Some years ago, the University of Illinois conducted an experiment in which two pens of pigs were weaned and reared in different environments. One pen of pigs received no handling except for feeding, watering, and pen cleaning. The pigs in the second pen were treated much better. They were played with and petted for at least 15 minutes each day by their caretakers. The end result of the experiment? The pigs that received the tender, loving care of their handlers thrived much better than those who were ignored. Caring attention, even in the life of a hog, does make a difference!
We all need care. As followers of Jesus, we must follow his example and care for not only people we know or people like us, but also for all people. It will make a difference in their lives and in our own lives.
A Cause for Care
Years ago at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, a young sociology professor assigned his class to interview 200 boys in one of the city slums. "On the basis of your findings predict their future,” he instructed the class. Shocked at what they had seen in the slums, the students estimated that 90% of the boys they interviewed would someday serve time in prison.
Twenty-five years later the same professor asked another class to locate the survivors of the 200 boys and to compare what happened. Of the 180 boys, they could find only 4 who had ever been to jail.
Why had the predictions by the earlier class proven false? A common denominator was sought in their lives, some value or influence that could have made the difference. Through more interviews it was revealed that over 100 of them remembered having the same high school teacher, Miss O'Rourke, who had been a tremendous influence on them at the time.
After a long search, Sheila O'Rourke was found in a nursing home in Memphis. When asked for her explanation, she was puzzled and replied, "All I did was love everyone of them."
Our love can shape the destiny and course of the lives of the people with whom we come into contact. We must be aware that love is a powerful force that has very real effect on people. A simple loving word or deed may be the difference between life and death, success and failure, or a healthy or destroyed life. The young boys that came into contact with Mrs. O’Rourke were positively influenced. The people who met Jesus were also changed for life. What happens to people who meet you? Is your life making a difference in the lives of those around you? You can affect change in others if you will choose to love every one of them.
Convenient Care – Jesus Style
Jesus Made Himself Available to Others (Luke 7:1-10)
Have you ever met someone who wouldn’t give you the time of day? Maybe you have gone to a concert or a special event to see someone famous only to be disappointed because you were unable to get to them. Jesus was famous. Everywhere he went great crowds would follow him. But Jesus made time for people. Even when he was exhausted he would make time for those who wanted to see him, touch him, and speak to him. Do you make time for those around you?
Jesus Was Sensitive and Sympathetic to Others’ Feelings (Luke 7:11-17)
Jesus was sensitive and constantly aware. He was very conscious of the feelings of those around him. On more than one occasion Jesus, without being asked for help, would stop what he was doing and help. He went out of his way to help those in need. He was concerned about the feelings of others. He was moved when they were hurt. He defended those who were being laughed at, mocked, or singled out publicly. We must become sensitive and aware of the feelings of those around us. We are called to be compassionate towards them.
Jesus Dealt Personally With People (Luke 7:18-23)
Don’t you hate those phone systems where you don’t ever get to talk to a real
person? Recording after recording but no human. We expect, desire, and need personal attention. Jesus became personally involved with people. He knew their names, their situations, and their needs. He was a personal person. He was touchable. Even small children had access to him.
Jesus Reassured Others of His Love and Acceptance (Luke 7:36-50)
Those who came into contact with Jesus didn’t have to question if they were loved. He let people know they were cared for and needed. Even while others were ridiculing and attacking Jesus, he would show love and compassion to the individual. There were no outcasts in Jesus’ eyes. He let them know that they were important to him. When you talk to and interact with people, do they feel needed, accepted, and loved?
My Commitment to Care
Four scholars were arguing over Bible translations. One said he preferred the King James Version because of its beautiful, eloquent old English. Another said he preferred the American Standard Bible for its literalism, the way it moves the reader from passage to passage with confident feelings of accuracy from the original text. A third man preferred Moffatt because of its quaint, penetrating use of words, and the turn of a phrase that captures the attention of the reader. After giving the issue further thought, the fourth scholar admitted, "I have personally preferred my mother's translation." When the other scholars chuckled, he responded, "Yes, she translated it. She translated each page of the Bible into life. It is the most convincing translation I ever saw."
There is an old statement that says, “You may be the only Jesus a person ever sees.” People are looking for someone who can show them Jesus by their actions and their attitude. We must become Christians who will bring the Bible to life by the way we talk and treat those around us. It won’t always be easy. Some people will undoubtedly get on your nerves. However, with Jesus’ help we can make a commitment to care for those with whom we come into contact. Every time we are tempted to be rude, snappy, or sarcastic we must take a moment to gather ourselves and to respond like Jesus would respond. When Jesus was faced with a situation where he could have responded angrily or hatefully, he said nothing. What do you say and do?
Love talked about is easily turned down, but love demonstrated is irresistible. We can sit in our sanctuaries and our youth rooms and talk about love all day every day, but it will do no good. We must learn to put action to our words. It isn’t enough to just talk about the love of Christ. We must become a living example of that love. Make up your mind that you will become irresistible.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Am I depending on the Holy Spirit to change me?
The old plumber was admonishing his young helper, who was always taking coffee breaks. "When I was an apprentice," he said, "we used to lay the first two lengths of pipe -- then the boss would turn on the water and we'd have to stay ahead of it." This is basically a picture of what we are supposed to do as Christians. The Holy Spirit is flowing through us and we must do our very best to grow enough to stay up with the flow of power. Growth is an essential part of every Christian’s life. There must be growth to be the kind of disciple that Jesus desires us to be. We must follow Christ’s example. Luke 2:52 reveals that even Jesus grew while on earth. It says that He “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Just because we accept Christ does not mean that we have arrived and that there is no room for improvement or change. In fact it means exactly the opposite. We must grow or die.
Growing Up is Hard to Do
“I don’t want to grow up, I’m a Toys R Us kid.” Remember that commercial? Catchy isn’t? However, too many Christians take this as a spiritual theme song. Growing up is hard to do but it must be done. Did you know that a wasp is actually bigger at the time of its birth than at any other time in its life? The wasp actually shrinks as it gets older. Too many of us as Christians are just like the wasp. When we are born (saved) we are excited, on fire, bold, and aggressive in our faith. But as we get older in our walk with Christ, we often shrink and become passive, dull, and reserved.
Sometimes it is easier to just stay the same, or so it seems. The truth is “you pay a price for getting stronger. You pay a price for getting faster. You pay a price for jumping higher. But you also pay a price for staying just the same” (Life’s Little Instruction Book). We are instructed to mature in our faith. That means if we are at the same level spiritually today as we were two months ago then something is terribly wrong. We must purpose in our hearts to allow the Holy Spirit to help us mature on a daily basis.
Profiles of Power
The following men were men of power. Some of them burst on the scene full of power but some of them come into the limelight of Scripture full of weakness and needing to grow up. But the common denominator in all of their lives was the power that each eventually found through the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
John The BaptistWouldn’t you like to be as forceful and bold as John? Most of us would, but we must realize that John paid the price long before we ever see him make a public impact. John found his power by spending several years in the desert and coming into an intimate relationship with God. We must learn that there is no public power without first finding private devotion.
Andrew
Andrew is a picture of zeal. When he came into contact with Jesus, he was so excited that he immediately began to tell others. Sounds like many of us, as new Christians doesn’t it? But the interesting thing about Andrew is that he never lost his initial excitement. He was more than just a sprinter. He ran with endurance. Andrew tapped into the power of the Holy Spirit and, over the years of his life, impacted a generation with the Gospel of Christ.
Peter
Peter was a failure. At least he was for a while. The one thing we must learn from Peter is that failures are not final. If we will allow the Holy Spirit to change us, then we will mature and live through and past our mistakes. Even though we would like to think that as we grow up in our walk with Christ we will never falter or fail, most likely we will. But Peter proves to us that we can go on and still profoundly impact the world in spite of our weaknesses. Many of us are failures for now. But we must move on, grow up, and change our world.
The Apostle John
Quick tempered. Proud. Uncooperative. Maybe even hard to get along with. Sound like you? Actually, this is a description of John before. Before what? Before he allowed the Spirit of God to change him into a loving, humble, willing, and an easy to work with kind of guy. There is hope for us. That is what we should learn from John. There is hope for all of us who have some quirks to be used mightily by God.
Measuring the Changes in My Life
Richard Crisco, the youth pastor at Brownsville Assembly of God, says, “"When God measures a man He doesn't put the tape measure around his head, but around his heart." Although what we learn intellectually is vitally important, the real proof of growth can be found in our heart. Out of our heart flow our actions, attitudes, and speech: these things reveal change. There is an old saying that whatever is in the well will come up in the bucket. This is certainly true of us as Christians. Whatever is in our hearts will come out as we live our daily lives around others. How do you really know if you have made a change in your life? John foster Dulles gives us a pretty good measuring stick to go by when he said, “The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it's the same problem you had last year.”
If we are allowing the Holy Spirit to change us, then there will certainly be growth. It will be noticeable and it will start in the heart. It will ultimately effect the way we talk, walk, think, react, and live. It is imperative to measure ourselves on a regular basis and to make sure that we are changing and growing. Without such a regular check, we will grow stagnate and get stuck in a rut. You do know what a rut is, don’t you? A rut is simply a grave with the ends knocked out. Don’t settle for being the same. Allow the Holy Spirit to produce change in your life.
In his book, Folk Psalms of Faith, Ray Stedman tells a story of a woman who had been a school teacher for 25 years. When she heard about a job that would mean a promotion, she applied for the position. However, someone who had been teaching for only one year was hired instead. She went to the principal and asked why. The principal responded, "I'm sorry, but you haven't had 25 years of experience as you claim; you've had only one year's experience 25 times." During that long period of time the teacher had not improved.
Without realizing it, the teacher had never grown. This was a tragedy but not nearly so devastating as it would be to discover that as a child of God, we have not changed, grown, or improved. We must allow the Holy Spirit to change us, for if there was no change, then there was no change.
Growing Up is Hard to Do
“I don’t want to grow up, I’m a Toys R Us kid.” Remember that commercial? Catchy isn’t? However, too many Christians take this as a spiritual theme song. Growing up is hard to do but it must be done. Did you know that a wasp is actually bigger at the time of its birth than at any other time in its life? The wasp actually shrinks as it gets older. Too many of us as Christians are just like the wasp. When we are born (saved) we are excited, on fire, bold, and aggressive in our faith. But as we get older in our walk with Christ, we often shrink and become passive, dull, and reserved.
Sometimes it is easier to just stay the same, or so it seems. The truth is “you pay a price for getting stronger. You pay a price for getting faster. You pay a price for jumping higher. But you also pay a price for staying just the same” (Life’s Little Instruction Book). We are instructed to mature in our faith. That means if we are at the same level spiritually today as we were two months ago then something is terribly wrong. We must purpose in our hearts to allow the Holy Spirit to help us mature on a daily basis.
Profiles of Power
The following men were men of power. Some of them burst on the scene full of power but some of them come into the limelight of Scripture full of weakness and needing to grow up. But the common denominator in all of their lives was the power that each eventually found through the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
John The BaptistWouldn’t you like to be as forceful and bold as John? Most of us would, but we must realize that John paid the price long before we ever see him make a public impact. John found his power by spending several years in the desert and coming into an intimate relationship with God. We must learn that there is no public power without first finding private devotion.
Andrew
Andrew is a picture of zeal. When he came into contact with Jesus, he was so excited that he immediately began to tell others. Sounds like many of us, as new Christians doesn’t it? But the interesting thing about Andrew is that he never lost his initial excitement. He was more than just a sprinter. He ran with endurance. Andrew tapped into the power of the Holy Spirit and, over the years of his life, impacted a generation with the Gospel of Christ.
Peter
Peter was a failure. At least he was for a while. The one thing we must learn from Peter is that failures are not final. If we will allow the Holy Spirit to change us, then we will mature and live through and past our mistakes. Even though we would like to think that as we grow up in our walk with Christ we will never falter or fail, most likely we will. But Peter proves to us that we can go on and still profoundly impact the world in spite of our weaknesses. Many of us are failures for now. But we must move on, grow up, and change our world.
The Apostle John
Quick tempered. Proud. Uncooperative. Maybe even hard to get along with. Sound like you? Actually, this is a description of John before. Before what? Before he allowed the Spirit of God to change him into a loving, humble, willing, and an easy to work with kind of guy. There is hope for us. That is what we should learn from John. There is hope for all of us who have some quirks to be used mightily by God.
Measuring the Changes in My Life
Richard Crisco, the youth pastor at Brownsville Assembly of God, says, “"When God measures a man He doesn't put the tape measure around his head, but around his heart." Although what we learn intellectually is vitally important, the real proof of growth can be found in our heart. Out of our heart flow our actions, attitudes, and speech: these things reveal change. There is an old saying that whatever is in the well will come up in the bucket. This is certainly true of us as Christians. Whatever is in our hearts will come out as we live our daily lives around others. How do you really know if you have made a change in your life? John foster Dulles gives us a pretty good measuring stick to go by when he said, “The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it's the same problem you had last year.”
If we are allowing the Holy Spirit to change us, then there will certainly be growth. It will be noticeable and it will start in the heart. It will ultimately effect the way we talk, walk, think, react, and live. It is imperative to measure ourselves on a regular basis and to make sure that we are changing and growing. Without such a regular check, we will grow stagnate and get stuck in a rut. You do know what a rut is, don’t you? A rut is simply a grave with the ends knocked out. Don’t settle for being the same. Allow the Holy Spirit to produce change in your life.
In his book, Folk Psalms of Faith, Ray Stedman tells a story of a woman who had been a school teacher for 25 years. When she heard about a job that would mean a promotion, she applied for the position. However, someone who had been teaching for only one year was hired instead. She went to the principal and asked why. The principal responded, "I'm sorry, but you haven't had 25 years of experience as you claim; you've had only one year's experience 25 times." During that long period of time the teacher had not improved.
Without realizing it, the teacher had never grown. This was a tragedy but not nearly so devastating as it would be to discover that as a child of God, we have not changed, grown, or improved. We must allow the Holy Spirit to change us, for if there was no change, then there was no change.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
What does it mean to be a Christian?
We sometimes get so focused on trying to win people to Christ that we often mislead people into thinking that “when” and “if” they get saved their problems will vanish. We know that God loves them and wants a relationship with them, but we have to be honest with people and let them know what they are really getting into when they become a Christian. Yes, Jesus paid the price for our salvation, and that salvation is a gift that we can freely receive, but in order to make room in our hearts for that gift, we have to get rid of some things in our lives that do not honor God. It is not just enough to say, “Jesus come into my heart” and never change our actions and desires. Jesus made it possible for us to become His disciples, but He leaves that decision up to us. He never told us it would be easy. In fact, Jesus said that if we were going to be His disciples we would have to do three things: deny, die, and follow. To say it better, He requires us to put some “walk” behind our “talk”!
What Does It Mean to “Deny Myself”?
Before we came to know Jesus as our Lord and Savior we basically did what we wanted to do. Most of us knew “right” from “wrong”, but we made the choice to do wrong because we were not serving God. What must be realized is that after we get saved, God doesn’t take away our ability to choose between what is right and wrong. Not only that, but sometimes we still have some of the same desires that we had before accepting Christ. This is where our walk with Christ becomes more difficult.
When we know what is right but have a desire to do what is wrong, we have to choose the right thing for the right reason. This is called “denying ourselves”. Many people do the right things for the wrong reasons. For example, a person decides not to cheat on a test because their teacher is watching, but if that teacher wasn’t watching, that person would cheat. That is not “denying oneself”. But, when there is an opportunity to cheat without getting caught, and the person doesn’t cheat because they know it displeases Christ, then that person has “denied” him/herself and done the right thing for the right reason.
Why Do I Have To “Die To Sin”?
Christ said that to be His disciples, not only do we have to deny ourselves, but we must also “take up the cross”. This statement means that just as He took up the cross and allowed Himself to be killed, so must we allow ourselves to die to the sin in our lives. Christ died for our sin, but we must die to our sins. This commandment was given by Christ for our own benefit.
The apostle Paul tells us in his writings to Rome that “the wages of sin is death”. He warns us of what sin will lead to if we don’t execute it out of our lives. The book of Hebrews tells us to “put aside every weight and the sin” that keeps us from truly obeying God. These two verses are absolutes for understanding how powerful sin can become if we choose not to deny ourselves and die to our sins. An example from Roman history to show how deadly sin really is can be seen from the way the Romans punished murderers during the time of Paul’s writing.
According to tradition, if a person was convicted of murder, the dead body of the person killed was strapped, cheek to cheek, to the body of the murderer. The murderer would have to live the rest of his life with this corpse strapped to him. The corpse, as it decayed, would eventually disease the body of the murderer, and the murderer would literally die from the person that he killed. This is how sin works! If we fail to destroy it, it attaches itself to us and eventually destroys us. It is no wonder why Paul said “the wages of sin is death”. Christ commands us to die to sin because He knows that what we fail to destroy will destroy us.
What Is So Hard About Following Christ:
It probably seems like this third requirement for being a disciple of Christ is the easiest, but that is not the case. To understand why this is not easy just put yourself in Jesus’ sandals. If we spend some time in Christ’s shoes we see that He was always having to avoid traps that the enemy had set to destroy Him. Even from the time of His birth people were trying to kill Him. As Jesus grew older and began to do miracles and teach, He was constantly ridiculed and even kicked out of town for being compassionate. Not only that, but His closest friends turned their backs on Him. Christ allowed Himself to become so poor that He had to borrow meals to eat, borrow a boat to rest in, and even borrow a tomb to be buried in. Most importantly, He even gave His life for those who hated Him. He has given us the commandment, that as His disciples, we should love others as He loved us. To follow Jesus means to be like Jesus, and this, we have to choose to do. Jesus doesn’t make us follow Him.
When Christ was giving people the opportunity to become His disciples He made it very clear what was expected of them and the price they would pay for following Him. He told them that if they followed Him they would lose their lives. He also told them that the only way to experience “true” and “everlasting” life is for them to lose their life for His sake. According to history, this is exactly what happened. Every one of the twelve disciples died a martyr’s death. Every one of them was murdered because they would not denounce Christ. They denied themselves, they took up their crosses, and they followed Him. What does it mean to be a Christian? Die! Deny! Follow!
What Does It Mean to “Deny Myself”?
Before we came to know Jesus as our Lord and Savior we basically did what we wanted to do. Most of us knew “right” from “wrong”, but we made the choice to do wrong because we were not serving God. What must be realized is that after we get saved, God doesn’t take away our ability to choose between what is right and wrong. Not only that, but sometimes we still have some of the same desires that we had before accepting Christ. This is where our walk with Christ becomes more difficult.
When we know what is right but have a desire to do what is wrong, we have to choose the right thing for the right reason. This is called “denying ourselves”. Many people do the right things for the wrong reasons. For example, a person decides not to cheat on a test because their teacher is watching, but if that teacher wasn’t watching, that person would cheat. That is not “denying oneself”. But, when there is an opportunity to cheat without getting caught, and the person doesn’t cheat because they know it displeases Christ, then that person has “denied” him/herself and done the right thing for the right reason.
Why Do I Have To “Die To Sin”?
Christ said that to be His disciples, not only do we have to deny ourselves, but we must also “take up the cross”. This statement means that just as He took up the cross and allowed Himself to be killed, so must we allow ourselves to die to the sin in our lives. Christ died for our sin, but we must die to our sins. This commandment was given by Christ for our own benefit.
The apostle Paul tells us in his writings to Rome that “the wages of sin is death”. He warns us of what sin will lead to if we don’t execute it out of our lives. The book of Hebrews tells us to “put aside every weight and the sin” that keeps us from truly obeying God. These two verses are absolutes for understanding how powerful sin can become if we choose not to deny ourselves and die to our sins. An example from Roman history to show how deadly sin really is can be seen from the way the Romans punished murderers during the time of Paul’s writing.
According to tradition, if a person was convicted of murder, the dead body of the person killed was strapped, cheek to cheek, to the body of the murderer. The murderer would have to live the rest of his life with this corpse strapped to him. The corpse, as it decayed, would eventually disease the body of the murderer, and the murderer would literally die from the person that he killed. This is how sin works! If we fail to destroy it, it attaches itself to us and eventually destroys us. It is no wonder why Paul said “the wages of sin is death”. Christ commands us to die to sin because He knows that what we fail to destroy will destroy us.
What Is So Hard About Following Christ:
It probably seems like this third requirement for being a disciple of Christ is the easiest, but that is not the case. To understand why this is not easy just put yourself in Jesus’ sandals. If we spend some time in Christ’s shoes we see that He was always having to avoid traps that the enemy had set to destroy Him. Even from the time of His birth people were trying to kill Him. As Jesus grew older and began to do miracles and teach, He was constantly ridiculed and even kicked out of town for being compassionate. Not only that, but His closest friends turned their backs on Him. Christ allowed Himself to become so poor that He had to borrow meals to eat, borrow a boat to rest in, and even borrow a tomb to be buried in. Most importantly, He even gave His life for those who hated Him. He has given us the commandment, that as His disciples, we should love others as He loved us. To follow Jesus means to be like Jesus, and this, we have to choose to do. Jesus doesn’t make us follow Him.
When Christ was giving people the opportunity to become His disciples He made it very clear what was expected of them and the price they would pay for following Him. He told them that if they followed Him they would lose their lives. He also told them that the only way to experience “true” and “everlasting” life is for them to lose their life for His sake. According to history, this is exactly what happened. Every one of the twelve disciples died a martyr’s death. Every one of them was murdered because they would not denounce Christ. They denied themselves, they took up their crosses, and they followed Him. What does it mean to be a Christian? Die! Deny! Follow!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Friends and Super Brothers
The legend of “Mr. Miyagi” or the “Super Mario Bros.” Fabled Friends and Super Brothers to those who know them well. These people will be remembered for ages to come. But what about you? Are you a Fabled Friend or a Super Brother?
We are taught to treat others as we would like to be treated. And it is true, we should. But what about really loving someone? Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.” This truth contains two points. First, no matter what anyone is going through, if you are their friend, you will always be there for them. Understand that God sometimes separates us from friends so that we can grow closer to Him. That does not mean that you should stop being a friend! You can always lift up a friend in prayer, even if you have not seen them or talked to them for a while. Remember that prayers are timeless before the Lord, so pray away!
Second, brothers can be family related or Christ related. You know those people in your family that who just grate the nerves? Nothing you say or do matters, does not change the situation, does not appeal to them; they ignore your point of view. However, your family will see Christ through you. Your unsaved loved ones will start filling in the blanks about God through you and the way you live your life lived around them. Trust God to use you in every situation and pray! Ever had a Christian brother who irritated the beans out of you! And it seems like they enjoy doing it! Even if they have a different view of Christianity, do your best to be real with them so they can see your faults and their own. God uses people like this to mature you and vice versa. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Wounds from Christian friends seem like they hurt the most. But they also provide the opportunity to grow the most.
I cannot stress enough how important prayer is in bringing about God’s change in someone. You cannot change anybody. Sure, you can have some influence and might see a difference for a while in somebody, but God, in His sovereign time, is the only one that decides when and where that person will change. You do not know that person’s time, so be diligent in prayer and relationship with friends and brothers. Trust the Holy Spirit to move that person towards God.
Remember that friends and brothers usually go through much more than what they tell you. So do not jump to any conclusions about being right or wrong, because friends and brothers will remember that. Continually lift them up in prayer whenever they pop into your mind. Friends and brothers will remember if you were there for them when they needed somebody, so your support is another way that you can glorify God.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Check your Attitude
Read Mark 9:14-29. It is an awesome story of a man whose attitude helped him to overcome his problems. Most of this story is an attempt by Jesus to show His disciples the power of prayer and believing; however, if you look closely enough, we can also see what happens when we have the right attitude.
Often we miss what God wants to do in our lives because we have a bad attitude. Someone “cuts us off” on the road, so our attitude is “I’ll get him back.” The teacher does not give us the grade we think we deserve, so we get the attitude that the teacher is out to get us. We’re not invited to the party everyone else is invited to, so we think no one likes us. The list can go on-and-on-and-on-and-on-and-on. Do you get my point? Our attitude means everything. It can help us grow or it can help us die. Here are a few things said about our attitude:
“God. . . gives me the freedom to acknowledge my negative attitudes before him but not the freedom to act them out because they are as destructive for me as they are for the other person.” - Rebecca Manley Pippert
“At any moment in life we have the option to choose an attitude of gratitude, a posture of grace, a commitment to joy.” - Tim Hansel
“Attitudes are capable of making the same experience either pleasant or painful.” - John Powell
“It's not what happens to me that matters most; it's how I react to what happens to me.” - Robert Harold Schuller
Whether we realize it or not, it’s our attitude toward the things we may not like in our lives that will make us stronger or weaker. Have you checked your attitude lately?
Here’s something to think about. In Matthew 4:17, Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus’ message was one of repentance. His message, simply stated, exclaims that we need to say no to our sin, yes to Jesus, to ask forgiveness, to make Jesus Lord of our life and in the process of growing in Him, to change our attitude. In Matthew 5, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount deals with attitudes. We must remember, however, that God’s way of doing things will contradict the things of the world. The world may think we’re crazy, but God is saying “This is what I want.” Consider the beatitudes. We think in terms of pride and personal independence, but Jesus says to be poor in spirit. In doing so we’ll receive the kingdom of heaven. The world says “happiness at any cost”, but Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” The world says “deception is acceptable if it will help us get ahead”, but Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Jesus says to be meek, to live righteously, to love mercy, to be a peacemaker, to endure persecution all for His sake and in doing so, we will exhibit the qualities in life that will help us grow and bring others to Christ. Read Matthew chapter 5 and see if God’s attitude toward things are your attitudes. If not, make it your prayer to change your attitude. It will make studying God’s Word more productive. It will make worship more meaningful. It will make friendships more giving than receiving. It will make life more complete. All these things happen when our attitudes have the hope of Jesus instead of the pride of self or the negativity of satan.
The following are seven attitudes we need to have. There are times for all seven of these attitudes to work in our lives. We need to be in prayer that the Holy Spirit will help us recognize what God is doing in our lives so that we can operate in the right attitude. Are you ready? Here they are:
• Lying down – there are times that we need to step back and be refreshed in Christ. Psalm 23:2
• Sitting – it’s easy to think we know it all. However, there are times when God needs to teach us about Him, about life in general and about ourselves. Sometimes we need to sit and receive instruction. Luke 10:39
• Standing for battle – life is not easy. The Bible tells us that satan is looking for anyone he may devour – totally destroy. As a Christian we are his “number 1” target. To stay strong in Christ takes a fight. You must guard yourself against the things that would allow temptation to overcome you. Stand strong, follow Christ and be courageous enough to stand for him when the door to temptation comes. Ephesians 6:14
• Walking – in the light of Christ. I John 1:7 tells us that when we walk in the light as Christ is in the light that a certain outcome will occur. We will have fellowship with other believers. In other words, one test as to whether we are walking in Christ is whether we have fellowship with other believers. One author says, “Love of the brethren (other believers) is the product of love of God; fellowship with the brethren is proof of fellowship with God.” Are you walking in Christ? When you do you will be able to encourage others, to inspire others and to help others walk in the light of Christ as well.
• Running – for progress. Hebrews 12:1 tells us that life and our Christian walk resembles a race. Like a race, we all get tired and we’re pressed against time, but we must keep going. In your personal walk, never stop learning and don’t grow weary in doing what God has for you. Fix your eyes on Jesus and keep living for Christ. Will hard times come? You better believe it. Will satan try to trip you? Absolutely. Is living a Christian life hard? YES! Through the example of Christ and the strength of the Holy Spirit, you can keep running and finish the race.
• Leaping – for joy in Christ. The pressures of life, our circumstances, difficult times, the loss of friends, unfulfilled expectations – all these things can rob our joy. That is exactly what satan wants to do – steal our joy, our peace and our walk with Christ. Acts 3 contains a great story of the lame man who received a touch from God and immediately stood up, leaping and dancing and praising God. No one knows the struggles you’ve been through, no one knows what God has delivered you from and no one knows why you praise God with such exuberance like you do. Don’t stop praising Him, and for the psalmist said, “The joy of the Lord is our strength.”
• Wait – for God. Lastly, God isn’t like Burger King – you can’t have it your way right away. Sometimes God delays answering our prayers because there is a lesson He needs us to learn. Often we quit or give up just before God gives His answer. Isaiah 40:31 says, “Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” There are times in worship, prayer and life in general that we need to sit back and wait for God. He is always working for our betterment. It may not be our way, but He knows who He wants us to be. We must become who He wants us to be before we can do what He wants us to do. Sit back and wait on the Lord.
Our attitudes mean everything. It can build walls of division or it can build steps toward God. It’s your choice. Choose life by choosing the right attitude to whatever comes up in your life.
Often we miss what God wants to do in our lives because we have a bad attitude. Someone “cuts us off” on the road, so our attitude is “I’ll get him back.” The teacher does not give us the grade we think we deserve, so we get the attitude that the teacher is out to get us. We’re not invited to the party everyone else is invited to, so we think no one likes us. The list can go on-and-on-and-on-and-on-and-on. Do you get my point? Our attitude means everything. It can help us grow or it can help us die. Here are a few things said about our attitude:
“God. . . gives me the freedom to acknowledge my negative attitudes before him but not the freedom to act them out because they are as destructive for me as they are for the other person.” - Rebecca Manley Pippert
“At any moment in life we have the option to choose an attitude of gratitude, a posture of grace, a commitment to joy.” - Tim Hansel
“Attitudes are capable of making the same experience either pleasant or painful.” - John Powell
“It's not what happens to me that matters most; it's how I react to what happens to me.” - Robert Harold Schuller
Whether we realize it or not, it’s our attitude toward the things we may not like in our lives that will make us stronger or weaker. Have you checked your attitude lately?
Here’s something to think about. In Matthew 4:17, Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus’ message was one of repentance. His message, simply stated, exclaims that we need to say no to our sin, yes to Jesus, to ask forgiveness, to make Jesus Lord of our life and in the process of growing in Him, to change our attitude. In Matthew 5, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount deals with attitudes. We must remember, however, that God’s way of doing things will contradict the things of the world. The world may think we’re crazy, but God is saying “This is what I want.” Consider the beatitudes. We think in terms of pride and personal independence, but Jesus says to be poor in spirit. In doing so we’ll receive the kingdom of heaven. The world says “happiness at any cost”, but Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” The world says “deception is acceptable if it will help us get ahead”, but Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Jesus says to be meek, to live righteously, to love mercy, to be a peacemaker, to endure persecution all for His sake and in doing so, we will exhibit the qualities in life that will help us grow and bring others to Christ. Read Matthew chapter 5 and see if God’s attitude toward things are your attitudes. If not, make it your prayer to change your attitude. It will make studying God’s Word more productive. It will make worship more meaningful. It will make friendships more giving than receiving. It will make life more complete. All these things happen when our attitudes have the hope of Jesus instead of the pride of self or the negativity of satan.
The following are seven attitudes we need to have. There are times for all seven of these attitudes to work in our lives. We need to be in prayer that the Holy Spirit will help us recognize what God is doing in our lives so that we can operate in the right attitude. Are you ready? Here they are:
• Lying down – there are times that we need to step back and be refreshed in Christ. Psalm 23:2
• Sitting – it’s easy to think we know it all. However, there are times when God needs to teach us about Him, about life in general and about ourselves. Sometimes we need to sit and receive instruction. Luke 10:39
• Standing for battle – life is not easy. The Bible tells us that satan is looking for anyone he may devour – totally destroy. As a Christian we are his “number 1” target. To stay strong in Christ takes a fight. You must guard yourself against the things that would allow temptation to overcome you. Stand strong, follow Christ and be courageous enough to stand for him when the door to temptation comes. Ephesians 6:14
• Walking – in the light of Christ. I John 1:7 tells us that when we walk in the light as Christ is in the light that a certain outcome will occur. We will have fellowship with other believers. In other words, one test as to whether we are walking in Christ is whether we have fellowship with other believers. One author says, “Love of the brethren (other believers) is the product of love of God; fellowship with the brethren is proof of fellowship with God.” Are you walking in Christ? When you do you will be able to encourage others, to inspire others and to help others walk in the light of Christ as well.
• Running – for progress. Hebrews 12:1 tells us that life and our Christian walk resembles a race. Like a race, we all get tired and we’re pressed against time, but we must keep going. In your personal walk, never stop learning and don’t grow weary in doing what God has for you. Fix your eyes on Jesus and keep living for Christ. Will hard times come? You better believe it. Will satan try to trip you? Absolutely. Is living a Christian life hard? YES! Through the example of Christ and the strength of the Holy Spirit, you can keep running and finish the race.
• Leaping – for joy in Christ. The pressures of life, our circumstances, difficult times, the loss of friends, unfulfilled expectations – all these things can rob our joy. That is exactly what satan wants to do – steal our joy, our peace and our walk with Christ. Acts 3 contains a great story of the lame man who received a touch from God and immediately stood up, leaping and dancing and praising God. No one knows the struggles you’ve been through, no one knows what God has delivered you from and no one knows why you praise God with such exuberance like you do. Don’t stop praising Him, and for the psalmist said, “The joy of the Lord is our strength.”
• Wait – for God. Lastly, God isn’t like Burger King – you can’t have it your way right away. Sometimes God delays answering our prayers because there is a lesson He needs us to learn. Often we quit or give up just before God gives His answer. Isaiah 40:31 says, “Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” There are times in worship, prayer and life in general that we need to sit back and wait for God. He is always working for our betterment. It may not be our way, but He knows who He wants us to be. We must become who He wants us to be before we can do what He wants us to do. Sit back and wait on the Lord.
Our attitudes mean everything. It can build walls of division or it can build steps toward God. It’s your choice. Choose life by choosing the right attitude to whatever comes up in your life.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Am I trusting God?
More than 100 years ago, Charles Blondin walked a tight rope strung across the Niagara Gorge, doing many different stunts over a period of several months. One day, as thousands of spectators watched in suspense, the man arrived back safely once again, and an excited crowd sought autographs. Mr. Blondin asked one admiring young man, "Do you think that I could carry a man on my shoulders back across?" "Oh yes!" the young man replied, "You could do anything!" "Very well," replied Mr. Blondin, "will you be the man?"
It is one thing to watch and applaud as someone walks a tightrope. It is an entirely different thing to actually climb on his shoulders and go with him. The difference is trust. What a perfect picture of the decision we must make concerning Christ. We must come to the place where we trust Him enough to put our life in His hands. Do you believe He can do what He said He can do? Or will you go one step further and prove it by relying on Him, banking on Him, and going with Him?
How many of us are just watching? How many are saying yes I trust you? Trust me, it is very hard to take that step out onto the rope or climb on the shoulders of Christ. I've learned that its a lot easier to walk the other way then to take that step of faith. God doesn't want you to feel that way. Instead you should feel the opposite. Trust in God and take that step. God has so many plans for you and all he is asking you to do is to follow him. A lot of times he is telling you to climb on his shoulders so he can carry you through it.
Don't get so caught up in whats in front of you. Instead look up and ask God, better yet, tell God that it's all in his hands. because I TRUST YOU.
It is one thing to watch and applaud as someone walks a tightrope. It is an entirely different thing to actually climb on his shoulders and go with him. The difference is trust. What a perfect picture of the decision we must make concerning Christ. We must come to the place where we trust Him enough to put our life in His hands. Do you believe He can do what He said He can do? Or will you go one step further and prove it by relying on Him, banking on Him, and going with Him?
How many of us are just watching? How many are saying yes I trust you? Trust me, it is very hard to take that step out onto the rope or climb on the shoulders of Christ. I've learned that its a lot easier to walk the other way then to take that step of faith. God doesn't want you to feel that way. Instead you should feel the opposite. Trust in God and take that step. God has so many plans for you and all he is asking you to do is to follow him. A lot of times he is telling you to climb on his shoulders so he can carry you through it.
Don't get so caught up in whats in front of you. Instead look up and ask God, better yet, tell God that it's all in his hands. because I TRUST YOU.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Merging into one
God puts a path in front of all of us and we all have our own. By continuing to do God's will, your path will be blessed. When God is ready to allow someone to join you on your path. He doesn't just place them there. Both peoples path must merge together. Sometimes both paths will be right next to each other, but never merge. It may take weeks, months, or even years. All depends on God's timing. I truly believe when two paths are side by side, it's then when both people start to grow. They begin to learn about one another and help one another.
A lot of times people mistake that process and jump over to the other lane to early and disaster strikes. Just like a car on the interstate. One quick lane change with out looking or signaling and you could end up in an accident and not only will you be hurting yourself, but you will also be hurting others. Let God do what he needs to do in both your lives, most of all in your life. Don't rush what God is doing. God loves you so much and he wants the best for you. So why not let him prepare the best for you.
Patience is something we all have a hard time doing. We live in a world where everything is now now now. But God is telling us to wait wait wait. So wait. I'd rather have the blessings of God's best that he has for me, then the best that I have for myself.
A lot of times people mistake that process and jump over to the other lane to early and disaster strikes. Just like a car on the interstate. One quick lane change with out looking or signaling and you could end up in an accident and not only will you be hurting yourself, but you will also be hurting others. Let God do what he needs to do in both your lives, most of all in your life. Don't rush what God is doing. God loves you so much and he wants the best for you. So why not let him prepare the best for you.
Patience is something we all have a hard time doing. We live in a world where everything is now now now. But God is telling us to wait wait wait. So wait. I'd rather have the blessings of God's best that he has for me, then the best that I have for myself.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tearing down what holds us back
I found myself sitting at my workstation thinking about how can we live life if we can not let go of our past. We put on a front like everything is OK, but when something good happens, we tend to turn away or even run away from it. God doesn't want us to carry around baggage from our past. We need to let it go so we can move forward. Either it be life, love, family, church, friends, or trust. Yes, we ask God to remove those walls, but if we don't do anything too to help, how can the walls be torn down. You have to let go and let God. Notice I said "YOU" have to let go. That is an action you have to do. Doesn't say, Let me sit here and wait for God to remove it. No! LET GO!!!! Be free and move forward. God has so much in stored for you and who knows, probably has it right in front of you and you cant see because you are blinded by your past. God has placed a great woman in my life who I love and has been helping me be the man God wants me to be. Walls that I myself have put up are now being torn down. I thank God everyday for her. I pray that i will continue to do the same for her.
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