Grace is Power!!!

Never give up!

Thank God!

A Prayer of Thankfulness

Father,

Thank You for Your loving kindness and tender mercy. Thank You for Your provision and protection. Thank You, Lord, for the goodness and grace that we experience as we move through life’s challenges. We are thankful for all that You’ve done and all that You will do on our behalf!

Thank You that we can have a personal relationship with You because of the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus. We praise You because of who You are and how You are – You are the only wise God, mighty, holy, all-powerful, all-knowing, the creator of the universe, righteous, the one who loves us unconditionally! You are a wonder! You are worthy of our praise!

Thank You Lord!

Praising God...out loud!

Many of us regularly praise the Lord. We may do so aloud and/or silently. I want to encourage you today to be mindful to vocalize your praise whenever possible. Our praise is a weapon against the devil. It puts the devil on notice that we trust God. In sports we have defense and offense. When we play defense, we are responding to our opponent’s actions; attempting to stop them from scoring. When we play offense, we are proactively moving forward, staking our claim, moving toward our goal. It is the same in combat. And choosing to praise our God audibly is an offensive move in combat. The enemy of our soul (our opponent) cannot read our minds – he is not clairvoyant or omniscient. However, Satan is a powerful being with spiritual insight into humanity. So when we praise God audibly instead of silently, it is an aggressive offensive action that puts the enemy on notice that we are moving forward, staking our claim, and intending to capture all that the Lord has for us. Many of the scriptures we read that refer to praising God, do so in the context of praising Him vocally.

Deuteronomy 32:3 - I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!

1 Peter 2:9 - But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Chronicles 16:9 - Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

Psalm 35:27 - May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

Psalm 35:28 - My tongue will speak of your righteousness

When we worship the Lord aloud, we are less likely to be distracted. Robert D. Kalis would advise “Forms and rituals of worship which may be performed while the mind is occupied with other things are not acceptable. Our worship is to be thoughtful and real.” For those of us who are familiar with singing, you likely have experienced a time when you were singing and your mind was drifting. You know that when you know a song well, that can happen even in the middle of a performance! Even those of us who sing around the house while doing housework know that we are not constantly conscious of what we are singing, but we don’t miss a word! This is what Kalis is talking about but I would submit that audible praise minimizes the occurrence of praise by rote. Side note: let’s not erroneously define praise as singing. We can praise through singing, but the two are not synonymous.

We are to be engaged in praise; not dialing it in. When we worship, we are to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. Praise is a form of worship – it is to be done in spirit and in truth.

Some of the benefits of praising God:

When we praise the Lord, He is present. (Psalm 22:3, 2 Chron. 5:13&14)

When we praise the Lord, our focus is upon Him. (Revelation 5:12)

When we praise the Lord, His great power is released on our behalf. (Acts 16:25&26)

When we praise the Lord, He is pleased. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

When we praise the Lord, it builds others up/encourages others. (Ephesians 4:29)

When we praise the Lord, we are delivered from the power of the enemy. (2 Samuel 22:4)

When we praise the Lord, the enemy is defeated. (Joshua 6:20)

Joshua 6:9-10, 16, and 20 - The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.

Audible praise is our war cry! Like the children of Israel facing the walls of Jericho, we believe what God has said, we intend to lay hold of what He has promised, we wait on Him, and at the right time we move forward in power! PRAISE IS POWER!

Precious one, lift your voice boldly and praise God for who He is and for all that He has done and will do!!!! When you do, you are choosing to let the enemy know where you stand – the Rock upon which you stand. You are engaging in combat…in a battle that you have (by Christ) already won!

Hebrews 13:15&16 - By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

Advancing in Faith

Charles Stanley shared ten ways to advance in our faith in his sermon titled “In the School of Faith, Part II – Advancing in Faith”. On the heels of our series on guiding principles, I think this is a great piece of information to help us move forward in God’s power. I’d encourage you to follow the link below to watch the video of him delivering the full sermon. May God richly bless you today.

III. Ten Ways to Advance in Faith

A. Facing and overcoming adversity and trials. God looks at each person’s life and designs trials to achieve His purposes. God knows exactly how to strengthen you spiritually. Also, He will use and bless you in proportion to your faith.

B. Understanding the nature of God. The Father wants His children to know Him better. We must comprehend that He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient as well as holy, righteous, merciful, and kind. As you come to understand the totality of the God who reveals Himself through His creations and Word, your faith will grow.

C. Meditating upon His Word. The Bible is the Word of God, the very fuel of our faith. If we want to know what God thinks, how He acts, and what He can and will do, the Bible is the place for answers. Daily meditation on it allows the Father to reach our minds and hearts, protect us, and provide for our needs.

D. Applying the principles of His Word. We cannot expect to grow if we do not apply the Bible’s principles. If we follow His will, God will enable us to succeed. He honors our willingness to follow Him, and our faith grows because we can see the evidence of His hand working in our lives.

E. Observing the ways of God. At times, God allows hardships to help us learn dependence. Other times, He is silent in order to develop patience. Also, He uses seemingly inopportune situations or people who seem unfit for His purposes to accomplish what He desires. Knowing all the ways in which God works will broaden your faith.

F. Observing His work in the lives of others. God will put certain people in our lives to influence and challenge us. Watching their actions and hearing their testimonies can help our faith mature.

G. Obeying the will of God. Obeying God and leaving all the consequences to Him is the perfection of faith. The willingness to do what He asks is the greatest example of obedience, and it brings the ultimate blessing because it honors and pleases God.

H. Receiving answers to prayer. We should pray with expectation, confidence, and boldness that our heavenly Father will provide everything we need. Much like a father who promises to catch his child when he leaps into a pool, God wants us to trust Him and “jump” in faith. He’ll catch us every time.

I. Worshipping God. When we sing, whether in church or by ourselves, we are making a public profession. We’re saying we believe in God’s power and greatness. We’re confessing what we believe and receiving a blessing at the same time.

J. Confessing faith failures. We can’t fool God; He knows when we’ve made a mistake or failed Him in some way. The only thing we must do is confess it immediately. Then, recommit ourselves to live according to His will and learn from our errors. 

http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/video-archives/content.aspx?topic=advancing_in_faith_video

Guiding Principles from Romans 15

Today we end our Guiding Principles series and these few chapters from Paul’s communication with the believers in Rome have been rich!

We’ve learned that we must engage the uncomfortable – presenting our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord, ready for all that He allows and ordains in our lives. In so doing, we also live humbly before God. This allows us to see ourselves and others as God sees us. It also allows us to be used by Him. We should be led to advocate for others; not to cause strife, especially among believers! We are to live upright before the Lord – concerned about our conduct rather than judging the conduct of others. We are to do things “decent and in order”, to respect authority, and to seek the Lord’s guidance when we must deal with those who abuse their power.  We are to be led by love and peace.

In Romans 15 Paul continues the theme of caring for others. He says that he strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak. I love the translation in the Living Bible: “we must bear the ‘burden’ of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others.” We are to make a decision that we will be considerate of the concerns of others. Yes, we have the liberty to live freely in Christ but, as Paul said in chapter 14, we ought not to do that if it will cause a brother to stumble. Paul’s desire is that we would have the mind of Christ – humble, desiring to glorify God.

Along these same lines, we are encouraged to accept one another just as Christ accepted us – to the glory of the Father. This is a tall order. To accept! Not tolerate…not “deal with”…not put up with one another. But to accept AS CHRIST ACCEPTED US. How did Christ accept us? Well, He loved us so dearly that He died for us. Christ understood our utter depravity and need for a Savior and because of that, He gave His life on our behalf. And He now looks forward to eternity with us! Scripture is clear that it is not God’s desire that anyone should die without having a saving relationship with Him. He loves us! So, like Christ, our hearts should be moved past what we experience with our 5 senses and “see” others through the Spirit. And in so doing, we will be moved to desire the best for others – to love them and desire that they spend their eternity with God.

Continuing in a similar vein, Paul talks to the believers in Rome about ministry to those who may be different from us, that we may categorize as outcasts - those we see on the fringes of society as tough cases. It may be even as simple as those who dress differently, talk differently, or even smell different than we do! In the context of this scripture, Paul was speaking of ministry to the Gentiles (non-Jews) but what is it in your context? Who falls in one of those fringe categories for you? Think about it. Pray about it. If the Lord reveals to you a group that you’ve marginalized, repent and then pray about how you might minister the life-altering love of Christ to those people.

Paul concludes this portion of his letter telling the believers of his desire and intention to visit them. He’s been travelling and has run out of places, in the region where he’s been, to preach the gospel to those who’ve not yet heard it! He’s headed to Spain and tells of the wonderful generosity of believers that he’s been with. He asks the believers in Rome to join him in prayer to be kept safe from unbelievers and that what he is delivering to the believers in Spain will be well received. This is the final guiding principle: be in fellowship with other believers, care for one another, pray for one another, provide for one another, and honor one another’s service to God. We need each other. We were not designed to be an island; we were designed for intimate, wise, God-honoring relationship with one another. 

Let these relational principles guide you.

Guiding Principles From Romans 14

The overall lesson from Romans 14 can be found summarized in verses 13 and 19 - Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

The early believers in Rome were having conflict. Things like what to eat and when to worship were causing division. The Jews and Gentiles often were on opposing sides. But in this chapter, brother Paul warns against such division. He advises that whatever each believer did, he did unto God. So, for example, if he ate meat because he believed it was ordained by God, he was just as much in good standing with the Lord as the believer who abstained from meat because he believed it to be forbidden by God. Regarding these matters, Paul taught that each believer must answer to the Father, and in these non-essential matters, wherever he landed, he was ok. But what was important was that each believer adheres to what he believed to be the truth from the Father.  

Romans 14:14 - I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.

James 4:17 - If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

Each of us has our own unique faith journey. There are some essentials in the scripture that we cannot compromise regarding. But Paul is teaching the early believers that #1) They ought not to allow non-essential matters to cause division, and #2) If a brother was on the opposing side, do what you can to build harmony and unity; not division. So if you are dining with a brother who believes meat ought not to be consumed, out of love, you too should abstain from eating meat at that time.

This is an example of what Paul meant when he admonished the believers to not pass judgment or place a stumbling block in front of others as they are on their journey. Instead, those early believers, just like believers today, were advised to be intentional about making every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Peace. A crucial guiding principle.

Guiding Principles From Romans 13

Again, God’s word is our foundation for life. Let’s take a look at what we can glean from Romans 13…

Our God is a God of order. We see this trait in the creation account, in the conduct He expects from His children, in His communication, in the roles of the members of the Trinity, and so forth.

At the beginning of chapter 13, Paul is admonishing believers to respect authority. He advises them that it is the Lord who ordained the concept of authority and that they are not to rebel against authority. He specifically mentions that we are not to rebel against government but the Holy Spirit understands our rebellious nature so this word is not only a timely word for us, but it is broadly applicable to our lives. Thankfully, we have the Holy Spirit living in us to strengthen us and equip us to submit to God’s will.

John 4:26 - But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Side note: There are some scandalous players in government and the Lord is not pleased with that. However, the focus of this devotion is on our responsibility to respect authority; not governmental misdeeds. Part of what we can learn from God’s word is how to deal with the misbehavior of those in authority over us.

And again…LOVE!

Guiding Principles From Romans 12

God’s word is our foundation for life. The Lord led the children of Israel through the desert for 40 years and the Father spoke to Moses telling him that He humbled the children of Israel, causing them to hunger and then feeding them with manna, which neither them nor their ancestors had known, to teach them that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 8:3) God is the same yesterday, today, and forever! He leads us through this life and gives us His word to live by. His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105) so let’s take a look at what we can learn from this portion of Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome.

Paul has a strong word for the Romans right off the bat: present your bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord. Whoa! Living sacrifices move so they must be tied down or otherwise restrained to keep them from moving. Sacrifice is unpleasant but when we exchange our will for God’s perfect will, the unpleasant sacrifice becomes worthwhile. In his letter to the Corinthian believers, Paul told them that he is intentional to engage those things which are uncomfortable…even hurtful…because of his faith. We will not dive into that right now but as Paul encourages here in chapter 12, we must be determined to be ready for anything and everything the enemy has planned for us and that the Lord allows.

Next, Paul says that we ought to live humbly, honoring the gifts that God has given to each person and using our gifts in accordance with the faith that the Father has given to us. And do it cheerfully, by the way!

Finally, LOVE! Paul admonishes the believers to love what is good, to love one another, to love the Lord, to love their enemies, and to just love life!

Romans 12 teaches us to submit ourselves to God and to love Him, to be humble and loving toward others. These are great principles for living.

Guiding Principles

If you have a personality like me, you may struggle with trying to control just about everything and you may be prone to stress. Psychologists might label me as a Type-A personality. This desire for control can work in opposition to my desire to trust God – to walk by faith. But our faith walk is of the utmost importance. The Word tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God (see Hebrews 11). And I would take it a step further and tell you that you are not able to experience all that the Lord has for you if you are walking through this life trusting in yourself, your thoughts, your wisdom, your perspective.

The Lord speaks directly to us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. He’s also given us His word to help guide us in our living. Imagine you are having dinner with a friend and you share with your friend that you are considering embarking on a certain business venture or seeking a relationship with a potential mentor. Your companion would respond to what you are saying…engaging in conversation. It is the same with the Lord: He gives us the Holy Spirit and His word to speak to us as we come to Him with our thoughts and concerns. God’s word is always applicable to our lives. And while there is not a verse in the Scriptures that directly says “Go into business with Chet and Amanda”, we can discern what God’s overall desire is for His children and then act in line with His will. As we do, we enjoy the fullness of life that He desires for us.

The Word of God teaches us that God’s will is not a mystery that He delights in keeping hidden from us - we can know His will. Discerning His will does not take some kind of magic but it does require pursuing Him and listening to His voice. So for the next four days we will look at some of the guiding principles for life that are found in God’s word – words that will help inform us in our daily decision making when we are not hearing a specific word from the Lord regarding the matters that concern our hearts. To do this, we will take a look at chapters 12-15 of the book of Romans.

See you tomorrow!

Still & Quiet - How?

A couple of days ago we looked at Psalm 131 and focused in on verse 2: But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Again, the imagery given in this Psalm is that of a hungry infant being held by his mother but not striving to be fed by his mother’s milk because he’s been weaned. This child is waiting for and expecting the more substantive food that he has now become accustomed to.

As believers in the loving God, we are encouraged as well to still and quiet our soul. But how? Let’s look at the scriptures and see what we can learn.

In Jeremiah 17, the prophet says, “Cursed is the one who trusts in man…But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water     that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Our ability to be stilled and quieted comes from our trust in the Lord but we must develop that first through prayer. Ask the Lord to help you to rest in Him. You see, the Lord is the only one in Whom we can truly trust. He is the all-knowing and all-powerful God and He is the precious one Who tends to our soul! Our circumstances will change. People who love us dearly will disappoint us. We will try our hardest and fail. But God, the only wise God, is our Rock. He is the consistent component in our lives. Part of being able to be still and quiet; to not be in constant strife, comes from asking the Lord to help you see Him as your stability and source and then to rest in that truth.

1 Peter 2:25 - For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Secondly, we must give up the notion that we can make sense of and understand everything. God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours! We cannot understand it all and striving to do so will 1) make us crazy and discontent 2) be an exercise in futility, and 3) is our way of telling God that we don’t really need Him. At the beginning of Psalm 131, David says “I’m not proud…I don’t concern myself with things too wonderful for me.” It is our pride and arrogance that drives us to seek to know it all rather than walking in a faith posture and being ok with the unknown. Nothing is unknown to God. Therefore, we can stop trying to know and understand it all; to play the role of God.

Proverbs 3:5&6 - Trust the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth.

We learn from the Jeremiah 17 scripture that the one who trusts in the Lord is like a strong tree rooted by the waters. In the extreme heat, the tree still thrives. In drought, the tree is still fruitful. That is us! When we have stilled and quieted our souls the enemy can throw anything at us but we will still thrive…we will still be fruitful!

We still and quiet our soul by asking the One who is the Overseer of our soul to do this work in us. We still and quiet our soul by giving up the need to play the role of God and to be content, instead, to depend on and trust in Him.

Thank God!

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Content...No Matter What

I was walking this morning and was praying. I asked the Lord if I could please start off today with a plea. Usually I start with praise and thanks for the blessings that I am enjoying and for the wonderful plans I know He has for me. But today was different. I was pleading with the Lord to relieve me from a situation that I was unhappy with, and to bring a particular blessing into my life. As I continued to pray, He ministered to me through His Spirit. He reminded me that it is not His primary desire for His children to be immediately relieved from every trouble they encounter but that in the midst of it, He is not only with us but He is also strengthening us. In trials we grow when we stay committed to Him. Further, although I desire a particular circumstance, I know that God’s will is perfect for me. I may THINK that I want a particular thing to happen, but if I knew what He knows, I may not want what I’m asking for. We ask in the dark because, unlike God, we don’t know everything. If we knew, we may change our plea. Thus, we pray (and my prayer became) “not my will Lord, but Yours be done”. I know, as I have shared with you before, that I deeply desire control and it has to be a daily intention of my heart to relinquish the stress of erroneously thinking I can control or even understand everything.

So I arrive at home after my walk and open up the Word. The Lord also led me to a study that included Psalm 16 and He encouraged me with these words from verses 9-11: Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

The whole of Psalm 16 was used as part of a devotion regarding contentment in all circumstances. The Lord continued to speak to my heart. And as I got ready to hit the shower and make breakfast, He said to me “Nothing has changed.” I can still be just as content in this challenging season as I have been during times of peace because He has not changed. The One in whom I hope, the One in whom I can depend, the One who makes my paths straight…He has not changed. He is the same God as He was when I was feeling all prosperous and happy. He is the same….my circumstances have changed…but He is the same. Because of this, I can place my hope in Him. Because of this, I can walk in joy and contentment. HE HAS NOT CHANGED!

The devotion quoted philosopher Anicus Boethius who said, “Nothing is miserable but what is thought so, and contrariwise, every estate is happy if he that bears it be content.”

Oh my! Nothing is miserable except for what I think is miserable??? Every state that I find myself in is a happy state if I am in a content state of mind??? Paul said it this way “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Our precious Lord strengthens us, allowing us to experience contentment in and through and with Him regardless of the circumstances surrounding us.

So I will continue to pray and ask for what I want (with my limited knowledge) and, even more so, what I believe the Lord desires, but not with an attitude of anguish or anxiety over my present state. Rather, as the Word tells us, with prayer and supplication AND THANKSGIVING, I am making my requests known to our Father and thanking Him for His peace.

Content…no matter what.

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

I Have Stilled and Quieted My Soul

My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.  But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.  O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.  (Psalm 131)

This beautiful psalm of David is a declaration not of his perfection but of the intention or posture of his heart. David declares that he is not concerning himself with trying to resolve matters that are beyond his comprehension or realm of responsibility. He has stilled and quieted his soul. This means that he has abandoned the anxieties of life and has settled in to a place of peace. He likens this state unto the peace of a weaned child with its mother – no longer dependent on or striving for the former things and having grown and developed to the place of being able to handle the more mature things. Of this, Matthew Henry says: Our hearts are desirous of worldly things, cry for them, and are fond of them; but, by the grace of God, a soul that is made holy, is weaned from these things. The child is cross and fretful while in the weaning; but in a day or two it cares no longer for milk, and it can bear stronger food.

You may recall that a while back we talked about the holiness process that Christ is walking us through. To Henry’s point, we can find ourselves in the place of stillness and quietness by the mercy of God and the work of Christ in our lives.

David then goes on to encourage Israel to place their hope in the Lord. This word is appropriate in light of the uncertainty of this world. Our hope is only secure when it is placed in the Lord. He is the only wise God. Psalm 125:1 says: Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.

We are secure when we trust in the Lord. We can stand firm in Him even if everything around us is in chaos.

May your soul be stilled and quieted in our Lord.

Righteous Right Hand

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.


Isaiah 41:10

As a Man Thinks...

Proverbs 23:7 - “Come on and have some more,” he says, but he doesn't mean it. What he thinks is what he really is.

It is commonly quoted that as a man thinks, so he is. Let’s explore that…

In Proverbs 23 we see several warnings issued: be cautious in fellowship with those whom society has elevated, don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich, don’t be fooled by the generosity of those who are stingy, don’t try to talk sense into a fool, don’t hesitate to discipline your children, don’t envy sinful people, etc…

In verses 6-8 of this Proverb we see the warning about the generosity of the stingy man. We learn that his words may sound generous but what is in his heart is contrary. And, in fact, what is in his heart reveals who he truly is. Matthew Henry says this, “We are that really, both to God and man, which we are inwardly; and neither religion nor friendship is worth any thing further than as it is sincere.”

Our hearts reveal who we are. How many times have we heard in Christian circles “God knows my heart”? Well that is true! He surely does know our hearts and because of that we’d do well to make sure our hearts are pure before Him. In Psalm 51:17 the psalmist writes “The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit--O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.” A humble and repentant heart. In some translations the heart description is contrite, broken, penitent, or sorrowful. While many are concerned with having a good reputation among men, our attention is better focused on having a good reputation with our Father who knows and sees us intimately. He sees who we truly are and when we allow our hearts to be humble and repentant, we will not only please Him but we will treat our fellow man in ways that are God-honoring.

What a man thinks is what he really is. In your heart you may struggle with thinking in line with God’s word; believing you are less that what He says you are (see Psalm 139). You may also find yourself in a heart position that has you thinking more highly of yourself than you ought to (see Romans 12:2&3). Either way, ask the Lord to help cultivate a mind and heart in you that thinks and believes in line with His Word. When we do this, we are freed to be all that He designed us to be.

What do you think?

Spiritual Discipline: Solitude & Silence

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35

“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’” Matthew 26:36

Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.” Matthew 4:1-2 (NKJV)

“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12

“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.” Matthew 14:13

Jesus modeled the importance of uninterrupted time alone with the Father. During the 24 hours we have each day, we are pulled in a hundred different directions by those persons and matters that need our attention: employer, spouse, children, ministry partners, household chores, phone calls, to-do lists, etc… Taking time to remove ourselves from all of these things and to settle ourselves down for one-on-one time with the Father is essential to living well amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. God’s Word is light for our path as well as nourishment for living. It is an enriching experience to carve out and prioritize time to be in His presence – a time of solitude where we do not come to Him with any agenda besides fellowship and intimacy. Time away, in silence, with Him. What a wonderful time that is.

A sweet prayer from Catholic Doors Ministry:

Jesus, teaching the value of solitude,

You reserved many moments to reflect.

You often departed for solitary places,

Withdrawing Yourself into the wilderness,

Or going up into a mountain to pray.

In loneliness, You spoke to the Father!

Teach me how to pray in seclusion,

To perceive the Father within myself.

Teach me to welcome solitary moments,

To enjoy the solitude within myself,

While listening to Your inspirations.

In solitude, Your mysteries are uncovered!

Spiritual Discipline: Evangelism

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18&19

No great commentary needed here. Christ taught His followers everyday with the way He lived and the words He spoke. Therefore, we need to go and do the same. Do not allow yourself to hide behind the excuse that you do not have the “gift of evangelism”. Every one of us is able to share the truth of who God is by the power of His Holy Spirit. Live it and teach it.

Spiritual Discipline: Giving

“For God so loved the world, He gave…” John 3:16

“So when you give…” Matthew 6:1

 “Jesus gave his life for our sins…” Gal 1:4

“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.” 2 Corinthians 8:12

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7

Jesus gave the ultimate gift: His life. John 15:13 says this: “The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them.” The Father expects that His followers would be givers both of themselves, presenting their very own bodies as living sacrifices to be used by God (see Romans 12), and of their resources (see Prov 19:17, James 1:27 and others). God is the Source of all we have, He gave freely and desires the same from us.

Spiritual Discipline: Fasting

‘“Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;’” Joel 22:12

“So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.” Ezra 8:23

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts….” Zechariah 8:19

“And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” Matt 4:2

“And when you fast…” Matt 6:16

Jesus fasted and expected His disciples to do so as well. Mars Hill Church teaches “Fasting is a spiritual discipline. Simply put, it means not eating. Instead of using mealtime for food, you use it to spend time with God. Some fasts last for one meal, one day, multiple days, or even weeks. Fasting may begin at sunrise and end at sunset or extend 24 hours per day. There are many ways and reasons to fast, but the basic idea is to set aside the time you would usually spend eating and focus that time on God instead, praying, reading the Bible, and worshiping.” This is a wonderful and concise explanation of the discipline of fasting. I am aware that, in modern times, we often practice fasting from other things such as television or technology or sweets but for the purposes of this series, we are going to keep it simple and in line with the food fasting practice referred to in these scriptures. As you continue in your faith journey with the Lord, He will reveal to you just how this discipline can be incorporated into your life.

Spiritual Discipline: Prayer

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,…’” Matt 6:9

“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed,…” Matt 26:39

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed…” John 17:1

“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks…”     1 Corinthians 11:23b&24a

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matt 26:41

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1 

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions…” Hebrews 5:7

Prayer is a discipline that was both modeled and taught by Christ.  As I mentioned yesterday, prayer is our half of the conversation with the Father. Reading His word is the other half as it is primarily how He speaks to us. In earnest prayer our hearts are revealed - not to God, because He already knows our hearts, but to us! When we pour out our hearts to the Lord from a place of sincerity, we may be surprised to learn what it truly hidden in there, how we feel…where we’ve been hurt…who we are…

Additionally, when we pray earnestly and sincerely from our hearts, we allow ourselves to be known by God. Again, this sounds odd because we know He knows us. But what I mean is that we are extending an invitation to Him to know us. We are deciding to engage a relationship with the Lord that is not guarded; but is transparent. And oh what freedom comes with willingly opening ourselves up to be known (and loved) by our heavenly Father!

Spiritual Discipline: Bible Study

Reading, studying, memorization, and meditation upon Scripture…

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children…You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied....” Deuteronomy 11:18-21

“Jesus answered, “It is written…Jesus answered him, “It is also written…” Matt 4:4&7

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15

“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.”              2 Tim 3:16&17

God calls His children to know His Word. Jesus Himself quoted the scriptures! We are to study, meditate upon, and apply the Word of God to our lives. It is beneficial to us for teaching, behavioral critique, correcting, and training in righteousness. Through God’s Word, we can be equipped to do all that He has planned for us to do. We are to allow the Word of God to rest and rule in our hearts so that we are led by His Word and are spiritually equipped (as Christ was) to fight temptation. But as Dallas Willard points out, the transformation that happens as we engage the practices may not even be seen outwardly. There is a formation of the spirit, the heart, and the mind that, at times, may not be apparent to anyone but our Father. But He knows and sees and is delighted as we grow in resemblance to His Son.

As we read God’s Word, we become familiar with who He is and how He is. As we become familiar with Him we become better at recognizing His voice in our world. However, when we are attempting to grow in relationship with someone, we must be in conversation with them, right? The studying of God’s Word is of the utmost importance because it is the primary way in which God speaks to us. But reading of the Word constitutes only half of a conversation with God. The other half is prayer. Prayer is the primary way in which we speak to God. Tomorrow we’ll take a look at that.

The Spiritual Disciplines

The patriarchs of our faith have long engaged in spiritual disciplines as part of their life journey. They have determined ways in which they may honor God through obedience to His clear mandates or through modeling the behaviors of our Savior Jesus. Research on the spiritual disciplines will uncover numerous practices, but each fall into one of two categories: disciplines of abstinence or disciplines of engagement. Spiritual disciplines are identified as such either because God or Jesus commanded them or Christ Himself practiced them. Dallas Willard identifies the purposes of the disciplines in this way:

“The aim of disciplines in the spiritual life--and, specifically, in the following of Christ--is the transformation of the total state of the soul. It is the renewal of the whole person from the inside, involving differences in thought, feeling and character that may never be manifest in outward behavior at all. This is what Paul has in mind when he speaks of putting off the "old man" and putting on the new, "renewed to resemble in knowledge the one who created us..." (Col. 3:10)”

With this in mind, for the next few days, we will briefly explore six of the many spiritual disciplines that we can engage. Because this will not be an in-depth study, I would encourage you, in your personal time with Christ, to explore the disciplines further and to pray about those which the Lord would like you to make a part of your relationship together.

 

Ref: http://www.dwillard.org/articles/artview.asp?artID=57

Freedom

Here in the United States, the 4^th of July is Independence Day. It is a day of celebration all across the country. In 1776, on July 4^th the congressional leaders approved the wording of the document which we call the Declaration of Independence. They were officially declaring their intent to be a separate nation, free from the rule of Great Britain…tyrannical, in their assessment…and they were declaring what they would be doing as a group of “free and independent states”. The Declaration is a powerfully written and interesting document.

This concept of freedom immediately brings to mind John 8:36 - So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

The whole declaration reads like this: Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Praise God! We who have accepted Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as our Savior have been set free! Free from what? The tyranny of sin in this life and eternal separation from God in the next life. You see, once we leave this earth in death, we will live again eternally. Accepting the Son as our Savior means that we are free to live with Him forever in heaven once we leave this earth. Accepting the Son as our Savior also means that we are free to live with His power while we are here on earth (thank You Holy Spirit).

Now that’s a freedom worth celebrating!

Why is Sin so Bad? Part 2

Why is Sin So Bad? Part 2

“We do know for sure that sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. Think about it. Take a human being in full health. As time passes, this person begins to deteriorate. The skin wrinkles, the hair grays, the vision decreases while the life forces diminish. Death comes with the passing of time. When there has been no heart trouble, no cancer or other disease, we say they died from natural causes. Natural causes?

Yes, we know what is meant by natural causes. But is death natural? Or is it average, median, and inevitable? Is it natural for this intricate, complex human body into which had been breathed the breath of life by God Himself to die, to cease to exist, to return to dust? Should that which comes from the hand of life itself wither and die as the grass of the field?

No, death is unnatural. God gave man life. It was God's intention that man was to live. Sin is bad. Sin has thwarted God's purpose (temporarily that is). What could be so strong as to counter the will of God? Sin is not only bad but sin is strong. Sin brings forth death. But while the life, affected by sin, does exist, it causes those who possess it to mistreat others.

Sin is bad. Sin is strong. It causes man to mistreat his fellow man, and when it is finished it brings forth death. Could it get any worse?

Yes. God created man in His own image. Man fell in sin. God takes human flesh and comes to earth to save man. What does man do? Man kills God. Man kills God. How bad can it get? This must be the height of evil. Could there be anything worse?

Yes, there is something worse. God has forgiven man for putting His Son to death. God has forgiven man for man's inhumanity to his fellow man. God's work of grace in the Person of His dear Son has atoned for the sins of mankind. Just as all became sinners in Adam, all become righteous, forgiven, accepted in Jesus Christ, the new Adam.

But sin, that bad, strong thing, so affects we poor, fallen, finite, fallible human beings who see through a glass darkly, that we are unable to clearly discern the full meaning of God's saving act in the Person of His Son. We are looking for our part in the salvation process. What must I do to be saved? Where do I fit in? (If Acts 2:37, 38 were the only texts we have, we could stop right here. There are others, you know.)”

Yesterday we summarized that sin is bad because it is a violation of God’s righteous law, it is hurtful and can imprison us, there is no good that comes from sin, and the presence of sin reveals an absence of God. Today we see that sin makes evil seem good and good seem evil, that it brings forth death which is against God’s original design, that is causes man to mistreat one another, that it results in noxious arrogance (just as it did with satan), and causes confusion.

Why is sin so bad? It leads to death but God’s desire for us is life.

The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness. (John 10:10)

Some excerpts from http://www.christianitysconfusion.com/sinhowbadisit.htm

Why is Sin so Bad? Part 1

So we all know that sin is bad, but why? What makes sin so terrible? Maybe the answers are not as obvious as one would think. Today and tomorrow we will take a look at the implications of sin, God’s view, and what our view should be regarding sin. The following is an excerpt from an UCG.org article…

“Again, why is sin so bad? It's bad because it hurts.  It hurts you.  It hurts me.  It separates friends and destroys relationships. It leads to violence, addiction and untimely death. It locks us in our own prisons of heartbreak, suffering, misery and fear. It never bears good fruit. That's why God hates it. And that's why you and I should hate it too.

If we object to crime, we should also object to sin! …crime and sin are essentially the same. Both are violations of law. The only difference lies in whose law is being violated.

Those who disdain even the mention of sin may not believe in God or might actually be expressing resentment for the rule of law. They insinuate that God should not "stick His nose" into their personal life. Essentially, they want to be able to live as they please with as few restrictions on their selfish inclinations as possible.
Why this hostility toward God's role in determining the laws we observe? Paul explains: "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
"The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God.  It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God" (Romans 8:5-8, NIV).
In other words, people naturally resist the idea that a supreme Authority exists who declares absolutely what is right and wrong.”

We can understand from this excerpt that sin is not only a violation of God’s righteous law, but it is also hurtful to us and can imprison us. There is no good that comes from sin, and the presence of sin reveals an absence of God. This is not where we want to find ourselves living.

More on this tomorrow.

From http://www.ucg.org/christian-living/whats-so-bad-about-sin/