“Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem!” (Acts 2:14) And then he preaches His great sermon on the day of Pentecost where they “believed what Peter said, were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all." Acts 2:41
What got into Peter?
Seven weeks ago he was hiding because of Jesus; today he is proclaiming the Good News of Jesus – His death and Resurrection. Before the crucifixion, he denied Christ, not just once but three times; now he announces Christ
From scared wimp to brave warrior in fifty days. What happened?
What got into Peter?
God’s Spirit did. Once after His resurrection but before His ascension, Jesus said to his apostles “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.” (Acts 1:4) So they did as He said and “They (The apostles) all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. (Acts 1:14)
Then Ten days after Jesus’ ascension into heaven “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place." (Acts 2:1), “…..all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). The followers experienced a gushing forth, a tremendous profusion. They were drenched in power. They all were: “sons and daughters…young men…old men…servants, men and women alike” (Acts 2:17–18). The Holy Spirit, in His own time and according to His own way, filled the followers with supernatural strength.
The Holy Spirit is not enthusiasm, compassion, or bravado. He might stimulate such emotions, but He Himself is a person. He determines itineraries (the Holy Spirit had prevented them (Paul and Silas) from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Acts 16:6), distributes spiritual gifts (It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.1 Cor. 7:11), and selects church leaders (“the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2). He teaches (the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:26), guides (“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13), and helps us. (“It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7 KJV).
Jesus told His followers “he lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:17). Occasional guest? No sir. The Holy Spirit is a year-round resident in the hearts of his children. As God’s story becomes our story, his power becomes our power.
When God’s Spirit directs us, we actually “follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Gal. 5:25). He is the drum major; we are the marching band. He is the sergeant; we are the platoon. He directs and leads; we obey and follow. Not always that easy, is it? We tend to go our own way. Surely not! :)
To walk in the Spirit, respond to the promptings God gives you.
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, “Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. (Isa. 30:21)
If Peter and the apostles needed his help, don’t we? They walked with Jesus for three years, heard his preaching, and saw his miracles. They saw the body of Christ buried in the grave and raised from the dead. They witnessed his upper room appearance and heard his instruction. Had they not received the best possible training? Weren’t they ready?
Yet Jesus told them to wait on the Spirit. “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised” (Acts 1:4–5).
Learn to wait, to be silent, to listen for his voice. Cherish stillness; sensitize yourself to his touch. “Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene” (1 Cor. 1:7–8 MSG). You needn’t hurry or scurry. The Spirit-led life does not panic; it trusts.
The same hand that pushed the rock from the tomb can shove away your doubt. The same power that stirred the still heart of Christ can stir your flagging faith. The same strength that put Satan on his heels can, and will, defeat Satan in your life. Just keep the power supply open. Who knows, you may soon hear people asking, “What’s gotten into you?”
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Why Did We Come Today and How Will We Go Home?
He (Jesus) told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"
Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself." Luke 18:9-14 MSG
In Jesus’ time, the Pharisee would have been considered the good guy–he wore the white hat. He was a synagogue leader in his town. All Pharisees were super-religious men who were extremely careful about obeying the Torah, which is basically the first five books of the Old Testament. In other words – very churchy!
However, a tax collector was considered the scum of the earth, the very bottom of the religious food chain in Israel. Hired by the pagan Romans, he could charge exorbitant taxes and keep the excess as his profit. He was considered the villain–he wore the black hat. Not a popular person!
In the parable, both the Pharisee and the Tax Collector went to the temple in Jerusalem to pray. But when you examine their actions and attitudes, you discover they went for different reasons. Why did we come today?
To be seen?
Obviously, the Pharisee was at the temple for others to see how good he was. To him it was a public performance and his behavior at the temple was just part of the script. He had given much thought about what he would wear, and where he would stand, and what he would say, because there was an audience. When he arrived, he walked up to the front and stood before the people in his flowing robe with the ornate prayer shawl the Pharisees wore. It just all part of the religious show for him. The words he prayed were not really directed toward God. He prayed to himself. He was there to be seen and to be heard by the other worshipers. Jesus warned about this kind of behavior in Matthew 6:5, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. “
When you are preparing to come to church, are you thinking more about who will be there to see you than you are about connecting with God? Do you choose what you’re going to wear based on what other people will think about you? Answer honestly: Why do you attend church?
We all struggle with the temptation of trying to please other people rather than pleasing God.
The tax collector represents another reason you might be here today. Did you come:
To seek God?
The tax collector showed up because he was in trouble and he believed God could help him. His body language revealed his sense of unworthiness; he couldn’t walk to the front of the crowd, instead he kept his distance. He didn’t focus on the other people there, he focused on God.
Worship does involve an audience. But it’s an audience of one. When we come to church, we should be primarily concerned about seeking God’s face. You may receive the applause of man, but you should be deaf to it. You should be listening only for the applause of the nail-scarred hands.
Why are we here today? Is it just our habit, a part of our weekend routine? Perhaps you came because someone pressured you to come. Or maybe you feel guilty if you don’t come. Maybe you came because you are “supposed” to. Or did you come seeking to connect with the Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe? God says in Jeremiah 29:13, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Some people may come seeking God, but our half-hearted worship becomes a hindrance to them.
The next question to answer is:
WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE IN CHURCH?
In the parable Jesus showed two totally different attitudes people can display in worship. The Pharisee presented an attitude that said:
I’m proud of my goodness
In some instances, pride can be good. It is okay to say you are proud to be an American, or that you take pride in your neighborhood. But the Bible warns against the dangerous kind of pride characterized by self-love, egotism, and arrogance. This kind of pride is revealed in the prayer of the Pharisee. He wanted others to know about his goodness, so he bragged that he fasted, tithed, and kept all the commandments. Here’s how you can recognize if you have pride in your heart:
Pride loves to talk about “I”
In verse 11 the Pharisee used “I” and “me” several times. He said some good things that are good to do. But if you are doing it because you think it will get you into heaven, or make you appear to be a good person before others, those good things become dangerous.
The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). According to Isaiah 14, once the devil was a beautiful angel named Lucifer. Pride filled his heart and he developed an “I” problem. He said, “I will ascend and make my throne with God, I will be like the most high, I’m going up!” But God said, “No, Lucifer, you’re going down!’ That’s really what pride is, reflecting the ego of the devil. Some people are the happiest when they can talk about themselves. That’s often a marker that they have a problem with pride. Someone has said Pride is the only sickness everyone can recognize except the person who has it!
All of us should have an occasional “I” exam. If you recorded your conversation and your prayers for 24 hours, how much of your talk would be centered on the big “I”?
Pride seldom admits a need
Pride gives a person a false sense of self-sufficiency. Have you ever heard the expression, “I’m too proud to ask for help?” When you are too proud to ask for help or admit you have a problem, you are too proud–period! When you ask a proud person how you can pray for them, they will often say, “Oh, I’m alright. There’s really nothing you need to pray for me about.” They say that because they are too proud to admit they have a need. They fear if they tell you where they’re hurting they’ll lose their facade of perfection and goodness.
Pride sees the faults of others
Did you notice the Pharisee was quick to criticize and condemn the tax collector? Pride blinds a person to their own faults and magnifies the failures and faults of others. When you compare yourself to someone else, you’re using the wrong standard. God’s measuring stick is not the goodness or badness of another person; His standard is Jesus–how do you measure up to Him? Some people justify their goodness by saying they have never robbed a bank or murdered someone. Sure, when you compare yourself to some serial murderer, you look like a moral hero. God doesn’t grade on the curve. It doesn’t matter if you are a little better than average, what matters is if you have personal relationship with Jesus.
There was another attitude expressed in church. The tax collector displayed an attitude that said:
I desperately need God’s mercy!
He couldn’t even lift up his head, he was so burdened. He pounded his fist on his chest, a spontaneous gesture of his agony over his sin. He uttered simple words with a voice broken with emotion: “God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner." You don’t have to pray a long, eloquent prayer full of religious words. If you pray a simple prayer that comes from your heart, God hears you and He will answer you.
When the tax collector caught a glimpse of the greatness and holiness of God, he realized how dirty and filthy he was. The Bible says, “All our righteousness is as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) Even the good things we do are dirty compared to the stark, brilliant holiness of God. When you see God for Who He is–holy, then you will be able to see yourself for who you really are–a fallen creature in desperate need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. That will humble you in a hurry.
Is that your attitude? Have you come to a place in your life where you know you can’t make it another moment without God’s mercy, peace, and forgiveness in your life?
HOW WILL YOU GO HOME?
You may go home:
Unchanged–Religious and proud of it!
The Pharisee was so committed to his religious observance that he could be proud by his performance. So he went home unchanged. Thousands of people attend church Sunday after Sunday, but they leave exactly the way they come in. To them, religious observance is something they DO, so they can be proud about their conduct. God addressed the problem of superficial religion in Isaiah 29:13. The Lord says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”
But we can go home today the same way the tax collector did:
Unburdened–Right with God and thankful for it!
Jesus said the bad guy, the guy in the “black hat”, not the respectable, religious Pharisee went home justified–right with God. He entered church so burdened down by his sin he couldn’t even lift up his head. But when he cried out for the mercy of God, he experienced the liberation of forgiveness. He hadn’t done anything to deserve it, so he couldn’t brag about it. All he could do was to thank God for it!
Which way will you go home today?
"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"
Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself." Luke 18:9-14 MSG
In Jesus’ time, the Pharisee would have been considered the good guy–he wore the white hat. He was a synagogue leader in his town. All Pharisees were super-religious men who were extremely careful about obeying the Torah, which is basically the first five books of the Old Testament. In other words – very churchy!
However, a tax collector was considered the scum of the earth, the very bottom of the religious food chain in Israel. Hired by the pagan Romans, he could charge exorbitant taxes and keep the excess as his profit. He was considered the villain–he wore the black hat. Not a popular person!
In the parable, both the Pharisee and the Tax Collector went to the temple in Jerusalem to pray. But when you examine their actions and attitudes, you discover they went for different reasons. Why did we come today?
To be seen?
Obviously, the Pharisee was at the temple for others to see how good he was. To him it was a public performance and his behavior at the temple was just part of the script. He had given much thought about what he would wear, and where he would stand, and what he would say, because there was an audience. When he arrived, he walked up to the front and stood before the people in his flowing robe with the ornate prayer shawl the Pharisees wore. It just all part of the religious show for him. The words he prayed were not really directed toward God. He prayed to himself. He was there to be seen and to be heard by the other worshipers. Jesus warned about this kind of behavior in Matthew 6:5, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. “
When you are preparing to come to church, are you thinking more about who will be there to see you than you are about connecting with God? Do you choose what you’re going to wear based on what other people will think about you? Answer honestly: Why do you attend church?
We all struggle with the temptation of trying to please other people rather than pleasing God.
The tax collector represents another reason you might be here today. Did you come:
To seek God?
The tax collector showed up because he was in trouble and he believed God could help him. His body language revealed his sense of unworthiness; he couldn’t walk to the front of the crowd, instead he kept his distance. He didn’t focus on the other people there, he focused on God.
Worship does involve an audience. But it’s an audience of one. When we come to church, we should be primarily concerned about seeking God’s face. You may receive the applause of man, but you should be deaf to it. You should be listening only for the applause of the nail-scarred hands.
Why are we here today? Is it just our habit, a part of our weekend routine? Perhaps you came because someone pressured you to come. Or maybe you feel guilty if you don’t come. Maybe you came because you are “supposed” to. Or did you come seeking to connect with the Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe? God says in Jeremiah 29:13, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Some people may come seeking God, but our half-hearted worship becomes a hindrance to them.
The next question to answer is:
WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE IN CHURCH?
In the parable Jesus showed two totally different attitudes people can display in worship. The Pharisee presented an attitude that said:
I’m proud of my goodness
In some instances, pride can be good. It is okay to say you are proud to be an American, or that you take pride in your neighborhood. But the Bible warns against the dangerous kind of pride characterized by self-love, egotism, and arrogance. This kind of pride is revealed in the prayer of the Pharisee. He wanted others to know about his goodness, so he bragged that he fasted, tithed, and kept all the commandments. Here’s how you can recognize if you have pride in your heart:
Pride loves to talk about “I”
In verse 11 the Pharisee used “I” and “me” several times. He said some good things that are good to do. But if you are doing it because you think it will get you into heaven, or make you appear to be a good person before others, those good things become dangerous.
The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). According to Isaiah 14, once the devil was a beautiful angel named Lucifer. Pride filled his heart and he developed an “I” problem. He said, “I will ascend and make my throne with God, I will be like the most high, I’m going up!” But God said, “No, Lucifer, you’re going down!’ That’s really what pride is, reflecting the ego of the devil. Some people are the happiest when they can talk about themselves. That’s often a marker that they have a problem with pride. Someone has said Pride is the only sickness everyone can recognize except the person who has it!
All of us should have an occasional “I” exam. If you recorded your conversation and your prayers for 24 hours, how much of your talk would be centered on the big “I”?
Pride seldom admits a need
Pride gives a person a false sense of self-sufficiency. Have you ever heard the expression, “I’m too proud to ask for help?” When you are too proud to ask for help or admit you have a problem, you are too proud–period! When you ask a proud person how you can pray for them, they will often say, “Oh, I’m alright. There’s really nothing you need to pray for me about.” They say that because they are too proud to admit they have a need. They fear if they tell you where they’re hurting they’ll lose their facade of perfection and goodness.
Pride sees the faults of others
Did you notice the Pharisee was quick to criticize and condemn the tax collector? Pride blinds a person to their own faults and magnifies the failures and faults of others. When you compare yourself to someone else, you’re using the wrong standard. God’s measuring stick is not the goodness or badness of another person; His standard is Jesus–how do you measure up to Him? Some people justify their goodness by saying they have never robbed a bank or murdered someone. Sure, when you compare yourself to some serial murderer, you look like a moral hero. God doesn’t grade on the curve. It doesn’t matter if you are a little better than average, what matters is if you have personal relationship with Jesus.
There was another attitude expressed in church. The tax collector displayed an attitude that said:
I desperately need God’s mercy!
He couldn’t even lift up his head, he was so burdened. He pounded his fist on his chest, a spontaneous gesture of his agony over his sin. He uttered simple words with a voice broken with emotion: “God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner." You don’t have to pray a long, eloquent prayer full of religious words. If you pray a simple prayer that comes from your heart, God hears you and He will answer you.
When the tax collector caught a glimpse of the greatness and holiness of God, he realized how dirty and filthy he was. The Bible says, “All our righteousness is as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) Even the good things we do are dirty compared to the stark, brilliant holiness of God. When you see God for Who He is–holy, then you will be able to see yourself for who you really are–a fallen creature in desperate need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. That will humble you in a hurry.
Is that your attitude? Have you come to a place in your life where you know you can’t make it another moment without God’s mercy, peace, and forgiveness in your life?
HOW WILL YOU GO HOME?
You may go home:
Unchanged–Religious and proud of it!
The Pharisee was so committed to his religious observance that he could be proud by his performance. So he went home unchanged. Thousands of people attend church Sunday after Sunday, but they leave exactly the way they come in. To them, religious observance is something they DO, so they can be proud about their conduct. God addressed the problem of superficial religion in Isaiah 29:13. The Lord says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.”
But we can go home today the same way the tax collector did:
Unburdened–Right with God and thankful for it!
Jesus said the bad guy, the guy in the “black hat”, not the respectable, religious Pharisee went home justified–right with God. He entered church so burdened down by his sin he couldn’t even lift up his head. But when he cried out for the mercy of God, he experienced the liberation of forgiveness. He hadn’t done anything to deserve it, so he couldn’t brag about it. All he could do was to thank God for it!
Which way will you go home today?
Monday, October 3, 2011
How to Change Negative Attitudes to Positive Ones
A positive attitude contributes to success in life more than anything else, according to a Stanford Research Institute study that shows a full 87.5 percent of people’s success can be traced to their positive attitudes, while just 12.5 percent of their success comes from their aptitude, knowledge, or skills.
What can you do if your mind is weighed down by negative attitudes that limit your success? You can change your attitudes, with God’s help. Here’s how:
Understand the power of attitude. If you allow negative attitudes (such as anxiety, envy, anger, bitterness, or pride) to grab hold of your mind, those attitudes will lead you to make negative decisions that will affect your life in negative ways. But if you choose to develop and maintain positive attitudes, your life will become positive as a result. Even when you encounter the challenges and tragedies of living in a sinful world, you’ll be able to deal with them successfully when you choose to approach life with positive attitudes. But keep in mind that changing negative attitudes to positive ones isn’t an instant event; it’s a lifelong process that requires perseverance. Ask God to help you each day, and study Jesus’ life, since He is the ultimate example of how to live in this world with positive attitudes.
Respond rather than react to unexpected change. Change will sometimes surprise you, and when that change is negative you may be drawn into a crisis. Whenever that happens, avoid reacting negatively and instead deliberately decide to respond positively. Keep in mind that you can’t control situations or people, but you can choose how you’ll respond to them. Ask God to give you four key gifts to help you respond to unexpected change in positive ways: hope, faith in Him, a clear vision of what He wants you to do next, and then the energy to do what He wants you to do. Whenever it’s possible for you to change troubling circumstances or relationships, make the effort to do so. Whenever you can’t change them, ask God to give you the peace you need to deal with them.
Be accountable for your life. Let go of a victim’s attitude, since blaming others for what’s happened to you (from divorce to a job loss) won’t help make your life better. Avoid self-pity and excuses for not changing your life, too. Realize that no matter what has happened to you in the past, you do have the power to change, with God’s help. Focus on God’s promises to give you the strength you need to grow and move into a better future, and rely on that strength every day. Instead of looking inward, look outward to other people in need and obey God’s call to help them; in the process, you’ll start to feel better about your own life. Take responsibility for moving forward in the ways God leads you to move forward, and you’ll see your life becoming more positive.
Examine your soul. Ask God to help you take an honest look inside your soul to identify what specific types of negative attitudes are lurking inside, such as: pride, fear, anger, sadness, jealousy, doubt, resentment, bitterness, and low self-esteem. Then confess each of the negative attitudes to God and repent of them, inviting God to transform you from the inside out. Going forward, each time you become aware of an unhealthy, negative thought in your mind, give it to God in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind so you can think the way He wants you to think – which will help you develop positive attitudes to fill your soul regularly.
Forgive yourself and others. Accept the forgiveness that God offers you for your sins, and be faithful to God’s call to forgive others who have sinned against you. Doing so will release the poison of bitterness from your soul, which will flush out negative attitudes and make room for positive attitudes to take their place. In the process, your stress levels will decrease and the amount of peace you experience will increase.
Prepare for obstacles. It’s inevitable in this sinful world that you’ll face difficult circumstances (John 16:33) in the future that can lead you to give into negativity if you don’t prepare for them now. So invest time in practices that will help you develop new habits of positive thinking that will solidify positive attitudes in your life. When fear and discouragement cloud your thinking, seek wisdom from prayer, reading the Bible, and talking with Godly people you trust. Pray regularly for God to fulfill His unique purposes in your life, and expect big results, with faith in God’s sovereign power. When you need encouragement, read God’s promises to you in the Bible and spend time with encouraging people while avoiding negative ones. Be patient when working to reach the goals God has inspired you to achieve, relying on His strength each step of the way. Keep in mind that every obstacle you may face pales in comparison to the power of God’s love for you.
Learn to receive and give love. The more you can receive God’s love and give it to other people, the more positive your perspective on life will become. So make your relationship with God your top priority, and devote lots of time and energy to prayer and other spiritual disciplines that will help you grow closer to Him. Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you, and base your identity on the fact that you’re God’s beloved child. Pray for the Holy Spirit to for more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in your life, so you’ll be empowered to love other people in the ways God wants you to love them.
Take charge of your thoughts. Ask God to help you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, and practice thinking about what’s true, lovely and honorable until doing so becomes a habit. Read the Bible regularly to remind yourself of how blessed you are as someone who is accepted, secure, and significant thanks to your relationship with Jesus.
Transform from the inside out. Release control of every part of your life – from your relationships to your work – to God, trusting Him to guide you to what’s best in all of your decisions. As you abandon a self-centered life for a God-centered life, you’ll find that you’ll be following God’s guidance because you want to, not because you have to do so. Your sense of hope will grow in the process, which will nurture positive attitudes in your life.
Make a positive difference in God’s kingdom. Pray that God will make you a vessel for His love to flow through into the lives of other people. Every day, make the most of the opportunities God gives you to inspire other people to develop positive attitudes, by loving and serving them through both what you say and what you do.
What can you do if your mind is weighed down by negative attitudes that limit your success? You can change your attitudes, with God’s help. Here’s how:
Understand the power of attitude. If you allow negative attitudes (such as anxiety, envy, anger, bitterness, or pride) to grab hold of your mind, those attitudes will lead you to make negative decisions that will affect your life in negative ways. But if you choose to develop and maintain positive attitudes, your life will become positive as a result. Even when you encounter the challenges and tragedies of living in a sinful world, you’ll be able to deal with them successfully when you choose to approach life with positive attitudes. But keep in mind that changing negative attitudes to positive ones isn’t an instant event; it’s a lifelong process that requires perseverance. Ask God to help you each day, and study Jesus’ life, since He is the ultimate example of how to live in this world with positive attitudes.
Respond rather than react to unexpected change. Change will sometimes surprise you, and when that change is negative you may be drawn into a crisis. Whenever that happens, avoid reacting negatively and instead deliberately decide to respond positively. Keep in mind that you can’t control situations or people, but you can choose how you’ll respond to them. Ask God to give you four key gifts to help you respond to unexpected change in positive ways: hope, faith in Him, a clear vision of what He wants you to do next, and then the energy to do what He wants you to do. Whenever it’s possible for you to change troubling circumstances or relationships, make the effort to do so. Whenever you can’t change them, ask God to give you the peace you need to deal with them.
Be accountable for your life. Let go of a victim’s attitude, since blaming others for what’s happened to you (from divorce to a job loss) won’t help make your life better. Avoid self-pity and excuses for not changing your life, too. Realize that no matter what has happened to you in the past, you do have the power to change, with God’s help. Focus on God’s promises to give you the strength you need to grow and move into a better future, and rely on that strength every day. Instead of looking inward, look outward to other people in need and obey God’s call to help them; in the process, you’ll start to feel better about your own life. Take responsibility for moving forward in the ways God leads you to move forward, and you’ll see your life becoming more positive.
Examine your soul. Ask God to help you take an honest look inside your soul to identify what specific types of negative attitudes are lurking inside, such as: pride, fear, anger, sadness, jealousy, doubt, resentment, bitterness, and low self-esteem. Then confess each of the negative attitudes to God and repent of them, inviting God to transform you from the inside out. Going forward, each time you become aware of an unhealthy, negative thought in your mind, give it to God in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind so you can think the way He wants you to think – which will help you develop positive attitudes to fill your soul regularly.
Forgive yourself and others. Accept the forgiveness that God offers you for your sins, and be faithful to God’s call to forgive others who have sinned against you. Doing so will release the poison of bitterness from your soul, which will flush out negative attitudes and make room for positive attitudes to take their place. In the process, your stress levels will decrease and the amount of peace you experience will increase.
Prepare for obstacles. It’s inevitable in this sinful world that you’ll face difficult circumstances (John 16:33) in the future that can lead you to give into negativity if you don’t prepare for them now. So invest time in practices that will help you develop new habits of positive thinking that will solidify positive attitudes in your life. When fear and discouragement cloud your thinking, seek wisdom from prayer, reading the Bible, and talking with Godly people you trust. Pray regularly for God to fulfill His unique purposes in your life, and expect big results, with faith in God’s sovereign power. When you need encouragement, read God’s promises to you in the Bible and spend time with encouraging people while avoiding negative ones. Be patient when working to reach the goals God has inspired you to achieve, relying on His strength each step of the way. Keep in mind that every obstacle you may face pales in comparison to the power of God’s love for you.
Learn to receive and give love. The more you can receive God’s love and give it to other people, the more positive your perspective on life will become. So make your relationship with God your top priority, and devote lots of time and energy to prayer and other spiritual disciplines that will help you grow closer to Him. Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you, and base your identity on the fact that you’re God’s beloved child. Pray for the Holy Spirit to for more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in your life, so you’ll be empowered to love other people in the ways God wants you to love them.
Take charge of your thoughts. Ask God to help you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, and practice thinking about what’s true, lovely and honorable until doing so becomes a habit. Read the Bible regularly to remind yourself of how blessed you are as someone who is accepted, secure, and significant thanks to your relationship with Jesus.
Transform from the inside out. Release control of every part of your life – from your relationships to your work – to God, trusting Him to guide you to what’s best in all of your decisions. As you abandon a self-centered life for a God-centered life, you’ll find that you’ll be following God’s guidance because you want to, not because you have to do so. Your sense of hope will grow in the process, which will nurture positive attitudes in your life.
Make a positive difference in God’s kingdom. Pray that God will make you a vessel for His love to flow through into the lives of other people. Every day, make the most of the opportunities God gives you to inspire other people to develop positive attitudes, by loving and serving them through both what you say and what you do.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Passion: The Match That Lights Our Fire
“Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.” Romans 12:11 (NLT) or I like what The Message says: “Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame”
What good is firewood without the match? What good is life without the passion that motivates it?
What is passion? “A strong feeling, a great devotion and intense conviction which fuels or motivates us toward compelling action.”
Fulfilling your purpose will require passion (zeal or enthusiasm). 'Purpose' has to do with our head – thinking right about why we're here and understanding our calling. 'Passion' has to do with our heart – the internal fire that motivates us and energizes us to fulfill our purpose and do God's will. God is the source of spiritual passion. The Holy Spirit comes to ignite us with holy fire.
In the world we live in, natural passion is often a key to success and impact. Knowing information is valuable, but possessing the fire is invaluable. Nothing major in history was ever accomplished without zeal. It is the deciding difference between successful and unsuccessful people in every field of endeavor. The fire on the inside affects everything on the outside. Someone wrote that: "Enthusiasm and persistence can make an average person superior; indifference and laziness can make a superior person average."
3 Truths About Passion:
• Nothing significant is ever done in life without passion.
• Most winners in life are just ex-losers who finally got passionate.
• The worst bankruptcy in the world is the person who has lost passion.
For the most part, much of America is really struggling to be passionate about life!
The results of a survey taken a few years ago, showed that 4 out of 5 Americans feel that they lack passion in their lives. That means only 20% of Americans woke up today saying, “Come on, let’s go for it!”
There was another survey of 13,000 people of people who used to go to church but no longer do. There were a number of questions in the survey, but one of the questions asked, “What would need to happen for you to return to church?” The number one answer was “See passion in the lives of the members and leaders.”
People want to see a fire, zeal, enthusiasm among Christians that makes going to church meaningful. This is what made Jesus ministry so affective! He lived passionately for others, and He died passionately for us! Remember the movie “The Passion of the Christ”? In Christ we see what real “passion” was and IS!
As Christians, passion is commanded of each of us. Let’s look at just a few scriptures that back this up:
Ecclesiastes 9:10 - “Whatever you do, do well.…”
John 10:10 - “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
Ephesians 6:6 - “…do the will of God with all your heart
Passion is not something that is static or that stays the same. A fire either spreads or burns out. The tendency of fire, if left by its self, is to go out. Passion works the same way. We need to work it, stir it and add to it.
There are many passion killers. A few common ones include complacency, difficult circumstances, maybe an unbalanced lifestyle. The result is 'apathy'. (Lack of feeling, emotion, interest, or concern. Also, mean indifference.) Apathy isn't a state of mind; it's a state of heart.
God knows the moment we lose our passion or zeal, we loose vision and perspective. Satan knows this too, and there is nothing he likes better than an apathetic Christian. One definition of lukewarmness is "serving God in such a way as to not offend the devil."
Guard the flame within you. This zeal of God is a consuming fire within you, you need to guard it ferociously, realizing it is the enemy's target. Protect your passion.
How do we ignite our passion or keep it burning? We can pray for passion and ask God to put his fire within us again. According to John the Baptist, Jesus desires to baptize us “with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matt.3:11b). And this also is in Luke 3:16. And on the Day of Pentecost “what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit…..” (Acts 2:3-4a). We can do things that help us return to our 'first love' (Rev.2:4-5), including dealing positively with negative emotions that have settled into our spirit. We can activate our spiritual gifts (1 Tim.4:14-16) and serve wholeheartedly. “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Col.3:23). Sometimes we have to stir up this flame of passion within us. “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.” (2 Tim.1:6). We can also associate with people of passion – people who encourage and inspire you (Heb.10:24-25).
We need to understand our purpose and then ask God to fill us with passion to pursue it. Focus our passion on fulfilling our purpose. Passionately love God, love people, change and grow, serve and reach out. We are to be a passionate people like our God. God desires passionate believers. God's mission for us is to be "fired up" followers of Jesus Christ.
Passionate Christianity is about living with a sense of urgency and passion. It's living with a vision and a dream to give our lives to; a kingdom to spend our life on; the God of heaven and earth to pursue and know intimately. God works through passionate people.
The sad part of this is – most of us think we can’t live out passion through life’s journey! Maybe you feel this way today – well let’s drop that thinking and begin develop a mindset that says, “I can live a passionate life for God!”
Albert Einstein once said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
Instead of devoted passion for God, too many of us have diversified passion – a little passion here and a little passion there! Before long we are left with diluted passion.
Do you think you are passionate about God being in your life? Do you think you are passionate about the Bible?
If we are not passionate about God we need to see what was the event in life or who was the person or what else has stopped us from being passionate?
What really fires you up? What ministry do you really feel passionate about? Then devote your passion to what God has called you to and go for it!
What good is firewood without the match? What good is life without the passion that motivates it?
What is passion? “A strong feeling, a great devotion and intense conviction which fuels or motivates us toward compelling action.”
Fulfilling your purpose will require passion (zeal or enthusiasm). 'Purpose' has to do with our head – thinking right about why we're here and understanding our calling. 'Passion' has to do with our heart – the internal fire that motivates us and energizes us to fulfill our purpose and do God's will. God is the source of spiritual passion. The Holy Spirit comes to ignite us with holy fire.
In the world we live in, natural passion is often a key to success and impact. Knowing information is valuable, but possessing the fire is invaluable. Nothing major in history was ever accomplished without zeal. It is the deciding difference between successful and unsuccessful people in every field of endeavor. The fire on the inside affects everything on the outside. Someone wrote that: "Enthusiasm and persistence can make an average person superior; indifference and laziness can make a superior person average."
3 Truths About Passion:
• Nothing significant is ever done in life without passion.
• Most winners in life are just ex-losers who finally got passionate.
• The worst bankruptcy in the world is the person who has lost passion.
For the most part, much of America is really struggling to be passionate about life!
The results of a survey taken a few years ago, showed that 4 out of 5 Americans feel that they lack passion in their lives. That means only 20% of Americans woke up today saying, “Come on, let’s go for it!”
There was another survey of 13,000 people of people who used to go to church but no longer do. There were a number of questions in the survey, but one of the questions asked, “What would need to happen for you to return to church?” The number one answer was “See passion in the lives of the members and leaders.”
People want to see a fire, zeal, enthusiasm among Christians that makes going to church meaningful. This is what made Jesus ministry so affective! He lived passionately for others, and He died passionately for us! Remember the movie “The Passion of the Christ”? In Christ we see what real “passion” was and IS!
As Christians, passion is commanded of each of us. Let’s look at just a few scriptures that back this up:
Ecclesiastes 9:10 - “Whatever you do, do well.…”
John 10:10 - “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
Ephesians 6:6 - “…do the will of God with all your heart
Passion is not something that is static or that stays the same. A fire either spreads or burns out. The tendency of fire, if left by its self, is to go out. Passion works the same way. We need to work it, stir it and add to it.
There are many passion killers. A few common ones include complacency, difficult circumstances, maybe an unbalanced lifestyle. The result is 'apathy'. (Lack of feeling, emotion, interest, or concern. Also, mean indifference.) Apathy isn't a state of mind; it's a state of heart.
God knows the moment we lose our passion or zeal, we loose vision and perspective. Satan knows this too, and there is nothing he likes better than an apathetic Christian. One definition of lukewarmness is "serving God in such a way as to not offend the devil."
Guard the flame within you. This zeal of God is a consuming fire within you, you need to guard it ferociously, realizing it is the enemy's target. Protect your passion.
How do we ignite our passion or keep it burning? We can pray for passion and ask God to put his fire within us again. According to John the Baptist, Jesus desires to baptize us “with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Matt.3:11b). And this also is in Luke 3:16. And on the Day of Pentecost “what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit…..” (Acts 2:3-4a). We can do things that help us return to our 'first love' (Rev.2:4-5), including dealing positively with negative emotions that have settled into our spirit. We can activate our spiritual gifts (1 Tim.4:14-16) and serve wholeheartedly. “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (Col.3:23). Sometimes we have to stir up this flame of passion within us. “This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.” (2 Tim.1:6). We can also associate with people of passion – people who encourage and inspire you (Heb.10:24-25).
We need to understand our purpose and then ask God to fill us with passion to pursue it. Focus our passion on fulfilling our purpose. Passionately love God, love people, change and grow, serve and reach out. We are to be a passionate people like our God. God desires passionate believers. God's mission for us is to be "fired up" followers of Jesus Christ.
Passionate Christianity is about living with a sense of urgency and passion. It's living with a vision and a dream to give our lives to; a kingdom to spend our life on; the God of heaven and earth to pursue and know intimately. God works through passionate people.
The sad part of this is – most of us think we can’t live out passion through life’s journey! Maybe you feel this way today – well let’s drop that thinking and begin develop a mindset that says, “I can live a passionate life for God!”
Albert Einstein once said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
Instead of devoted passion for God, too many of us have diversified passion – a little passion here and a little passion there! Before long we are left with diluted passion.
Do you think you are passionate about God being in your life? Do you think you are passionate about the Bible?
If we are not passionate about God we need to see what was the event in life or who was the person or what else has stopped us from being passionate?
What really fires you up? What ministry do you really feel passionate about? Then devote your passion to what God has called you to and go for it!
Monday, September 19, 2011
"If My People"
Solomon has just finished building a “Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 6:10b) and is praying to God: “And now arise, O LORD God, and enter your resting place..” (2 Chronicles 6:41a)
When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 7:3b)
The temple was complete. It was a great accomplishment of the Lord. The promise of a great temple had been fulfilled. Every part of it was filled the gold, silver, and precious jewels. No expense had been spared. Truly, at this point the people of Israel had given God the very best of what they had. Solomon and the people had dedicated the temple with great sacrifices.
God had made His presence known to all the people by filling the temple with His glory. What an awesome sight it must have been to see "the fire coming down”. (2 Chronicles 7:3a) from Heaven. The people worshipped their God and proclaimed His goodness and His enduring love.
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. …….So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God. (2 Chronicles 7:4-5)
All that remained was the reminder to the people. Why, because they had worshipped and dedicated themselves before. Then they would get comfortable and forget the Lord and worship other gods. The Lord would discipline them then they would repent and He would redeem them once again. The cycle was restoration, sin, judgment, repentance, and restoration.
The Lord reminded Solomon once again of some very important truths. 2 Chronicles 7:14-16 says,
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
"if"
It is a conditional statement. It implies that there are options. It also means that there is a choice involved on our part. A choice by us takes an act of the will. We can either take the offer or we can refuse the offer and accept the consequences.
It is an opportunity from the Lord. He is almighty God. He does not have to offer us anything. The great part of this offer is He desires to give us a chance, an opportunity that would not be offered if it were not for Him. It is freely given with no obligation on His part.
"my people"
Don’t you love these two words. They imply a personal relationship, not ownership, but relationship. God has chosen the Israelites out of all the peoples on the earth, they are His and He is their God. Above all He desires a relationship with them.
Jesus looked down from the hills of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, …… How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me. (Matthew 23:37) It is a love relationship. He created us to love.
Today, Believers are His chosen people. The chosen are those who have received Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. Again, it is a choice to accept or reject His offer of salvation. It says in 2 Corinthians 1:22, “and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts…”
Once we receive Jesus Christ we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as God’s children. And scripture says that nothing can separate us from His love in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:38-39 says, "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Once we are His, we are His. But remember the choice? It requires an action on our part, an act of the will to choose one or the other. What is it we are to do?
"will"
If we will humble ourselves is the first step. Humility does not mean we walk around all day with our eyes to the ground or with a whip smacking ourselves on the back or allowing someone else treat us that way. It means we recognize that we are not God and in life, we are powerless to live apart from Him. We admit that we have sinned and apart from Him there is no remedy.
We are to pray. Prayer is talking, communicating with God. We recognize we can’t do anything in life apart from Him and so we turn to Him in humility. He is God, we are not. A love relationship requires constant communication, most of which is listening.
Next we seek His face. We desire to know Him on a deeper level. Statistics say 90% of Americans know about God. Today most do not seek His face nor do they desire a love relationship with Him. Why, because most of America doesn’t want to admit they are lost and in sin. And then do not want to give up “control” of their lives. Giving up this control is very difficult!
Lastly we need turn from our wicked ways. What are wicked ways? It is anyway that is not God’s way. Those are wicked ways. The people of Israel were constantly calling upon God to rescue them from their own mistakes. When He would redeem them they would worship and follow Him.....for awhile. Then they would go back to wickedness and sin and leave God out entirely. Of course, they would then get in trouble without the Lord and they would be right back to square one calling on to rescue them. Sound familiar?
Why didn’t they remain in His will? It is because "all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory". (Romans 3:23) We are just like the Israelites. When times are bad we call on His name but when times are good we often forget about Him.
God desires a love relationship in Christ. In Christ, His is with us always through the Holy Spirit. Jesus says in John 14:16 that “… I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” And God says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you". (Hebrews 13:5) He will nor quit on you or me. But, we need to acknowledge by our actions that He we love Him. Jesus says, “If you love me, obey my commandments.” (John 14:15) We demonstrate our love for Him by following His word and obeying all He has commanded us.
What does God do?
"then"
First, He will be attentive. We become His object of love and caring. We receive His forgiveness, His love, His peace, His comfort, and most importantly, His grace. We literally become the Lord’s love. Think about it. The Father loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for our sins. That is how much God loves us. He is not pursuing us to somehow get us, He is pursuing us to love us. Why so many people miserable? They won’t accept the love God. His love is the One permanent love available. All other loves may leave us. BUT, His love will never, never leave us. How do we know? He says so and He is God.
Before we come to realize we need Jesus Christ we often do a lot of damage to our life. The Lord promises to heal the land. He heals our life. He slowly changes our life for good when we begin to follow Him. He even says He will take the bad of life and change it to good. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Solomon has just finished building a “Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 6:10b) and is praying to God: “And now arise, O LORD God, and enter your resting place..” (2 Chronicles 6:41a)
When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 7:3b)
The temple was complete. It was a great accomplishment of the Lord. The promise of a great temple had been fulfilled. Every part of it was filled the gold, silver, and precious jewels. No expense had been spared. Truly, at this point the people of Israel had given God the very best of what they had. Solomon and the people had dedicated the temple with great sacrifices.
God had made His presence known to all the people by filling the temple with His glory. What an awesome sight it must have been to see "the fire coming down”. (2 Chronicles 7:3a) from Heaven. The people worshipped their God and proclaimed His goodness and His enduring love.
Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. …….So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God. (2 Chronicles 7:4-5)
All that remained was the reminder to the people. Why, because they had worshipped and dedicated themselves before. Then they would get comfortable and forget the Lord and worship other gods. The Lord would discipline them then they would repent and He would redeem them once again. The cycle was restoration, sin, judgment, repentance, and restoration.
The Lord reminded Solomon once again of some very important truths. 2 Chronicles 7:14-16 says,
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
"if"
It is a conditional statement. It implies that there are options. It also means that there is a choice involved on our part. A choice by us takes an act of the will. We can either take the offer or we can refuse the offer and accept the consequences.
It is an opportunity from the Lord. He is almighty God. He does not have to offer us anything. The great part of this offer is He desires to give us a chance, an opportunity that would not be offered if it were not for Him. It is freely given with no obligation on His part.
"my people"
Don’t you love these two words. They imply a personal relationship, not ownership, but relationship. God has chosen the Israelites out of all the peoples on the earth, they are His and He is their God. Above all He desires a relationship with them.
Jesus looked down from the hills of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, …… How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me. (Matthew 23:37) It is a love relationship. He created us to love.
Today, Believers are His chosen people. The chosen are those who have received Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. Again, it is a choice to accept or reject His offer of salvation. It says in 2 Corinthians 1:22, “and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts…”
Once we receive Jesus Christ we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as God’s children. And scripture says that nothing can separate us from His love in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:38-39 says, "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Once we are His, we are His. But remember the choice? It requires an action on our part, an act of the will to choose one or the other. What is it we are to do?
"will"
If we will humble ourselves is the first step. Humility does not mean we walk around all day with our eyes to the ground or with a whip smacking ourselves on the back or allowing someone else treat us that way. It means we recognize that we are not God and in life, we are powerless to live apart from Him. We admit that we have sinned and apart from Him there is no remedy.
We are to pray. Prayer is talking, communicating with God. We recognize we can’t do anything in life apart from Him and so we turn to Him in humility. He is God, we are not. A love relationship requires constant communication, most of which is listening.
Next we seek His face. We desire to know Him on a deeper level. Statistics say 90% of Americans know about God. Today most do not seek His face nor do they desire a love relationship with Him. Why, because most of America doesn’t want to admit they are lost and in sin. And then do not want to give up “control” of their lives. Giving up this control is very difficult!
Lastly we need turn from our wicked ways. What are wicked ways? It is anyway that is not God’s way. Those are wicked ways. The people of Israel were constantly calling upon God to rescue them from their own mistakes. When He would redeem them they would worship and follow Him.....for awhile. Then they would go back to wickedness and sin and leave God out entirely. Of course, they would then get in trouble without the Lord and they would be right back to square one calling on to rescue them. Sound familiar?
Why didn’t they remain in His will? It is because "all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory". (Romans 3:23) We are just like the Israelites. When times are bad we call on His name but when times are good we often forget about Him.
God desires a love relationship in Christ. In Christ, His is with us always through the Holy Spirit. Jesus says in John 14:16 that “… I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” And God says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you". (Hebrews 13:5) He will nor quit on you or me. But, we need to acknowledge by our actions that He we love Him. Jesus says, “If you love me, obey my commandments.” (John 14:15) We demonstrate our love for Him by following His word and obeying all He has commanded us.
What does God do?
"then"
First, He will be attentive. We become His object of love and caring. We receive His forgiveness, His love, His peace, His comfort, and most importantly, His grace. We literally become the Lord’s love. Think about it. The Father loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for our sins. That is how much God loves us. He is not pursuing us to somehow get us, He is pursuing us to love us. Why so many people miserable? They won’t accept the love God. His love is the One permanent love available. All other loves may leave us. BUT, His love will never, never leave us. How do we know? He says so and He is God.
Before we come to realize we need Jesus Christ we often do a lot of damage to our life. The Lord promises to heal the land. He heals our life. He slowly changes our life for good when we begin to follow Him. He even says He will take the bad of life and change it to good. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Reaching the Checkered Flag
Reaching the Checkered Flag
Wouldn’t it be truly awesome if every person who claims the name of Christ, every individual who desires to be called a Christian, would run the race of faith as if their lives depended on it … because they do!
But, sadly, many Christian folk aren’t really even in this race of faith. Oh, they may have been saved … they have come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord … but that’s it. They’re not growing, they’re not serving, and they’re not sharing their faith. It’s like they jumped across the starting line … and then they laid down to rest. They have taken themselves out of the race before it even really started.
Today, let’s see how we can finish the race. Let’s talk about Reaching the Checkered Flag. How many of you know that I was once a “NASCAR race car driver” and have actually took the “checkered flag” (Only on local short tracks. Not with the big boys!) You know, in a NASCAR race, it doesn’t matter how well dressed the driver is or how pretty the car is. It doesn’t matter how much money their sponsors gave them. And it really doesn’t matter how fast they run … unless they actually cross that finish line. Really, it is all for naught unless they cross that line and see that checkered flag waved over the track.
Those of us who follow Jesus have to realize that we are still on the track. We have not finished the race. We cannot just sit back and relax and wait for Jesus to come back. We have a job to do. We have more laps to run. We have many more miles to go.
.
Most of us today are on God’s team, but we may not really be in the race of faith. Often we are a whole lot more interested in what we can get out of our faith and our church than we are in what we need to put into them. If that’s the case, then this is going to be a very important message today.
Let’s look to God’s Word for truth and inspiration. Let’s read together from the letter to the Hebrews 12:1-3.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
So many people honestly think that coming to know Jesus … being saved … is the end result of their spiritual journey. They could not be further from the truth!
Knowing Jesus is only the beginning … it is the beginning of a lifelong race of faith. There are many spiritual “laps” that we must travel before this race of life and faith is over. We must work and prepare to run this race of faith with God for our entire lifetimes!
How can you stay focused on the “finish line?”
Know that there are others who have successfully completed this race of life and faith. (v. 1a)
One was Noah. Remember, he spent 120 years building the ark. 120 years! Now, think about that. Some of us in this room are some of the most impatient people on the planet. Right? We get upset because the microwave takes 2:30 to pop the popcorn instead of 2:00. So we fuss, and complain, and live impatient lives. Some of us even get impatient when we think that God doesn’t move fast enough to suit us. Then we can remember a patient hero like Noah.
Some others who completed the race with endurance were Joseph, Abraham, Moses, Samson, Samuel, and David.
Then there are the heroes of the faith in your own life.
We all have heroes in the faith in our lives … people who had an impact … people who have gone on to be with the Lord. Maybe it was a parent or grandparent, or a teacher, or another person in your church. Most of us can remember someone along the way.
Get ready to run an effective, lifelong faith-race. (v. 1b)
The writer here uses the word, “endurance.” But what is endurance? Endurance means that, even when you don’t feel like you can go on … you keep going anyway.
Friends, the clock of life is ticking. And we need to be paying attention. We need to have our hearts and minds focused on this race. It does not just last for the moment of a salvation experience, or through your childhood, of from 9:00 until noon on Sunday. The race lasts a lifetime. How can you effectively run this lifelong race?
• Get rid of anything that will distract you from running the race effectively.
Distractions do not necessarily have to be bad. In fact, if the truth be known, it is more often things that are fundamentally good that keep Christians on the sidelines and out of the race of faith. You see, the devil gets a lot more accomplished by keeping us occupied with good stuff than he does by attacking us with bad stuff. We should absolutely be convinced of this. So, what in your life is distracting you from the race? What do you need to get rid of?
• Avoid getting tangled in a web of sin.
Of course, the bad stuff … the sin in our lives … keeps us distracted, too. It is downright impossible to run in God’s race of faith when you are weighed down by a burden of personal sin
• Don’t burn out … run with perseverance.
Finally … don’t quit. Don’t give up. No matter what direction life takes you, stay in the race of faith. There is always a new day and a new opportunity.
Keep your focus on Jesus, not upon yourself. (vv. 2-3)
Do you want to be an effective participant in this race of faith, then keep your eyes on Jesus! Stop thinking about yourself so much and consider what Jesus is leading you to be and do in your life.
• Remember Peter’s experience!
When Peter got out of the boat and started walking on water, he was okay until he took his eyes of Jesus. See Matthew 14.
A whole lot of us could be in this self-centered boat. Oh, we say really spiritual things. We talk a good religious talk. But, our focus is anywhere but on Jesus. It is still on self. In fact, there may someone here today who have never fixed their eyes and heart upon Jesus at all. They may be out there on the turbulent sea of your life, floundering and drowning, waiting for someone to rescue. Friend, that someone who wants to lift you out of that sea of selfishness and sin is Jesus.
Stay strong … do not give up … finish the race! (v. 3b)
Do all that you can to not grow weary and lose heart. Stay strong, remain faithful, and never give up. There is a great victory awaiting us at the end of this race! But be reminded of a couple of important points about our race of faith.
• If you follow Jesus, the world will be against you.
• Always remember, this is just a temporary stop on the way to real life!
The true finish line is when we step out of this life and into eternity with Jesus Christ. The race is over when we hear those blessed words from the mouth of Jesus, “Well done. My good and faithful servant.” This life that we are living is wonderful, it is important, and it is special … but it is only temporary. Real life is found in heaven, in eternity, with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Folks, there are plenty of things to hold us back and entangle us in this race of faith. But we need to fight through them, remain faithful, keep your eyes on Jesus, and finish the race!
Never fool yourself into thinking that you have “arrived,” or you are more spiritually “together” than others around you. No mater how spiritually mature you think you may be, you always have some growing to do.
Remember … the race isn’t over until you are standing before Jesus!
Wouldn’t it be truly awesome if every person who claims the name of Christ, every individual who desires to be called a Christian, would run the race of faith as if their lives depended on it … because they do!
But, sadly, many Christian folk aren’t really even in this race of faith. Oh, they may have been saved … they have come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord … but that’s it. They’re not growing, they’re not serving, and they’re not sharing their faith. It’s like they jumped across the starting line … and then they laid down to rest. They have taken themselves out of the race before it even really started.
Today, let’s see how we can finish the race. Let’s talk about Reaching the Checkered Flag. How many of you know that I was once a “NASCAR race car driver” and have actually took the “checkered flag” (Only on local short tracks. Not with the big boys!) You know, in a NASCAR race, it doesn’t matter how well dressed the driver is or how pretty the car is. It doesn’t matter how much money their sponsors gave them. And it really doesn’t matter how fast they run … unless they actually cross that finish line. Really, it is all for naught unless they cross that line and see that checkered flag waved over the track.
Those of us who follow Jesus have to realize that we are still on the track. We have not finished the race. We cannot just sit back and relax and wait for Jesus to come back. We have a job to do. We have more laps to run. We have many more miles to go.
.
Most of us today are on God’s team, but we may not really be in the race of faith. Often we are a whole lot more interested in what we can get out of our faith and our church than we are in what we need to put into them. If that’s the case, then this is going to be a very important message today.
Let’s look to God’s Word for truth and inspiration. Let’s read together from the letter to the Hebrews 12:1-3.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
So many people honestly think that coming to know Jesus … being saved … is the end result of their spiritual journey. They could not be further from the truth!
Knowing Jesus is only the beginning … it is the beginning of a lifelong race of faith. There are many spiritual “laps” that we must travel before this race of life and faith is over. We must work and prepare to run this race of faith with God for our entire lifetimes!
How can you stay focused on the “finish line?”
Know that there are others who have successfully completed this race of life and faith. (v. 1a)
One was Noah. Remember, he spent 120 years building the ark. 120 years! Now, think about that. Some of us in this room are some of the most impatient people on the planet. Right? We get upset because the microwave takes 2:30 to pop the popcorn instead of 2:00. So we fuss, and complain, and live impatient lives. Some of us even get impatient when we think that God doesn’t move fast enough to suit us. Then we can remember a patient hero like Noah.
Some others who completed the race with endurance were Joseph, Abraham, Moses, Samson, Samuel, and David.
Then there are the heroes of the faith in your own life.
We all have heroes in the faith in our lives … people who had an impact … people who have gone on to be with the Lord. Maybe it was a parent or grandparent, or a teacher, or another person in your church. Most of us can remember someone along the way.
Get ready to run an effective, lifelong faith-race. (v. 1b)
The writer here uses the word, “endurance.” But what is endurance? Endurance means that, even when you don’t feel like you can go on … you keep going anyway.
Friends, the clock of life is ticking. And we need to be paying attention. We need to have our hearts and minds focused on this race. It does not just last for the moment of a salvation experience, or through your childhood, of from 9:00 until noon on Sunday. The race lasts a lifetime. How can you effectively run this lifelong race?
• Get rid of anything that will distract you from running the race effectively.
Distractions do not necessarily have to be bad. In fact, if the truth be known, it is more often things that are fundamentally good that keep Christians on the sidelines and out of the race of faith. You see, the devil gets a lot more accomplished by keeping us occupied with good stuff than he does by attacking us with bad stuff. We should absolutely be convinced of this. So, what in your life is distracting you from the race? What do you need to get rid of?
• Avoid getting tangled in a web of sin.
Of course, the bad stuff … the sin in our lives … keeps us distracted, too. It is downright impossible to run in God’s race of faith when you are weighed down by a burden of personal sin
• Don’t burn out … run with perseverance.
Finally … don’t quit. Don’t give up. No matter what direction life takes you, stay in the race of faith. There is always a new day and a new opportunity.
Keep your focus on Jesus, not upon yourself. (vv. 2-3)
Do you want to be an effective participant in this race of faith, then keep your eyes on Jesus! Stop thinking about yourself so much and consider what Jesus is leading you to be and do in your life.
• Remember Peter’s experience!
When Peter got out of the boat and started walking on water, he was okay until he took his eyes of Jesus. See Matthew 14.
A whole lot of us could be in this self-centered boat. Oh, we say really spiritual things. We talk a good religious talk. But, our focus is anywhere but on Jesus. It is still on self. In fact, there may someone here today who have never fixed their eyes and heart upon Jesus at all. They may be out there on the turbulent sea of your life, floundering and drowning, waiting for someone to rescue. Friend, that someone who wants to lift you out of that sea of selfishness and sin is Jesus.
Stay strong … do not give up … finish the race! (v. 3b)
Do all that you can to not grow weary and lose heart. Stay strong, remain faithful, and never give up. There is a great victory awaiting us at the end of this race! But be reminded of a couple of important points about our race of faith.
• If you follow Jesus, the world will be against you.
• Always remember, this is just a temporary stop on the way to real life!
The true finish line is when we step out of this life and into eternity with Jesus Christ. The race is over when we hear those blessed words from the mouth of Jesus, “Well done. My good and faithful servant.” This life that we are living is wonderful, it is important, and it is special … but it is only temporary. Real life is found in heaven, in eternity, with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Folks, there are plenty of things to hold us back and entangle us in this race of faith. But we need to fight through them, remain faithful, keep your eyes on Jesus, and finish the race!
Never fool yourself into thinking that you have “arrived,” or you are more spiritually “together” than others around you. No mater how spiritually mature you think you may be, you always have some growing to do.
Remember … the race isn’t over until you are standing before Jesus!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Dedicated!
We all need an exciting cause to consume us. Everyone has an inner need to be “dedicated”. Could be to work. Maybe fishing. Might even be grandkids. (Not me!) You could be “dedicated to the one you love”. NO, I will not be playing this song today. Many of you are probably too young to remember this song anyway! I could go on naming things that we become dedicated to, but since this weekend is college football season “kickoff” maybe football is currently at top of list around here. Just check out Facebook posts. Regardless of you favorite team, a LOT of people were dedicated to this sport this weekend and will be until the championship game next year. And then it is, “wait until next year”! Oh, if only we were this dedicated to Jesus Christ. Another lesson for another time!
The word "dedication" is kin to our English words "declare" and "devote." It comes from a medieval term meaning "to pledge”. If you're dedicated to something, you're committed to it wholly and earnestly. You've found something that demands your life, your soul, your all.
For Christians, this should be Christ and His Word. The original version of the lesson had “is” instead of “should”. I changed it because I am not sure that we are as dedicated as we should be. Evangelist John Wesley said, "I want to know one thing: the way to heaven. God Himself has condescended to teach me the way .... He has written it down in a book. Oh, give me that book! At any price give me the book of God. Let me be a man of one book."
In our lesson today let’s look at some things to help us be dedicated to The Word of God.
Read
If we're to be people of one Book, we have to read the Word. A recent article in a popular online magazine referred to "the rise and fall of the Bible" in our modern world, saying, "American Christians buy millions of Bibles they seldom read and don't understand." Referring to the Scriptures, the author said that people today buy "truckloads of the things" but never read them. The average Christian household has nine Bibles and purchases at least one new Bible a year. "But actually reading them is another matter," the author said with cynicism.
Now, I am sure that's not true of you or me; but it reminds us that we should really work to maintain our daily habit of reading the Bible.
Start reading today where you left off yesterday, consistently and systematically. Isaiah 34:16 says, "Search the book of the LORD, ... "
The apostle Paul writes to Timothy: “Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.” (1 Timothy 4: 13).
The book of Revelation promises, "God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church,…" (Revelation 1:3a). If you don't have a plan for reading the Bible, devise one for yourself today and start it at once. In an earlier lesson, I encouraged you to start by just reading 5 minutes a day, if you don’t already have a plan.
Study
Study the Bible. How marvelous that God gave us a book large enough to contain all we need to know from Him, yet small enough to fit in our hands. We need to search it out. The idea of studying the Bible overwhelms some people, but you can begin by simply reading a verse and thinking about what it says. Write it down and study the structure of the sentence. Track down cross-references. Look at the notes in a good study Bible. Read the passage in its context, and keep reading and studying it until it becomes clearer. The Bible says, "How amazing are the deeds of the LORD! All who delight in him should ponder them." (Psalm 111 :2).
Remember God’s Word
The original of this lesson says memorize, but since I am terrible at memorizing, I feel that “remembering” the concept of God’s Word is okay!
Job 22:22 says, "Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart.” By remembering a verse of Scripture, you're inscribing God's Word on your brain. It sinks into your subconscious and even into your unconscious thoughts. It makes the Bible portable and allows the Scripture to transform your life by the renewing of your thoughts. I see a lot of people posting their favorite verse or verses on Facebook. Do you have a verse that you like to remember or ponder?
Meditate (think about) on God's Word.
This is the forgotten habit of the church. Encircled by radios, televisions, computers, and portable entertainment devices (can you say “iPod” or maybe – cell phone?), we're seldom quiet long enough to meditate. But try mulling over a verse of Scripture during your morning shower, your daily commute, or before falling asleep at night. If you walk for exercise, turn off your cell phone and think about a specific passage, asking God to give you insight into its meaning. According to the Bible, this is the secret of success. Joshua 1:8 says this about God's Word, "Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.”
Practice
But here's the important thing. We can read, study, memorize, meditate, and even pray the Scriptures; but unless we obey its words, it does no good. Jesus made this clear at the end of His Sermon on the Mount. He told of two men, each of whom built a beautiful home. One man built his on a solid foundation, while the other built his on the sand. The first house stood the force of a howling storm; the other house collapsed.
In explaining His analogy, Jesus said that both men had heard the Word of God. The difference was obedience. The first man heard our Lord's sayings and did them. "But," He went on to say, "anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand." (Matthew 7:26).
Whenever you read a verse, ask: Is there an action I need to take, a command I need to obey, a change I need to make, or an attitude I need to adopt? Learn to read the
Bible obediently.
Share
Finally, dedication to the Word of God means that we share it with others. This can be as simple as quoting a verse to a coworker, inviting someone to church, leading a Bible study, or passing this lesson along to a friend. If we're filling our hearts with God's Word, it will show up in our conversation, for Jesus told us that “What you say flows from what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45
How important is God's Word in your life? Which habit can you improve today? Be dedicated to read, study, remember, meditate, pray, practice, and share God's Word. Let's pray with John Wesley: Lord, make us people of one Book!
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