"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Cor. 5:17 NLT)

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT)

Monday, July 29, 2013

Justice, Mercy, Grace, Guilt, Repentance


There are terms in the Bible that we sometimes get confused, such as “mercy, grace and justice” as well as “guilt and repentance”.

Justice, Mercy, and Grace

God has all three of these things.  He is a God of justice, mercy and grace.  The meanings of each of these are very different; however, in their true essence, they are tied together.

Justice

Justice demands payment for a crime committed.  Justice is getting what we deserve.

If God was only a God of justice, he would have to instantly kill every one of us the moment we commit a sin.  Justice is not what we want for ourselves, we want mercy.

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.” (Ephesians 2:1-3 NLT)

We have all broken God’s law.  We all justly deserve God’s wrath.  We are fortunate that God is not only just, but also merciful.

Mercy

Mercy withholds the punishment we deserve for a crime committed.  Mercy is the deliverance from the justice we deserve.  Mercy is not getting what we deserve.

Mercy withholds justice.  Without mercy, we would all be under the death penalty for our sin.  Mercy is when God doesn’t give us what we deserve…punishment when we sin.

“4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6 NLT)

God is rich in mercy and saves us not because of anything we have done, but because of His mercy alone.  Jesus took the punishment for our sin.

“he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5 NLT)

Grace

Grace is when God gives us what we don’t deserve – He blesses us even though we don’t deserve it.  Grace is God’s undeserved love.

“7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.  8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”  (Ephesians 2:7-8 NLT)

Grace cannot be purchased and it cannot be earned.  One can only respond to a gracious gift by humbly receiving it, being thankful, and then praising the character of the giver.

When he gives us eternal life, and heals us, and protects us, and meets all our needs, and gives us His Holy Spirit, and blesses us in every possible way, even though we don’t deserve it, that’s grace.  Grace is getting the blessings, the results, from the good of what Jesus has done on our behalf.

We Need Mercy and Grace

Mercy means withholding the negative; grace means giving us the positive.

You need mercy and grace…mercy to escape the bad and grace to be given the good.  We couldn’t have God’s mercy without His grace.  Mercy and grace can be seen as two sides of the same coin.

You get both grace and mercy, because of what Jesus did for you.  You get mercy because of his death on the cross.  You get grace because of his perfect, sinless life that becomes a substitute for your imperfect life.

Forgiveness Costs; Justice Demands Payment

God is a God of justice, and he can’t just forget about justice, and let us get away with anything without ever having to pay for it.  No, when you sin, somebody’s got to pay.  Somebody’s got to get punished. 

Forgiveness does not come cheaply; it will cost someone’s blood.  Every sin that has ever been committed against Him by any human that has ever walked the earth, whether thought, word, or deed, must be punished. 

But because of God’s mercy, that somebody is Jesus, not you.  That’s why Christ died on the cross – to shed His blood to pay the debt for these sins.  On the cross, Christ received the justice that we deserve so that we could receive the grace and mercy we don’t deserve.

God’s powerful love is what is behind God’s grace and mercy, and what is behind the sacrifice of God’s own son for us.  And that powerful force of love is what makes it possible for us, when we are guilty, to ask God for mercy, and He’ll say yes.

“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:10 NLT)

So, when we’re guilty, we admit our guilt, we ask God for mercy.

Justice is either served through the shed blood of Christ, or justice is served through the punishment of unrepentant sinners in hell for eternity.  Christ paid a debt he did not owe because we had a debt we could not pay.  Because God’s wrath was satisfied and justice served, His mercy abounds for those He saves.  That is justice and mercy working together.

The wonder of God’s love, justice and mercy is not that men die for their sins, but that we are allowed to live, in spite of them!

Guilt and Repentance

Some think repentance is the same as feeling guilty.  I feel really bad about what I did, I’m so sorry, I repent.  No.  It’s not the same thing.

Repentance means a change of heart, a change of mind, and a change of direction.

“10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.   Renew a loyal spirit within me.  11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit[d] from me.  12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” (Psalm 51:10-12 NLT)

Guilt may lead you to repent and change, but guilt is not the same thing as repenting. 

We need spiritual power to get back on the right path and stay away from whatever caused our guilt.  Just feeling guilty isn’t going to change you.  Just admitting it to God isn’t enough to change you.  Your spirit needs to be renewed, by the Holy Spirit.  This happens with repentance.

Repentance removes guilt.  If you still feel guilty after you’ve repented then it is not real guilt, it is false guilt.

True guilt comes from God.  False guilt comes from Satan.  There aren’t any sins too big for God to forgive.  But Satan would like to convince you that your sins are too big.  Be careful what voices you listen to.  Don’t accept false guilt. 

The Bible says, If God sets you free, then you are free indeed.  Repentance results in joy.

Repentance is great!  When you repent, the guilt is silenced and the joy of your salvation returns!

“9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:9-10 NLT)

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son on the cross to die for our sins.  Thank You, Lord, for being a God of justice, mercy and grace.  Thank You for Your forgiveness and mercy.  Thank You for Your grace, for blessing us when we don’t deserve it.  Thank You for placing guilt and conviction on our hearts when we have sinned and leading us to repentance.  Thank You for setting us free of our confessed and repented sins.  Thank You for the joy of the salvation you have given to us.  Thank you for your powerful and amazing love! Lord, I pray that those who are lost come and are brought to You, so that they may receive salvation and the wonderful gifts of Your grace and mercy.   In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Song > Holding Nothing Back Live (Jesus Culture)


"Holding Nothing Back"


I am chosen, I am free
I am Living for eternity
Free now forever

You picked me up, turned me around
You set my feet on solid ground
Yours now forever

And nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back

My chains fell off
My heart was free
I’m alive to live for you
I’m alive to live for you
Amazing Love, how can it be?
You give everything for me
You give everything for me
Everything

You washed my sin and shame away
The slate is clean; a brand new day
Free now forever
Now boldly I approach your throne
To claim this crown through Christ my own
Yours now forever

And nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back
Nothing’s gonna hold me back

My chains fell off
My heart was free
I’m alive to live for you
I’m alive to live for you
Amazing Love, how can it be?
You give everything for me
You give everything for me

I’m free to live
Free to give
Free to be
I’m free to love you

Friday, July 19, 2013

Song > Walk With Me (Kim Walker - Jesus Culture Live in New York)

Compassion for the Lost

Compassion:  To feel sympathy, to pity, to be moved with tender-hearted mercy; deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it

FEARFUL FOR THE LOST

When we see lost souls that are on a path to destruction, we should be fearful for them.  Compassion for lost souls causes great sorrow in the heart - heaviness, pain, weeping, etc.  It is painful to bear a lost person or persons on your heart.

We should have compassion on their souls and a deep desire to share God with them.  God calls us to witness to others and bring souls to Him for salvation.  While we cannot decide for someone else, we can guarantee that they will hear the call and invitation from the Lord.

WHAT SATAN SEEKS

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)

Satan blinds the lost through sin.  He blinds them through his lies.  He longs to damn them to hell forever.  The lost have hope through believers who will plead for them.  Satan trembles when believers pray and witness.  He cannot stand against the awesome power of God.

FEEL WHAT JESUS FELT

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36 NLT)

Jesus was moved with compassion!  Lost souls moved Jesus to cry out to them, seek them and save them. 

“Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” (Mark 6:34 NLT)

Again, Jesus was moved with compassion.  They were like sheep without a shepherd, so he began to teach them.

Christ is our example.  We should follow Christ as our model and strive to have the attitude of Christ.  Scripture is full of references to the compassion, sympathy and pity of Jesus toward the lost.  In order to have the attitude of Christ, we must have compassion on lost souls.  We must be driven to share the love of Christ with others.

“22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.  24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.” (Jude 1:22-24 NLT)

In order to win souls for the Lord, we must feel what Jesus felt.  We must feel compassion, sympathy and pity for a lost person if we are to have a chance to win him/her to the Lord.

DO WHAT JESUS DID

Jesus didn't just feel compassion for the lost, he did something about it!  It was Jesus’ compassion that moved him to make the ultimate sacrifice – His crucifixion for each and every one of our sins!  He died to you and He died for me upon that cross.  Then He rose from the dead to show victory over the world, the flesh and Satan.

Compassion will move you to action – to do something for those upon whom you have compassion.  Just as Christ took action, we should also take action.  We should take action by witnessing and leading the lost to the Lord.

“5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.  6 They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.” (Psalm 126:5-6 NLT)

This Scripture refers to winning lost souls to Jesus Christ.  God wants all believers to share his Word.  He wants us to share the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for the sins of mankind.  God wants believers to weep and mourn over lost souls.  He wants us to maintain a heart of compassion, a tender heart, and unconditional love toward all others.

HOW CAN I HAVE COMPASSION FOR THE LOST?

Do you have compassion for those who are lost in sin?  Remember, we were all once lost as those who are currently lost are today.  It is our job to tell them that there is forgiveness in Christ.

How can I have compassion for the lost?  Go to the Lord and ask Him to teach you.  Ask the Lord to plant this love in your heart by the Holy Spirit.  GOD IS LOVE!  If we are truly Christians, we will also have this love.

“But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.” (1 Thessalonians 4:9 NLT)

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” (John 15:12 NLT)

Ask the Lord that you will see the spiritual needs of others.  Pray that His compassion for the lost will be released in your life.  Pray for opportunities to reach these souls for Christ.

ARE YOU LOST?

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?  If you were to die today, do you know whether you would go to heaven to live forever with Jesus Christ?  If you cannot answer with a definite “yes!”, then bow to Jesus today.  Confess to Him that you know He died for your sins, and that He arose again for your salvation.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.  Repent and turn from your sin. 

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

I have experienced this compassion, sympathy, pity, sorrow and weeping for the lost recently...multiple times.  The first really incredibly deep sorrow I felt took me to my knees, weeping with all my heart and soul.  I knew the Lord was putting something big on my heart and life, but I didn't know at first what it was or why I was feeling it.  It took several hours of prayer and Bible study for me to know just what the Lord was placing on me.  When it was revealed to me what it was, I wept harder and asked God to guide me in what He wanted me to do with this sorrow.  I asked God to guide me to whom this sorrow was for, to show me the spiritual needs of these individuals, and to provide me the opportunity to witness and win them for the Lord through witnessing, words, actions and behaviors.  All things will happen in God's time and I know through faith that these individuals will be brought to Christ.  I know the Lord is and will continue to use me as a tool to help accomplish this.  Thank You Lord, you are Great and Mighty!!!

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that we all seek to have broken hearts, compassion and sorrow concerning lost souls.  I pray that we all express heartfelt gratitude to You for saving our wretched souls from sin and that we never forget from that which we have been saved.  I pray that we praise You and are grateful for the salvation You have given us.  I pray that You will show us the spiritual needs of others.  I pray that Your compassion for the lost will be released in our lives.  I pray that You provide us opportunities to reach those souls for You and that we take action when these opportunities arise.  Provide us the right words, actions and behaviors in these opportunities and that you speak through us to the lost and win them for Your Kingdom.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Daystar Church Kidfest 2013 > July 28-31

It’s not just for the kids, Kidfest is a family experience featuring the live action, family drama, Game-On! There will also be lots of comedy, dance, puppetry, music, prizes, and more! It will be held July 28th – July 31st, at 6:30 pm each night, at Daystar Church in Cullman. It’s unlike any VBS you have ever experienced! 

Special guest:
Tommy Toombs – who ministers across the nation in ventriloquism, comedy, and illusions.
Chagy the Clown – Comedian who ministers to audiences across the globe! Bob and Larry from Veggie Tales, and many more!
(Check-in begins at 5:30 pm nightly - doors open at 6:00 pm).

http://daystarchurch.tv/kidfest2013





Thursday, July 18, 2013

Song Thursday > Mighty to Save

A request from our four wonderful children!  Warms a momma's heart to hear her babies praise the Lord through song!

Thank you Lord for these four blessings that amaze us daily!  Yes, Lord, you are MIGHTY TO SAVE!!!


Song Thursday > Christ August: The Upside of Down Live

Thought this song was fitting with the upside down rainbow we saw yesterday :O)


Photo > Upside Down Rainbow

Yesterday, we saw this upside down rainbow while at the park.  What a beautiful display of God's promise! God smiles down on us every day!


Photo > God's Timing


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Pride: Holding Our Noses High Instead of Our Hands

WHAT IS PRIDE?

Pride is an excessively high opinion of self.  Other words for pride are:  self-regard, self-exaltation, conceit, snobbery, haughtiness, pretentiousness.

Pride is an infections and dangerous emotion.  It can be our worst enemy.  It can lead us into sinful behavior.  It can lead to destruction in our relationships with others and in our relationship with God.  Pride can make us value being right more than having a Christ-like attitude. 

Pride is holding our noses high in the air when it should be our hands lifted high in praise to the Lord.

Pride is a Sin

“21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” (Mark 7:21-23 NLT)

“Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 NLT)

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NLT)

Pride is a sin.  Pride ‘defiles a person’.  Pride makes you impure.  Being proud is not an attribute of love.  We must handle the sin of pride consciously.  Pride can infect many of the decisions you make in life.

The First Sin

Pride is often seen as the first sin.  Pride is the sin which caused Satan to fall from his privileged position as an angel.  Satan then used the same sin to tempt Adam and Eve away from God.  Satan tempts us today with the sin of pride.

Pride Relies on Competition

Pride cannot exist without competition.  It is always about you or me against another.

GOD DETESTS PRIDE

“All who fear the Lord will hate evil.  Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.” (Proverbs 8:13 NLT)

“The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.” (Proverbs 16:5 NLT)

Why does God detest pride?  He detests it because it comes from inside the heart.  A proud person thinks of themselves as higher than others. 

“He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” (Mark 9:35 NLT)

Christians are called to be servants to one another.  If our lifestyle prevents us from serving, then repentance to God must be made.  Sometimes we have to sacrifice some things in order to fight the temptation of pride.

DANGERS AND CONSEQUENCES OF PRIDE

Non-Admission of Sin – Sometimes, due to our pride, it is hard to admit when we have sinned.  We must become humble in order to admit when we have sinned and done wrong.

“10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.  11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.” (2 Corinthians 7:10-11 NLT)

Worldly Things – Pride keeps us believing in worldly things – money, status, career, money, etc.  Pride causes us to reject Christ in our lives, replacing Him with things of this world.  Pride becomes an obstacle in our faith in Jesus Christ.

“7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.  9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:7-10 NLT)

Self-Righteousness – Being self-righteous is a feeling or display of superiority.  It’s also known as a 'holier-than-thou' attitude.  Being self-righteous is a sin.  It causes us to become bitter toward others.  It can keep us from wanting to follow Christ properly in our lives.  Don’t let pride in your accomplishments and abilities cut you off from God.  Your accomplishments and talents are given to you because of God.

“11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’  13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:11-14 NLT)

Causes Arguments – Pride causes arguments.  It causes us to have to always be right.  It is a sense that “no one can come and tell me what to do, how to live, or how to behave.”  The next time you are in a disagreement, stop your pride short.  Admit you are wrong if you are wrong.  Admit you need advice or help when you need it.  Pride can keep us from asking for help or advice when we need it.  The next time you are in need of help, advice, or just need a second opinion on a matter, don’t let pride stand in the way of your asking for help.  There is no shame in asking for assistance when you need it.

“Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.” (Proverbs 13:10 NLT)

Fault-Blinding – Pride blinds us from our faults.  Sometimes we would rather push blame off onto others rather than wanting to see our own faults and admit the ugly truths about ourselves.  We all have faults and weaknesses.  We can’t maintain good relationships with others if we believe we are better than others or think that we are never wrong.  We shouldn't point out the faults and weaknesses of others, gossip, talk behind other’s backs or judge others.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1 NLT)

Chokes Communication – When pride sneaks into our perspective of a situation, tension builds and communication becomes difficult.  We can become so determined and focused on being right that we are willing to sacrifice relationships with people we care about.  Don’t let your pride destroy your relationships.

Halts Forgiveness and Restoration – Pride can keep us from forgiveness.  Pride can keep us from apologizing when we are in the wrong.  God calls us to be humble and make allowances for the faults of others.  He calls us to forgive.

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (Colossians 3:13 NLT)

Offended and Defensive – Mankind is so easily offended.  We easily become defensive.  Sometimes we are willing to fight at all costs to have the last word.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT OUR PRIDE?

Defeating pride is an ongoing task.  We have to wake up each and every day determined to beat our prideful nature.  We have to work on this daily.

Remember You Are a Sinner – We must remember who we are.  We must have the proper opinion of ourselves.  We are all sinners.  We all fail.  We all need forgiveness from God.  When we have the correct perspective of ourselves, it is difficult for pride to sneak into our lives.

“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (Romans 7:24 NLT)

Remember Christ’s Sacrifice – Our perspectives change when we remember the incredible sacrifice Christ made for us.  He died on the cross to save us from our sins.  Where would we be today if He hadn’t ransomed and liberated us?
“4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.  8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” (Ephesians 2:4-9 NLT)

Have the Attitude of Christ

“1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.  3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.  5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.  When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.  9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:1-11 NLT)

Jesus Christ was not proud.  He was without sin and therefore the most humble man that ever lived – he obeyed God, he was exalted for it and we can be rewarded for our obedience because of his great example. 

When we are full of pride, we deny ourselves greatness because we are refusing to have a Christ-like attitude.  If we humble ourselves, God will exalt us.

Give Thanks! – Pride cannot grow in a truly thankful heart.  Offer up many prayers of praise and thanks to God for all He has done for you.  Do this on a daily basis.  He has blessed us all beyond measure, even when we are undeserving of His blessings.

“6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7 NLT)

GOD BLESSES THE HUMBLE

Pride is a universal human problem.  Everyone suffers from it to some degree.  When we have exalted ourselves in pride, God does not want to punish us and bring us low but rather forgive and restore us.  He says over and over in Scripture, humble yourselves and I will exalt you.
“God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” (Matthew 5:5 NLT)

Humility is our greatest friend.  It increases our hunger for God’s Word.  It opens our hearts to His Spirit.  It leads to intimacy with God.


We should surrender our lives to Christ daily and choose to be victorious over pride through Him who strengthens us!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Have the Attitude of Christ

Philippians 2:1-5 NLT
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.  3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.  5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had."

As Christians, we have been taught to remove from our old selves, which are corrupted by deceitful desires, and to put on our new selves, created to be like God in righteousness and holiness.  In simple terms, our attitudes should be the same as Jesus Christ.

We must reject attitudes that are a poor reflection of character - negativity, impatience, discouragement, being critical of others, apathy, arrogance, rudeness, self-centeredness, and selfishness are attitudes that we should reject.

Our attitudes are something only we and God can work to improve.  A change must take place within us to have better attitudes about our circumstances, our lives, ourselves and others.  The right attitude to have when difficulties and troubles arise is one that perseveres in our faith and draws us closer to God.  Troubles and struggles will never defeat the Christian with the proper attitude.  Be joyful in your battle!

Our attitudes and outlooks on life are our testimony for being a Christian.  Others always notice how we act, how we speak and how we treat others.  Our attitudes speak volumes about who we are and about our walk with Christ.  We are bound to have a positive attitude when our relationship with God and Christ are growing and are strong.  If we are strong in our faith through any circumstance, there is no time for us to complain, be critical or negative.

Bad things happen.  Bad situations happen.  We will go through struggles.  We will experience pain.  These things can take a toll on us if we are not careful.  We must check our attitudes constantly to make sure we stay positive no matter the circumstance.  We must keep our faith in the Lord strong no matter what comes our way.  We have so much to be thankful and positive about.  We are all blessed beyond measure.

Pull off your old, negative self and replace it with your new Christian Christ-like attitude and mind.  Like Jesus Christ, be positive!  Be encouraging!  Maintain a positive, loving attitude for the glory of the Lord!

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

What’s Missing in Our Lives?

What is my purpose in life?  What is the meaning of my life?  What is my reason for living?  These are all questions we search for answers for in life.  Each and every one of us struggle to find purpose and meaning in life, however, we still feel empty and unfulfilled.  Why is that?  It is because we all have a spiritual emptiness in our lives.  We all have a “God-shaped” hole in our hearts.  Possessions, money, success, relationships or other worldly things won’t fill this void.  God is the only one who can effectively and properly fill that hole, that missing piece, that void, in our hearts and lives.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

The problem is sin.  The Bible clearly identifies our serious problem as sin.  We are born sinners and thus sinning comes to all of us naturally.  We are born with a nature to do wrong.

God has given us the freedom to choose between two separate paths for our lives - one leads to life and the other leads to death.  “Today, I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.  Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.  Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”  (Deuteronomy 30:19)

BUT I LIVE A GOOD LIFE…

“But I live a good life.  I am kind and considerate to others.  I am caring.  I don’t do anything all that bad.  I’m a good person.

Romans 3:23 says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”  God’s glorious standard is absolute perfection.  Although our sinful nature makes it impossible to live up to God’s standard, we cannot blame our sin on nature alone.  Sin is also a deliberate act.

SIN IS A DELIBERATE ACT

Sin, also referred to as transgressions or trespasses in the Bible, is a deliberate act.  Because sin is a deliberate action, we cannot blame our sin on anything other than ourselves.  Our sin cannot be blamed on society, our environment, our mental state, our physical state, or on other people.  Everyone has the freedom of choice.  Everyone has the choice between doing what is right and doing what is wrong.  Everyone has chosen to do what was wrong – more than once.

According to the Bible, we have offended a Holy God when we sin and the ultimate penalty for sin is death.

JESUS CHRIST IS THE SOLUTION

God understood our problem, our sinful nature, and knew that we could do nothing about it.  Because God loves us, he sent his own Son, Jesus Christ to bridge the gap of sin that separates us from Him.  God’s love was demonstrated by the sacrifice and crucifixion of his only Son Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins.  Jesus did not simply die for all of humanity but he died for each and every one of us – every single individual.  It was not nails that held Christ to the cross, but love.

ARE YOU READY TO FILL THAT VOID IN YOUR LIFE?

Are you ready to fill that void in your life?  Are you ready to know Jesus?  To know Jesus Christ personally and receive forgiveness of your sins, you must believe that you are a sinner separated from God.  You must believe that Jesus Christ is your only hope and that he came and died for your sins.  You must turn from your sins and believe in Jesus Christ and receive him into your life in order to enter into a relationship with God, from whom you have been separated.

TURN FROM YOUR SINS

The first thing you must do is repent of your sins – acknowledge your sinning, change your mind, and change the direction of your life.

It is not enough for us to just be sorry for our sins.  We must also change the way we live.  If you are truly sorry for something you have done wrong (your sin), then it will result in a change in your actions.  “The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

God can do many, many things, including removing your sins and giving you the gift of eternal life.  However, only YOU can turn from your sins and receive Jesus as your Savior.

BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AND RECEIVE HIM INTO YOUR LIFE

You must believe in and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  Jesus said that you must be “born again.”  This rebirth occurs when we believe in Jesus Christ, receive him by inviting him into our lives, and turn away from sin.  The cost is nothing, it is free; the offer is yours for the asking.

Becoming a Christian means you will have a relationship with the living God.  We must know how God speaks in order to hear him calling us.  The Bible describes one way in which God speaks to us as a “still, small voice.”  This is also described as a tug on your heart from the Holy Spirit showing you your need for Jesus Christ in your life.  It is at that point that you must open the door for Him.  Only you can do that.  Jesus will not force his way into your heart.  Do you hear him calling?

RECEIVING CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART

If you are ready to accept Christ in your life and turn from sin so that you can receive forgiveness and hope of eternal life, you need only ask Him in order to receive it.  Take a moment to pray a prayer like this one now:

Dear Heavenly Father, I am sorry for my sin.  I turn from sin right now.  I ask you to forgive me now as I repent of my sin.  Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for my sin.  Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart and into my life right now.  Be my Lord and Savior.  Help me to follow You and Your Will all the days of my life.  Thank you for receiving me.  Thank you for forgiving me of my sin and that I have a place in heaven.  Lead, guide and direct me on the path You have made for me, all the days of my life.   In Jesus’ name, amen.

REDEDICATING YOUR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST
Maybe you have already received Christ, but you have strayed from Him.  You have been a prodigal son or daughter, slipping slowly away.  God will forgive you right now if you will return to Him.  “My wayward children…come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.” (Jeremiah 3:22) 

If you would like to rededicate your life to God, take a moment to pray a prayer like this one now:

Dear Heavenly Father, I am sorry for my sin.  I turn from sin right now.  I am sorry that I have strayed from You and Your Will for my life.  I ask you forgive me now as I repent of my sin.  I don’t want to live my life without You any longer.  Renew and revive me as I once again follow you as my God.  Thank you for receiving me.  Thank you for forgiving me of my sin.  Lead, guide and direct me on the path You have made for me, all the days of my life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

NEW / RENEWED LIFE IN CHRIST

Praise the Lord on your new or renewed commitment to Him!  God has forgiven and received you if you truly meant it.  Your relationship with Jesus Christ will bring dramatic changes in your life.  “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)  What wonderful news!  Even more importantly, God has changed your eternal destiny – peaceful eternity in his presence in heaven.


Monday, July 8, 2013

A Critical Spirit

Criticism:  To judge as a critic; to find fault; to blame or condemn

One of the easiest things to do is to be critical of other people.  We have all been guilty of being fault-finding and tearing down others with our words, thoughts and actions.  Some people harbor a larger spirit of criticality than others.  Those with a very critical spirit usually dwell on negativity and look for the faults in others rather than looking for the good.  These people are frequently upset and generally always have something that they are complaining about.  Control over the tongue and temper are found to be difficult.

What about constructive criticism?  The only true constructive criticism is the kind that is expressed out of love and builds a person up and does not tear them down.  It is always expressed face to face and never behind the other person’s back.

SO WHAT CAUSES A CRITICAL SPIRIT?

Negativity - Having a negative view of life and a bad attitude can certainly cause us to be critical.

Insecurity - Insecurity can cause a critical spirit.  Insecurity makes you feel rotten about yourself.  In putting others down, we are attempting to feel more important than others.  It gives us a feeling of superiority.  Jealousy is often the cause of criticism.  We don’t feel quite so bad when we are tearing someone else down.

Immaturity - Immaturity in our belief with Christ can cause us to notice the flaws in others.  Believers must always keep their focus on Christ and His Word, not man, who will often fail.  Man cannot live up to our expectations.  Criticism becomes a reaction of disappointment, because our expectations in others have been crushed.

Walking in the Flesh – A critical person is walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit.  Rather than drawing upon the Lord for strength and perspective, the critical person relies upon his or her own resources.  Cynicism quenches the Spirit, directing us to walk by sight, not by faith.  Spirit filled Christians will fundamentally be people of hope because of the great God we serve.  A fleshy person will be one of despair.

Hiding from our sins – It is far easier to see other’s sins rather than our own.  Those who are judgmental hide from their own failures.  How aware are we, when seeing another’s sins, that we ourselves are capable of the very same things?  We are all sinners.

Bitterness – Bitterness develops when we fail to forgive other and we become angry, bitter and resentful.  Our ability to live healthy, happy, harmonious lives is largely related to our willingness and ability to consistently forgive and ask for forgiveness.

Different points in our walk - Even mature Christians may have areas of their lives where they struggle and where they need to grow.  We must remember that every Christian has not progressed to the same point.  We want everybody to be right where we all are, and they aren't, and never will be. We are all on a journey and we are all at different places.  We may be ahead of some but are behind others.  We have to give people room to grow and not beat them down.  We cannot be critical of others in their place in their walk with Christ, because we too, are not fully there yet.  We are all works in progress.

Our thinking and attitude should be renewed by the Word of God, which teaches us to bear the infirmities of the weak.  We should show love, compassion and encouragement to others rather than putting them down or being sarcastic to their faults.

Satan “the accuser of brethren” - Satan specializes in influencing bad behavior.  He will use the aforementioned tactics (one, many or all) to influence a critical attitude to stir up turmoil.  The devil is in sheer delight when he sees believers accusing and condemning one another.  We must be on guard that we do not allow Satan to use us as a tool to bring discouragement upon others through criticism.

WHAT DOES A CRITICAL SPIRIT ACCOMPLISH?

Nothing; nothing at all.  A critical spirit displeases the Lord.  It defiles you and makes you feel dirty.  It defiles others.  It destroys relationships and friendships.  It doesn't solve problems.

There is something very damaging about a critical spirit.  Over time, it prevents us from seeing and appreciating all that is truly good in the word and all that God is actively doing in our lives and the lives around us.  Critical people don’t just hurt themselves; they are affecting others as well.

WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY?

“10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.’”  12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.”  (Romans 14:10-13 NLT)

Scripture tells us not to tear down others through criticism or judgment.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others.[a] The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.  3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye[c] when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend,[d] ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5 NLT)

We tend to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions.  The truth is, we cannot rightly judge anyone else, as we do not know the contents of their heart.  We should be content to judge only ourselves.  We should seek to bring our own lives in alignment with Christ and God’s Word.

WHAT IS THE ANTIDOTE?

We must open our eyes to see two truths – the depth of our own sin and the amazing grace of God’s love toward us in Christ.  God can open our eyes to see ourselves as we truly are…sinners.  We desperately need to feel our own sin and God’s grace and forgiveness.  We must submit to God.

We must realize that we can never know with 100% certainty another person’s motives.  We can see their actions, but not their hearts.  Only God can see their heart and only his judgment is accurate and fair.

When we are bothered by the actions of another, we must pray.  We must pray for both the person as well as our response to them and their actions.  We should channel the energy we would have spent on criticism into prayer instead.

We should capture all negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts.  Negative thoughts may come into your mind, but you and you alone have the ability to keep those thoughts from passing through your lips as words.  Control your thoughts, control your tongue.  Ask God for his assistance in keeping all your thoughts, words and actions obedient to Christ.

We must be encouragers.  We should genuinely build up others and help them become all that they can become.  An encouraging attitude is the only attitude that will change people.  Our actions and words must be devoted to encouragement.  Our tongues should only be used for good.

Are you a habitual fault-finder?  Are you a constant critic of people and things around you?  If so, learn to free yourself from a negative and critical attitude.  Doing so will improve your emotional and mental health.  The Bible doesn't promise peace to those who dwell on the faults of others.  It says that the Lord will keep them in peace, whose minds are stayed on Him!

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3 NLT)

Instead of seeing only the downside of the people and situations around us, let us pray for the ability to see what God is doing in our lives and in the lives of others.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

God Captures Our Tears

“You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book.” (Psalm 56:8 NLT)

GOD CAPTURES OUR TEARS

“You have collected all my tears in your bottle.”  What does that mean?  It means that God knows all your sorrows, suffering and struggles.  He understands the language of our tears – the language in which no words can convey.  He is with us in those times when all you can do is curl up and painfully sob, or fall upon your knees and cry out to Him for comfort.  He knows the contents of our hearts, even when words evade us.

In all times, we can trust God’s promise that he hears our prayers.  As we weep in agony, frustration or grief, God carefully collects all of our sorrows and holds them close.  No matter how weak or pitiful our words and cries may be, God does not forget the cries of those in need.

What a wonderful and comforting Lord we have that he loves us so much that he captures our tears in a bottle – that each and every one is precious to Him. 

GOD IS HERE FOR YOU

Our tears are never wasted and are never in vain.  When tears stream down our cheeks, God takes care of each one of them.  He wants to help us get through our crisis triumphantly.  That is the kind of God we have.  He is not detached or remote or uncaring.  He is right there with you, catching each and every tear.

God is a big God who has done big things.  Nothing is impossible for Him.  He knows how we feel better than we do ourselves.  He hears the words behind our sobs and whispers back, “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10 NLT)

STRENGTH THROUGH FAITH

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT)  Without faith, there is nothing.  Through faith, there is everything we need.  Comfort is one of those things we need.  We have a wonderful God Who cares us.

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)  When we cast all our cares upon the Lord, we are doing so by faith.

We are to look not only at what is presently happening, but look to things which are not yet seen, God’s future plan for us.  God already has the answer.  We can patiently endure and cast our cares on Him, knowing that He cares for us.

TRUST AND PRAISE HIM

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5 NLT) 

Trusting in God in every moment – the good, the bad, the sorrowful – and praising God, despite our fears in life, leads us to a stronger faith and a stronger walk with Him.  Trusting God, with your tears, is an incredible act of faith.  You are saying, “God, I trust you with my life, my fears, my tears, my struggles and because of that, I praise You.”

Your tears are important to God.  Remember, He has a bottle with your name on it.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

 “Thank you Father for sending your own Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die on the cross for each and every one of us.  Thank you for knowing each one of our individual hurts, for understanding our deepest pain and collecting each tear that we shed.  Thank you for hearing our prayers.  Thank you for allowing us to rely on Your strength in the midst of our weakness.  Thank you for your affection and love.  May we always walk with You, praise You, serve You, honor You and worship You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.”