expectations do I have for my brothers? What expectations do I have for our church?
Without high expectations you will always hit your mark and there will be no growth. Jesus had high expectations for his disciples. Jesus said that you will do greater things for God than He did. Jesus had high expectations for the disciples and has not lowered them for us.
As men we need to have high expectations and standards for each other. We need to have high expectations and standards in purity, one another relationships, unity, integrity...etc.
As brothers we need to challenge each other. We need to disciple each other. God has high expectations for us because he loves us and we need to have expectations for ourselves and the people around us out of love!
Above all we need to have high expectations and standards for being committed to Gods word!
Jeremiah 20:1-6; 7-12
Jeremiah was not happy about preach the words of God that were full of destruction and doom. He was beaten and smitten by everyone around him for confronting Israel in sin. Holding the people of Israel accountable and to the standards of Gods people was not an easy task. He did even though it was uncomfortable and not something he liked.
Even though Jeremiah did not like the message he was asked to give, he could not keep it in. It burned like a fire inside of him! Only Gods word has this affect. To be like Jeremiah I need to not hold back the words that God puts on my heart. I cannot hold back the convictions that God has given me.
If Gods word is not written on my heart the worlds desires will be!
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Rest
Matthew 11, Hebrews 4, Psalms 62
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.w 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.a x 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest...
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
1Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
2Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
I love the way these three scriptures fit together!
The world has a way of beating us down but God has always had a plan for us to find rest in Him and in Him alone! Rest from temptation and sin. Rest from anxiety. Rest from fear. Rest from...you name it!
HE is our sanctuary! Praise God for giving us His rest!
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