As I watch the skaters in the Winter Olympics, I’m amazed at their strength and stamina. What amazes me even more is how they get back up when they fall (Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.) (Psalm 37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.),
and they keep going to finish their course. (1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.) They know that even though they’ve made mistakes, they get credit if they keep going.
Someone is keeping score of each individual performance. They aren’t getting compared to another skater. They are being compared to the qualifications and standards of the sport (2 Timothy 2:5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.).
They don’t get high scores for just “skating” and not doing anything of “value”. To get the high scores and the great reward, they have to “do” feats that seem impossible to many of us. (James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.) They train and train and try and try again and again to accomplish those great leaps and spins and stretches. They don’t give up. They have faith that their practice will pay off in the end. (Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.) They push themselves beyond their limits it seems. They have to keep going. They’re headed for the GOLD (Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.) They are focused on one thing: finishing the course to obtain the award (2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.)
It’s not enough to be on skates. You have to build up strength and stamina to qualify to be a contender in the sport and skate according to the rules. It is constant pushing the flesh beyond limits (Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.) and doing warfare (Ephesians 6:11-18 - 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;). Again, it’s not just about us, it’s doing it for our brothers and sisters. Just like the athletes represent their country, we are a part of each other. What we do affects the honor of the whole.
You are still a skater (still in the family of God), but will not receive the reward and will not please the Father. You say, “why do I need a reward or win the prize?” It’s not about you! It’s all for the Glory of God. Not for your glory. It’s all about bringing honor to Him, not to yourself. It’s about expressing your love for the One Who loved you beyond measure.
Revelation 4: 10-11 - 10The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on The Throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before The Throne, saying, 11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
COMMUNICATING IS SUCH A SACRIFICE!
Hebrews 13:15-16
15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
So, what are the sacrifices here? Praising, doing good, and communicating. Let’s focus on “communicating” as a sacrifice to God. I think of communicating as an investment of time and energy, and sometimes a hassle. God’s Words tells us we need to do this to please Him. Yet, we’re reluctant to take the time and energy many times.
Communicate in the Greek for this particular verse is “koinonia” which means to communicate, fellowship, communion, partnership, participation, distribution.
Communicate: www.thefreedictionary.com
1) to convey information about; make known; impart knowledge or exchange thoughts, feelings, or ideas
2) to spread to others; transmit as in an infectious disease/virus; to transfer
3) to have an interchange, as of ideas
4) to express oneself in such a way that one is readily and clearly understood
5) to be connected with one another; to make or have a connecting passage or route; to connect or join
Aren’t there people that you have cut off communicating with because it’s way too much work?...way too much hassle?...way too much energy?...you’re too tired to take time for someone? …too busy to keep up relationships? ...too tired or busy to attend or plan times of fellowship?
Maybe we’ve been hurt, so we avoid communication. We think it saves us from more hurt, yet, because we’re God’s creations, created for relationship, we’re shooting ourselves in the foot on this one. We are His family. We cannot live without communion, fellowship, communication, and relationship with one another and Him and expect to be healthy in body, soul, and spirit.
God brings people across our paths on purpose that He wants us to “communicate” with for some reason. We need to embrace the opportunities to “please” God. And, “communicating” pleases Him well.
Definition of “sacrifice”: www.thefreedictionary.com
noun:
1) the act of offering, losing, surrendering something to a deity in propitiation or homage
2) forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a great value or claim
3) relinquishment of something at less than its presumed value
4) a loss entailed by giving up
5) the act of killing
6) in baseball, an “out” that advances the base runners
verb:
1) to forfeit one thing for another thing considered to be of great value
2) to endure the loss of
3) to give away for the sake of something or someone else
4) to dedicate, to give thought to, to give priority to, to pay attention to
5) kill or destroy
6) sell at a loss
7) in baseball, make a sacrifice bunt or sacrifice fly
8) in chess, to permit or force one’s opponent to capture a piece freely
As I pondered this Scripture and each definition of the key words, sacrifice and communication, it opened my mind and heart to a new realm of understanding.
The definition of sacrifice that stood out like a bolt to me was: in baseball, an “out” that advances the base runners. If we put ourselves “out” or “sacrifice”, it would advance the runners! Aren’t we all runners is the race? The sacrifice to honor God by obeying His Word, advances the runners. Wow!
1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
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,
The definition of communicate that stood out was: to spread to others; transmit as in an infectious disease/virus; to transfer. Aren’t we supposed to spread God’s love? Shouldn’t we be infectious to all those around us? Can’t do that without communicating.
Does the schedule you keep please God? If you aren’t fitting in the communication, fellowship, participation, relationships, etc., how can you be pleasing God? He asks us to praise Him, do good, and communicate. That’s what pleases Him.
Pleasing the Father: Heb. 11:6; Heb. 13:16; Prov. 16:7; Rom. 8:8; 2 Tim. 2:4
15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
So, what are the sacrifices here? Praising, doing good, and communicating. Let’s focus on “communicating” as a sacrifice to God. I think of communicating as an investment of time and energy, and sometimes a hassle. God’s Words tells us we need to do this to please Him. Yet, we’re reluctant to take the time and energy many times.
Communicate in the Greek for this particular verse is “koinonia” which means to communicate, fellowship, communion, partnership, participation, distribution.
Communicate: www.thefreedictionary.com
1) to convey information about; make known; impart knowledge or exchange thoughts, feelings, or ideas
2) to spread to others; transmit as in an infectious disease/virus; to transfer
3) to have an interchange, as of ideas
4) to express oneself in such a way that one is readily and clearly understood
5) to be connected with one another; to make or have a connecting passage or route; to connect or join
Aren’t there people that you have cut off communicating with because it’s way too much work?...way too much hassle?...way too much energy?...you’re too tired to take time for someone? …too busy to keep up relationships? ...too tired or busy to attend or plan times of fellowship?
Maybe we’ve been hurt, so we avoid communication. We think it saves us from more hurt, yet, because we’re God’s creations, created for relationship, we’re shooting ourselves in the foot on this one. We are His family. We cannot live without communion, fellowship, communication, and relationship with one another and Him and expect to be healthy in body, soul, and spirit.
God brings people across our paths on purpose that He wants us to “communicate” with for some reason. We need to embrace the opportunities to “please” God. And, “communicating” pleases Him well.
Definition of “sacrifice”: www.thefreedictionary.com
noun:
1) the act of offering, losing, surrendering something to a deity in propitiation or homage
2) forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a great value or claim
3) relinquishment of something at less than its presumed value
4) a loss entailed by giving up
5) the act of killing
6) in baseball, an “out” that advances the base runners
verb:
1) to forfeit one thing for another thing considered to be of great value
2) to endure the loss of
3) to give away for the sake of something or someone else
4) to dedicate, to give thought to, to give priority to, to pay attention to
5) kill or destroy
6) sell at a loss
7) in baseball, make a sacrifice bunt or sacrifice fly
8) in chess, to permit or force one’s opponent to capture a piece freely
As I pondered this Scripture and each definition of the key words, sacrifice and communication, it opened my mind and heart to a new realm of understanding.
The definition of sacrifice that stood out like a bolt to me was: in baseball, an “out” that advances the base runners. If we put ourselves “out” or “sacrifice”, it would advance the runners! Aren’t we all runners is the race? The sacrifice to honor God by obeying His Word, advances the runners. Wow!
1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
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,
The definition of communicate that stood out was: to spread to others; transmit as in an infectious disease/virus; to transfer. Aren’t we supposed to spread God’s love? Shouldn’t we be infectious to all those around us? Can’t do that without communicating.
Does the schedule you keep please God? If you aren’t fitting in the communication, fellowship, participation, relationships, etc., how can you be pleasing God? He asks us to praise Him, do good, and communicate. That’s what pleases Him.
Pleasing the Father: Heb. 11:6; Heb. 13:16; Prov. 16:7; Rom. 8:8; 2 Tim. 2:4
Friday, February 5, 2010
DEN OF THIEVES
I recently got a new perspective on the following Scripture:
Matthew 21: 12-13
12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
There are two phrases in this Scripture passage that I’ve never heard anyone address: “…and cast out ALL them that sold and BOUGHT in the temple” and “…YE have made it a DEN OF THIEVES”.
Why those who BOUGHT in the temple? I’m thinking Christ was disgusted with those who were lazy worshipers. By the Law of Moses (given by God) and tradition, they were expected to BRING a sacrifice TO the temple to have the priest make a sacrifice for their sins. Instead of making preparation and bringing God their best, they were settling for whatever was available at the last minute. They weren’t taking this seriously. It was very “routine” for them. They weren’t prepared in their hearts for true repentance. They weren’t prepared to worship Him as a Holy God deserved. They were ROBBING God of His deserved honor and worship…therein, the “den of thieves”. They were disrespecting His provision for them…forgiveness of sin…and so much more.
When you honor someone else in this life, don’t you shop for just the right card? Don’t you shop for just the right gift? Don’t you make effort to think and prepare to do something to honor them, to bless them? The Bible tells us “to give honor to whom honor” is due (Romans 13:7). When someone has been a great blessing in many lives, don’t they hold big celebrations of honor? Doesn’t God deserve our honor more than any man? When we gather together, isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? Isn’t that what “church” is about?...to bring God honor as His Body…to celebrate Him…to offer Him our sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15) and worship?
Romans 12:1 – “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Since we no longer bring animals for sacrifice, because Jesus was the Ultimate Sacrifice, we are instructed to be LIVING SACRIFICES. Since we no longer need an earthly priest to stand between us and God, because Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 3-7) and Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), don’t we need to prepare our hearts? Everything in the Old Testament was a shadow of things to come. Didn’t the priests of old have a high price to pay for not preparing as instructed? Their lives were required of them when they did not prepare and honor God as instructed. We are priests and kings in His Kingdom here on earth. Much is required of us as well. This has been very sobering to me.
I’m thinking He’s not very happy with lazy worshippers. And, I’m thinking there is a price to pay for not preparing our hearts and worshiping Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
Matthew 21: 12-13
12And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
There are two phrases in this Scripture passage that I’ve never heard anyone address: “…and cast out ALL them that sold and BOUGHT in the temple” and “…YE have made it a DEN OF THIEVES”.
Why those who BOUGHT in the temple? I’m thinking Christ was disgusted with those who were lazy worshipers. By the Law of Moses (given by God) and tradition, they were expected to BRING a sacrifice TO the temple to have the priest make a sacrifice for their sins. Instead of making preparation and bringing God their best, they were settling for whatever was available at the last minute. They weren’t taking this seriously. It was very “routine” for them. They weren’t prepared in their hearts for true repentance. They weren’t prepared to worship Him as a Holy God deserved. They were ROBBING God of His deserved honor and worship…therein, the “den of thieves”. They were disrespecting His provision for them…forgiveness of sin…and so much more.
When you honor someone else in this life, don’t you shop for just the right card? Don’t you shop for just the right gift? Don’t you make effort to think and prepare to do something to honor them, to bless them? The Bible tells us “to give honor to whom honor” is due (Romans 13:7). When someone has been a great blessing in many lives, don’t they hold big celebrations of honor? Doesn’t God deserve our honor more than any man? When we gather together, isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? Isn’t that what “church” is about?...to bring God honor as His Body…to celebrate Him…to offer Him our sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15) and worship?
Romans 12:1 – “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Since we no longer bring animals for sacrifice, because Jesus was the Ultimate Sacrifice, we are instructed to be LIVING SACRIFICES. Since we no longer need an earthly priest to stand between us and God, because Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 3-7) and Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), don’t we need to prepare our hearts? Everything in the Old Testament was a shadow of things to come. Didn’t the priests of old have a high price to pay for not preparing as instructed? Their lives were required of them when they did not prepare and honor God as instructed. We are priests and kings in His Kingdom here on earth. Much is required of us as well. This has been very sobering to me.
I’m thinking He’s not very happy with lazy worshippers. And, I’m thinking there is a price to pay for not preparing our hearts and worshiping Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
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