One day, a man went to visit a church. He got there early, parked his car and got out. Another car pulled up near him. The driver got out and said, "I always park there! You took my place!"
The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!" The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.
After Sunday School, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit! You took my place!"
The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still He said nothing.
Later as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?"
The visitor replied, as his hat became a crown of thorns, and a tear
fell from his eye, "I took your place."
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inspiration. Show all posts
Monday, August 9, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Drawing Heaven
Watch and listen to the amazing story behind this young girl as she obtains her painting inspiration from God.
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:11
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Knowing how it's going to end
I see many interesting things on my drive to work. This morning I saw a van with a vanity license plate. The plate read "DTH N TAX" which is eluding to the Death and Taxes quote by Benjamin Franklin which goes...
"but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."
Mr. Franklin got two-thirds of it right. The part that's missing, of course, is Jesus. There is nothing more certain in life than Jesus. He is our guide, our protector, our conscience, our inspiration, and our comfort. That much I'm certain.
When it comes to "Certainty" the entire Book of Revelation is based on certain events that will transpire before, during, and after the final coming of Christ. Since Revelation details these event for us the only unanswered question is when...
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.
-Mark 13:32-33
Continuing on with this thought let's say someone records (DVR, Tivo, etc.) a sports game from their television. Before they get to watch the game, they hear who wins. So, the final outcome is already known and whether they choose to watch the game is up to them.
We have an advantage that we know for absolute certainty that Christ will come again. Our DVR is the Bible. It's God's pre-recorded message to us. It gives us the knowledge to follow the path to righteousness. We know how the story is going to end...whether or not we continue to educate ourselves with God's word is up us. But one thing is for certain...Jesus is the only way.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
-John 14:6
This post was inspired by my best friend who always says, "Jesus is the only way."
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
"but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."
Mr. Franklin got two-thirds of it right. The part that's missing, of course, is Jesus. There is nothing more certain in life than Jesus. He is our guide, our protector, our conscience, our inspiration, and our comfort. That much I'm certain.
When it comes to "Certainty" the entire Book of Revelation is based on certain events that will transpire before, during, and after the final coming of Christ. Since Revelation details these event for us the only unanswered question is when...
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.
-Mark 13:32-33
Continuing on with this thought let's say someone records (DVR, Tivo, etc.) a sports game from their television. Before they get to watch the game, they hear who wins. So, the final outcome is already known and whether they choose to watch the game is up to them.
We have an advantage that we know for absolute certainty that Christ will come again. Our DVR is the Bible. It's God's pre-recorded message to us. It gives us the knowledge to follow the path to righteousness. We know how the story is going to end...whether or not we continue to educate ourselves with God's word is up us. But one thing is for certain...Jesus is the only way.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
-John 14:6
This post was inspired by my best friend who always says, "Jesus is the only way."
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Serving Others
Little Jimmy had lived on the streets since he was 8 years old and today was his 10th birthday. But, to Jimmy, that didn't really matter much at all. The only thing that mattered to him was that the local food bank would be opening it's doors at 6pm sharp. Jimmy looked forward to Thursday evenings because each week he was able to go down and get a nice hot meal for free.
Jimmy arrived at the food bank around 5pm and there was already a line of about 30 other homeless people. During his weekly visits to the food bank, Jimmy had met a wonderful older lady named Teresa. Teresa was in her 70's and came down every Thursday evening to help pass out food. She always smiled and hugged Jimmy when he came in. On most occasions Jimmy came more to see Teresa than he did for the meal itself. She was like a grandmother to him. She was always so kind and would often bring him a blanket, box of crackers, or a 6 pack of Dr. Pepper, which was Jimmy's favorite!
Finally, the doors opened and Jimmy was pushed inside by the crowd behind him. Like a herd of cattle they lined up and received their hot plates of food. But one thing was missing...tonight Teresa was no where to be found. It was then that Jimmy felt an arm touch his shoulder. Smiling, he whirled around thinking it was Teresa. Another familiar older lady named Beatrice bent down to Jimmy's height and struggled with a smile. "I'm sorry Jimmy." The women said, as wetness began to swirl up in her foggy eyes. "Teresa won't be coming here any longer. God called her home last night." Jimmy unconsciously dropped his plate. It was the only hot meal he would have for another week. He cried bitterly for the rest of that night.
Many years later Jimmy sat behind a polished wooden desk. Numerous certificates and accolades hung from his wall proving he was a well educated man. He was now the Executive Vice President of a large Fortune 200 Technology company. Jimmy or "Big Jim" as he was called across the enterprise, was known for getting teams to deliver on schedule regardless of how bad the situation was. Basically, he came in and "corrected" projects that were at risk of not meeting customer deadlines.
Today, he was getting ready to speak with one of his company's project managers. This particular young lady had been with the company for less than a year. More importantly, this particular software project she was managing was over budget, behind schedule, and the customer was very close to pulling the plug.
Big Jim was getting himself pumped up to put this lady in her place. His plan was to bombard her with several questions that she could not answer and then degrade every decision she had made on the project. Finally, he was going to fire her and take over the project himself. He had done it many times before and this time was going to be no different.
Big Jim motioned for the woman to come into his office. She sat down and smiled. Unlike many of the other times he'd done this, Big Jim noticed something strangely different in that smile that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"I'm Teresa, Teresa Myers, she said, extending her hand." Big Jim wasn't accustomed to his "victims" talking first and for the first time in many years he was caught a little off guard. Without even realizing what he was saying, he responded, "I'm Jimmy, errr I mean Jim. Call me Jim." He stated, trying to compose himself and remain in "Executive mode".
"Oh." Teresa replied with a smile. "My grandfathers name was Jimmy and I'm actually named after my grandmother." Jim tried to act interested and nodded as he took a drink of the Dr. Pepper can on his desk. "And wouldn't you know", she continued, pointing at his drink. "Dr. Pepper was her favorite drink also. She use to take 6 packs down the food bank every Thursday and give them to the orphans."
Instantly, Jim's body went numb. He slowly lowered the can (which now was shaking in his hand) and leaned forward. It took him several seconds to speak and Teresa patiently sat through the silence as he brought back a buried memory. When Jim finally composed himself, he looked Teresa square in the eye and said, "Let's see how the two of us can get this project back on track."
In this story, Big Jim is reminded of the kindness that the old woman (Teresa) gave to him each time he visited the local food bank. She didn't have to show him the kindness that she did, but without even knowing it she changed a young orphans life. After her death, it was then that Little Jimmy no longer had a desire to go to the food bank. Losing Teresa actually motivated him to get off the streets and make a better life for himself. Once Jim realized that he was speaking to Teresa's granddaughter, his heart was immediately flooded with compassion and he decided to help (and not fire) this young project manager.
If we look at Mark 10:35-45 James and John boldly ask Jesus to allow one of them to sit at His right hand and the other on His left in Heaven. Jesus clears up the "I want to be the greatest" attitude by saying...
whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Mark 10:43-45
The Lesson:
The word "ministry" in the New Testament translates to mean "servanthood in the service of love". We might often find more joy in ministering to the needs of others rather than to our own. It may not be an immediate satisfaction, but you can be certain it will be felt by the person(s) on the receiving end.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
1 Peter 4:10
Ultimately, it would be very difficult to imagine a world without people like Teresa in it. Those who volunteer their time for the needs of the poor are favored in God's eyes. If the Lord Jesus Christ came to serve others, then what should our role be towards one other?
In the end, Jim learned that we all become great in God's eyes when we help other people become greater than ourselves.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Jimmy arrived at the food bank around 5pm and there was already a line of about 30 other homeless people. During his weekly visits to the food bank, Jimmy had met a wonderful older lady named Teresa. Teresa was in her 70's and came down every Thursday evening to help pass out food. She always smiled and hugged Jimmy when he came in. On most occasions Jimmy came more to see Teresa than he did for the meal itself. She was like a grandmother to him. She was always so kind and would often bring him a blanket, box of crackers, or a 6 pack of Dr. Pepper, which was Jimmy's favorite!
Finally, the doors opened and Jimmy was pushed inside by the crowd behind him. Like a herd of cattle they lined up and received their hot plates of food. But one thing was missing...tonight Teresa was no where to be found. It was then that Jimmy felt an arm touch his shoulder. Smiling, he whirled around thinking it was Teresa. Another familiar older lady named Beatrice bent down to Jimmy's height and struggled with a smile. "I'm sorry Jimmy." The women said, as wetness began to swirl up in her foggy eyes. "Teresa won't be coming here any longer. God called her home last night." Jimmy unconsciously dropped his plate. It was the only hot meal he would have for another week. He cried bitterly for the rest of that night.
* * *
Many years later Jimmy sat behind a polished wooden desk. Numerous certificates and accolades hung from his wall proving he was a well educated man. He was now the Executive Vice President of a large Fortune 200 Technology company. Jimmy or "Big Jim" as he was called across the enterprise, was known for getting teams to deliver on schedule regardless of how bad the situation was. Basically, he came in and "corrected" projects that were at risk of not meeting customer deadlines.
Today, he was getting ready to speak with one of his company's project managers. This particular young lady had been with the company for less than a year. More importantly, this particular software project she was managing was over budget, behind schedule, and the customer was very close to pulling the plug.
Big Jim was getting himself pumped up to put this lady in her place. His plan was to bombard her with several questions that she could not answer and then degrade every decision she had made on the project. Finally, he was going to fire her and take over the project himself. He had done it many times before and this time was going to be no different.
Big Jim motioned for the woman to come into his office. She sat down and smiled. Unlike many of the other times he'd done this, Big Jim noticed something strangely different in that smile that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"I'm Teresa, Teresa Myers, she said, extending her hand." Big Jim wasn't accustomed to his "victims" talking first and for the first time in many years he was caught a little off guard. Without even realizing what he was saying, he responded, "I'm Jimmy, errr I mean Jim. Call me Jim." He stated, trying to compose himself and remain in "Executive mode".
"Oh." Teresa replied with a smile. "My grandfathers name was Jimmy and I'm actually named after my grandmother." Jim tried to act interested and nodded as he took a drink of the Dr. Pepper can on his desk. "And wouldn't you know", she continued, pointing at his drink. "Dr. Pepper was her favorite drink also. She use to take 6 packs down the food bank every Thursday and give them to the orphans."
Instantly, Jim's body went numb. He slowly lowered the can (which now was shaking in his hand) and leaned forward. It took him several seconds to speak and Teresa patiently sat through the silence as he brought back a buried memory. When Jim finally composed himself, he looked Teresa square in the eye and said, "Let's see how the two of us can get this project back on track."
In this story, Big Jim is reminded of the kindness that the old woman (Teresa) gave to him each time he visited the local food bank. She didn't have to show him the kindness that she did, but without even knowing it she changed a young orphans life. After her death, it was then that Little Jimmy no longer had a desire to go to the food bank. Losing Teresa actually motivated him to get off the streets and make a better life for himself. Once Jim realized that he was speaking to Teresa's granddaughter, his heart was immediately flooded with compassion and he decided to help (and not fire) this young project manager.
If we look at Mark 10:35-45 James and John boldly ask Jesus to allow one of them to sit at His right hand and the other on His left in Heaven. Jesus clears up the "I want to be the greatest" attitude by saying...
whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Mark 10:43-45
The Lesson:
The word "ministry" in the New Testament translates to mean "servanthood in the service of love". We might often find more joy in ministering to the needs of others rather than to our own. It may not be an immediate satisfaction, but you can be certain it will be felt by the person(s) on the receiving end.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
1 Peter 4:10
Ultimately, it would be very difficult to imagine a world without people like Teresa in it. Those who volunteer their time for the needs of the poor are favored in God's eyes. If the Lord Jesus Christ came to serve others, then what should our role be towards one other?
In the end, Jim learned that we all become great in God's eyes when we help other people become greater than ourselves.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Journey
The record of the oldest person in the world to receive a college diploma is Nola Ochs. She received her Bachelor's degree in general studies and history from the Fort Hays State University, which is in the state of Kansas. It was a wonderful moment when the Governor Kathleen Sebelius awarded the degree to Nola Ochs and the crowd of 2176 graduates broke into a standing ovation at her achievement, which included Nola Ochs' own granddaughter Alexandra Ochs (the 21 year old graduated with her) . The ovation was actually against the rule as according to the rule no one would applaud or create any sort of mayhem in the graduation hall until the entire class was awarded the degrees. Nola Ochs was 95 years old when she received her Bachelor's degree on May 14th 2007. But that does not seem to be the end of her educational career. If things go right, she is even planning to pursue a Master's degree.
We've all had something that was really important for us to complete. Can you remember the last time that you wanted to achieve something and put everything you had into it? It might have been studying for a degree, training for a marathon, working toward a promotion, building something by hand, etc.
Whatever it might have been - you put everything you had into it. Perhaps it even consumed your daily thoughts and you even scheduled activities around it.
Yeah, we've all been there at least once.
That's the journey...and the journey is the part that we remember the most. Because once we achieve our goal (the destination), we feel relieved and proud of our accomplishment. Ultimately, it's the journey that molds us into the person that we needed to be in order to achieve our goal.
Think about how this translates in our relationship with Jesus. What if we put everything we had into following and obeying His word? How do you think you would change as a person? If we are going to be consumed with something, let's get consumed with the Holy Spirit. It's only then that we start to appreciate the challenges and difficulty of our journey. Then the Lord will reward us when we reach our final destination.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life"will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:34-36
Each person has their own unique journey through life and not all of us are blessed with longevity. So, the question is...are we doing the things that we need to do now, in order to reach our final destination?
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
We've all had something that was really important for us to complete. Can you remember the last time that you wanted to achieve something and put everything you had into it? It might have been studying for a degree, training for a marathon, working toward a promotion, building something by hand, etc.
Whatever it might have been - you put everything you had into it. Perhaps it even consumed your daily thoughts and you even scheduled activities around it.
Yeah, we've all been there at least once.
That's the journey...and the journey is the part that we remember the most. Because once we achieve our goal (the destination), we feel relieved and proud of our accomplishment. Ultimately, it's the journey that molds us into the person that we needed to be in order to achieve our goal.
Think about how this translates in our relationship with Jesus. What if we put everything we had into following and obeying His word? How do you think you would change as a person? If we are going to be consumed with something, let's get consumed with the Holy Spirit. It's only then that we start to appreciate the challenges and difficulty of our journey. Then the Lord will reward us when we reach our final destination.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life"will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:34-36
Each person has their own unique journey through life and not all of us are blessed with longevity. So, the question is...are we doing the things that we need to do now, in order to reach our final destination?
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
God is our Catcher
Picture yourself as a baseball player.
But you are not just ANY baseball player, you are a pitcher! It's your job to stand tall on the mound, throw strikes, and get opposing batters out. Being a pitcher, you are proud, because you have a superior arm and are always the center of attention. However, in order for you to be successful you must have excellent non-verbal communication with your catcher. The catchers responsibility is to give you a signal, (telling you what type of pitch to throw) then once he catches the ball, he'll throw it back to you. Being the proud pitcher that you are, sometimes you listen or agree with the signal your catcher gives you and sometimes you disagree and "shake him off", because you want throw an entirely different pitch.
Let's stop here for a minute...I'm going to pick this back up again, but want to briefly change gears for a moment...
How many times have worries kept you up at night?
We all experience stress in our lives and sometimes the daily struggle of life can take a toll on our bodies - spiritually, mentally, and physically. We might worry about a thousand-and-one different things ranging from...money, relationships, career, being late, children, weather, food, illness, etc. and we all handle these situations differently.
I get told by my wife all the time that I'm too laid back. She's right, I am laid back. But, I also try not to get worked up over things that might be outside of my immediate control. Worrying about something does not make the current situation any easier. In fact, it makes it more difficult because now your body is attempting to compensate for the added stress, along with trying to think through the particular problem.
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus speaks to a gathering and tells them they should not be concerned with their daily needs. He is basically telling them that worry and anxiety are fruitless emotions that cause more harm than good. He also tells them that worrying will not extend their life, so why bother?
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life
Matt 6:27
When you have worries, pray to God and allow Him to deal with your worries in His own way. Transfer your worries to Him. God wants us to be dependent on Him. Remember - we are His children and He is our Father.
Now back to the pitcher story...
Since we've already established that you are the pitcher, now let's say God is your catcher. God gives you "signals" (Holy Spirit) in an attempt to tell you what type of pitch you need to throw. When you do throw it, God always catches it. Do the same with your worries, throw them to God. In your life the "bases might be loaded" and He is signaling for us to toss away our worries and He will catch them. That's how much He loves us. But, before He can take away our worries, we must first be willing to trust that He is giving us the right "signal."
Trust in the Lord and allow Him to catch your worries. He is constantly signaling us and trying to get our attention. Let us seek and find Him.
Here is the passage from Matthew that inspired this posting:
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
But you are not just ANY baseball player, you are a pitcher! It's your job to stand tall on the mound, throw strikes, and get opposing batters out. Being a pitcher, you are proud, because you have a superior arm and are always the center of attention. However, in order for you to be successful you must have excellent non-verbal communication with your catcher. The catchers responsibility is to give you a signal, (telling you what type of pitch to throw) then once he catches the ball, he'll throw it back to you. Being the proud pitcher that you are, sometimes you listen or agree with the signal your catcher gives you and sometimes you disagree and "shake him off", because you want throw an entirely different pitch.
Let's stop here for a minute...I'm going to pick this back up again, but want to briefly change gears for a moment...
How many times have worries kept you up at night?
We all experience stress in our lives and sometimes the daily struggle of life can take a toll on our bodies - spiritually, mentally, and physically. We might worry about a thousand-and-one different things ranging from...money, relationships, career, being late, children, weather, food, illness, etc. and we all handle these situations differently.
I get told by my wife all the time that I'm too laid back. She's right, I am laid back. But, I also try not to get worked up over things that might be outside of my immediate control. Worrying about something does not make the current situation any easier. In fact, it makes it more difficult because now your body is attempting to compensate for the added stress, along with trying to think through the particular problem.
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus speaks to a gathering and tells them they should not be concerned with their daily needs. He is basically telling them that worry and anxiety are fruitless emotions that cause more harm than good. He also tells them that worrying will not extend their life, so why bother?
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life
Matt 6:27
When you have worries, pray to God and allow Him to deal with your worries in His own way. Transfer your worries to Him. God wants us to be dependent on Him. Remember - we are His children and He is our Father.
Now back to the pitcher story...
Since we've already established that you are the pitcher, now let's say God is your catcher. God gives you "signals" (Holy Spirit) in an attempt to tell you what type of pitch you need to throw. When you do throw it, God always catches it. Do the same with your worries, throw them to God. In your life the "bases might be loaded" and He is signaling for us to toss away our worries and He will catch them. That's how much He loves us. But, before He can take away our worries, we must first be willing to trust that He is giving us the right "signal."
Trust in the Lord and allow Him to catch your worries. He is constantly signaling us and trying to get our attention. Let us seek and find Him.
Here is the passage from Matthew that inspired this posting:
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matt 6:25-34
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Did God Create Evil?
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis1:1
Even those who have never read a single verse from the bible have (most likely) heard the first verse from the book of Genesis. However, God did not create man to act like robots. He did not create us to be pre-programmed to do His will or obey Him. God granted us with individual minds, feelings, and a free will to choose.
Without blinking an eye, we make thousands of unconscious decisions each day. However, God chose to give us the breath of life. God chose to put us on this earth and God chose for us to live in order to glorify His name. Obviously, we also have a choice to follow Him.
I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
Deuteronomy 32:3
With that being said, one question still remains...
If God created everything...Did God create Evil?
The following dialogue was provided by a new friend of mine (thank you Jan!) and with her permission I am posting it here. After you read this, it will make you think about things differently.
The Debate
At a certain college there was a professor with a reputation for being tough on Christians. At the first class, every semester, he asked if anyone was a Christian and proceeded to degrade them and to mock their statement of faith. One semester, he asked the question and a young man raised his hand.
The professor asked, "Did God make everything young man?" He replied "Yes sir he did!" The professor responded, "IF God made everything, then he made evil."
The student didn't have a response and the professor was happy to once again prove the Christian faith to be a myth.
Then another man raised his hand and asked, "May I ask you something,sir?" "Yes, you may," responded the professor.
The young man stood up and said, "Sir, is there such a thing as cold?" Of course there is, what kind of a question is that? Haven't you ever been cold?"
The young man replied, "Actually, sir, cold doesn't exist. What we consider to be cold, is really an absence of heat. Absolute zero is when there is absolutely no heat, but cold does not really exist. We have only created that term to describe how we feel when heat is not there."
The young man continued, Sir, is there such a thing as dark?" Once again the professor responded, "Of course there is."And once again, the student replied, "Actually, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is really only the absence of light. Darkness is only a term developed to describe what happens when there is no light present."
Finally, the young man asked, "Sir, is there such a thing as evil?" The professor responded, "Of course, we have rapes, murders and violence everywhere in the world, Those things are evil."
The student replied, "Actually, sir, evil does not exist. Evil is simply the absence of God. Evil is a term developed to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. It isn't like truth, or love which exist as virtues like heat or light. Evil is simply the state where God is not present, like cold without heat, or darkness without light."
The professor had nothing to say...
Be full of Christ today, there is no room for anything else.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Genesis1:1
Even those who have never read a single verse from the bible have (most likely) heard the first verse from the book of Genesis. However, God did not create man to act like robots. He did not create us to be pre-programmed to do His will or obey Him. God granted us with individual minds, feelings, and a free will to choose.
Without blinking an eye, we make thousands of unconscious decisions each day. However, God chose to give us the breath of life. God chose to put us on this earth and God chose for us to live in order to glorify His name. Obviously, we also have a choice to follow Him.
I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
Deuteronomy 32:3
With that being said, one question still remains...
If God created everything...Did God create Evil?
The following dialogue was provided by a new friend of mine (thank you Jan!) and with her permission I am posting it here. After you read this, it will make you think about things differently.
The Debate
At a certain college there was a professor with a reputation for being tough on Christians. At the first class, every semester, he asked if anyone was a Christian and proceeded to degrade them and to mock their statement of faith. One semester, he asked the question and a young man raised his hand.
The professor asked, "Did God make everything young man?" He replied "Yes sir he did!" The professor responded, "IF God made everything, then he made evil."
The student didn't have a response and the professor was happy to once again prove the Christian faith to be a myth.
Then another man raised his hand and asked, "May I ask you something,sir?" "Yes, you may," responded the professor.
The young man stood up and said, "Sir, is there such a thing as cold?" Of course there is, what kind of a question is that? Haven't you ever been cold?"
The young man replied, "Actually, sir, cold doesn't exist. What we consider to be cold, is really an absence of heat. Absolute zero is when there is absolutely no heat, but cold does not really exist. We have only created that term to describe how we feel when heat is not there."
The young man continued, Sir, is there such a thing as dark?" Once again the professor responded, "Of course there is."And once again, the student replied, "Actually, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is really only the absence of light. Darkness is only a term developed to describe what happens when there is no light present."
Finally, the young man asked, "Sir, is there such a thing as evil?" The professor responded, "Of course, we have rapes, murders and violence everywhere in the world, Those things are evil."
The student replied, "Actually, sir, evil does not exist. Evil is simply the absence of God. Evil is a term developed to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. It isn't like truth, or love which exist as virtues like heat or light. Evil is simply the state where God is not present, like cold without heat, or darkness without light."
The professor had nothing to say...
Be full of Christ today, there is no room for anything else.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Here I am. Send me.
I want to thank gotquestions.org and Brent Barnett in advance for giving me inspiration on the content I’m about to share.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way…
Many times we end up waiting for someone else to share or preach the gospel to us. This is especially true when it comes to friends or loved ones, as they know our past and it’s often more difficult for them to “buy in” to a slow or sudden change in spiritual direction. Too often, our expectations are set that a pastor, priest, spiritual leader etc. should always be the one who shares or preaches the word of God. It’s seems easy to listen and support them, but it’s not always easy to lead others to Christ.
But have no doubt that God wants us to play a direct role in building up His kingdom. I’ll say it again… God wants us to play a direct role in building up His kingdom. It pleases Him to see us glorifying His name.
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
Luke10:1-3
Throughout the entire bible God has called ordinary men to do extraordinary things. Let’s look at an example from the Book of Isaiah.
Isaiah was called by God to prophesy to the Kingdom of Judah. At that time, Judah was going through hard times and was threatened by many other kingdoms. Judah was in chaos and falling into despair. Yet, out of mercy God spared Judah from destruction.
Isaiah’s commission began the day that he saw God. It was then that Isaiah immediately realized how unclean his life and the life of the people of Judah had been. After feeling God’s presence, perfection and holiness, Isaiah was overwhelmed by his sinful ways. His guilt was so great that he thought he was going to die.
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
Isaiah 6:5
But the Lord had other plans for Isaiah…
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah6:6-8
When the Lord asked who He should send (and “who will go for us” God was referring to the Holy Trinity), Isaiah immediately volunteered himself to take on whatever responsibility God would ask of him. Ultimately, he was charged with proclaiming a message of repentance from sin throughout the land of Judah and after witnessing the glory of God, Isaiah took it upon himself to deliver God’s message with every measure of his being.
Final Thoughts:
If we are willing to do whatever it takes to please God, follow His ways, and bring followers to Him, then we will be rewarded.
4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.
Leviticus 18:4-6
In the end we will be judged. We all will be charged to give a full account of our actions or lack of. So, I ask…would you rather lead, follow or get out of the way?
Here I am. Send me.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way…
Many times we end up waiting for someone else to share or preach the gospel to us. This is especially true when it comes to friends or loved ones, as they know our past and it’s often more difficult for them to “buy in” to a slow or sudden change in spiritual direction. Too often, our expectations are set that a pastor, priest, spiritual leader etc. should always be the one who shares or preaches the word of God. It’s seems easy to listen and support them, but it’s not always easy to lead others to Christ.
But have no doubt that God wants us to play a direct role in building up His kingdom. I’ll say it again… God wants us to play a direct role in building up His kingdom. It pleases Him to see us glorifying His name.
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
Luke10:1-3
Throughout the entire bible God has called ordinary men to do extraordinary things. Let’s look at an example from the Book of Isaiah.
Isaiah was called by God to prophesy to the Kingdom of Judah. At that time, Judah was going through hard times and was threatened by many other kingdoms. Judah was in chaos and falling into despair. Yet, out of mercy God spared Judah from destruction.
Isaiah’s commission began the day that he saw God. It was then that Isaiah immediately realized how unclean his life and the life of the people of Judah had been. After feeling God’s presence, perfection and holiness, Isaiah was overwhelmed by his sinful ways. His guilt was so great that he thought he was going to die.
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
Isaiah 6:5
But the Lord had other plans for Isaiah…
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah6:6-8
When the Lord asked who He should send (and “who will go for us” God was referring to the Holy Trinity), Isaiah immediately volunteered himself to take on whatever responsibility God would ask of him. Ultimately, he was charged with proclaiming a message of repentance from sin throughout the land of Judah and after witnessing the glory of God, Isaiah took it upon himself to deliver God’s message with every measure of his being.
Final Thoughts:
If we are willing to do whatever it takes to please God, follow His ways, and bring followers to Him, then we will be rewarded.
4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.
Leviticus 18:4-6
In the end we will be judged. We all will be charged to give a full account of our actions or lack of. So, I ask…would you rather lead, follow or get out of the way?
Here I am. Send me.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The Executive
The Executive:
Josh McDowell writes "An executive 'head hunter' who goes out and hires corporate executives for other firms once told me, 'When I get an executive I'm trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him. I offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he's all relaxed. Then when I think I've got him relaxed I lean over, look him square in the eye and say - what's the purpose in your life?' It's amazing how top executives fall apart on that question.' Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other day, had him all disarmed with my feet up on my desk talking about football. Then I leaned over and said - what's the purpose in your life, Bob? Without blinking an eye he said, 'To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.' For the first time in my career I was speechless."
There are basically five reasons why we don't share our faith more often, and not one of them will hold up when we stand before Christ:
(1) We think it's the preacher's job.
(2) We aren't sure of our salvation.
(3) We fear being rejected.
(4) We've never taken responsibility for learning how.
(5) Our love for Christ has grown cold.
But not Bob: he said, "Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him."
Can you say that?
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Finding God in Walmart
This is a the fourth installment in a series I'm writing concerning the theme "Examples of Faith." I'm writing this one based on a recent personal experience.
The Cashier's story:
It never ceases to amaze me how easily it is for me to get caught off guard by the actions of others. Case in point:
I was walking through Walmart the other day....and before I continue let me stop here and say that I really try to avoid going to Walmart whenever possible. It's typically just too crowded for my liking. Anyhow, as I was checking out the cashier asked me how I was doing. Of course, I gave the predictable..."Good and you?" My mind was elsewhere at the time and for whatever reason I was a little zoned out, so I was not really even thinking of what I was saying, or even asking for that matter. The cashier immediately responded by saying, "Blessed by the best and praying for the rest." I was so taken back by this response that I didn't really comprehend all of it at the moment. At the time all I heard was "Blessed" and "Praying"...I really didn't even put the rest of her statement together until I was halfway out the door. I did, however, manage to tell her "God bless you" before I left. It was more an attempt to salvage a lost opportunity more than anything else.
As I left Walmart the significance of her words finally hit me. "Blessed by the Best". The "Best" referring to God and "Praying for the rest" is fairly self explanatory. As I drove off in my car I felt that this was not only a lesson, but also a missed opportunity.
The Lesson: One can find God even in places we would never expect to find Him. In my situation, I really don't like going to Walmart. So, my priority was to get in and get out as quickly as possible. I wanted to get in and out without much thought or interaction with another human being. Then God showed up (through the cashier) and reminded me that He is everywhere, even in places that we would never think to look.
The Missed Opportunity: I felt as though this was a missed opportunity because I didn't take advantage of the situation by expressing my delight and surprise after hearing the cashier's words. What boldness and great faith she showed to express her love for God in such an openly manner. I even heard her repeat it to the person checking out behind me as I walked away.
Final Thoughts:
Later that night, I asked God for forgiveness because I felt as though I didn't do or say enough during that situation. At this point, I'm still not sure what I would have said or done differently, but saying something (anything) would have been better than nothing. I'll be sure not to make the same mistake again.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
The Cashier's story:
It never ceases to amaze me how easily it is for me to get caught off guard by the actions of others. Case in point:
I was walking through Walmart the other day....and before I continue let me stop here and say that I really try to avoid going to Walmart whenever possible. It's typically just too crowded for my liking. Anyhow, as I was checking out the cashier asked me how I was doing. Of course, I gave the predictable..."Good and you?" My mind was elsewhere at the time and for whatever reason I was a little zoned out, so I was not really even thinking of what I was saying, or even asking for that matter. The cashier immediately responded by saying, "Blessed by the best and praying for the rest." I was so taken back by this response that I didn't really comprehend all of it at the moment. At the time all I heard was "Blessed" and "Praying"...I really didn't even put the rest of her statement together until I was halfway out the door. I did, however, manage to tell her "God bless you" before I left. It was more an attempt to salvage a lost opportunity more than anything else.
As I left Walmart the significance of her words finally hit me. "Blessed by the Best". The "Best" referring to God and "Praying for the rest" is fairly self explanatory. As I drove off in my car I felt that this was not only a lesson, but also a missed opportunity.
The Lesson: One can find God even in places we would never expect to find Him. In my situation, I really don't like going to Walmart. So, my priority was to get in and get out as quickly as possible. I wanted to get in and out without much thought or interaction with another human being. Then God showed up (through the cashier) and reminded me that He is everywhere, even in places that we would never think to look.
The Missed Opportunity: I felt as though this was a missed opportunity because I didn't take advantage of the situation by expressing my delight and surprise after hearing the cashier's words. What boldness and great faith she showed to express her love for God in such an openly manner. I even heard her repeat it to the person checking out behind me as I walked away.
Final Thoughts:
Later that night, I asked God for forgiveness because I felt as though I didn't do or say enough during that situation. At this point, I'm still not sure what I would have said or done differently, but saying something (anything) would have been better than nothing. I'll be sure not to make the same mistake again.
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Psalm 23:3 (NIV)
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Jesus' Last Command
Embedded below is one of the most viewed religious clips on the Web. In 5 minutes and 33 seconds it pretty much wraps up most of our daily struggles with temptation and shows how Jesus always intervenes on our behalf...always out of love.
The question is not whether or not he is watching over us...
So Jesus came to them and said, "All authority (power) in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach those people to obey everything that I have told you. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of the world."
Matthew 28:18-20
...the question is whether or not we open our hearts to listen and allow Him in.
"That last hug. That last kiss. That last look. That last wave. Each of them is very important when you are leaving someone you love, especially if it could be the last time you see them for awhile. But the last word, that one last message, is precious. You try to make it pleasant ... you try to make it memorable ... you try to make it affectionate ... but most of all, you want your one last word to count!
The Great Commission is Jesus' last earthly message to his disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. While Jesus still leads and guides, this is the message he wants his disciples to remember as his parting command. This is his final message. He stresses emphatically that it is based upon his authority over everyone and everything and everywhere. What is that message? GO MAKE DISCIPLES!
Notice Jesus doesn't want us running all over the place telling about him. Notice he doesn't just want us baptizing everyone we see. Notice he doesn't just want us to teach others to follow him. He wants us to do all three! Go, baptize, and teach to obey so they will be my disciples, too! If we heed these marching orders, if we get out of the shadow of our church buildings and culture, he will go with us! That's it. That's Jesus' one last word. It's also our first word!"
The above excerpt was shared from lightheart.org
Enjoy the clip.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
The question is not whether or not he is watching over us...
So Jesus came to them and said, "All authority (power) in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach those people to obey everything that I have told you. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of the world."
Matthew 28:18-20
...the question is whether or not we open our hearts to listen and allow Him in.
"That last hug. That last kiss. That last look. That last wave. Each of them is very important when you are leaving someone you love, especially if it could be the last time you see them for awhile. But the last word, that one last message, is precious. You try to make it pleasant ... you try to make it memorable ... you try to make it affectionate ... but most of all, you want your one last word to count!
The Great Commission is Jesus' last earthly message to his disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. While Jesus still leads and guides, this is the message he wants his disciples to remember as his parting command. This is his final message. He stresses emphatically that it is based upon his authority over everyone and everything and everywhere. What is that message? GO MAKE DISCIPLES!
Notice Jesus doesn't want us running all over the place telling about him. Notice he doesn't just want us baptizing everyone we see. Notice he doesn't just want us to teach others to follow him. He wants us to do all three! Go, baptize, and teach to obey so they will be my disciples, too! If we heed these marching orders, if we get out of the shadow of our church buildings and culture, he will go with us! That's it. That's Jesus' one last word. It's also our first word!"
The above excerpt was shared from lightheart.org
Enjoy the clip.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
A Child's Faith
I know that I've been on a video kick here lately. But, there are times when I just think these videos provide a type of message that is important to share.
This particular video (really it's more of a conversation) is something that's been spreading across the internet lately and you might have already received it over email. But if you only decide to watch one video on this site, watch this one. This level of pure faith is just not seen or heard of very often. God is working through this young boy and it's a moving experience to listen to.
God bless you. And this is for His glory!
This particular video (really it's more of a conversation) is something that's been spreading across the internet lately and you might have already received it over email. But if you only decide to watch one video on this site, watch this one. This level of pure faith is just not seen or heard of very often. God is working through this young boy and it's a moving experience to listen to.
God bless you. And this is for His glory!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Jesus Rant
This short video is one of those that "knocks you back" into reality after watching it. I find myself (all too often), not giving thanks for all of the wonderful gifts that the Lord has blessed me with. I often find myself taking the things that are considered "normal" for granted. It's so easy to get caught up in our daily routines...but what about God? I'd say that He's caught up in all of us. Suddenly my schedule doesn't seem so hectic after all.
Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 34:3
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 34:3
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
I Will Rise
Have you ever wondered what it would be like on the last day? I don't think that we're able to comprehend the depth of joy that we would experience when we are called and accepted into our Lord's arms. Can you imagine it?
I can think of no greater joy than to have my name called and look up to see Jesus' outstretched arms. It's truly overwhelming for me to think about it and it gives me great incentive to glorify His name every single day.
The first video below is Chris Tomlin talking about his song "I will rise". It's very interesting to hear how he was inspired to write it and I highly recommend watching it.
The second video is the actual song itself. If you've never heard it before, it's very touching. So please just take a few quite minutes to listen. I hope you enjoy it and I hope that it inspires you also.
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Revelation 5:11-12
God bless you. And this is for His glory!
I can think of no greater joy than to have my name called and look up to see Jesus' outstretched arms. It's truly overwhelming for me to think about it and it gives me great incentive to glorify His name every single day.
The first video below is Chris Tomlin talking about his song "I will rise". It's very interesting to hear how he was inspired to write it and I highly recommend watching it.
The second video is the actual song itself. If you've never heard it before, it's very touching. So please just take a few quite minutes to listen. I hope you enjoy it and I hope that it inspires you also.
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Revelation 5:11-12
God bless you. And this is for His glory!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Satan's Meeting
I'm sure it's 100 times worse than this video displays...but after watching/reading it, you'll certainly get the point behind this message.
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' "
Matthew 4:10
God bless you. And this is for His glory!
Easter - The Resurrection!
Today is Easter Sunday and it is a time of great joy, celebration and reflection. Our Lord and savior Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. No stone or rock could hold him back. The grave was no match for the power of our Lord.
I hope that you have a great day and keep in mind the real reason why we celebrate Easter.
1In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
Matthew 28:1-8
God bless you. And this is for His glory!
I hope that you have a great day and keep in mind the real reason why we celebrate Easter.
1In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
Matthew 28:1-8
God bless you. And this is for His glory!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
On the Way to the Cross
I have nothing further to add...this video speaks for itself.
Then again, maybe just one important reminder...
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Then again, maybe just one important reminder...
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Perfection...or lack thereof
At times, I can’t help but feel like a hypocrite. There are situations where the stresses of life take over and I act in a manner that is far from being a Christian. I know that this is part of being human, for we are not perfect. Actually, no one is perfect except for God. However, I always end up feeling like I let Him down, my family down, and even myself down when I act in a foolish manner.
Why is it so hard to love our neighbor as ourselves? Why is it so hard to resist saying something in response to something that was said to us? Why is it so hard to put other people first?
Each day we are faced with temptation. The devil’s hatred of God is beyond our comprehension and he works 24/7/365 to try and get us to sin. It is through sin that the devil wins these small battles that take us farther away from God’s grace. However, through faith and perseverance, it is up to us win the war. By “winning the war” I am referring to resisting temptation, obeying God’s words, and bouncing back when you’re faith is down. We do this with one goal in mind - so that we have a chance to pass though the gates of Heaven on our day of judgment.
So how do we win the war against sin? First and foremost, we must familiarize ourselves with God’s word, i.e. the Bible. We must commit ourselves to thinking and acting in the way that the Bible tells us to. This is indeed a repetitive act and becomes much more than a “one time shot”…it is a lifetime commitment. The hard part is more in the execution than it is in absorbing His word.
27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
30I and the Father are one."
John 10:27-30
Final Thoughts -
When we think about it - doesn’t if feel better when we do something good? In times when we inadvertently distance ourselves from God, doesn’t something just not feel right? We will all be judged on our actions, our in-actions, and the thoughts within our hearts.
So, the next time you are about to respond or act in a highly emotional manner consider the following verse from the Book of Romans before you act.
16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
Romans 12:16-19
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Why is it so hard to love our neighbor as ourselves? Why is it so hard to resist saying something in response to something that was said to us? Why is it so hard to put other people first?
Each day we are faced with temptation. The devil’s hatred of God is beyond our comprehension and he works 24/7/365 to try and get us to sin. It is through sin that the devil wins these small battles that take us farther away from God’s grace. However, through faith and perseverance, it is up to us win the war. By “winning the war” I am referring to resisting temptation, obeying God’s words, and bouncing back when you’re faith is down. We do this with one goal in mind - so that we have a chance to pass though the gates of Heaven on our day of judgment.
So how do we win the war against sin? First and foremost, we must familiarize ourselves with God’s word, i.e. the Bible. We must commit ourselves to thinking and acting in the way that the Bible tells us to. This is indeed a repetitive act and becomes much more than a “one time shot”…it is a lifetime commitment. The hard part is more in the execution than it is in absorbing His word.
27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.
30I and the Father are one."
John 10:27-30
Final Thoughts -
When we think about it - doesn’t if feel better when we do something good? In times when we inadvertently distance ourselves from God, doesn’t something just not feel right? We will all be judged on our actions, our in-actions, and the thoughts within our hearts.
So, the next time you are about to respond or act in a highly emotional manner consider the following verse from the Book of Romans before you act.
16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
Romans 12:16-19
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
He Reigns
The song in this video is one of the most powerfully inspirational songs that I've ever heard. It makes me want to raise my hands and praise God every time I hear it!
23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.
26The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 23-27
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.
26The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 23-27
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Rainbow
For the longest time I’ve wanted to download a copy of the Old Testament and listen to it on my iPod. I finally got around to downloading it other day and started off listening to Genesis. Eventually, I had to stop right around the part where God told Noah that he would never again destroy all life on earth by a flood.As the verse continued, God went on to say that he would set his rainbow in the clouds to act a reminder of this covenant (promise) between himself and man. I became very interested in this passage, mostly because I had never before realized the significance of the rainbow. But there’s much more to this story…
But first, here’s the passage I’m referring to:
11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."
12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:
13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,
15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
17 So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."
Genesis 9:11-17
I listened to this on Saturday morning and I’m not kidding when I say that this passage was on my mind all day long. That evening we decided to go to church, which is uncommon for us to do on a Saturday. Anyhow, while in church we got to the point where it became time for the gospel readings. Usually, there are a series of three readings that occur one after the other. The very first reading was from Genesis chapter 9…and yes…it told the story of God’s covenant with man and the significance of the rainbow. I sat there both amazed and delighted as my eyes watered up.
So how was it that out of all the tens of thousands of verses in the New and Old Testaments that we just happen to read the same passage that had been on my mind all day? Coincidence? I think not.
I personally feel this was the Lord’s way of reminding me to keep listening to His word and to continue down this path. The Lord works in wonderful and mysterious ways and I feel so blessed to have been a part of this experience. This is an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I pray that someday the Lord will touch you as he did me during that Saturday evening.
1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.
Psalm 115:1
May God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
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