Honesty with God
Many of us know the story of Cain killing Abel due to jealousy and shame because Cain did not honor God with his sacrifices. Abel sacrificed his fattest portion to God and Cain sacrificed what fell on the ground. Now, in this time sacrifices were a part of the culture. When you sacrifice to God, it was not what you could muster up, but what was your fattest portion. That means, if you tended to trees and bushes that bore fruit, then you do not sacrifice what is rotted, you give what is the best in honor to God. Abel did that with his livestock. Cain brought forth sacrifices/fruits that fell to the ground. These fruits may be bruised and dirty and essentially not the best to bring forth to God to represent your thanks and sacrifice to Him.
Now, how does that play into your life? When you look at your relationship with God, what is it you are sacrificing? In other words, what are you hanging on to that God would rather have you sacrifice? Is it trust in Him? Is it tangible? Maybe it is money you are hanging on to. How is your tithing? Is your tithing based on a fear that you won't be able to survive?
The funny thing is, we are to trust in God and know that He will provide for us if we do what it is He wants us to do. If we just stay comfortable and make sure we are happy then we are missing out on truly giving up things for God. God doesn't want us to rely on the tangible, but know that He will provide for us. But we can't hold back from Him. We have to sacrifice.
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Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Monday, September 26, 2016
Monday, May 9, 2016
Hebrews 13: What Pleases God?
What Pleases God?
In Hebrews 13:1-5 there are some issues pointed out that we as Christ followers will forever face as we are human and prone to mistakes and bad decisions no matter how much we follow Christ. We are told to continue loving like brothers, be hospitable to strangers, show love to prisoners (imprisoned for the sake of the gospel aka persecuted), honor marriages and be free from the love of money.When we love like brothers that means like someone is family and we treat them with the same love that we would family members. When we are hospitable to strangers (people we don't know including foreigners) we could even be entertaining angels. When we remember those fellow believers in prison by writing them letters and visiting them then we are showing them Christ like love as Jesus loved those imprisoned by their own sin or that of others, so we should do the same especially to those imprisoned for being Christ followers. Honoring marriages is another big one as we make commitments to God and our spouses in relation to what is scriptural. We are to keep our lives free from the love of money. We need to use money, but not love it as we cannot serve 2 masters. And through all of this we also must remember that God will never leave us or forsake us. We must stay true to His commands and direction.
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In Hebrews 13:1-5 there are some issues pointed out that we as Christ followers will forever face as we are human and prone to mistakes and bad decisions no matter how much we follow Christ. We are told to continue loving like brothers, be hospitable to strangers, show love to prisoners (imprisoned for the sake of the gospel aka persecuted), honor marriages and be free from the love of money.When we love like brothers that means like someone is family and we treat them with the same love that we would family members. When we are hospitable to strangers (people we don't know including foreigners) we could even be entertaining angels. When we remember those fellow believers in prison by writing them letters and visiting them then we are showing them Christ like love as Jesus loved those imprisoned by their own sin or that of others, so we should do the same especially to those imprisoned for being Christ followers. Honoring marriages is another big one as we make commitments to God and our spouses in relation to what is scriptural. We are to keep our lives free from the love of money. We need to use money, but not love it as we cannot serve 2 masters. And through all of this we also must remember that God will never leave us or forsake us. We must stay true to His commands and direction.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Hebrews 12: How Tough Is It Right Now?
How Tough Is It Right Now?
Have you heard the saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get going? There was even a song about it by Billy Ocean in 1986. But, from scripture, we can know and understand that when things get difficult for us it can be seen as discipline. Having money troubles? Maybe God wants you to cut back on your spending. Maybe God wants you to trust Him through hardships. Maybe you shouldn't have taken that job as it didn't pay enough and you made a bad decision. What ever happens is not always "God punishing me." Your earthly father disciplines you and you respect him, but God does it and you curse Him. Why?? In Hebrews 12:7 we read "It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?" God is disciplining us. It isn't going to be easy. We can make decisions that back fire on us because we weren't doing what God wanted from us to begin with. See the discipline not as punishment but as a guiding for a new direction.
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Have you heard the saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get going? There was even a song about it by Billy Ocean in 1986. But, from scripture, we can know and understand that when things get difficult for us it can be seen as discipline. Having money troubles? Maybe God wants you to cut back on your spending. Maybe God wants you to trust Him through hardships. Maybe you shouldn't have taken that job as it didn't pay enough and you made a bad decision. What ever happens is not always "God punishing me." Your earthly father disciplines you and you respect him, but God does it and you curse Him. Why?? In Hebrews 12:7 we read "It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?" God is disciplining us. It isn't going to be easy. We can make decisions that back fire on us because we weren't doing what God wanted from us to begin with. See the discipline not as punishment but as a guiding for a new direction.
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Sunday, April 10, 2016
1 Timothy 6: Fight the Good Fight
Fight the Good Fight
I know that 1 Timothy 6 is known for its verse on the love of money being the root of all evil. Many think it is money that is evil, but the Word clearly states that it is the love of money that is evil, not the money itself. The Word also clearly states to Timothy (from Paul in verses 11-12) to "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness." Doing this shows our love for God. We can learn from Paul's letter to Timothy to stay strong in the faith and not fall for worldliness.
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I know that 1 Timothy 6 is known for its verse on the love of money being the root of all evil. Many think it is money that is evil, but the Word clearly states that it is the love of money that is evil, not the money itself. The Word also clearly states to Timothy (from Paul in verses 11-12) to "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness." Doing this shows our love for God. We can learn from Paul's letter to Timothy to stay strong in the faith and not fall for worldliness.
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Friday, February 19, 2016
Friday Focus #27
Making a Rash Decision
Life is full of frustrations. Sometimes it seems like no matter what you do or where you turn, there is a problem. It could be a money problem or a relational problem or a job issues, but whatever it is, it seems like the issues are never ending. Job issues may lead you to want to quit, but then what? You need money to live and pay bills and eat. You could open up another credit card and pull all of that money out, but how will you pay it off? Could you cut spending rather than increase debt? In relationships, people will rub us the wrong way and we can be tempted to cut ties. But, have you thought about the the possible repercussions? Better yet, did you ask God for direction?
One thing you can do is go to God humbly and ask Him to show you what you could have done differently. It is hard to be humble when we get upset at people or life. Making more money is great, but if you do not know how to save and budget, then what difference does it make. Finding a new job is great but if every job you have had there are issues you have that irreconcilable with coworkers or upper management, then maybe that needs to be addressed before quitting. Finding a new friend or significant other is fine, but maybe there is a way you talk to people that pushes people away instead of pulling them in. In Job 6:24 we read that Job was asking Eliphaz to show him where he was wrong regarding a rant. But do we do this with ourselves, others and Go?. When there is an issue you can just "fix it" or you can humbly seek to find out what went wrong and where.
Also, just know that God will guide you, but you have to be humble enough to know that God's way is the best way. If you are not reading your Bible and seeking to understand it and see what God's word has for you, it will make life harder. Life can be hard anyway, why make it harder by not checking the manual. You can't fix a car without looking at the intricate parts of the engine, transmission, and the owner's manual. With people, our brain and our heart (emotions) and owner's manual (the Bible) need to be connected in order to help us through life. In Psalm 31:3 we have to see that God is our rock and our fortress and He will lead and guide us. We have to seek Him and His way.
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Life is full of frustrations. Sometimes it seems like no matter what you do or where you turn, there is a problem. It could be a money problem or a relational problem or a job issues, but whatever it is, it seems like the issues are never ending. Job issues may lead you to want to quit, but then what? You need money to live and pay bills and eat. You could open up another credit card and pull all of that money out, but how will you pay it off? Could you cut spending rather than increase debt? In relationships, people will rub us the wrong way and we can be tempted to cut ties. But, have you thought about the the possible repercussions? Better yet, did you ask God for direction?
One thing you can do is go to God humbly and ask Him to show you what you could have done differently. It is hard to be humble when we get upset at people or life. Making more money is great, but if you do not know how to save and budget, then what difference does it make. Finding a new job is great but if every job you have had there are issues you have that irreconcilable with coworkers or upper management, then maybe that needs to be addressed before quitting. Finding a new friend or significant other is fine, but maybe there is a way you talk to people that pushes people away instead of pulling them in. In Job 6:24 we read that Job was asking Eliphaz to show him where he was wrong regarding a rant. But do we do this with ourselves, others and Go?. When there is an issue you can just "fix it" or you can humbly seek to find out what went wrong and where.
Also, just know that God will guide you, but you have to be humble enough to know that God's way is the best way. If you are not reading your Bible and seeking to understand it and see what God's word has for you, it will make life harder. Life can be hard anyway, why make it harder by not checking the manual. You can't fix a car without looking at the intricate parts of the engine, transmission, and the owner's manual. With people, our brain and our heart (emotions) and owner's manual (the Bible) need to be connected in order to help us through life. In Psalm 31:3 we have to see that God is our rock and our fortress and He will lead and guide us. We have to seek Him and His way.
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Tuesday, February 16, 2016
2 Corinthians 9: The Cheerful Giver
The Cheerful Giver
As discussed in chapter 8 the amount one gives to a church or whatever should come from the heart. The old testament had a standard of 10% but God knows what you can give and what you cannot give. As a matter of fact, due to reading yesterday's text and today's text I remembered to give to my home church as I had forgotten the last 2 months. I gave what I could, not what some might say I should. As Paul says here in verse 7 "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." My Pastor Rick Warren has stated that if you feel pressure to give, then don't. It's not coming from the heart. I would agree with him as what he says is backed up by scripture (see what I did there- not every pastor gets everything right).
But before that in verse 6 Paul tells us that the point is if you give sparingly (little) in dedication to God, you will reap sparingly (little). The opposite is true where if you give bountifully (much/more than you can afford) then you will reap the same. The reaping does not have to be money, it can be, If the focus is on "how can I get more money?" then you have forgotten about the heart of Christ. Seek his will as it was entrenched in the Father's (God's).
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As discussed in chapter 8 the amount one gives to a church or whatever should come from the heart. The old testament had a standard of 10% but God knows what you can give and what you cannot give. As a matter of fact, due to reading yesterday's text and today's text I remembered to give to my home church as I had forgotten the last 2 months. I gave what I could, not what some might say I should. As Paul says here in verse 7 "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." My Pastor Rick Warren has stated that if you feel pressure to give, then don't. It's not coming from the heart. I would agree with him as what he says is backed up by scripture (see what I did there- not every pastor gets everything right).
But before that in verse 6 Paul tells us that the point is if you give sparingly (little) in dedication to God, you will reap sparingly (little). The opposite is true where if you give bountifully (much/more than you can afford) then you will reap the same. The reaping does not have to be money, it can be, If the focus is on "how can I get more money?" then you have forgotten about the heart of Christ. Seek his will as it was entrenched in the Father's (God's).
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Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Wednesday Wake Up #25
Is God #1
Have you ever read through Exodus and the story of the Golden Calf (Exodus 32)? Moses had not yet come down from Mount Sinai and the people, instead of waiting for leadership, talked to Moses' older brother Aaron and asked him to make them a god. Aaron obliged and had them give him their gold and he made it into a golden calf for them to worship and give offerings to. Obviously, what they did was wrong which is why God sent Moses back down the mountain to destroy the idol. While we don't have golden calves in our homes there are things in our lives that get in the way of making God number 1.
Work for many has become God. Think about it, if your boss calls, you answer. Your boss says that you need to come to work and you go without fail. Then when you are at work you work extra hard and get no kudos, but only a bunch of stress. Your health is getting worse and you aren't making time for the people in your life (loved ones, family, friends). And what is most important, you are not making time for God. Remember how upset God was with Cain (Genesis 4) because Cain gave God the leftovers from his sacrifice? God wants you to make Him your priority? Do you only talk to Him when you need him, but never to just thank Him for being an awesome God? I often refer back to the first 4 commandments because they all focus on making God first, especially the 4th commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) which reminds us to have a Sabbath. Take a day off, not just to rest but to also give God His due praise.
Money is another idol people can have as a replacement for God. They do everything they can to make sure that they can make more and more money and spend, spend, spend. They have to have the newest everything (car, phone, gadget) and they do whatever they can to make sure they can afford it. But they haven't seen their Bible or read from a Bible in ages. See the focus here? The focus has moved from God being #1 to money being #1. We must remember that man cannot serve 2 masters as he will love one and hate the other (Matthew 6:24). Jesus said this. Can we really ignore it? We all need to work and make money, but if that is your focus more than serving the Lord and giving back to Him then the priority is not God.
My point is not to condemn people but just to show how easy it is to let other things that are important become more important than what really matters in God's eyes. My prayer is that we all can see those roadblocks in our lives and make sure to make God's will for our lives #1.
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Have you ever read through Exodus and the story of the Golden Calf (Exodus 32)? Moses had not yet come down from Mount Sinai and the people, instead of waiting for leadership, talked to Moses' older brother Aaron and asked him to make them a god. Aaron obliged and had them give him their gold and he made it into a golden calf for them to worship and give offerings to. Obviously, what they did was wrong which is why God sent Moses back down the mountain to destroy the idol. While we don't have golden calves in our homes there are things in our lives that get in the way of making God number 1.
Work for many has become God. Think about it, if your boss calls, you answer. Your boss says that you need to come to work and you go without fail. Then when you are at work you work extra hard and get no kudos, but only a bunch of stress. Your health is getting worse and you aren't making time for the people in your life (loved ones, family, friends). And what is most important, you are not making time for God. Remember how upset God was with Cain (Genesis 4) because Cain gave God the leftovers from his sacrifice? God wants you to make Him your priority? Do you only talk to Him when you need him, but never to just thank Him for being an awesome God? I often refer back to the first 4 commandments because they all focus on making God first, especially the 4th commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) which reminds us to have a Sabbath. Take a day off, not just to rest but to also give God His due praise.
Money is another idol people can have as a replacement for God. They do everything they can to make sure that they can make more and more money and spend, spend, spend. They have to have the newest everything (car, phone, gadget) and they do whatever they can to make sure they can afford it. But they haven't seen their Bible or read from a Bible in ages. See the focus here? The focus has moved from God being #1 to money being #1. We must remember that man cannot serve 2 masters as he will love one and hate the other (Matthew 6:24). Jesus said this. Can we really ignore it? We all need to work and make money, but if that is your focus more than serving the Lord and giving back to Him then the priority is not God.
My point is not to condemn people but just to show how easy it is to let other things that are important become more important than what really matters in God's eyes. My prayer is that we all can see those roadblocks in our lives and make sure to make God's will for our lives #1.
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Friday, January 15, 2016
Friday Focus #22
God's Power is Bigger Than Your Biggest Problem
Do you know the story of David and Goliath? Not the claymation cartoon from the 1960s (as us old people may remember) but the boy who slay a giant that struck fear into the Israelites. There are some points to take home from 1 Samuel 17.These points were taken from a message by Pastor Kerry Shook from Woodlands Church (link at the end of the blog).
First, we you must attack the giant in your life. We do not do this with reckless abandon, but with God's power and direction (1 Samuel 17:45). How do we know what God wants from us? We must read His word. We must talk to Him. We also have to look at who we are and how we are designed in order to carry out the plans God has for us. David did not cower in fear or pretend like it wasn't there. He faced it head on. What is your biggest fear right now? Is it a relationship? Is it health? Money? Job?
David's instinct after knocking Goliath down was to cut his head off (1 Samuel 17:51). He did not celebrate and pat himself on the back. He wanted to be rid of the Goliath and the fear he was causing in the battle. David didn't want the giant to only be knocked down, but wanted to be rid of the fear and problems Goliath caused. How can you cut off your giant's head? Are you spending too much money? Cut up the credit cards! Are you always getting drunk with your friends? Find new friends that can keep you accountable. There is something major in your life that is causing a problem that needs to be severed from your life. Extreme measures are needed for extreme problems.
David also had an expectation of more giants to come. Life has issues that will not always be the same thing over and over again. But what do we learn by doing the same thing over and over again. 1 Samuel 17:40 tells us that David selected 5 stones from the stream. Why 5 stones? We learn in 2 Samuel 21:15-22 that there were 4 more giants that were related to Goliath. David may have known this before hand which is why he could have selected 5 stones in stead of just one. He was preparing for what else may be around the corner. Once one giant is destroyed we must be ready to face more in the future.
If you would like to see the message from Kerry Shook on David and Goliath in a message called "Giant Killers" please click here.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Do you know the story of David and Goliath? Not the claymation cartoon from the 1960s (as us old people may remember) but the boy who slay a giant that struck fear into the Israelites. There are some points to take home from 1 Samuel 17.These points were taken from a message by Pastor Kerry Shook from Woodlands Church (link at the end of the blog).
First, we you must attack the giant in your life. We do not do this with reckless abandon, but with God's power and direction (1 Samuel 17:45). How do we know what God wants from us? We must read His word. We must talk to Him. We also have to look at who we are and how we are designed in order to carry out the plans God has for us. David did not cower in fear or pretend like it wasn't there. He faced it head on. What is your biggest fear right now? Is it a relationship? Is it health? Money? Job?
David's instinct after knocking Goliath down was to cut his head off (1 Samuel 17:51). He did not celebrate and pat himself on the back. He wanted to be rid of the Goliath and the fear he was causing in the battle. David didn't want the giant to only be knocked down, but wanted to be rid of the fear and problems Goliath caused. How can you cut off your giant's head? Are you spending too much money? Cut up the credit cards! Are you always getting drunk with your friends? Find new friends that can keep you accountable. There is something major in your life that is causing a problem that needs to be severed from your life. Extreme measures are needed for extreme problems.
David also had an expectation of more giants to come. Life has issues that will not always be the same thing over and over again. But what do we learn by doing the same thing over and over again. 1 Samuel 17:40 tells us that David selected 5 stones from the stream. Why 5 stones? We learn in 2 Samuel 21:15-22 that there were 4 more giants that were related to Goliath. David may have known this before hand which is why he could have selected 5 stones in stead of just one. He was preparing for what else may be around the corner. Once one giant is destroyed we must be ready to face more in the future.
If you would like to see the message from Kerry Shook on David and Goliath in a message called "Giant Killers" please click here.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Friday, December 18, 2015
Friday Focus #18
What is Keeping You from Following Christ?
In our last 2 Wednesday and Friday posts, we have covered the young rich man and his willing inability to sell his possessions and follow Jesus. We also covered that just because you are rich it doesn't mean that you cannot follow Jesus. If the thinking says that you cannot be rich and be a man of God or follow Christ then I ask those people to look at the lives of Solomon, Abraham and others (click here to read more). But, outside of money, what are some things in our lives that keep us from seeing God's blessings in our lives. What are some things that draw your attention away from Jesus and keep you distracted?
For starters, maybe it is work. Have you ever heard of the term "workaholic"? This is person who works far too often. One might think that they enjoy that work, but sometimes workaholics feel compelled to do that. But, if you are constantly working, how can you have a Sabbath? That is just one of the commandments we need to adhere to. We need rest. We need to take that time away from everything else and just leave ourselves a day to reconnect with God and recharge our physical and spiritual batteries. Remember Luke 10:38-42 when Mary and Martha were hosting for Jesus's visit? Martha was upset with Mary who had sat to listen to Jesus's teachings. Martha had been so busy serving that she didn't stop to listen to the man that she was preparing for. We have to remember it isn't about everything we do, it is about our relationship with Jesus.
Another possible thing that keeps us from following Christ is our way of thinking. We have lived and believed a certain way for as long as we can remember, but that way of thinking is blocking the ability to see Jesus. It is blocking our ability to willfully follow Jesus. People conform to the patterns of the world and cannot see what is the will of God because they do not know enough about what is written in Scripture to test what is the will of God and what is not (Romans 12:2). People know of Jesus and his life and resurrection, but do they actually care about it? Scripture gets quoted out of context but the whole passage or the whole chapter is never read. T-shirts and hats are worn referring to Jesus as a homeboy, but there is no submission in the soul to do God's will and follow Christ. Is Jesus your homeboy or the Lord of your life? When the world is guiding you it makes it that much more difficult to be transformed by following Christ. Something's gotta give.
No matter what it is that is blocking our submission to God's will, it must go. If you want to have an abundant life in Christ then that will take a step on your part to not use will power but God's power to further your walk. You can make a bunch of decisions to stop watching ungodly films and listening to ungodly music, but why are you doing it? In relationships, do you stay faithful and not cheat because it is wrong or because you are committed and dedicated to the other person? Rituals and religion or relationship with Christ? The choice is yours!
To read more about what distracts us from God please click here.
In our last 2 Wednesday and Friday posts, we have covered the young rich man and his willing inability to sell his possessions and follow Jesus. We also covered that just because you are rich it doesn't mean that you cannot follow Jesus. If the thinking says that you cannot be rich and be a man of God or follow Christ then I ask those people to look at the lives of Solomon, Abraham and others (click here to read more). But, outside of money, what are some things in our lives that keep us from seeing God's blessings in our lives. What are some things that draw your attention away from Jesus and keep you distracted?
For starters, maybe it is work. Have you ever heard of the term "workaholic"? This is person who works far too often. One might think that they enjoy that work, but sometimes workaholics feel compelled to do that. But, if you are constantly working, how can you have a Sabbath? That is just one of the commandments we need to adhere to. We need rest. We need to take that time away from everything else and just leave ourselves a day to reconnect with God and recharge our physical and spiritual batteries. Remember Luke 10:38-42 when Mary and Martha were hosting for Jesus's visit? Martha was upset with Mary who had sat to listen to Jesus's teachings. Martha had been so busy serving that she didn't stop to listen to the man that she was preparing for. We have to remember it isn't about everything we do, it is about our relationship with Jesus.
Another possible thing that keeps us from following Christ is our way of thinking. We have lived and believed a certain way for as long as we can remember, but that way of thinking is blocking the ability to see Jesus. It is blocking our ability to willfully follow Jesus. People conform to the patterns of the world and cannot see what is the will of God because they do not know enough about what is written in Scripture to test what is the will of God and what is not (Romans 12:2). People know of Jesus and his life and resurrection, but do they actually care about it? Scripture gets quoted out of context but the whole passage or the whole chapter is never read. T-shirts and hats are worn referring to Jesus as a homeboy, but there is no submission in the soul to do God's will and follow Christ. Is Jesus your homeboy or the Lord of your life? When the world is guiding you it makes it that much more difficult to be transformed by following Christ. Something's gotta give.
No matter what it is that is blocking our submission to God's will, it must go. If you want to have an abundant life in Christ then that will take a step on your part to not use will power but God's power to further your walk. You can make a bunch of decisions to stop watching ungodly films and listening to ungodly music, but why are you doing it? In relationships, do you stay faithful and not cheat because it is wrong or because you are committed and dedicated to the other person? Rituals and religion or relationship with Christ? The choice is yours!
To read more about what distracts us from God please click here.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Wednesday Wake Up #18
With God All Things Are Possible
Last week we went through Matthew 19:16-22 and discussed the Young Rich Man and his walking away from following Jesus due to not wanting to sell his possessions and give to the poor and needy. We too can depend on earthly riches and affluence to enable a sense of security in life. We all need to make money to survive and not be homeless, but at some point we have survived, but lack faith in God to take care of our needs (Matthew 6:26).
After the young rich man walks away Jesus tells the disciples that it is hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Case in point was this man. We can look at our world today and see how many people who are rich or wealthy not giving their lives to Christ. Think of the celebrities and business owners of billion dollars companies that live in huge homes and own many properties, but would not stop to feed a homeless person.
Jesus then says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. The rich focus on money often. It can control life. It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). You cannot serve God and money (Matthew 6:24). But you can serve God and be rich. The young rich man was not able to even see this. He only saw what he possessed. Jesus knew that the man loved his possessions which is why he told him to sell them. He didn't say leave them, he said sell them. That still could have left the man with enough money to be fine the rest of his life. We don't know that, but it is possible. He would rather hang on to everything (like a lot of us do but could do without).
Where is your heart? Is it focused on knowing Jesus and seeing what he did for you? Do you know what Jesus did for you? If you don't, then seek him and his will for your life. Are you going to continue to spend more energy on earthly riches and not storing up your treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-20)? It is time to see what abundant life God has for us by following Christ and letting go of our stuff.
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Last week we went through Matthew 19:16-22 and discussed the Young Rich Man and his walking away from following Jesus due to not wanting to sell his possessions and give to the poor and needy. We too can depend on earthly riches and affluence to enable a sense of security in life. We all need to make money to survive and not be homeless, but at some point we have survived, but lack faith in God to take care of our needs (Matthew 6:26).
After the young rich man walks away Jesus tells the disciples that it is hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Case in point was this man. We can look at our world today and see how many people who are rich or wealthy not giving their lives to Christ. Think of the celebrities and business owners of billion dollars companies that live in huge homes and own many properties, but would not stop to feed a homeless person.
Jesus then says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. The rich focus on money often. It can control life. It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). You cannot serve God and money (Matthew 6:24). But you can serve God and be rich. The young rich man was not able to even see this. He only saw what he possessed. Jesus knew that the man loved his possessions which is why he told him to sell them. He didn't say leave them, he said sell them. That still could have left the man with enough money to be fine the rest of his life. We don't know that, but it is possible. He would rather hang on to everything (like a lot of us do but could do without).
Where is your heart? Is it focused on knowing Jesus and seeing what he did for you? Do you know what Jesus did for you? If you don't, then seek him and his will for your life. Are you going to continue to spend more energy on earthly riches and not storing up your treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-20)? It is time to see what abundant life God has for us by following Christ and letting go of our stuff.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Friday Focus #11
When The Storm Hits
Life isn't easy. There can be very, very tough times with no money, broken relationships, no where to live, no method of transportation to work, or even a death of a family member of friend. Each of those are storms....but what about when they all hit at once. Now what?
We can blame God and say that He did this to us. We can overlook how much we are in control of our own decisions that can lead to our storms. Some things do "just happen" but others are a result of decisions we have made that lead to the storm. Remember when Jesus walked on water and invited Peter out into the water, but as Peter started walked, he started sinking (Matthew 14:22-33)? Peter lacked faith that Jesus was able to walk on the water and even when he called out to Jesus, Jesus said "come." But, when Peter saw the wind he got scared and lost sight of Jesus and lost faith and started to sink. Peter was going to do something amazing through God's will and lost his focus and his faith and saw the problem as bigger than his Lord.
But what about those things that just happen not due to bad decisions (a lack of obedience) but just something bad happened? Your house burned down. Car accidents and injuries. Being assaulted. What do we do then? We don't blame God, we use our faith in God to stay on track and know that God will use that situation to be glorified. It can serve as a test, not a punishment (1 Peter 1:7). When God tests us we grow stronger to glorify Him. If everything is easy, how will we grow? We won't!! God doesn't want us to stay in our comfort zones. I used to "worship" the cars I owned or the women I have dated. God had every single one of them removed so that I could see Him better. Whether the car broke down, or was wrecked, or the girl was put on a pedestal, they all served as a set of blinders to keep me from seeing God's will.
From Kerry Shook on "Tracking a Miracle in the Storm"
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Life isn't easy. There can be very, very tough times with no money, broken relationships, no where to live, no method of transportation to work, or even a death of a family member of friend. Each of those are storms....but what about when they all hit at once. Now what?
We can blame God and say that He did this to us. We can overlook how much we are in control of our own decisions that can lead to our storms. Some things do "just happen" but others are a result of decisions we have made that lead to the storm. Remember when Jesus walked on water and invited Peter out into the water, but as Peter started walked, he started sinking (Matthew 14:22-33)? Peter lacked faith that Jesus was able to walk on the water and even when he called out to Jesus, Jesus said "come." But, when Peter saw the wind he got scared and lost sight of Jesus and lost faith and started to sink. Peter was going to do something amazing through God's will and lost his focus and his faith and saw the problem as bigger than his Lord.
But what about those things that just happen not due to bad decisions (a lack of obedience) but just something bad happened? Your house burned down. Car accidents and injuries. Being assaulted. What do we do then? We don't blame God, we use our faith in God to stay on track and know that God will use that situation to be glorified. It can serve as a test, not a punishment (1 Peter 1:7). When God tests us we grow stronger to glorify Him. If everything is easy, how will we grow? We won't!! God doesn't want us to stay in our comfort zones. I used to "worship" the cars I owned or the women I have dated. God had every single one of them removed so that I could see Him better. Whether the car broke down, or was wrecked, or the girl was put on a pedestal, they all served as a set of blinders to keep me from seeing God's will.
From Kerry Shook on "Tracking a Miracle in the Storm"
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Friday, October 23, 2015
Friday Focus #10
We Do Not Have to Fall to Temptation
Life is full of temptations. We are tempted to do many things from act out on our aggression, lie on our taxes, cheat on spouses, look at adult oriented imagery, have too much alcohol to drink or over eat. Some of these temptations are so a part of our culture that we have accepted them as part of our life and acceptable. But, it isn't about what is culturally acceptable. Culture changes every so often, but God's Word stays the same. That is the measuring stick by which we live life, not what people think we should do or what we think we should do.
In James 1:13-15 we have to recognize that temptation is not coming from God. God doesn't tempt us He directs us. Satan tempts us by what our desires are. I do not have the temptation to get drunk, but someone else does. Others don't have the temptation to over eat or eat the wrong things, but I do. When we give into temptation is when it turns into sin and when sin is full grown it becomes death. Not physical death, but a spiritual one in that area that can spread to other areas of our lives.
How do you fight against the temptation to go against God's will? Well, after recognizing that you are being tempted you can immediately go to God. Ask God to cover and protect you as you face this temptation (Luke 22:40). You don't have to go at it alone. Not only can you talk to God, but you can also tell another believer. Do you have an older person to confide or a friend that also follows Christ? Tell them what you are struggling with. I would hate to struggle in an area and not be able to open up to another believer (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). Two people + God = a three fold chord that is not easily broken.
Remember too, that whatever you deal with, is something that someone else has already gone through. Someone else has had the same temptations you have already had (1 Corinthians 10:13). God provides a way out and will not let you be tempted past what you can deal with. Follow His path.
Facing Temptation- Open Bible verses
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Life is full of temptations. We are tempted to do many things from act out on our aggression, lie on our taxes, cheat on spouses, look at adult oriented imagery, have too much alcohol to drink or over eat. Some of these temptations are so a part of our culture that we have accepted them as part of our life and acceptable. But, it isn't about what is culturally acceptable. Culture changes every so often, but God's Word stays the same. That is the measuring stick by which we live life, not what people think we should do or what we think we should do.
In James 1:13-15 we have to recognize that temptation is not coming from God. God doesn't tempt us He directs us. Satan tempts us by what our desires are. I do not have the temptation to get drunk, but someone else does. Others don't have the temptation to over eat or eat the wrong things, but I do. When we give into temptation is when it turns into sin and when sin is full grown it becomes death. Not physical death, but a spiritual one in that area that can spread to other areas of our lives.
How do you fight against the temptation to go against God's will? Well, after recognizing that you are being tempted you can immediately go to God. Ask God to cover and protect you as you face this temptation (Luke 22:40). You don't have to go at it alone. Not only can you talk to God, but you can also tell another believer. Do you have an older person to confide or a friend that also follows Christ? Tell them what you are struggling with. I would hate to struggle in an area and not be able to open up to another believer (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). Two people + God = a three fold chord that is not easily broken.
Remember too, that whatever you deal with, is something that someone else has already gone through. Someone else has had the same temptations you have already had (1 Corinthians 10:13). God provides a way out and will not let you be tempted past what you can deal with. Follow His path.
Facing Temptation- Open Bible verses
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Thursday, September 3, 2015
Mark 11:23-24- Faith to Move Mountains
Faith to Move Mountains
Sometimes I don't pray and I just complain. I gripe. I moan. I grumble. I tell friends the issue, but I "forget" to pray. I put forget with quotations because I did not actually forget. I have become accustomed to doing things that way. I try to figure it out. There is nothing wrong with using your God given problem solving ability to figure out some of your issues. But, what about using that ability to speak to God and pray?
In Mark 11:12-14, Jesus curses a fig tree that was no longer producing any fig (fruit). It wasn't doing what it was supposed to do. It wasn't doing it's job. It was useless. Just sitting there looking pretty with leaves. After he cleansed the temple from the "thieves" in verses 15-19, he and the disciples walked by the fig tree that he had cursed and they saw that it had withered to its roots. He uses this moment to teach them to have faith in God. He says that you can tell a mountain to to be thrown into the sea and it will if you do not have a a doubt in your heart. Bam! Right there, he said a "doubt in his heart."
When we pray about our mountains (money, relationship issues, living situations, jobs, health) do we really pray with that kind of faith? Do we have doubts? Then when the prayer is not answered we think God is ignoring us. But, if we read and seek to understand and have faith that God is not only listening but truthful in fulfilling his promises.
He follows up this command by also saying that when we pray we are also to forgive any trespasses (wrong doing) against us by other people. In school, we are not encouraged to get F's, but here Jesus wants us to have F's with Faith and Forgiveness (see what I did there?) How can God here our prayer and come through to move the mountain if we do not believe that He will and when we have bitterness and an unforgiving heart toward others.
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Saturday, August 22, 2015
Mark 2:21-22- Are You Ready?
New Wine in Old Wine Skins
I like this section of Mark 2 of the text because it seems to really call out people who say they are ready for something new, but they have not discarded of the old. Remember when I mentioned the other day the part about praying for more money but still having the same old ways? Well, the same idea can apply here too.
Jesus was being questioned about why his disciple's didn't fast. They could not fast as he was still with them and they could fast once he was gone as John the Baptist's disciples fasted after he was dead. It is not that Jesus was against fasting but there was an appropriate time to do it. From there Jesus goes in to explain how old wine skins cannot be used for new wine. New wine, while fermenting would burst an old wine skin. The new cannot be poured until the old, it must go into the new.
How does that relate to my previous example of money? If you are going to continue to do the same things you have been doing then why would God bless that? The new (more money) would end up depleted if new ways (saving, investing, cutting spending, shopping for less wants) are not implemented. How does that relate to Jesus? You want Jesus to bless you but you have not committed to him. You keep wondering why things are not what you want them to be...because IT ISN'T ABOUT YOUR WANTS! If you are not ready for the new then you may as well keep the old because that is all you are prepared for. Be ready for what God wants in you..
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I like this section of Mark 2 of the text because it seems to really call out people who say they are ready for something new, but they have not discarded of the old. Remember when I mentioned the other day the part about praying for more money but still having the same old ways? Well, the same idea can apply here too.
Jesus was being questioned about why his disciple's didn't fast. They could not fast as he was still with them and they could fast once he was gone as John the Baptist's disciples fasted after he was dead. It is not that Jesus was against fasting but there was an appropriate time to do it. From there Jesus goes in to explain how old wine skins cannot be used for new wine. New wine, while fermenting would burst an old wine skin. The new cannot be poured until the old, it must go into the new.
How does that relate to my previous example of money? If you are going to continue to do the same things you have been doing then why would God bless that? The new (more money) would end up depleted if new ways (saving, investing, cutting spending, shopping for less wants) are not implemented. How does that relate to Jesus? You want Jesus to bless you but you have not committed to him. You keep wondering why things are not what you want them to be...because IT ISN'T ABOUT YOUR WANTS! If you are not ready for the new then you may as well keep the old because that is all you are prepared for. Be ready for what God wants in you..
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