Read Romans 13:8-14
The law of love is expressed in Romans 13:8-14. It's a law of continuing in the debt of loving one another because when we love one another we fulfill the law. Paul tells the Romans the commands are summed up in this one rule - Love your neighbor as yourself.
Wouldn't life really be a whole lot simpler if we really understood this godly principle and lived it out with the power and help of the Holy Spirit? Now let's be honest, life isn't all that simple because people have issues. You have issues, I have issues, everybody has issues. But Paul concludes his thoughts this way - whatever happens let's clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. This is our foundation and our strength; our hope and our ability to living it out - the law of love.
The only ongoing debt we are told in Scripture to keep is this continuing debt to love one another. A word of caution - loving others doesn't always mean we do what they want, give what they want, jump when they say jump. Loving others is taking the word of God, listening and learning and following the Spirit of God as He directs you and me to live out our faith. There is no formula for what this looks like, when to act or when not to. But there is the word of God that informs and instructs and tells us what we need to know to live holy and godly lives. Loving God and loving people is what our faith is all about. Follow Him in actions and attitudes and trust that God will lead us to live it out one day at a time.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Generous on Every Occasion
Read 2 Corinthians 6:9-11
God's desire is that on every occasion we would be generous with what we have. This biblical principle reflects the character and nature of God. As followers it should also reflect our character and nature as believers desiring to be the people God wants us to be.
So what gets in our way? What blocks us from being generous with what God has freely blessed us with? While the answers abound, the few that come immediately to mind are selfishness and mindlessness. So often we get wrapped up in our own lives and what we need and want that we forget about others. It happens more than we'd like to admit. And quite frankly, we focus on ourselves with our needs and wants while missing that so many of us are blessed beyond belief.
One of the real dilemmas we face is we think this is about the other guy. We think it's the other guy who is blessed beyond belief while we are just trying to get by. However, when we stop and evaluate our abundance it's a quick reminder that we have so much in life and God wants us to bless others so that they might come to know Him. Listen, we're talking about blessing others so that through generosity the result will be thanksgiving to God. Let's not ever miss that.
This Thanksgiving - consider how you might be a blessing to others. Maybe it's through a physical need, an emotional need, a relational need or some combination of the these needs. Whatever it is - be generous on every occasion because God is good; because God is worthy to be praised. So let's live our lives with generosity on every occasion giving thanks to God in every way possible.
God's desire is that on every occasion we would be generous with what we have. This biblical principle reflects the character and nature of God. As followers it should also reflect our character and nature as believers desiring to be the people God wants us to be.
So what gets in our way? What blocks us from being generous with what God has freely blessed us with? While the answers abound, the few that come immediately to mind are selfishness and mindlessness. So often we get wrapped up in our own lives and what we need and want that we forget about others. It happens more than we'd like to admit. And quite frankly, we focus on ourselves with our needs and wants while missing that so many of us are blessed beyond belief.
One of the real dilemmas we face is we think this is about the other guy. We think it's the other guy who is blessed beyond belief while we are just trying to get by. However, when we stop and evaluate our abundance it's a quick reminder that we have so much in life and God wants us to bless others so that they might come to know Him. Listen, we're talking about blessing others so that through generosity the result will be thanksgiving to God. Let's not ever miss that.
This Thanksgiving - consider how you might be a blessing to others. Maybe it's through a physical need, an emotional need, a relational need or some combination of the these needs. Whatever it is - be generous on every occasion because God is good; because God is worthy to be praised. So let's live our lives with generosity on every occasion giving thanks to God in every way possible.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Know that I am God
Read Psalm 46
We are so inundated with life and all the happenings going on around us that we get so caught up in our lives that we forget these important words in Psalm 46:10.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Listen knowing God is the greatest, most important thing you and I can ever do. Who He is and how we respond determines everything about us. His proclamation - I will be exalted above the nation, I will be exalted in the earth - is so important for you and I to meditate about. He will be exalted - period.
May the prayer of our life be that we exalt Him with our actions and attitudes. May others see us and see a reflection of who God is because we follow the exalted and Most High God.
We are so inundated with life and all the happenings going on around us that we get so caught up in our lives that we forget these important words in Psalm 46:10.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Listen knowing God is the greatest, most important thing you and I can ever do. Who He is and how we respond determines everything about us. His proclamation - I will be exalted above the nation, I will be exalted in the earth - is so important for you and I to meditate about. He will be exalted - period.
May the prayer of our life be that we exalt Him with our actions and attitudes. May others see us and see a reflection of who God is because we follow the exalted and Most High God.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Responding in kind?
Read 1 Peter 2:21-25
So often we respond in kind to others just as they respond to us. Sometimes that's good and sometimes that's not so good - you know what I mean?!
Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:21-25 how Jesus responded. When He suffered, he left us an example to follow. Now I'm going to be completely honest with you - His example is hard to follow. Verse 23a is what hits me the hardest. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Question - is this how we respond? When someone insults you or me, what's our natural response? When we suffer, do we seek revenge?
Peter tells us Jesus' response was supernatural. He neither retaliated, nor did He make threats. Verse 23b tells us - Instead, he (Jesus) entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Now that's how I want to respond but my natural self says - no way! But you and I, once we come into a relationship with Jesus, when we call ourselves Christians it means we are followers of Jesus. This means we are to follow His example. And that means we can respond supernaturally. We can turn our attention to God who judges all things justly and we can entrust ourselves to God to take care of everything we face. Listen, this doesn't mean we will never want to retaliate or seek revenge when we are wronged. What it means is believers can respond in kind by following the example of Jesus because we have the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
So often we respond in kind to others just as they respond to us. Sometimes that's good and sometimes that's not so good - you know what I mean?!
Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:21-25 how Jesus responded. When He suffered, he left us an example to follow. Now I'm going to be completely honest with you - His example is hard to follow. Verse 23a is what hits me the hardest. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Question - is this how we respond? When someone insults you or me, what's our natural response? When we suffer, do we seek revenge?
Peter tells us Jesus' response was supernatural. He neither retaliated, nor did He make threats. Verse 23b tells us - Instead, he (Jesus) entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Now that's how I want to respond but my natural self says - no way! But you and I, once we come into a relationship with Jesus, when we call ourselves Christians it means we are followers of Jesus. This means we are to follow His example. And that means we can respond supernaturally. We can turn our attention to God who judges all things justly and we can entrust ourselves to God to take care of everything we face. Listen, this doesn't mean we will never want to retaliate or seek revenge when we are wronged. What it means is believers can respond in kind by following the example of Jesus because we have the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The Little Things...
Read Judges 2
So often we quarrel about the little things, we think they really don't matter. And generally speaking that is so true. But when reading through the book of Judges recently (and admittedly after reading through Joshua as well) it is quite clear the little things matter.
While preparing to speak at Hope's recent annual Men's Weekend retreat, it was clear studying Joshua's life and Israel's history that God cares about the little things. Time after time we see Israel missing the little things and consequences follow. When Moses chose to strike the rock instead of obeying God who told Moses to speak to the rock so that water would come out for the Israelites, Moses suffered the consequences. Then in Joshua when the Israelites didn't completely listen to God in Joshua 7 and 9, again consequences came when they skipped over the little things. Now in Judges we see Israel not following the little things God required of them.
Listen, what seems like little things to you and me are not so little to God. He is a holy, just, and righteous God who desires that our lives follow Him without skipping over the little things. We can all admit this is hard, but God doesn't call us to do what He doesn't equip us to do.
Spend time reading and learning from the mistakes made by the Israelites in Judges 2. And let's not skip over the little things in our lives but consider even these little things to be big in God's sight.
So often we quarrel about the little things, we think they really don't matter. And generally speaking that is so true. But when reading through the book of Judges recently (and admittedly after reading through Joshua as well) it is quite clear the little things matter.
While preparing to speak at Hope's recent annual Men's Weekend retreat, it was clear studying Joshua's life and Israel's history that God cares about the little things. Time after time we see Israel missing the little things and consequences follow. When Moses chose to strike the rock instead of obeying God who told Moses to speak to the rock so that water would come out for the Israelites, Moses suffered the consequences. Then in Joshua when the Israelites didn't completely listen to God in Joshua 7 and 9, again consequences came when they skipped over the little things. Now in Judges we see Israel not following the little things God required of them.
Listen, what seems like little things to you and me are not so little to God. He is a holy, just, and righteous God who desires that our lives follow Him without skipping over the little things. We can all admit this is hard, but God doesn't call us to do what He doesn't equip us to do.
Spend time reading and learning from the mistakes made by the Israelites in Judges 2. And let's not skip over the little things in our lives but consider even these little things to be big in God's sight.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Word of God
Read Psalm 119:105-112
There's something Joshua, Jesus and Paul all had in common. Their ministry success was based on the word of God. Yes it's true others in scripture were committed and successful because they followed the word of God, but these three men specifically come to mind when one thinks of the word and its impact in their lives.
First their is Joshua. He is told as he is ready to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land the importance of the word of God. He's told in Joshua 1:8 - Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Jesus says in Mark 1:38 - Let us go somewhere else - to the nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come. And Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:17 - For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel - not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
You see, over and over again we're told how the word of God is so important to our faith and to life. With the word of God we are given direction and purpose. It also tells us everything we need to know (note - not everthing there is to know).
Take time this week and spend time in His word. We all have our own ideas and thoughts and yet God wants us following His. We do this best when we are in the word which gives us what we need when we need it.
There's something Joshua, Jesus and Paul all had in common. Their ministry success was based on the word of God. Yes it's true others in scripture were committed and successful because they followed the word of God, but these three men specifically come to mind when one thinks of the word and its impact in their lives.
First their is Joshua. He is told as he is ready to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land the importance of the word of God. He's told in Joshua 1:8 - Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Jesus says in Mark 1:38 - Let us go somewhere else - to the nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come. And Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:17 - For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel - not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
You see, over and over again we're told how the word of God is so important to our faith and to life. With the word of God we are given direction and purpose. It also tells us everything we need to know (note - not everthing there is to know).
Take time this week and spend time in His word. We all have our own ideas and thoughts and yet God wants us following His. We do this best when we are in the word which gives us what we need when we need it.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
From Alienation to Reconciliation
Read Colossians 1:21-23
The gospel is mentioned throughout the New Testament; by Jesus and His followers. But really what is it? What's the message of the gospel?
While in seminary one professor referenced 1 Corinthians 15 where the Apostle Paul writes the gospel is about Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection as a great passage to help explain what the gospel is. And for years it's been where I've turned for perhaps one of the best explanations of what the gospel is all about. However, the other day I read Colossians 1:21-23 and saw something perhaps even better (if that's even possible to compare one part of scripture as "better" than another).
Paul writes to the Christians at Colosse and says the gospel is simply this - before you came to know Jesus as the forgiver of your sins and leader of your lives you were alienated, living as enemies of Christ because of our evil and sinful behavior. But now God has reconciled our relationship with God by the physical death of Jesus. He writes anyone who believes this is "holy in his sight" because by faith we've accepted Jesus' work on the cross, His paying for our sins sacrifically what we could never pay by our own effort.
Friends this is the gospel that was proclaimed in Jesus and Paul's day; and it's this gospel we are to share today with every creature under heaven. Listen, God desires that no one should perish and experience eternal separation from Him. So let's be part of sharing this message so all mankind can go from alienation to reconciliation with our heavenly Father.
The gospel is mentioned throughout the New Testament; by Jesus and His followers. But really what is it? What's the message of the gospel?
While in seminary one professor referenced 1 Corinthians 15 where the Apostle Paul writes the gospel is about Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection as a great passage to help explain what the gospel is. And for years it's been where I've turned for perhaps one of the best explanations of what the gospel is all about. However, the other day I read Colossians 1:21-23 and saw something perhaps even better (if that's even possible to compare one part of scripture as "better" than another).
Paul writes to the Christians at Colosse and says the gospel is simply this - before you came to know Jesus as the forgiver of your sins and leader of your lives you were alienated, living as enemies of Christ because of our evil and sinful behavior. But now God has reconciled our relationship with God by the physical death of Jesus. He writes anyone who believes this is "holy in his sight" because by faith we've accepted Jesus' work on the cross, His paying for our sins sacrifically what we could never pay by our own effort.
Friends this is the gospel that was proclaimed in Jesus and Paul's day; and it's this gospel we are to share today with every creature under heaven. Listen, God desires that no one should perish and experience eternal separation from Him. So let's be part of sharing this message so all mankind can go from alienation to reconciliation with our heavenly Father.
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