Friday, February 5, 2010
Monday, April 6, 2009
God is in control
I'm reminded that God is in control. We may not see it. We may not understand it. But we can be certain that He is in control.
The Bible says that Jesus will return. Nothing can stop it. The Bible talks more about Jesus' second coming -- when He comes back to judge the world -- than it does about His first coming. God is in control of history -- "his story". He's got it all planned out, everything is on schedule, nothing is late, it's all moving toward a climax. God is in control. God's purpose for your life is greater than any problem you're facing right now. God is in control.
Though a situation may be out of my control, no circumstance is out of God's control. Although I can't control everything that happens in my life - God can - so I ought to trust Him. Because God is in control and everything is working out.
How is your trust level with God?
The Bible says that Jesus will return. Nothing can stop it. The Bible talks more about Jesus' second coming -- when He comes back to judge the world -- than it does about His first coming. God is in control of history -- "his story". He's got it all planned out, everything is on schedule, nothing is late, it's all moving toward a climax. God is in control. God's purpose for your life is greater than any problem you're facing right now. God is in control.
Though a situation may be out of my control, no circumstance is out of God's control. Although I can't control everything that happens in my life - God can - so I ought to trust Him. Because God is in control and everything is working out.
How is your trust level with God?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Endurance inspired by hope
Reading 1 Thessalonians 1:3. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Work produced by faith: anytime we do anything in response to God's prompting it is done in faith. We're stepping into the unknown. When God calls us to something - it's always a faith thing. When I think about starting a new work (think ministry) it is always produced by faith.
Work produced by faith: anytime we do anything in response to God's prompting it is done in faith. We're stepping into the unknown. When God calls us to something - it's always a faith thing. When I think about starting a new work (think ministry) it is always produced by faith.
What's our motive? The motive is always love. ...your labor prompted by love: Love is the motivator. Love for God and Love for people!
And we press on because of the hope we have in Jesus! ...your endurance inspired by hope: Let's face it, ministry is hard. The only reason that we press on is because of the hope with have in Jesus Christ. He sustains us. He is our reward. He is our hope. If you are tired or discuraged - focus on Jesus. He is your hope!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Do you believe this?
John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
The answer to that question makes all the difference in the world!
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
The answer to that question makes all the difference in the world!
He LIKES you
I've met far too many people who don't want to be recipients of the good gifts from God. Is that YOU? In some warped way your relationship with Jesus is built on failure. It’s based on your never doing quite enough to earn God’s favor – Oh, you believe you’re saved, but you don’t actually believe that God really likes you. You can quote the song, “Jesus loves me”. But you don’t think that Jesus actually likes you. Let me make this clear! He likes you. He wants to spend time with you. He doesn’t think you’re a failure or a loser or a washed up nobody.
Those of you who are parents, are your kids perfect? Of course not. Do you still love them? Yes. You love them in spite of their imperfections. When your two or three year old brings you a picture and it's all messy and they say, "This is a picture of a cow", you say, "That's perfect!"
What you're saying is, "That's perfect for that stage of your maturity." You're not saying it's Picasso. It's perfect for where you're at.
When my three kids were learning to walk, they stumbled a lot. They'd bump into things, they'd fall down. When my kids fell down, what do you think I'd say to them? "You dummy! Everybody walks! Why can't you walk? You ought to try harder. Get with it!" Do you think I'd scold my kids for stumbling? No.
I'd just help them up again. I love them.
Do you love your children at every stage of their growth? Or are you waiting until they're mature first? Once they reach maturity you'll say, "Now, I love you."
Some of you think God's waiting on you to grow up before He's ever going to smile on you, before He's ever going to give you the thumbs up sign saying, "You're ok! I like you." No, God loves you at every stage of your growth because His unconditional love is unconditional.
You don't have to be perfect for God to love you. He understands you completely. He knows everything about you -- the good, the bad, the ugly -- and He still loves you.
Romans 8:31 (NIV)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Do you ever doubt that God is for you?
Those of you who are parents, are your kids perfect? Of course not. Do you still love them? Yes. You love them in spite of their imperfections. When your two or three year old brings you a picture and it's all messy and they say, "This is a picture of a cow", you say, "That's perfect!"
What you're saying is, "That's perfect for that stage of your maturity." You're not saying it's Picasso. It's perfect for where you're at.
When my three kids were learning to walk, they stumbled a lot. They'd bump into things, they'd fall down. When my kids fell down, what do you think I'd say to them? "You dummy! Everybody walks! Why can't you walk? You ought to try harder. Get with it!" Do you think I'd scold my kids for stumbling? No.
I'd just help them up again. I love them.
Do you love your children at every stage of their growth? Or are you waiting until they're mature first? Once they reach maturity you'll say, "Now, I love you."
Some of you think God's waiting on you to grow up before He's ever going to smile on you, before He's ever going to give you the thumbs up sign saying, "You're ok! I like you." No, God loves you at every stage of your growth because His unconditional love is unconditional.
You don't have to be perfect for God to love you. He understands you completely. He knows everything about you -- the good, the bad, the ugly -- and He still loves you.
Romans 8:31 (NIV)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Do you ever doubt that God is for you?
Friday, March 27, 2009
Perfect
Ecclesiastes 7:16 (NIV)
Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise-- why destroy yourself?
That's an interesting verse to find in the Bible, isn't it? Do not be OVER-righteous? OVER-wise?
This is not talking about true righteousness. It's not talking about true wisdom.
You can take any virtue and make a vise out of it by taking it to the extreme and ignoring the balancing parts to it. When you do that you destroy yourself. WOW!
How's the balance in your life?
Have you taken any good virtues and made them into a vice?
Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise-- why destroy yourself?
That's an interesting verse to find in the Bible, isn't it? Do not be OVER-righteous? OVER-wise?
This is not talking about true righteousness. It's not talking about true wisdom.
You can take any virtue and make a vise out of it by taking it to the extreme and ignoring the balancing parts to it. When you do that you destroy yourself. WOW!
How's the balance in your life?
Have you taken any good virtues and made them into a vice?
Friday, January 23, 2009
My vision or His?
Without vision the people will perish. Where does a great vision come from? The tendency is to craft a vision around our good ideas - around our dreams, hopes, and ambitions. When we are the source of our vision it will lack power. It will lack the authority that comes from God.
Our objective is to seek God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. The we are called to listen to His voice. To tune into promptings of His Spirit. And that is where a vision is born.
It really comes down to our submission to Jesus. Sub means to 'come under'. Submission is to 'come under' God's mission. When we submit to Him our mission is a sub mission that supports God's mission. And that, my friends, is where you will experience the power of God.
Our objective is to seek God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. The we are called to listen to His voice. To tune into promptings of His Spirit. And that is where a vision is born.
It really comes down to our submission to Jesus. Sub means to 'come under'. Submission is to 'come under' God's mission. When we submit to Him our mission is a sub mission that supports God's mission. And that, my friends, is where you will experience the power of God.
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