We all know what it means to have your feet kicked out from under us, to have the wind knocked out of our sail, to be out of our own resources and be down to nothing, to be running on empty.
How many of you have ever experienced a God moment, and He met your need at just the right time in just the right way?
But there are a lot of people who never have, they are running on empty, discouraged and in depression over issues the devil has thrown at them
They are disarmed and disengaged from Gods presence, and they are in a state to where they are not ready to be rearmed.
Christians and non believers alike who, over certain circumstances, have been beat down by the devil and the world, to the point of exhaustion.
They are so discouraged in their personal life, spiritually they have been disarmed, and they are not ready to arm. They have been discouraged almost to the point of no return.
After 1,000’s of years of modern medical discoveries, doctors still dispense medicine that can help but often it only treats the symptom and masks what’s going on, the treatment and real cure can only be found in the presence and strength of the Lord God Almighty…
Discouraged means: to tend to prevent something from happening by making it more difficult or unpleasant make somebody less optimistic: to make somebody feel less motivated, confident, or optimistic.
You see, the devil never cares how or what it takes to get to you, just as long as it does.
Discouragement and depression are some of the best tools, the devil has in his bag of tricks.
Here are a few facts found online;
Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. Everyone, will at some time in their life be affected by depression -- their own or someone else’s
Pre-schoolers are the fastest-growing market for antidepressants. At least four percent of preschoolers -- over a million -- are clinically depressed. The rate of increase of depression among children is an astounding 23%.
15% of the population of most developed countries suffers severe depression.
80% of depressed people are not currently having any treatment.
Depression will be the second largest killer after heart disease by 2020 -- and studies show depression is a contributory factor to fatal coronary disease.
Depression results in more absenteeism than almost any other physical disorder and costs employers more than US$51 billion per year in absenteeism and lost productivity, not including high medical and pharmaceutical bills.
There is a story about a man who tried to sell a product to a certain customer. He started going to the customer in the morning and continued until the customer got wearied and said, “You are the tenth salesman that has come here selling he same thing. Okay how much is it? I will buy one so that they stop bothering me.” And he bought one. The man then said, proudly “Point of correction sir, I am the only one that has been coming. In the morning, I wore a suit and you turned me away. I went and changed each time and came back. I have been here ten times. Thank you for buying.”
The devil doesn’t care how many times it takes to get you were he wants you or how many times he has to change “appearances”. If there is one thing he’s consistent at and very good at is knocking on our door.
But the fact is, now and for future reference, we don’t have to answer the door!
Discouraged people snatch defeat from certain victory. They see victory coming down the road and somehow by the time it has gotten to them, it’s been turned it into defeat several times over.
They are worried about tomorrow even though they do not know what will even happen tomorrow.
They are and have been disarmed, and are not ready to arm.
People in that state of mind have faith alright, but their faith is in failure.
You know the ones that claim “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”
Discouragement and the depression that goes with it, makes it hard and almost impossible to hear God, it consumes you!
At some point, you have to make a stand, you’ve got to shake off the dust from yourself and stand up and say: I don’t care what happens, I’m not living here anymore!
Paul writes to the church at Ephesus to “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12
In this day and age you have to be ready for anything and everything the devil throws your way. Because he will throw everything at you that he can, even the kitchen sink!
And Paul goes on to say, “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up, so that no one falls behind or drops out.” Eph. 6:13-18 from the Message Translation
We need to realize the following important truth: discouragement is and always has been a personal decision...Only you can keep you there, only you get to decide if you go there in the first place,only you get to decide how long you allow yourself to stay there. Only You! No one else, only you. Now this is often easier to say than to really do this but with the help of God you can get rid of it.
You have to make a conscious decision not to be discouraged any longer. Always encourage yourself in the Lord, so you can hear Him clearly. Do not wait for somebody to come around and encourage you. Because it’s probably not going to happen, there’s not many people who encourage others.
Oh, you might think that they are listening to your plight, but soon as you take a breathe, they’ll be telling you all about their own problems, not having the slightest problem one up’ing you in the least!
Whatever your need is, pray about it and lay it at the Saviors feet, and leave it there. Let Jesus do the worrying. But, wait, He‘s not worried about it. And if He’s not worried about it, why should you be, if He’s not!
And one other thing, closing your prayer in Jesus name is not just a popular ending of a prayer, like a lot of people think. It’s a proclamation that you believe by His finished work on Calvary, that He makes all things possible that you pray about to come about! Praise The Lord!!
God is not a respecter of persons, He will do the same for each one of us, Why? Because He loves His Children.
No matter how it may ever look to us as Christians, God is always, repeat always, working on the behalf of His Children. Romans 8:28:. 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.Aren’t we glad, that we are children of God this morning!
God has already supplied the solution for any and every situation we will ever face! He always comes through for us. Whether it’s the 1st time or 100th time,
He will be at the right place, at the right time, each and every time, when you need Him.
.
If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31b
Disarmed, not ready to arm and all the things that go with it, child of God. If you ever find yourself headed there, remember it’s just a trick of the enemy. It’s the same old song and dance routine he‘s been doing for 1,000“s of years,
But praise the Lord God Almighty, Jesus has already disarmed him and every one of those things associated with him on the cross and won the victory for you.
You don’t have fight for victory, its already been done, you as one of His very own, get the privilege to claim victory.
His Word says: God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
Its completely up to you, as to whether you want to possess all of the blessings that you are entitled to, or not.
You don’t have to go through life disarmed, not ready to arm. You, through Jesus finished work on the cross, can stand Armed, ready to disarm!!
Jesus, Thank You for the Cross!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Bitterness ... We've Got to Own It.
Are you struggling with bitterness? Are you hurt and afraid of becoming bitter? Are you challenged by these thoughts on bitterness?
Has someone ever said or done something to you for which you found it difficult to forgive them? Do you remember when you felt the sting of betrayal from a friend? The next few weeks after the incident something began to stir inside of you, it wasn’t pretty. You find yourself quickly snapping at kids, spouse, friends or coworkers. Before you know it, you have disconnected yourself from other friends, and you feel that you can’t even talk to God about the situation.
Every time their very name is brought up, this could even be years later, it still brings butterflies to your stomach. When you think of them, your heart rate increases. And you can feel your blood pressure rising when you think of what they said or did. It’s as though you were reliving it again, just thinking about it!
If so, it may be that you are a prisoner of bitterness. Which is a shame…because bitterness often doesn’t even touch the person you are bitter toward, but it sure will harm you, no exceptions. Like Frankenstein, bitterness is a monster which turns on its creator, and causes internal damage beyond compare.
The other person continues their life, and may be happy and content, and never even think about you, but because you hold bitterness for them, they continue to control your life.
You are hurt and angry. And from this anger, bitter roots are planted deep in your soul.
Now it would be an amazing story to tell about how you confronted this friend, your relationship was restored and you never had to deal with this bitterness again.
But often this isn’t the story, bitterness often wins out!
Over the next few months, you began to discover that bitterness becomes the ultimate corruptor of your faith. Even though you had been treated unfairly, bitterness can cause a new separation between you and God.
Sometimes those closest to us are the ones we are so easily hurt or offended by. Extending grace to the cashier at the Wal-Mart who miscounted our change seems easier than to a close friend who has wounded you.
Now you have to do something or that one moment of hurt is going to keep controlling you.
You may be convinced that God was not super concerned with your hurt or feelings. But He is interested, and gently, He, if we allow Him, will show you how through His Word, how dangerous bitterness can be in our lives.
We can’t disconnect our heart and our thoughts. The two run side-by-side. Being honest with God and ourselves isn’t a sign of weakness. In fact, it’s harder to see the truth than it is to see lies. Living in denial has never worked out to great for anyone.
Psalm 139:1 encourages us to ask God to examine our thoughts. “O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.”So we need to ask God a hard question, “Has this hurtful situation become an extension of bitterness in my life?”
The answer is in His Word. “……. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. …….” Here is the key answer: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:29-32
So now the answer to the “hard question” is Yes.
You may gossiped about this situation, wasn’t able to sleep at night because you were so angry, grieved the Holy Spirit in you, and you have no compassion because you have been hurt.
Now if you put together the ugliness of bitterness with what the Bible says, we see how this sin separates us from God and from others.
God continued to show us that being hurt isn’t our sin to own, people are responsible for what they do. But what we do with that hurt, anger, frustration is how the cycle of sin has the potential to continue. Satan knows that bitterness is very effective with followers of Christ, and he will do what he can to keep that cycle going in our lives.
We will always have the choice: stop the cycle or continue the cycle.
I want to stop the cycle in my life and I’m sure you do too. Here are some practical ways to help stop bitterness at its roots:
1. Don’t replay the event over and over in your mind. It’s funny how we will quickly forget someone’s kindness, generosity or gentleness in our lives. But it is a good chance that we could remember exactly where we were, what was said, and maybe even what we were wearing the last time we were offended by someone. Replay God’s goodness not Satan’s deceit.
2. Stay connected to people who can help you. Sometimes the perspective of another friend can help you sort through the emotions you are experiencing. Avoiding gossip will be challenging as you share your heart, but make it about you and how you are feeling … not so much about the situation. When we are hurt it is tempting to want to just disconnect from everyone but this is really when we need people the most. And we need friends that will tell us the truth. ”Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” Proverbs 27:6
3. We need to own the bitterness in our lives. We can’t continue to blame others for our own continued cycle of sin. People will hurt us but we will always have the freedom to forgive. Forgiveness can be tough, but we can do it and we are commanded to do it. Remember that Jesus said: “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15
Soooo, who is that person that comes to mind? For whom do you hold bitterness, if you’re honest with God today? Don’t explain it away…they came to mind for a reason. The Holy Spirit of God brings them to your mind because He loves you and wants to rid you of a cancer that is eating you from inside out!
It may have been last week or last year…it doesn’t make a difference if it was decades ago when you were a child…but you know in your heart that you’ve never truly forgiven them for it.
And whatever you do, don’t say: “I don’t hardly ever think about them at all.” That wasn’t the question. The question is when you DO think about them, or someone else brings it up even, what are your thoughts about them. Let’s all be honest, no denial!
“Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Hebrews 12:15
Has someone ever said or done something to you for which you found it difficult to forgive them? Do you remember when you felt the sting of betrayal from a friend? The next few weeks after the incident something began to stir inside of you, it wasn’t pretty. You find yourself quickly snapping at kids, spouse, friends or coworkers. Before you know it, you have disconnected yourself from other friends, and you feel that you can’t even talk to God about the situation.
Every time their very name is brought up, this could even be years later, it still brings butterflies to your stomach. When you think of them, your heart rate increases. And you can feel your blood pressure rising when you think of what they said or did. It’s as though you were reliving it again, just thinking about it!
If so, it may be that you are a prisoner of bitterness. Which is a shame…because bitterness often doesn’t even touch the person you are bitter toward, but it sure will harm you, no exceptions. Like Frankenstein, bitterness is a monster which turns on its creator, and causes internal damage beyond compare.
The other person continues their life, and may be happy and content, and never even think about you, but because you hold bitterness for them, they continue to control your life.
You are hurt and angry. And from this anger, bitter roots are planted deep in your soul.
Now it would be an amazing story to tell about how you confronted this friend, your relationship was restored and you never had to deal with this bitterness again.
But often this isn’t the story, bitterness often wins out!
Over the next few months, you began to discover that bitterness becomes the ultimate corruptor of your faith. Even though you had been treated unfairly, bitterness can cause a new separation between you and God.
Sometimes those closest to us are the ones we are so easily hurt or offended by. Extending grace to the cashier at the Wal-Mart who miscounted our change seems easier than to a close friend who has wounded you.
Now you have to do something or that one moment of hurt is going to keep controlling you.
You may be convinced that God was not super concerned with your hurt or feelings. But He is interested, and gently, He, if we allow Him, will show you how through His Word, how dangerous bitterness can be in our lives.
We can’t disconnect our heart and our thoughts. The two run side-by-side. Being honest with God and ourselves isn’t a sign of weakness. In fact, it’s harder to see the truth than it is to see lies. Living in denial has never worked out to great for anyone.
Psalm 139:1 encourages us to ask God to examine our thoughts. “O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.”So we need to ask God a hard question, “Has this hurtful situation become an extension of bitterness in my life?”
The answer is in His Word. “……. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. …….” Here is the key answer: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:29-32
So now the answer to the “hard question” is Yes.
You may gossiped about this situation, wasn’t able to sleep at night because you were so angry, grieved the Holy Spirit in you, and you have no compassion because you have been hurt.
Now if you put together the ugliness of bitterness with what the Bible says, we see how this sin separates us from God and from others.
God continued to show us that being hurt isn’t our sin to own, people are responsible for what they do. But what we do with that hurt, anger, frustration is how the cycle of sin has the potential to continue. Satan knows that bitterness is very effective with followers of Christ, and he will do what he can to keep that cycle going in our lives.
We will always have the choice: stop the cycle or continue the cycle.
I want to stop the cycle in my life and I’m sure you do too. Here are some practical ways to help stop bitterness at its roots:
1. Don’t replay the event over and over in your mind. It’s funny how we will quickly forget someone’s kindness, generosity or gentleness in our lives. But it is a good chance that we could remember exactly where we were, what was said, and maybe even what we were wearing the last time we were offended by someone. Replay God’s goodness not Satan’s deceit.
2. Stay connected to people who can help you. Sometimes the perspective of another friend can help you sort through the emotions you are experiencing. Avoiding gossip will be challenging as you share your heart, but make it about you and how you are feeling … not so much about the situation. When we are hurt it is tempting to want to just disconnect from everyone but this is really when we need people the most. And we need friends that will tell us the truth. ”Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” Proverbs 27:6
3. We need to own the bitterness in our lives. We can’t continue to blame others for our own continued cycle of sin. People will hurt us but we will always have the freedom to forgive. Forgiveness can be tough, but we can do it and we are commanded to do it. Remember that Jesus said: “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15
Soooo, who is that person that comes to mind? For whom do you hold bitterness, if you’re honest with God today? Don’t explain it away…they came to mind for a reason. The Holy Spirit of God brings them to your mind because He loves you and wants to rid you of a cancer that is eating you from inside out!
It may have been last week or last year…it doesn’t make a difference if it was decades ago when you were a child…but you know in your heart that you’ve never truly forgiven them for it.
And whatever you do, don’t say: “I don’t hardly ever think about them at all.” That wasn’t the question. The question is when you DO think about them, or someone else brings it up even, what are your thoughts about them. Let’s all be honest, no denial!
“Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” Hebrews 12:15
Sunday, October 16, 2011
When the Power Moves In
“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?”
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 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.”
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