Matthew 25:40
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Faith
Hebrews 11;1-3
1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
A question came up in a recent outreach opportunity about faith. The person asked why God didn't show us miracles today like the ones being performed at the time of Jesus. This passage in Hebrews tells us that we are to put our faith in Him who created the universe, taking what was unseen and making it visible.
Faith is more than belief. I can look at a chair and believe it will hold me up. It is not until I sit in the chair that I have put my faith in it. I can believe that God exists, but it is not until I surrender all to Him that I have truly put my faith in Him.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Ticket to the easy life?
2 Timothy 4:3
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Who are you listening to? Are you listening to someone who is telling you what you want to hear? How following Jesus will make your life easier, or how God will give you everything you want.
Jesus went to the cross for us. God didn't spare Him from His wrath. The apostles were met with brutal demise for the sake of Jesus. Following Jesus is not a ticket to the easy life. You will have struggles and trials. The difference is in how you handle them.
Cast aside the false ear ticklers. Pray for discernment so you will know the truth. You are not leading your best life now. Your best life is yet to come.
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Who are you listening to? Are you listening to someone who is telling you what you want to hear? How following Jesus will make your life easier, or how God will give you everything you want.
Jesus went to the cross for us. God didn't spare Him from His wrath. The apostles were met with brutal demise for the sake of Jesus. Following Jesus is not a ticket to the easy life. You will have struggles and trials. The difference is in how you handle them.
Cast aside the false ear ticklers. Pray for discernment so you will know the truth. You are not leading your best life now. Your best life is yet to come.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Third Day Tonight!
When my best friend was going through chemo, this song would remind us that we must go through the valley to stand upon the mountain. You never realize just how far God is lifting you up every single day when things are going well. It's not until you go through the valleys that you get a true understanding of who God is and what He does for us every day.
Miss you, Brother. I know I'll see you again when God calls me home.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Submission to governing authorities
Romans 13
1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Looking at the governments in the world today, it is hard to imagine that God would be pleased with all that is going on. However, we have to look at this passage in Romans and come to the conclusion that He is in charge and knows what He's doing. Instead of rebelling, we should be asking God what it is He wants to show us.
1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Looking at the governments in the world today, it is hard to imagine that God would be pleased with all that is going on. However, we have to look at this passage in Romans and come to the conclusion that He is in charge and knows what He's doing. Instead of rebelling, we should be asking God what it is He wants to show us.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Mom refuses chemo to save unborn child
John 15:13
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Story on GodTube.com
A 41 year old woman who was told by doctors she would never conceive a child became pregnant. When doctors told her that she needed chemotherapy to treat her aggressive brain cancer, she decided to forego treatment in order to save her unborn child.
God bless this woman. One day, she will get to spend eternity with her little Dottie Mae.
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Story on GodTube.com
A 41 year old woman who was told by doctors she would never conceive a child became pregnant. When doctors told her that she needed chemotherapy to treat her aggressive brain cancer, she decided to forego treatment in order to save her unborn child.
God bless this woman. One day, she will get to spend eternity with her little Dottie Mae.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Is you name in the book of life?
Revelation 20:11-15
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
In this passage, John tells us about the final judgement. It tells us that the dead will be judged according to what they have done. Every lie, every theft, every unpure thought. Those whose names were not contained in the book of life were tossed into the lake of fire. Make no mistake, you will be judged and you will be held accountable. You have sinned against a holy God and the punishment for that sin is eternal punishment in the lake of fire. The only way to avoid this is to make sure your name is in the book of life.
Do you know for sure that your name is in the book of life? You can know with certainty. Romans 10:13 tells us that "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Have you called on the name of the Lord? Put your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. Accept what He did on the cross as the payment for the punishment you deserve. Stop trying to do good to make up for the bad. Jesus took your punishment and offers His sacrifice as a free gift. However, like any gift, you have to take it. All the good you do will never make up for the bad. Sin must be punished. The question is do you want to take the punishment, or do you want to humble yourself, get down on your knees, and thank the One who already sacrificed all?
Turn from your sin. Call out for forgiveness and thank God for what He did. Ask Him to guide your life and stop ignoring your conscience. Once you do that, the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see sin for what it is and help make your desires more like the desires of God. He will dwell within you and make you a new person. The change will be real. Then you will know for sure that your name is written in the book of life.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
In this passage, John tells us about the final judgement. It tells us that the dead will be judged according to what they have done. Every lie, every theft, every unpure thought. Those whose names were not contained in the book of life were tossed into the lake of fire. Make no mistake, you will be judged and you will be held accountable. You have sinned against a holy God and the punishment for that sin is eternal punishment in the lake of fire. The only way to avoid this is to make sure your name is in the book of life.
Do you know for sure that your name is in the book of life? You can know with certainty. Romans 10:13 tells us that "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Have you called on the name of the Lord? Put your faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. Accept what He did on the cross as the payment for the punishment you deserve. Stop trying to do good to make up for the bad. Jesus took your punishment and offers His sacrifice as a free gift. However, like any gift, you have to take it. All the good you do will never make up for the bad. Sin must be punished. The question is do you want to take the punishment, or do you want to humble yourself, get down on your knees, and thank the One who already sacrificed all?
Turn from your sin. Call out for forgiveness and thank God for what He did. Ask Him to guide your life and stop ignoring your conscience. Once you do that, the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see sin for what it is and help make your desires more like the desires of God. He will dwell within you and make you a new person. The change will be real. Then you will know for sure that your name is written in the book of life.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Are you ready?
Matthew 24:36 - 41
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
If the Lord were to come today, this very instant, would you be ready? Were you doing anything last week for which you would have been regretful if He decided to come at that very moment?
What our Lord is telling us here is that we need to be on our guard. He is coming and no one knows the time or place. Everyone will be going on with their lives, like in the days of Noah, when all of a sudden He will show up to remove His church from the Earth. Do you want to be one of the people taken up, or do yo want to be one of the people left in the field?
If the Lord were to come today, this very instant, would you be ready? Were you doing anything last week for which you would have been regretful if He decided to come at that very moment?
What our Lord is telling us here is that we need to be on our guard. He is coming and no one knows the time or place. Everyone will be going on with their lives, like in the days of Noah, when all of a sudden He will show up to remove His church from the Earth. Do you want to be one of the people taken up, or do yo want to be one of the people left in the field?
Friday, August 12, 2011
Sanctus Real from Soulftest
The Soulfest just concluded in Gilford NH last weekend. While the headliners were excellent, it was a great opportunity to see some of the lesser known bands. One of my favorites was Sanctus Real. This song is called "Lead Me" and is really comes from the heart.
(Not my video - h/t TrustTru7h)
Lyrics:
I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames, I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling, but on the inside
Oh, I can hear her saying
[chorus]Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?
Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone
I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent, but on the inside
Oh, I can hear them saying
[chorus]
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me?
To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing things that I could give up
I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me 'cause I can't do this alone
Father, lead me 'cause I can't do this alone
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I Will Rise
1 Thessalonians 4
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and (AS)the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Black Horseman
Revelation 6:5-6
5 When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A [d]quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a [g]denarius; and (O)do not damage the oil and the wine.”
This is commonly interpreted as a reference to hyperinflation. A denarius was a day's pay. A quart of wheat or three quarts of barley is enough for one person to eat for a day. This passage is eluding that in the end times, we will work a whole day for the equivalent of a loaf of bread. Not damaging the oil and the wine indicates that the rich will not suffer in the same way.
If the government keeps printing money at the current rate, how long will it be before this scenario rings true?
5 When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A [d]quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a [g]denarius; and (O)do not damage the oil and the wine.”
This is commonly interpreted as a reference to hyperinflation. A denarius was a day's pay. A quart of wheat or three quarts of barley is enough for one person to eat for a day. This passage is eluding that in the end times, we will work a whole day for the equivalent of a loaf of bread. Not damaging the oil and the wine indicates that the rich will not suffer in the same way.
If the government keeps printing money at the current rate, how long will it be before this scenario rings true?
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Asking in time of need
Phillipians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The Lord wants to hear from you. In time of need, ask Him to provide. He wants His children to rely on Him in the same way you want your children to rely on you. God knows your needs. He just wants to hear you ask Him, thereby deepening your faith and dependence.
Start with thanksgiving for all that has been done, then present your requests to Him. Humble yourself and acknowledge all that is good in your life is a gift from God.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The Lord wants to hear from you. In time of need, ask Him to provide. He wants His children to rely on Him in the same way you want your children to rely on you. God knows your needs. He just wants to hear you ask Him, thereby deepening your faith and dependence.
Start with thanksgiving for all that has been done, then present your requests to Him. Humble yourself and acknowledge all that is good in your life is a gift from God.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Resting in the Lord
Psalm 91
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
When people let you down, there is One who will give you rest and peace, a place you can go for comfort and support. Put your trust in the Lord. Cast all of your burdens on Him. He delights in His children. When you grow tired of trying to do it yourself, when others let you down, give it away to the Lord. You will never be disappointed.
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
When people let you down, there is One who will give you rest and peace, a place you can go for comfort and support. Put your trust in the Lord. Cast all of your burdens on Him. He delights in His children. When you grow tired of trying to do it yourself, when others let you down, give it away to the Lord. You will never be disappointed.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Listening to what God says
Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
Did God really say ... ?
Too often in today's world, people try to justify their actions by twisting God's word to fit their actions. This isn't new. It has happened since the first two people inhabited the earth. We know right from wrong, we were given a conscience so that God could speak to us in all situations. Whenever we suppress our knowledge of good and evil, we are reverting back to the original problem of man. The desire to make God conform to our idea of how the world should operate instead of listening to how He tells us it should be.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
Did God really say ... ?
Too often in today's world, people try to justify their actions by twisting God's word to fit their actions. This isn't new. It has happened since the first two people inhabited the earth. We know right from wrong, we were given a conscience so that God could speak to us in all situations. Whenever we suppress our knowledge of good and evil, we are reverting back to the original problem of man. The desire to make God conform to our idea of how the world should operate instead of listening to how He tells us it should be.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Are we monkeys?
Genesis 1:7
27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Unless God is an ape, I think this pretty much sums it all up.
27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Unless God is an ape, I think this pretty much sums it all up.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Exclusivity of Jesus
John 14:6
6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
The next time someone tells you there are many ways to Heaven, ask them these questions, "Who was Jesus? Was he a liar?" If they insist all roads lead to Heaven, ask them how they explain this quote.
6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
The next time someone tells you there are many ways to Heaven, ask them these questions, "Who was Jesus? Was he a liar?" If they insist all roads lead to Heaven, ask them how they explain this quote.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Sharing your faith
John 15:18 - 19
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
The next time you are worried about the reaction you may get from sharing the Gospel, keep these words from Jesus in mind. The world may not want to hear the truth, but it is our job to spread the Good News.
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
The next time you are worried about the reaction you may get from sharing the Gospel, keep these words from Jesus in mind. The world may not want to hear the truth, but it is our job to spread the Good News.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
True freedom is in Christ
Galatians 5:13-15:
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
As we go about our day, how about doing something for someone else today? Smile and wave in that person trying to get on the highway in front of you. Allow someone with a few items to go ahead of you at the store.
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
As we go about our day, how about doing something for someone else today? Smile and wave in that person trying to get on the highway in front of you. Allow someone with a few items to go ahead of you at the store.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
