Critical self-evaluation. Our Enemy's accusation. Others' critical speculation. God's Word about our justification.
There should only be one of these we listen to and agree with. The only measuring stick is God's Word. He said we are justified through faith through His Son, Jesus Christ. He said our sins are covered. He said we are His kids...a royal priesthood. He said we are His workmanship. He said He has a plan, a future, and a hope for us. He said we are more than conquerors. He said we can come boldly to His throne of grace.........oh ya! GRACE! That's something we forget to tell ourselves in our evaluation. That's something other's forget to mention in their speculation. That's something the enemy doesn't include in his accusation. God's GRACE.....greater than all our sin! "Where sin does abound, GRACE does much more abound." It's not about deserving His grace. It's His gift just because He loves us. You can't earn it. His grace just abounds...whether we believe it or not...His grace abounds toward us.
We have to stop beating ourselves up. We have to stop wasting time. We have to stop walking in agreement with our Enemy. We have to stop thinking on critical self-evaluation, our enemy's accusations, other's speculation and start thinking about what God says about our justification. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. So think on whatsoever things that are pure, just, and of good report.....His Word about us is the "good report".
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
The Shed
I was cleaning out my shed the other day to reorganize, scale down, and get ready to move other things in for storage before winter. When I was compacting things, I had to organize tightly and to the ceiling. There were a few items that couldn't stand alone, or fit in some places because they were made of weaker material or were not in a convenient shape to store as organized as the other items. When I found little open areas, I was able to shove certain items into the holes and they were supported, able to stand up without leaning or falling.
The thought: this is supposed to be the Church. We are supposed to be so close to each other that we support each other no matter what shape we're in. There is no way the one that is weaker or of an inconvient shape should fall. If they are closely supported by all those around, they will not fall.
Of course, support means being there and available to support. Many "stronger" Christians don't sacrifice the time to be the support they should be. It's a sacrifice, but God has called us to "encourage each other in the Lord while it is called today". To stand, there needs to be support, i.e. encouragement and admonishment.
1 Thessalonians 5:
11Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.
12Now also we beseech you, brethren, get to know those who labor among you [recognize them for what they are, acknowledge and appreciate and respect them all]--your leaders who are over you in the Lord and those who warn and kindly reprove and exhort you.
13And hold them in very high and most affectionate esteem in [intelligent and sympathetic] appreciation of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
14And we earnestly beseech you, brethren, admonish (warn and seriously advise) those who are out of line [the loafers, the disorderly, and the unruly]; encourage the timid and fainthearted, help and give your support to the weak souls, [and] be very patient with everybody [always keeping your temper].
Hebrews 13:3
13But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his sin may play on him].
The thought: this is supposed to be the Church. We are supposed to be so close to each other that we support each other no matter what shape we're in. There is no way the one that is weaker or of an inconvient shape should fall. If they are closely supported by all those around, they will not fall.
Of course, support means being there and available to support. Many "stronger" Christians don't sacrifice the time to be the support they should be. It's a sacrifice, but God has called us to "encourage each other in the Lord while it is called today". To stand, there needs to be support, i.e. encouragement and admonishment.
1 Thessalonians 5:
11Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.
12Now also we beseech you, brethren, get to know those who labor among you [recognize them for what they are, acknowledge and appreciate and respect them all]--your leaders who are over you in the Lord and those who warn and kindly reprove and exhort you.
13And hold them in very high and most affectionate esteem in [intelligent and sympathetic] appreciation of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.
14And we earnestly beseech you, brethren, admonish (warn and seriously advise) those who are out of line [the loafers, the disorderly, and the unruly]; encourage the timid and fainthearted, help and give your support to the weak souls, [and] be very patient with everybody [always keeping your temper].
Hebrews 13:3
13But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his sin may play on him].
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Black Top
Did you know that the road commission doesn't order new black top down just because someone complained of a problem? They first get an official report stating there is repair needed or actually see the damage themselves and then investigate all areas that are in disrepair for that particular stretch of road. Sometimes the area can be fixed without laying down all new road, but many times, because of wear and tear of that stretch of road, many areas need repair. These areas have to be fixed before the new black top can be applied, otherwise, what looked so nice at first, will wear down into the old areas of disrepair. The new black top would look like the old road rather quickly because of continued use and "weight of traffic". They have to put down a good foundation before they can put the black top down.
Did you notice that "all" areas of disrepair are investigated for that stretch of road? And, did you notice that "they" investigate? This speaks to me of the ministry of the Body of Christ ..."they". This speaks to me of the wisdom and safety we find in a multitude of counselors ..."they". This speaks to me of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The road commission wants to make sure the road is stable before they invest all the money and time needed to put down the new black top. What if there was a sinkhole? Black top sure wouldn't do the trick there.
Sounds just like us. We want to do so much for the Lord and work in the Kingdom of God but we keep getting hung up. It seems we take one step forward and two steps backward. Many times we want the quick fix for our issues by covering them up and burying them so no one can see them. We don't want to let the Body of Christ help us heal. We don't want to get wisdom and counsel because it would reveal our "disrepair". We are content many times to go on with the familiar so no attention is drawn to the disrepair.
We all have areas that need repair. Sometimes we haven't allowed the Holy Spirit to heal us because it may be too deep and wide...too painful. Or, it may be pride in the way of asking for help. James 5:16 states: "Confess your faults (sins, hurts, etc.) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." Healing comes through confessing and then praying for each other.
God wants to do many new things in our lives. He wants to do abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). We may have learned more, grown deeper in our walk with the Lord, been used in a new area of ministry, but if we don't allow the Holy Spirit heal us, it won't be long before we're looking just like we did before. The same issues keep coming up and up and up. Those "weights" that so easily beset us (Hebrews 12:1 - Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us), will cause the disrepair to show through again. Let the Holy Spirit dig deep to heal those areas of woundedness so you will have a firm foundation for God to build you up for His Kingdom purposes and His glory.
Did you notice that "all" areas of disrepair are investigated for that stretch of road? And, did you notice that "they" investigate? This speaks to me of the ministry of the Body of Christ ..."they". This speaks to me of the wisdom and safety we find in a multitude of counselors ..."they". This speaks to me of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The road commission wants to make sure the road is stable before they invest all the money and time needed to put down the new black top. What if there was a sinkhole? Black top sure wouldn't do the trick there.
Sounds just like us. We want to do so much for the Lord and work in the Kingdom of God but we keep getting hung up. It seems we take one step forward and two steps backward. Many times we want the quick fix for our issues by covering them up and burying them so no one can see them. We don't want to let the Body of Christ help us heal. We don't want to get wisdom and counsel because it would reveal our "disrepair". We are content many times to go on with the familiar so no attention is drawn to the disrepair.
We all have areas that need repair. Sometimes we haven't allowed the Holy Spirit to heal us because it may be too deep and wide...too painful. Or, it may be pride in the way of asking for help. James 5:16 states: "Confess your faults (sins, hurts, etc.) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." Healing comes through confessing and then praying for each other.
God wants to do many new things in our lives. He wants to do abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). We may have learned more, grown deeper in our walk with the Lord, been used in a new area of ministry, but if we don't allow the Holy Spirit heal us, it won't be long before we're looking just like we did before. The same issues keep coming up and up and up. Those "weights" that so easily beset us (Hebrews 12:1 - Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us), will cause the disrepair to show through again. Let the Holy Spirit dig deep to heal those areas of woundedness so you will have a firm foundation for God to build you up for His Kingdom purposes and His glory.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Tastefulness
There are four basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty. In the right combination, there can be great flavor. In the wrong combination, there can be bad flavor.
Taste very much depends on the taste buds of the taster. There are tastes that are more pleasing to some than others because of exposure to certain flavors while growing up. Some tastes are definitely acquired through experience. What one thinks palatable, another may not. Where there has been damage to taste buds, things don't taste as intended. So, no matter what you do to season it, they won't taste it as intended.
Haven't we all experienced this? No matter what you say or do for some people, they can't "taste" your words or giving gestures in the way intended? What you think is palatable, they may not? You haven't been exposed to things they have been exposed to, so you don't "taste" things the same way?
It may be “no taste” or it may be “sour taste” or “bitter taste” or “savory taste” or “sweet taste” or “salty taste” that overpowers the “real” taste. Some pleasant and some unpleasant. When something isn’t received in the way we intended it, remember that person’s “taste buds” have been damaged.
We are the salt of the earth and here to savour it. Let’s season our speech with grace and love.
Colossians 4:6 - Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Taste very much depends on the taste buds of the taster. There are tastes that are more pleasing to some than others because of exposure to certain flavors while growing up. Some tastes are definitely acquired through experience. What one thinks palatable, another may not. Where there has been damage to taste buds, things don't taste as intended. So, no matter what you do to season it, they won't taste it as intended.
Haven't we all experienced this? No matter what you say or do for some people, they can't "taste" your words or giving gestures in the way intended? What you think is palatable, they may not? You haven't been exposed to things they have been exposed to, so you don't "taste" things the same way?
It may be “no taste” or it may be “sour taste” or “bitter taste” or “savory taste” or “sweet taste” or “salty taste” that overpowers the “real” taste. Some pleasant and some unpleasant. When something isn’t received in the way we intended it, remember that person’s “taste buds” have been damaged.
We are the salt of the earth and here to savour it. Let’s season our speech with grace and love.
Colossians 4:6 - Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
A PRESSURE WASHER
How does a pressure washer work? The water comes in full running force from the faucet to the end of the regular-sized hose. The first part of the attachment for a pressure washer has a smaller diameter tube to build up pressure. There is a pressure valve after that tube which releases the built-up pressure through yet another much smaller diameter and longer tube, so it can force the water out even at a higher pressure to clean up where you are aiming the spray.
My spirit did a little leap within me when I heard the information about how a pressure washer worked. I thought about our narrow path and how much narrower it is getting as time marches on to the prize that is set before us and the glory that awaits us. I thought about the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives…..that He came to give us POWER to do His work.
We have control of that valve. The force and speed at which the Holy Spirit will flow from us we obviously cannot comprehend. God’s Spirit (the faucet) is flowing to us (the big hose) and through us at all times. He says that we should have springs of Living Water within our souls (the narrow attachment) that should flood out over all those around us.
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
We have control of that valve. Are we letting the cares of this world keep that valve shut? Are we letting the pride of life keep that valve shut? Open that valve to the Holy Spirit everyday so we can affect everyone and everything we come in contact with. It’s about His power flowing through us. It’s about us opening that valve to let His power flow. We are responsible for affecting those around us. Let the River flow.
My spirit did a little leap within me when I heard the information about how a pressure washer worked. I thought about our narrow path and how much narrower it is getting as time marches on to the prize that is set before us and the glory that awaits us. I thought about the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives…..that He came to give us POWER to do His work.
We have control of that valve. The force and speed at which the Holy Spirit will flow from us we obviously cannot comprehend. God’s Spirit (the faucet) is flowing to us (the big hose) and through us at all times. He says that we should have springs of Living Water within our souls (the narrow attachment) that should flood out over all those around us.
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
We have control of that valve. Are we letting the cares of this world keep that valve shut? Are we letting the pride of life keep that valve shut? Open that valve to the Holy Spirit everyday so we can affect everyone and everything we come in contact with. It’s about His power flowing through us. It’s about us opening that valve to let His power flow. We are responsible for affecting those around us. Let the River flow.
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