Read Ephesians 5:14-16
It's been said "to waste time is a sin against God." So think about it - how do you spend your time?
Recently I was challenged, actually convicted about this. And I responded by spending time listening to a message by one of my favorite pastors and his message was called - Prayer: Our Time Saver. Ever think of prayer that way? He said God has given us all the time we need every day to pray, study His word, serve and worship Him. But the question is - do we make the best use of our time every day and deepen our relationship with God this way?
Ephesians 5:14-16 tells us to be careful how we live, making the most of every opportunity. Listen time is precious, it's a gift from God. And while God doesn't want us so busy that we miss out on probably what a lot of us do with our time - we keep so busy we neglect to rest. Rest is a wise investment in time. Think of it this way, of the top 10 Commandments God uses one of them to tell us to take a day off.
Yet most of us realize time is ticking away and agree we should make the most of our time. But how? Let's start by asking God in prayer, talking with Him how He wants us spending our time, what He wants us doing. Then believe everything else will fall into it's place because we're spending our valuable time talking and listening to our great and glorious God.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Prayer of David
Read Psalm 141
Psalm 141 speaks so clearly about the kind of prayer life and relationship with God we all should desire. David writes about wanting his prayers to God being like a fragrant offering, a sacrifice to the God of heaven. Thinking about this should inspire our minds and our hearts because this is how God anticipates our relationship with Him.
And when David continues he asks God to guard his mouth so that the words that pour forth from his lips would be pleasing to the Lord. How often do we use our words for God's glory and for inspiring others? David's plea is that God would help him in this area - perhaps it was an area that David wrestled with in his own personal life. Then he says, Lord don't let my heart be drawn to anything that is evil. Now he's going deeper, now he's getting into the heart of the matter: motive.
This is what this psalm is all about. It's about David desiring correction when needed from as he says "a righteous man" who shows "kindness" when he rebukes. And it's about protection from God. You see David sees that when his eyes, our eyes are on the Lord, when we're focused on living for God that we'll walk this life in safety, unharmed by the traps and schemes of the wicked evildoers of our day. Listen there are those who do not want followers of Christ to follow Him. Yet greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world.
Psalm 141 speaks so clearly about the kind of prayer life and relationship with God we all should desire. David writes about wanting his prayers to God being like a fragrant offering, a sacrifice to the God of heaven. Thinking about this should inspire our minds and our hearts because this is how God anticipates our relationship with Him.
And when David continues he asks God to guard his mouth so that the words that pour forth from his lips would be pleasing to the Lord. How often do we use our words for God's glory and for inspiring others? David's plea is that God would help him in this area - perhaps it was an area that David wrestled with in his own personal life. Then he says, Lord don't let my heart be drawn to anything that is evil. Now he's going deeper, now he's getting into the heart of the matter: motive.
This is what this psalm is all about. It's about David desiring correction when needed from as he says "a righteous man" who shows "kindness" when he rebukes. And it's about protection from God. You see David sees that when his eyes, our eyes are on the Lord, when we're focused on living for God that we'll walk this life in safety, unharmed by the traps and schemes of the wicked evildoers of our day. Listen there are those who do not want followers of Christ to follow Him. Yet greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Rules or Relationship?
Read Exodus 20:1-21
What's the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase - The Ten Commandments? Is it Charlton Heston? Is it ancient and outdated rules? Or do you think about relationship?
Most think The Ten Commandments are all about rules when the truth is verse one tells us what it's all about. When God spoke these words - I am the LORD your God - He was telling Israel and telling us from the start He is all about desiring a relationship with His people.
When I read the commandments I see something Jesus Himself said. Jesus said, Love God and Love people. And this is the same thing The Ten Commandments tell us. The first four commandments have everything to do with honoring our Father in Heaven. And the last six commandments have everything to do with honoring people.
Ultimately in verse 20 Moses says God has given these commands to test our trust, to test our relationship with Him. And finishes by saying - "so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
Friends, God's always desired to have us in a right relationship with Him. Let's remember The Ten Commandments are all about honoring our Father by having no other gods before Him, by not taking part in idolatry or attributing to His name anything that cuts at the core of His character and finally by keeping the Sabbath, a days rest when we can reflect on the relationship God has established with His children. And let's be His people who also honor others.
What's the first thing you think of when you hear the phrase - The Ten Commandments? Is it Charlton Heston? Is it ancient and outdated rules? Or do you think about relationship?
Most think The Ten Commandments are all about rules when the truth is verse one tells us what it's all about. When God spoke these words - I am the LORD your God - He was telling Israel and telling us from the start He is all about desiring a relationship with His people.
When I read the commandments I see something Jesus Himself said. Jesus said, Love God and Love people. And this is the same thing The Ten Commandments tell us. The first four commandments have everything to do with honoring our Father in Heaven. And the last six commandments have everything to do with honoring people.
Ultimately in verse 20 Moses says God has given these commands to test our trust, to test our relationship with Him. And finishes by saying - "so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
Friends, God's always desired to have us in a right relationship with Him. Let's remember The Ten Commandments are all about honoring our Father by having no other gods before Him, by not taking part in idolatry or attributing to His name anything that cuts at the core of His character and finally by keeping the Sabbath, a days rest when we can reflect on the relationship God has established with His children. And let's be His people who also honor others.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
The Truth
Read John 8:31-47
This world we live in is full of varying opinions on just about everything we can think of. And this is true when it comes to our faith in Jesus Christ.
People believe different things based on different lines of rationale and reasoning. Yet Jesus plainly tells us it is the truth that will set us free and that if the Son sets us free, we will be free indeed. What exactly is Jesus talking about here? Read the text again and see that Jesus is referring to those who have no room for Jesus' word. Jesus says you are looking for a way to kill me because you are unlike Abraham, who you claim is your father. Abraham believed God, but these Jewish people Jesus was speaking to were unwilling to believe in God's Son. They were set in believing Jesus' message was not true.
Ever talk with someone who claims to know the will and way of God but after speaking with them you quickly assess they really don't know the God of the Bible? See, so many people create this image of God and their image of God surprisingly reflects the person you are talking with. And their God is really what they think is right, what they think is true.
Listen, as followers of Jesus we are called to know the truth of God. And this truth comes from the word of God. While others may claim to know truth, let's you and I make every effort to know the word of God because by Jesus' word we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.
This world we live in is full of varying opinions on just about everything we can think of. And this is true when it comes to our faith in Jesus Christ.
People believe different things based on different lines of rationale and reasoning. Yet Jesus plainly tells us it is the truth that will set us free and that if the Son sets us free, we will be free indeed. What exactly is Jesus talking about here? Read the text again and see that Jesus is referring to those who have no room for Jesus' word. Jesus says you are looking for a way to kill me because you are unlike Abraham, who you claim is your father. Abraham believed God, but these Jewish people Jesus was speaking to were unwilling to believe in God's Son. They were set in believing Jesus' message was not true.
Ever talk with someone who claims to know the will and way of God but after speaking with them you quickly assess they really don't know the God of the Bible? See, so many people create this image of God and their image of God surprisingly reflects the person you are talking with. And their God is really what they think is right, what they think is true.
Listen, as followers of Jesus we are called to know the truth of God. And this truth comes from the word of God. While others may claim to know truth, let's you and I make every effort to know the word of God because by Jesus' word we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
People Matter
Read Matthew 9:35-38
It's easy for us to forget what mattered most to Jesus. It's clear in our passage this week that what mattered most to Jesus is a few things: teaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness of the people. You see, people mattered to Jesus. He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. So as He traveled He spoke about the kingdom of God; He cared about their spiritual and physical needs. And then what He said next must stand out to us - He said "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
What mattered to Jesus must matter to us. People are so important to God that He sent His Son to teach us what we need to know about the kingdom of God, to go and help people spiritually and physically.
The question to personally consider is this - am I willing to be God's worker in the harvest field? God desires we all would realize our role and responsibility when it comes to seeking people who are lost and matter so much to the living God.
It's easy for us to forget what mattered most to Jesus. It's clear in our passage this week that what mattered most to Jesus is a few things: teaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness of the people. You see, people mattered to Jesus. He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. So as He traveled He spoke about the kingdom of God; He cared about their spiritual and physical needs. And then what He said next must stand out to us - He said "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
What mattered to Jesus must matter to us. People are so important to God that He sent His Son to teach us what we need to know about the kingdom of God, to go and help people spiritually and physically.
The question to personally consider is this - am I willing to be God's worker in the harvest field? God desires we all would realize our role and responsibility when it comes to seeking people who are lost and matter so much to the living God.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Ministry Handoff...
Read 1 Kings 19:15-21
The prophet Elijah is commanded to anoint several people to several different roles and responsibilities. The first was to anoint Hazael king over Aram; then Jehu as King over Israel; then Elisha to succeed Elijah.
Do you ever wonder what Elijah must have been thinking after he's told to anoint Elisha? The first two, Hazael and Jehu, they were easier I'm sure for him to accept. But Elisha was going to replace him. And that meant something new and different was going to happen with Elijah.
We're told in v. 21 that Elisha becomes Elijah's attendant, meaning he was going to serve alongside Elijah until the time when the Lord would call Elijah home. And it means Elijah would need to prepare Elisha for replacing him in ministry.
The question we should ask ourselves is who are we preparing to follow us in ministry. Who are we in the process of helping to serve God in our place when it's time for us to pass on our faith to the next generation?
God makes it clear to Elijah and I believe He makes it clear to us, we are to be intentional with preparing the next generation to follow God. And it's important for us to realize this begins with how we are following God ourselves. If we're not following God the way God intends and desires then we'll be passing on something, but not what God wants us to pass on. Let's begin this week with entrusting ourselves to our heavenly Father so when it's time to pass on our faith and ministry to another, we're ready.
The prophet Elijah is commanded to anoint several people to several different roles and responsibilities. The first was to anoint Hazael king over Aram; then Jehu as King over Israel; then Elisha to succeed Elijah.
Do you ever wonder what Elijah must have been thinking after he's told to anoint Elisha? The first two, Hazael and Jehu, they were easier I'm sure for him to accept. But Elisha was going to replace him. And that meant something new and different was going to happen with Elijah.
We're told in v. 21 that Elisha becomes Elijah's attendant, meaning he was going to serve alongside Elijah until the time when the Lord would call Elijah home. And it means Elijah would need to prepare Elisha for replacing him in ministry.
The question we should ask ourselves is who are we preparing to follow us in ministry. Who are we in the process of helping to serve God in our place when it's time for us to pass on our faith to the next generation?
God makes it clear to Elijah and I believe He makes it clear to us, we are to be intentional with preparing the next generation to follow God. And it's important for us to realize this begins with how we are following God ourselves. If we're not following God the way God intends and desires then we'll be passing on something, but not what God wants us to pass on. Let's begin this week with entrusting ourselves to our heavenly Father so when it's time to pass on our faith and ministry to another, we're ready.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Word of God
Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17
What does the phrase word of God mean to you? Recently I had a conversation with someone who claims faith in Christ yet during our conversation it became clear the word of God wasn't something that he believed could be known to be from God. In fact many people today doubt the word of God is in fact from God. They believe it's just something men passed down to one another, kind of like whisper down the lane. Therefore, the word of God for them isn't a matter of this is what the Lord God Almighty says, it's just something men passed down from one generation to the next.
So the question arises, if it isn't the word of God then what is it? More pointedly, then what is it we believe? If we belive it's not the word of God, then what do we believe?
The truth is if we follow this line of reasoning our faith is not much more than you and I believing what we think is right. And that puts us in the position of God - doesn't it? Where what we believe ought to be is what we base our life on and so our lives are nothing more than following ourselves.
Take a look at how Scripture was carefully handed down from God to man and then from one generation to the next and it's hard to believe we can come to the conclusion that the word of God isn't the word of God. From how we got the Bible to Jesus' own words where He quotes the Scripture as the very word of God it is hard to come to the conclusion that we can't trust the word of God as the Word of God.
This week, let's put to memory 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What does the phrase word of God mean to you? Recently I had a conversation with someone who claims faith in Christ yet during our conversation it became clear the word of God wasn't something that he believed could be known to be from God. In fact many people today doubt the word of God is in fact from God. They believe it's just something men passed down to one another, kind of like whisper down the lane. Therefore, the word of God for them isn't a matter of this is what the Lord God Almighty says, it's just something men passed down from one generation to the next.
So the question arises, if it isn't the word of God then what is it? More pointedly, then what is it we believe? If we belive it's not the word of God, then what do we believe?
The truth is if we follow this line of reasoning our faith is not much more than you and I believing what we think is right. And that puts us in the position of God - doesn't it? Where what we believe ought to be is what we base our life on and so our lives are nothing more than following ourselves.
Take a look at how Scripture was carefully handed down from God to man and then from one generation to the next and it's hard to believe we can come to the conclusion that the word of God isn't the word of God. From how we got the Bible to Jesus' own words where He quotes the Scripture as the very word of God it is hard to come to the conclusion that we can't trust the word of God as the Word of God.
This week, let's put to memory 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
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