Sunday, April 25, 2010

Complaining While God's Sustaining

Read Numbers 11

If ever in the Bible there was a time and a place for a wine and cheese party we'd be hard pressed to find it anywhere else but in the book of Numbers. Now throughout the Old and New Testaments there's a lot of evidence of whining and complaining. But it's one of the unfortunate themes of the book of Numbers. You see the people had just come out of Egypt where they had been slaves. And here they are delivered miraculously by God and they are in a waiting period. They are waiting to follow God's lead as they journey as a nation toward the Promised Land, Canaan.

Take a quick look at Numbers 11 and you'll find that Israel was whining and complaining about their circumstances. Ever do that? Complain about your own circumstances? And you see the problem was this, they were complaining even though God was providing. I find that we can all be like the Israelites, complaining even though we have what we need. Our problem is our wants outweigh our needs.

God doesn't take lightly Israel's complaints. Read the text and you'll see some severe consequences associated with their complaints. I suppose the lesson for us is God wants us understanding consequences are associated with our actions. So when God provides and we whine be careful. Our complaining when God's sustaining is like a slap in the face of God.

Take some time this week and check how God's taking care of you. No matter where you are or what situation you find yourself in, if you look and you look close enough you'll see God sustains His children all the time. He's always aware of what we need. So may we live with an attitude of appreciation and acceptance rather than complaining and whining. God isn't finished what He started with any of us. So let's consider that He knows what He's doing and say thank you as we wait for His plan to play out. God's Best!!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

It's All About...

Read 2 Corinthians 5:15

During a recent conversation a friend brought me to this verse and I couldn't help but think about it's implications for us. Second Corinthians 5:15 says - And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

With the world we live in it's hard to get this message right. We're told day in and day out how it's all about us. But God says something different. He says it's all about Him; that we should no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died for us and was raised again. Listen, if we're honest (and I'm suggesting we should be) if Christ didn't rise then why would we live for Him? But history tells us He did rise, He did back up His promise with power and truth. And since we can trust Him at His word we need to put our efforts toward making it a point of emphasis with our lives that we will live for Him in every single way.

God's desire is that we honor Him with our lives. And once we allow Him to have His way in us, our desire will match His. This week let's follow the example Paul promotes in 2 Corinthians by living for Him.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

When Jesus Prays

Read John 17:1-26

When we think of Jesus' prayers it's easy to remember the infamous Our Father prayer. But this prayer in John 17 is equally infamous. Take a few minutes and read the prayer. There's so much to it that's just so amazing.

The first thing to notice is Jesus says He's finished the work the Father sent Him to do. And His work ultimately was all about glorifying God. Isn't that true in our lives? Whatever the specific work God has given each one of us, His plan is that we glorify Him in our lives. I don't know about you but when my days are done I want to be able to say what Jesus said - that I've finished the work you've given me God and in my life I've given you all the glory!

Secondly, Jesus talks about the importance of words. He talks about the importance of knowing the words of God. In verses 15-17 He says, I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Friends, it's so important for us to know the work of God and the word of God. Because without either we are lost and without direction of what God wants us to do or how He wants us to do it. I fear that we don't know God's word. I fear that we don't know God's word well enough to truly know Him as He wants us to know Him. And I fear that we don't know God's word well enough to be effective in ministry for Him. If as His word says - His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path - we've got to make time to know His word. Jesus says it - it's His word that He prays will sanctify us, set us apart from the world we live in.

I pray we would be a church that would be known for our great love and knowledge of God. And it all starts friends by knowing God which is only possible from knowing His word.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Do So More and More

Read 1 Thessalonians 1-5

Recently I've been spending time reading and re-reading Paul's first letter to the church at Thessalonica. And I'm as impressed with these believers as Paul was. Take ten minutes this week and read through the short letter and you won't be able to miss the unmistakable encouragement and support Paul offers this local congregation.

Now you might be surprised to learn that this body of believers was young in their faith, yet Paul heaps praise after praise on them knowing that they are faithful followers of God Almighty.

The question I have is why? Why were they so passionate and faithful even though they were so young in their faith? I think the answer is two-fold. First they understood to the core of their beings the importance and impact of Jesus' life, death, resurrection and promise of His return in their lives. And secondly, they had Paul. Paul was someone who spent some time with them and helped them mature in their faith. Who do you have that is your Paul? Someone who's there to encourage you when times are tough (the Thessalonians were certainly no strangers to intense suffering and persecution because of their faith) and who do you have who's there to remind you with encouraging words? Paul said over and over to "do so more and more." You see they were living their lives differently every day since they came to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, their leader and forgiver of their sins. They had chosen to live so differently that their reputation was known so well that they were called "imitators" by Paul because they imitated his life who of course was imitating the life of Jesus.

Friends, every one of us should be fixated on living lives that others will desire to imitate because they see Christ in us. And then we can encourage one another with Paul's words that we continue to imitate and do so more and more for the glory of God.