Exodus. 32:
Aaron was in a bind. He had about 600,000 Jewish men breathing down is back because Moses had been “gone” for 39 days, up the mountain to receive the ten commandments. Unbelief was rising – faith was waning. Perhaps Aaron wondered; what could the Jews see with their eyes that would substitute for the earthly leadership of God in the form of Moses. Because of the sin nature, believers tend grow their faith in things they see. Unfortunately, Aaron formed a gold calf to solve unbelief.
Here is the application of scripture into our lives. What do we do in our churches or in our lives that help us solve unbelief? Do buildings help us with confidence to believe enough to witness; telling people about Christ? Do church classes give us the confidence to teach our children about the ways of God?
Faith increases when we obey God based on investing time in His Word, His presence, and in His love-oriented commands.
Ask God what "things" solve your unbelief rather than Him.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
40 Days Without Moses
Exodus 32: Without Moses for 40 days, God's chosen man and His people defaulted to unbelief, idolatry, and immorality. And we think we are strong enough to casually read/know our Bibles, occasionally keep conversation with our Father, and frequent church when we feel like it? All these spiritual disciplines and others help us keep focus away from unbelief. 40 days is not a long time. I know these things because I am so prone to selfish independence!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Why Does God Demand Exaltation
The scriptures consistently command us to exalt God and give him glory. I believe God knew that we would be naturally self-exalting if it were not for His leadership toward the one pursuit that fills our souls with joy. You want proof of our own natural self-exalting tendency? How often do we invest time in private worship away from the comfort of congregational worship? How often do we dedicate secret, specific acts of kindness to the worship of God? This is the battle of sin within. I am the chief self-exalter, this is how I know!
J. Piper: "God's pursuit of his glory and our pursuit of our joy turn out to be the same pursuit. This is what Christ died to achieve."
J. Piper: "God's pursuit of his glory and our pursuit of our joy turn out to be the same pursuit. This is what Christ died to achieve."
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Chritian Perfection
From Oswald Chambers
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect … ” (Philippians 3:12).
It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do—God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, “It could never be God’s will for me to be sick”? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son (Isaiah 53:10), why shouldn’t He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick.
Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life.
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect … ” (Philippians 3:12).
It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do—God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, “It could never be God’s will for me to be sick”? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son (Isaiah 53:10), why shouldn’t He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick.
Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Scheming
Genesis 26-30: Cultivating an attitude of thankfulness produces faith in God's everyday blessings and provisions; shortcut scheming fights against faith.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Reputation
Jonah 4- Is witnessing sometimes more difficult because we value our reputation more in certain circumstances; work, friends, or family. Pride and reputation hinder Kingdom work.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Sin Tendencies
Gen 20: Abraham lied about his wife a second time!
Every saint must guard against old sin tendencies.
Accountability partners help, pride enables sin.
(from Twitter)
Every saint must guard against old sin tendencies.
Accountability partners help, pride enables sin.
(from Twitter)
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Time For God's Prayer
“We do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).
“He,” the Holy Spirit in you, “makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (8:27). And God searches your heart, not to know what your conscious prayers are, but to find out what the prayer of the Holy Spirit is.
The Spirit of God uses the nature of the believer as a temple in which to offer His prayers of intercession. “… your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit …” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
• In all types of media, satan has changed our framework of thinking about spiritual work to evil.
• The Holy Spirit desires a clean place to do His business inside you. We are saved by grace to be a temple of God. Unclean temple = bad relationship.
• We know from biblical examples that extended time alone is the time frame needed for the Holy Spirit to do His business within; convicting, teaching, and praying for you and me.
The challenge of this blogvotion is; do you allow time for the Holy Spirit to do His thing. It’s probably not a 5 minute process or on your way to work.
Would you ever NOT want the Holy Spirit of the world to be crowded out of praying time for your best interests or God’s will in your life? Perhaps the Spirit’s first prayer is for God to slow you down; and we wonder why some things happen.
“He,” the Holy Spirit in you, “makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (8:27). And God searches your heart, not to know what your conscious prayers are, but to find out what the prayer of the Holy Spirit is.
The Spirit of God uses the nature of the believer as a temple in which to offer His prayers of intercession. “… your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit …” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
• In all types of media, satan has changed our framework of thinking about spiritual work to evil.
• The Holy Spirit desires a clean place to do His business inside you. We are saved by grace to be a temple of God. Unclean temple = bad relationship.
• We know from biblical examples that extended time alone is the time frame needed for the Holy Spirit to do His business within; convicting, teaching, and praying for you and me.
The challenge of this blogvotion is; do you allow time for the Holy Spirit to do His thing. It’s probably not a 5 minute process or on your way to work.
Would you ever NOT want the Holy Spirit of the world to be crowded out of praying time for your best interests or God’s will in your life? Perhaps the Spirit’s first prayer is for God to slow you down; and we wonder why some things happen.
Friday, October 31, 2008
1 Peter 1:5-11 How to Grow
2nd Peter 1:5-11 tells us how to grow as a Christian:
Growth demands diligence, stay at it. Each step builds on the next. Growth is not automatic!
Add to saving faith a life of moral excellence or virtue. Keep your mind clean!
Build knowledge onto moral excellence. Learn how to know God from His Bible.
Knowing God and what pleases Him will build self control. This means controling yourself.
Onto self control build patient endurance which means to control yourself a long time.
This endurance is like staying power; people can count on you to represent Christ all the time.
To endurance we add Godliness which God enables through His Holy Spirit inside us. The Holy Spirit is our power for all of this, get to know Him. He's ready any time you make time to get serious.
FInally, Godliness leads to a ginune love for all people, espedially other Christians. To be like God is to love people sacrificially like Christ.
Spiritual growth is not hard. We just have to stay focused.
It also helps to bring people along with you in the journey.
On a journey, it's much more profitable to focus on where you are going than
take a wrong exit and wind up in the wrong place. Preparation and focus!
Growth demands diligence, stay at it. Each step builds on the next. Growth is not automatic!
Add to saving faith a life of moral excellence or virtue. Keep your mind clean!
Build knowledge onto moral excellence. Learn how to know God from His Bible.
Knowing God and what pleases Him will build self control. This means controling yourself.
Onto self control build patient endurance which means to control yourself a long time.
This endurance is like staying power; people can count on you to represent Christ all the time.
To endurance we add Godliness which God enables through His Holy Spirit inside us. The Holy Spirit is our power for all of this, get to know Him. He's ready any time you make time to get serious.
FInally, Godliness leads to a ginune love for all people, espedially other Christians. To be like God is to love people sacrificially like Christ.
Spiritual growth is not hard. We just have to stay focused.
It also helps to bring people along with you in the journey.
On a journey, it's much more profitable to focus on where you are going than
take a wrong exit and wind up in the wrong place. Preparation and focus!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Looking into a Mirror
James 1:22 gives an illustration on how Introspective GOd's view of us is.
Here is what Wiersby has to say: "The Word of God reveals what we are on the inside, just as a mirror reveals how we appear on the outside. When Christians look into the Word, they see themselves as God sees them and thus are able to examine their hearts and confess their sins.
But it is not enough merely to look into the Word and read it; we must obey what we read. A person who merely hears the Word but does not obey it is like a man who glances casually into the mirror, sees that his face is dirty, and goes on his way without doing anything about it.
Such a man thinks he has bettered himself spiritually when he has actually harmed himself."
Here is what Wiersby has to say: "The Word of God reveals what we are on the inside, just as a mirror reveals how we appear on the outside. When Christians look into the Word, they see themselves as God sees them and thus are able to examine their hearts and confess their sins.
But it is not enough merely to look into the Word and read it; we must obey what we read. A person who merely hears the Word but does not obey it is like a man who glances casually into the mirror, sees that his face is dirty, and goes on his way without doing anything about it.
Such a man thinks he has bettered himself spiritually when he has actually harmed himself."
Friday, October 17, 2008
The Miracle Of FIRE
The Holy Spirit wrote all the books of the Bible. Each time a future child of God or present child reads the Bible the same author helps us turn on the light bulb called spiritual enlightenment (2 Tim. 3:15-16). I define spiritual enlightenment as anything the Holy Spirit compels us to incorporate into the presentation of our daily lives that gives God glory (v16).
Depending on His purpose in our lives, the Holy Spirit may rebuke, encourage, or simply teach. Again, we learn when we subject ourselves to His teaching in His Holy Scriptures that He wrote.
There is literally a miracle every time we choose to combine three things that make FIRE for the child that wants to grow spiritually.
• The Holy Scriptures.
• A devoted, receptive heart to the Holy Spirit’s instruction.
• Time to listen and pray what you learned.
The second commandment tells us that God is jealous of our time and attention. Take time to make FIRE with God.
PS. The results of other people’s fire will make more since and bless you properly if we give God His time to lay His custom foundation for our lives at His FIRE first.
Depending on His purpose in our lives, the Holy Spirit may rebuke, encourage, or simply teach. Again, we learn when we subject ourselves to His teaching in His Holy Scriptures that He wrote.
There is literally a miracle every time we choose to combine three things that make FIRE for the child that wants to grow spiritually.
• The Holy Scriptures.
• A devoted, receptive heart to the Holy Spirit’s instruction.
• Time to listen and pray what you learned.
The second commandment tells us that God is jealous of our time and attention. Take time to make FIRE with God.
PS. The results of other people’s fire will make more since and bless you properly if we give God His time to lay His custom foundation for our lives at His FIRE first.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Spiritual Relationship Starts With Time
The only way to increase our spiritual relationship with God is to learn and act on every matter of obedience, even the smallest. Learning our role as a humble obedient child can start any day we decide.
This contrasts our sin nature we are born with. This independent, selfish, control pattern will take over at the slightest opportunity of rebellion, our default mode.
God owns time, he invented it. The first way we obey is to spend His time with Him. This is how we learn what to do for each day.
Listen to the Spirit, especially when reading the Bible. Act on what you hear. Then exercise your faith – growing in confidence as a Child of God. (John 14:21)
This contrasts our sin nature we are born with. This independent, selfish, control pattern will take over at the slightest opportunity of rebellion, our default mode.
God owns time, he invented it. The first way we obey is to spend His time with Him. This is how we learn what to do for each day.
Listen to the Spirit, especially when reading the Bible. Act on what you hear. Then exercise your faith – growing in confidence as a Child of God. (John 14:21)
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
God's Will = 3 be's
Always be joyful.
Keep on praying.
No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thess 5:16 - 18NLT
The simplicity of God’s will is laid out in these verses; be joyful, be praying, and be thankful. We make the mystery of God’s will for our lives so hard. However, these three “be’s” are essential for staying in a relational mindset (attitude), ready to listen.
Attitude is not automatic.
The three be’s help us transform our minds (Rom. 12:2) toward knowing God. It’s who we know, then what/why we do it that matters to God.
Keep on praying.
No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thess 5:16 - 18NLT
The simplicity of God’s will is laid out in these verses; be joyful, be praying, and be thankful. We make the mystery of God’s will for our lives so hard. However, these three “be’s” are essential for staying in a relational mindset (attitude), ready to listen.
Attitude is not automatic.
The three be’s help us transform our minds (Rom. 12:2) toward knowing God. It’s who we know, then what/why we do it that matters to God.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Humilty Meets Soul Stillness
Humility is the best communication path for honest communication with God.
Humility is a label for absolutely no posing.
How do you talk to the God of all wisdom?
*Without any religious phrases, you simply speak honestly from your heart, no matter what is there. Remember, if you are a child of God, God resides in you in the form of the Holy Spirit. He knows you already! We usually don’t take time to relate. God’s character and wisdom is written in the Bible. The Holy Spirit can use the Bible to personally tutor us toward living life in His wisdom and character, like His son Jesus.
How long does it take you to speak honestly with God about what is really in your heart?
* It varies; how long does it take for your mind and soul to get still and focus?
* How long does it take you to get your brain around who you really are?
What keeps us from speaking honestly with God?
* We fail to schedule “down time” to listen and allow a soul stillness.
* Business gives us a false superiority and easy avoidance of humility.
* Sin (selfish control) and guilt keep us conveniently preoccupied.
* What really motivates you from the inside? Have you told/confessed to God what really excites you in this life He gave you?
Speaking honestly with God is one of the first ways we exercise our faith. Confessing sin (selfish control) takes trust and faith, but faith increases.
Here is what Oswald Chambers says about humility and everyday life.
"After every time of exaltation, we are brought down with a sudden rush into things as they really are, where it is neither beautiful, poetic, nor thrilling. The height of the mountaintop is measured by the dismal drudgery of the valley, but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mountain, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the place of humiliation that we find our true worth to God—that is where our faithfulness is revealed. Most of us can do things if we are always at some heroic level of intensity, simply because of the natural selfishness of our own hearts. But God wants us to be at the drab everyday level, where we live in the valley according to our personal relationship with Him. Peter thought it would be a wonderful thing for them to remain on the mountain, but Jesus Christ took the disciples down from the mountain and into the valley, where the true meaning of the vision was explained."
Humility is a label for absolutely no posing.
How do you talk to the God of all wisdom?
*Without any religious phrases, you simply speak honestly from your heart, no matter what is there. Remember, if you are a child of God, God resides in you in the form of the Holy Spirit. He knows you already! We usually don’t take time to relate. God’s character and wisdom is written in the Bible. The Holy Spirit can use the Bible to personally tutor us toward living life in His wisdom and character, like His son Jesus.
How long does it take you to speak honestly with God about what is really in your heart?
* It varies; how long does it take for your mind and soul to get still and focus?
* How long does it take you to get your brain around who you really are?
What keeps us from speaking honestly with God?
* We fail to schedule “down time” to listen and allow a soul stillness.
* Business gives us a false superiority and easy avoidance of humility.
* Sin (selfish control) and guilt keep us conveniently preoccupied.
* What really motivates you from the inside? Have you told/confessed to God what really excites you in this life He gave you?
Speaking honestly with God is one of the first ways we exercise our faith. Confessing sin (selfish control) takes trust and faith, but faith increases.
Here is what Oswald Chambers says about humility and everyday life.
"After every time of exaltation, we are brought down with a sudden rush into things as they really are, where it is neither beautiful, poetic, nor thrilling. The height of the mountaintop is measured by the dismal drudgery of the valley, but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mountain, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the place of humiliation that we find our true worth to God—that is where our faithfulness is revealed. Most of us can do things if we are always at some heroic level of intensity, simply because of the natural selfishness of our own hearts. But God wants us to be at the drab everyday level, where we live in the valley according to our personal relationship with Him. Peter thought it would be a wonderful thing for them to remain on the mountain, but Jesus Christ took the disciples down from the mountain and into the valley, where the true meaning of the vision was explained."
Friday, August 15, 2008
Stuck in Traditional Obedience
Faith is not conjured up, it is exercised. Our faith is energized/exercise when we obey the Word and how the Holy Spirit interprets the Word as we read. Our Faith is wrapped around Christ (Eph. 2:8) and all that He will do through His spirit within us. Obedience energizes the power that lives within us. Jesus said in John 14:21 that the person who obeys is the one who loves Him. What we can do in everyday life with this power in us will glorify God, it's what people are looking for.
Satan does not want us to know any truth about the power within us. He wants us to think in terms of traditianal obedience. SO many Christians are stuck in a traditional/institutional relationship with the Spirit. Mainly, going to church and being "good." This de-personalizes our relationship with the Spirit to the point that our faith in Him weakens and fades. We loose our faith to read with the Spirit as our personal tutor. We especially loose our faith to witness because we are not sure about what Christ really accomplished inside us.
Plan your day around your personal time with God. Pray honestly. Read the Bible after inviting the Holy Spirit to be your personal tutor in every session. Journal what you learn or blog it as a testament to what you just learned. Then, obey as a love gift to the Father. If you get stuck, start with forgiveness and confession.
Written as encouragement for the soul.
Satan does not want us to know any truth about the power within us. He wants us to think in terms of traditianal obedience. SO many Christians are stuck in a traditional/institutional relationship with the Spirit. Mainly, going to church and being "good." This de-personalizes our relationship with the Spirit to the point that our faith in Him weakens and fades. We loose our faith to read with the Spirit as our personal tutor. We especially loose our faith to witness because we are not sure about what Christ really accomplished inside us.
Plan your day around your personal time with God. Pray honestly. Read the Bible after inviting the Holy Spirit to be your personal tutor in every session. Journal what you learn or blog it as a testament to what you just learned. Then, obey as a love gift to the Father. If you get stuck, start with forgiveness and confession.
Written as encouragement for the soul.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
God's voice is like a summer breeze
Oswald Chambers has some great advice about listening to God's spirit and knowing His will.
(1 Thessalonians 5:19).
"The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze—so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.
Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”—the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God (Luke 9:62; also see 1 John 1:6–7). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). Whenever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.
Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be."
(1 Thessalonians 5:19).
"The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze—so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.
Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”—the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God (Luke 9:62; also see 1 John 1:6–7). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). Whenever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.
Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be."
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Learning From Brett Farve
I think of Brett Farve and wonder what it would be like to command that much attention solely because of how well I did something. Even at a relatively old age for a football player, he is known for being a great quarterback. People generally like him because he loves the game with passion. We can learn from this. I personally hope he still has the physical ability to finish this season well.
We are commanded to develop our knowledge of the Christ who lives inside Christ followers. Unlike the attention of a great football player, the better you get at knowing Christ, the less you may be known or popular with the world around you. Perceived obscurity is a difficult course to deal with. Yes, we should grow more humble, this is one of Christ’s greatest character traits. Regrettably, at some point in life, many Christians say; “I know enough, I’ve got the basics, what else do I need?” Then, spiritual pride sets in. Any time we think we are good at something; we usually start to stink a bit. Unbelievers take notice of stinky Christians, but they develop respect for a Christ follower who has consistent passion. Passion always means growth and pursuit. Our pursuit of knowing all that Christ represents in our lives is a life-long process, not a plateau. God programmed the human brain to enjoy learning, especially about Him. Then, it becomes a natural overflow to enthusiastically tell others who need Christ in their lives as well.
Many interests sever the passionate growth of Christians in older life. This self-serving reward program called retirement dominates the last 20 – 30 years of so many lives without any biblical analysis. Since our primary goal as Christians is to influence people with our passion for Christ how can we ever adopt some TV ad philosophy of retirement. This is usually represented as having time for fun stuff all day like traveling, golf, or living in a special village with similar people.
Satan will throw anything in our lives to keep us from finishing well. Satan does not want any popular “Brett Farve” of the Christian world to inspire passion and fun. Just like the best way to stay in love with your spouse is to study him/her, the best way to stay in love with Christ is to study Him for your whole life. Plan each day around your study time. Unlike our passing arms, our brains don’t wear out. Relate what you learn to others who need hope. Stay in the game and finish well - my own challenge.
We are commanded to develop our knowledge of the Christ who lives inside Christ followers. Unlike the attention of a great football player, the better you get at knowing Christ, the less you may be known or popular with the world around you. Perceived obscurity is a difficult course to deal with. Yes, we should grow more humble, this is one of Christ’s greatest character traits. Regrettably, at some point in life, many Christians say; “I know enough, I’ve got the basics, what else do I need?” Then, spiritual pride sets in. Any time we think we are good at something; we usually start to stink a bit. Unbelievers take notice of stinky Christians, but they develop respect for a Christ follower who has consistent passion. Passion always means growth and pursuit. Our pursuit of knowing all that Christ represents in our lives is a life-long process, not a plateau. God programmed the human brain to enjoy learning, especially about Him. Then, it becomes a natural overflow to enthusiastically tell others who need Christ in their lives as well.
Many interests sever the passionate growth of Christians in older life. This self-serving reward program called retirement dominates the last 20 – 30 years of so many lives without any biblical analysis. Since our primary goal as Christians is to influence people with our passion for Christ how can we ever adopt some TV ad philosophy of retirement. This is usually represented as having time for fun stuff all day like traveling, golf, or living in a special village with similar people.
Satan will throw anything in our lives to keep us from finishing well. Satan does not want any popular “Brett Farve” of the Christian world to inspire passion and fun. Just like the best way to stay in love with your spouse is to study him/her, the best way to stay in love with Christ is to study Him for your whole life. Plan each day around your study time. Unlike our passing arms, our brains don’t wear out. Relate what you learn to others who need hope. Stay in the game and finish well - my own challenge.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Unlearning
Acts 10.
"Whenever God is at work, He leads “at both ends of the line.” He prepares us for what He is preparing for us." (Wiersbe)
God prepared Peter to accept unclean gentiles as worthy to receive the gospel message, thus becoming fellow believers of the "way." God prepared Cornelius to receive the gospel message along with his family. Both were prompted by the Spirit to take actions by faith that did not make sense in their past frame work of thinking. We should unlearn as the spirit teaches us new thinking applications based on trust and faith from Bible precepts. Suffering, trials, and stressful relationships cause us, force us to unlearn as we are pruned toward clinging to the main vine (Christ). This is a very hard process and I admit it is a daily challenge with doubts.
stretch
"Whenever God is at work, He leads “at both ends of the line.” He prepares us for what He is preparing for us." (Wiersbe)
God prepared Peter to accept unclean gentiles as worthy to receive the gospel message, thus becoming fellow believers of the "way." God prepared Cornelius to receive the gospel message along with his family. Both were prompted by the Spirit to take actions by faith that did not make sense in their past frame work of thinking. We should unlearn as the spirit teaches us new thinking applications based on trust and faith from Bible precepts. Suffering, trials, and stressful relationships cause us, force us to unlearn as we are pruned toward clinging to the main vine (Christ). This is a very hard process and I admit it is a daily challenge with doubts.
stretch
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The Process is Now
Great quote from Oswald Chambers:
God’s training is for now, not later. His purpose is for this very minute, not for sometime in the future. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What people call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.
God’s purpose is to enable me to see that He can walk on the storms of my life right now.
God’s training is for now, not later. His purpose is for this very minute, not for sometime in the future. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What people call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.
God’s purpose is to enable me to see that He can walk on the storms of my life right now.
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