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Monday, May 23, 2016
Daily time with God
Importance of daily time with God
The older I become the more I realize that spending time with God is critical. I use critical because we tend to water down the importance of time spent with God. We use terms like devotions, quiet time, prayer time and bible reading (read through the bible in a year...). Now doing these things is not bad, in fact it is a good thing. What is a miss is when and how.
For years I have struggled with morning 'devotions' . The struggle was the result of leader's in the church saying that you don't need to do 'devotions' in the morning... but to do them when it fits your schedule. I have come to the conclusion that this is not a healthy statement; that one needs to taking the time through out the day to be with God. be it devotions, prayer, praise, reading the bible, memorizing, being quiet before Him...
It seems that we want God to conform to our schedules... That if life is busy it is alright to put God aside for later. We forget that God is first! Not us. we need to wake up with God and go to bed with God. God should also be filling the rest of the day with Him. Psalm 5:3 "In the morning O Lord you will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayers to you and eagerly watch.
Psalm 92:2" To declare your lovingkindness in the morning And your faithfulness by night."
Here are 2 examples of how important morning and night 'devotions' are important. Now for times in between we will bring to attention 1Thess.5:17"pray without ceasing". that through out the day we are aware that God is present, that even while working we can have our thoughts stayed upon Him. So start our day with God; be mindful that God is with us during the day and end our day with God.
Friday, April 1, 2016
What marks a christian?
What marks a christian?
As I look upon my life I started to think in what ways do I show that I am a Christian ( a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ). Is it that I go to church most Sundays? Is it that my speech does not contain those so called bad words? That I give money to charities? That I try to act 'good' ; following most laws.. Or that
As we know that doing all those things are good... but they are only a small part of what marks a Christian. For even people that are not believers can do these things 'good' things and some even better than us believers; with the exception (maybe) of going to Church.
This a big topic. We can talk about knowing them by their fruits and how much what type... their walk... their trust... their prayer life... their occupation... For us we look at the external thing we can see and do. That seems to be our focus the things that are seen by men and the things that are heard by men.
What is this one aspect of being a Christian that I am leading to? One that is over looked, put aside and even think is being done... that is forgiveness. forgiving people (person) who have hurt you, done things to you, said things about you, dislike you, despises you... if you have acted badly. More over when you have not acted badly. Or even worst when you are doing the work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One more more over, that it is another Christian.
When we are hurt by someone... it hurts it is not comfortable... words hurt. No matter what you think words hurt and can hurt deep long... Here's the deal not many are ready to ask for forgiveness when they do things. Verbal deeds are even easier to discard... We all sin, even as Christians we all sin. We all need to ask for forgiveness.
Now here is the big thing that marks a Christian. that we forgive! Christians are to forgive just as God forgives us. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God." Eph.2:8-9. Grace, unmerited favor. You forgive not because one deserves it. You do it to show grace as God showed grace to you. Forgiveness also involves mercy. Mercy involves the stay of judgement, taking away of the penalty. taking away of the guilt; setting one free if you will. Just like it never happened. Restored!
Now that needs to be something that is part of our thinking; the forefront of our thinking. Ready to forgive. Ready to forgive our spouse, our children, our parents, brothers sisters, other Christians, friends, co-workers... What marks believers? their ability to forgive over and over. What makes our God so great... Is that He is a forgiving God and that He paid the price for our sins... through Christ. You see forgiveness requires that you pay the price. That you give up you right... forgiveness is not easy, but it is freeing for the two; one receiving and the one giving.
Matt. 6:12 "And forgive us our debt, as we also have forgiven others debt."
Mark 11:25 "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions."
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Love requires hard work
So many times we hear people say that they love you. We even say to family, friends, workers and fellow Church members that we love them. Or on the other hand we do not say those important words. Husbands don't tell their wife that they love them. Fathers don't tell their sons that they love them, nor their daughters.
We verbalize love sometimes and sometimes we do not. Some find it easier to say 'Love you' to people but to say those words to the ones dear and close, those words are so hard to say. It seems that we are all mixed up when we try to verbalize love. One thing for sure is that your wife needs to hear those words, " I love you". Your children need to hear those words, "I love you". There seems to be power in those words. The feeling of being loved, is a great thing. Now to verbalize love is a need; that we all need to hear; and a need we need to express.
Love is so much more than those 3 words of "I love you". For those words need to be back up with actions. Love is so much more than words! Love needs to be told, but actions need to behind those words. In our study on love we learned that love requires action. For 'I love you' without the proper action of love is just an empty phrase. A phrase of no meaning for the substance, the 'work' behind it is missing or done a miss. Love requires work, hard work. This work, the work of love seems to never end. Yes the work of love never ends, for every day love needs to be given. Every day we need to demonstrate love verbally and in deeds. Especially when the one receiving love does not deserve, appreicate the actions of love. Love requires hard work!
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