Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
The Apostle Paul writes some pretty deep stuff - have you ever noticed that? Second Corinthians 5 is no exception.
Writing to the Corinthian believers he compares our lives saying now we live in these temporary bodies, in tents; but what awaits us is our eternal house in heaven, our future heavenly home. We are to live by faith, not by sight confident in knowing what is to come. We are to make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. Because all of us will one day face judgment. Believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ where we will receive what is due us for the things done while in the body. I told you these were some deep things.
Paul encourages these believers to remember that what we do matters for our future because all of us will face judgment for what we do, whether good or bad. Now before we mistake what Paul is and is not saying, let's start with what he is not saying. He is not saying what we do determines our eternal destiny, because we can't earn our way into heaven. What he is saying is there will be judgment (he writes about this kind of judgment in 1 Corinthians 3 if you'd like to read more about this) where rewards in heaven will be received or lost based on our faithfulness to Christ now in this life. So no matter what we are to always make it our goal to please who? That's right - Jesus Christ.
Today, this week, let's take a life inventory and determine if there's anything getting in our way of making it our goal to please the Lord. If there is, what's it going to take to release it and let it go? Remember the Christian life is about declaring the praises of God, living and doing and being about what is pleasing in God's sight. May His glory always be our first goal.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Chosen People
Read 1 Peter 2:9-10
Did you read 1 Peter 2:9-10? If not please stop and take a minute to read it before continuing.
Now that you've read the passage - take a second look at Peter's words. One word describes my feelings and thoughts when I come across this passage - powerful. Did you see what we are? We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people belonging to God. Wow! That is just so powerful.
That the God of all creation would choose us, call us a royal priesthood and holy nation and claim us as people belonging to Him - I can't wrap my head around the magnitude of that. We are the chosen people of God and while we can get stopped dead in our tracks, amazed at the connection we have with God, I love even more what Peter says next. He tells us what we are to do as a result of being God's chosen people.
He says we are all these things so that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness and into His wonderful light. The question I believe God wants us answering every day is how are we declaring His praises. Are we declaring His praises every day, no matter what's happening in our lives?
What helps you and I declare God's praises is remembering. Remembering we are God's chosen people; remembering we were once in darkness but now we're in His light; and remembering we have received God's mercy. It's by His mercy that we are the people of God. Let's praise Him with everything we have because after all that is why we are here and what we are called to do.
Did you read 1 Peter 2:9-10? If not please stop and take a minute to read it before continuing.
Now that you've read the passage - take a second look at Peter's words. One word describes my feelings and thoughts when I come across this passage - powerful. Did you see what we are? We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people belonging to God. Wow! That is just so powerful.
That the God of all creation would choose us, call us a royal priesthood and holy nation and claim us as people belonging to Him - I can't wrap my head around the magnitude of that. We are the chosen people of God and while we can get stopped dead in our tracks, amazed at the connection we have with God, I love even more what Peter says next. He tells us what we are to do as a result of being God's chosen people.
He says we are all these things so that we may declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness and into His wonderful light. The question I believe God wants us answering every day is how are we declaring His praises. Are we declaring His praises every day, no matter what's happening in our lives?
What helps you and I declare God's praises is remembering. Remembering we are God's chosen people; remembering we were once in darkness but now we're in His light; and remembering we have received God's mercy. It's by His mercy that we are the people of God. Let's praise Him with everything we have because after all that is why we are here and what we are called to do.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Always Remember
Read Psalm 77
September 11, 2001 is a day to always remember. We will always remember the horror, the hurt and the disbelief of that historical day 9/11.
Yet as believers we need to always remember that our God is greater than anything we will ever face. In times of chaos, times of pain and times of loss we are called to always remember that our God is able to do more than we can think or imagine.
The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 77 what he did as he wrestled in his time of chaos and pain and loss. First, he cried out to God for help and for God to hear him. In his anxiety he stretched out his hands and yet he was still without comfort and he grew weary.
Next he rattled off question after question - Will the Lord reject forever? Will He never show His favor again? Has His unfailing love vanished forever? Has His promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has He in anger withheld His compassion?
Now before we're too hard on the Psalmist, stop and consider what we do when tough times come our way. Do we take it in stride or do we begin asking all kinds of questions just like the Psalmist?
But then the Psalmist appeals to the goodness of God. He remembers who God is, the deeds He has done in the past. He recalls the miracles of long ago and begins meditating on all God's mighty works. And what happens next is what we see in sports when momentum shifts. The Psalmist turns a corner and begins rallying in spirit because of who God is!
He rejoices in God because He is holy; because no one is so great as our God. He praises His miracles, His power among the peoples and the redemption He brought the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. All nature responded to God's power - the waters, the clouds and skies, the thunder and lightning and the earth trembled and quaked. And the Psalmist closes with verse 20 recalling how God led His people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
When tough times come what do you do? Do you ask questions? Do you demand answers? All these are natural for us. Yet the Psalmist teaches what is so important - always remember our God is greater. Always remember to worship - rejoice and declare His praises - in the good times and bad.
September 11, 2001 is a day to always remember. We will always remember the horror, the hurt and the disbelief of that historical day 9/11.
Yet as believers we need to always remember that our God is greater than anything we will ever face. In times of chaos, times of pain and times of loss we are called to always remember that our God is able to do more than we can think or imagine.
The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 77 what he did as he wrestled in his time of chaos and pain and loss. First, he cried out to God for help and for God to hear him. In his anxiety he stretched out his hands and yet he was still without comfort and he grew weary.
Next he rattled off question after question - Will the Lord reject forever? Will He never show His favor again? Has His unfailing love vanished forever? Has His promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has He in anger withheld His compassion?
Now before we're too hard on the Psalmist, stop and consider what we do when tough times come our way. Do we take it in stride or do we begin asking all kinds of questions just like the Psalmist?
But then the Psalmist appeals to the goodness of God. He remembers who God is, the deeds He has done in the past. He recalls the miracles of long ago and begins meditating on all God's mighty works. And what happens next is what we see in sports when momentum shifts. The Psalmist turns a corner and begins rallying in spirit because of who God is!
He rejoices in God because He is holy; because no one is so great as our God. He praises His miracles, His power among the peoples and the redemption He brought the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. All nature responded to God's power - the waters, the clouds and skies, the thunder and lightning and the earth trembled and quaked. And the Psalmist closes with verse 20 recalling how God led His people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
When tough times come what do you do? Do you ask questions? Do you demand answers? All these are natural for us. Yet the Psalmist teaches what is so important - always remember our God is greater. Always remember to worship - rejoice and declare His praises - in the good times and bad.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Worry Knots
Read Matthew 6:25-34
Think about this - have you every met anyone who likes to, wants to be restricted? Ever met anyone who prefers limited movement instead of unlimited. Here's the point - when it comes to worry, worry ties all of us up in knots. Worry knots keep us from the experiencing the freedom we were meant to have as new creations in Christ.
Worry simply gets in our way, restricts us and prevents us from being the people God intends us to be. Yet so many of us live with one worry or another and we allow it (whatever it is) to rent space in our heads.
Read Matthew 6:25-34 this week and spend time meditating on these great words from Jesus. Instead of focusing on worry, focus on God's kingdom and His righteousness and the worry slips away, far away from the space it was never intended to rent in the first place.
Think about this - have you every met anyone who likes to, wants to be restricted? Ever met anyone who prefers limited movement instead of unlimited. Here's the point - when it comes to worry, worry ties all of us up in knots. Worry knots keep us from the experiencing the freedom we were meant to have as new creations in Christ.
Worry simply gets in our way, restricts us and prevents us from being the people God intends us to be. Yet so many of us live with one worry or another and we allow it (whatever it is) to rent space in our heads.
Read Matthew 6:25-34 this week and spend time meditating on these great words from Jesus. Instead of focusing on worry, focus on God's kingdom and His righteousness and the worry slips away, far away from the space it was never intended to rent in the first place.
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