Has your relationship with God really changed the way you live your life? Or are we to busy chasing something to make us happy we will never find in the world. This is only a question that you can answer personally and you have to be honest with yourself to do so. So I encourage you to look at your life since you began to claim Christ and ask yourself am I any different than before I knew Christ.
If the answer is no then it is time to search deep within and find out why. In the parable of the sower how many of us assume we are the good soil. We grew up in church and have a good family, so how could we be anything else. We should never assume we are the good soil, that only leads to pride. Look at your life, what does the fruit of your spiritual life say. Be honest with yourself who do you serve? Who is number one really?
Proverbs says without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest. Are we just trying to stay clean or are you serving God, obeying him, taking risks for him. When was the last time you actually either left the stable and got dirty or cleaned up the stable from things that only you and God know are there. At the end of the day do you realize who God is and why you need him? Or are you only after what you get from God. A man found a treasure in a field and went and sold all that he had and bought that field. Do we have that Joy with Christ are we willing to give up all we have to gain the thing that only matters or are we giving up our soul to gain the world? Christ is all we need, so back to the original question has your life changed since your relationship with God or is it the same. Take some time and get quiet with yourself and God and do some heart surgery to answer this questions today.
This is something I do periodically and each time God reveals stuff in me that needs chiseled away, it hurts but is worth it in the long run. We are in a marathon not a sprint, so prepare for the long run as well as the short sprints.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Help me
Lord as I read about Balaam this morning help me to never become so set on what I want that I miss your directions or word of truth. Lord help keep me humble and always listening to you and what you would have for me and my family. Lord keep me form becoming the ostrich with my head in the sand. Lord I love you and all of my life is yours, I will obey and follow whatever you ask us to do.
Lord in the same aspect if I need a donkey to get my attention, please grab my attention as you see fit.
Lord in the same aspect if I need a donkey to get my attention, please grab my attention as you see fit.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
excited
In C4 2 years ago we read a little book called Crazy Love, wow if I would have know the impact it would have had on the student ministry at my church I would have read it sooner. We most of those high schoolers are gone it is neat to see those who took the challenge of scripture and according to culture are doing crazy things for Jesus. Well we are going to do it again with a new group of students. I realize we will have vastly different results, but am curious how this group will deal with the challenges simple laid out in scripture. I am praying that if nothing else many more C4 students will radically follow Christ whatever that will mean to their own life. Every time I go through this book I an truly overwhelmed by God.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Nothing to Fear
This week has been one of these weeks where scriptures has just come alive in my mind and heart. I wrote down 8 sermons ideas this morning alone. One thought that ran throughout all the different passages I was looking at, is we have nothing to fear.
Yesterday I was again reading Mark 5 and the account of the demon possessed man, and these points stood out to me.
- first the demons come and bow at Jesus feet
- second the demons begs Jesus not to torture them
- third the demons knew who Christ from a distance
- fourth he again begs to not be sent form the area
- fifth Jesus allows the demons to enter the pigs
- sixth the people see God and are terrified and ask him to leave
- the healed man begs to go with God
- Jesus says go tell what I did for you
- the man goes out and tells of what Christ did for him
So we have nothing to fear, but yet we live in fear. We live in fear of what people might say, do , or how they might react. Are we any different then the people that begged Christ to leave them? Christ has won. Christ has authority over demons. Christ has conquered death and restores us. So what are we afraid of? Things of this world and the flesh, then we need to shift our focus and mindset to things of heaven.
We like the man if we know Christ are healed and he asks us to go and tell people what he did for us. We have eternal life and are no longer dead. We came to the cross and got Jesus or did we? Do you have a relationship or did you just get religion and fire insurance. If you have Christ feed your soul and obey his command like this man did in Mark 5 go tell people what he did for YOU!
I know for me personally there is a desire in my soul and heart that is only quenched by time with God and obedience to God. At times it makes me do crazy things to the worlds standards, it causes me pain in the world, but man when I obey it the satisfaction I receive is out of this world. It also makes me hungry for more, we truly do not eat by bread alone.
If you and Christ have a relationship this same hunger and thrust is in you. Listen to your soul, feed your soul, go tell others what Christ did for you. Rest in the assurance that all this world can do is take your life, but not your soul. Honestly once we lose our life, it has really only begun. We have nothing to fear so be bold today.
Yesterday I was again reading Mark 5 and the account of the demon possessed man, and these points stood out to me.
- first the demons come and bow at Jesus feet
- second the demons begs Jesus not to torture them
- third the demons knew who Christ from a distance
- fourth he again begs to not be sent form the area
- fifth Jesus allows the demons to enter the pigs
- sixth the people see God and are terrified and ask him to leave
- the healed man begs to go with God
- Jesus says go tell what I did for you
- the man goes out and tells of what Christ did for him
So we have nothing to fear, but yet we live in fear. We live in fear of what people might say, do , or how they might react. Are we any different then the people that begged Christ to leave them? Christ has won. Christ has authority over demons. Christ has conquered death and restores us. So what are we afraid of? Things of this world and the flesh, then we need to shift our focus and mindset to things of heaven.
We like the man if we know Christ are healed and he asks us to go and tell people what he did for us. We have eternal life and are no longer dead. We came to the cross and got Jesus or did we? Do you have a relationship or did you just get religion and fire insurance. If you have Christ feed your soul and obey his command like this man did in Mark 5 go tell people what he did for YOU!
I know for me personally there is a desire in my soul and heart that is only quenched by time with God and obedience to God. At times it makes me do crazy things to the worlds standards, it causes me pain in the world, but man when I obey it the satisfaction I receive is out of this world. It also makes me hungry for more, we truly do not eat by bread alone.
If you and Christ have a relationship this same hunger and thrust is in you. Listen to your soul, feed your soul, go tell others what Christ did for you. Rest in the assurance that all this world can do is take your life, but not your soul. Honestly once we lose our life, it has really only begun. We have nothing to fear so be bold today.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Friends with......
Tuesday night as our college ministry dwindled down and only a few remained to chat and seek advice. Sam pointed out that todays Christians treat Christ, like the culture treats dating. What do i mean by that? Well the concept friends with benefits ring a bell. In todays culture our young people have friends they call up when they need sexually fulfilled. There is no relationship, no conversations, no real meaning. Just a a hook up for some physical pleasure.
As I though about that I realized he is exactly right. Many of us who call ourselves "Christians" treat Christ the very same. We have no relationship with him, we don't spend time with him or in the word, and we sure don't talk to him or about him to others until we need something. When the bottom falls out or we want to something the first thing we do is get on our knees. Once we have what we wanted, we either go back to ignoring him or get angry if we didn't get our way.
When you look at it this way we realize how selfish and self centered we really are and why Christ told us to pick up our cross we must deny OURSELVES. Life is full of letdowns and there is not always a bow on the ending, but life is always full of hope and promises, this is what the Cross teaches us. These two things at times can walk hand in hand.
So as you look at you relationship with Christ today. Are you working on it, cherishing it, and making it a priority or is Christ to you just another friend with benefits?
As I though about that I realized he is exactly right. Many of us who call ourselves "Christians" treat Christ the very same. We have no relationship with him, we don't spend time with him or in the word, and we sure don't talk to him or about him to others until we need something. When the bottom falls out or we want to something the first thing we do is get on our knees. Once we have what we wanted, we either go back to ignoring him or get angry if we didn't get our way.
When you look at it this way we realize how selfish and self centered we really are and why Christ told us to pick up our cross we must deny OURSELVES. Life is full of letdowns and there is not always a bow on the ending, but life is always full of hope and promises, this is what the Cross teaches us. These two things at times can walk hand in hand.
So as you look at you relationship with Christ today. Are you working on it, cherishing it, and making it a priority or is Christ to you just another friend with benefits?
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Surrendered
As I read Proverbs 9:10 today I am remind to stay humble and surrendered. Man I struggle with this at times. I get so sure of myself and my abilities. As I get stuck on myself, it usually leads to a accident. My prayer today for myself and others in the church is that we will live out this verse. Proverbs 9:10 "Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment."
Lord keep is in proper respect, awe, amazement, surrender, humility, and fear of who you are and how you lead, guide, provide, and protect us. It may not always work out the way we want, but his plan always works out better than my plan.
Lord keep is in proper respect, awe, amazement, surrender, humility, and fear of who you are and how you lead, guide, provide, and protect us. It may not always work out the way we want, but his plan always works out better than my plan.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Reflection on Colossians 3
Paul is encouraging them and letting them know he is praying for them. He is overjoyed that they have been freed from bondage of the world and sin. A bulk of this passage is encouraging them to cast away their former selves and all that attached to that. This leads us to believe this was a struggle for this church, mixing things of this world with things of God. Wow does that not describe America. If we do not cast off the world and cloth ourselves with things of God how will we survive? We won’t. We need to let the peace of God dwell in us and we need to dwell on his words. Letting It teach us and admonish each of us and each other. He finishes off by encouraging us to sing praise to him for all he is doing. Are we casting off our old selves? Do we really believe we are a new creation in Christ? Or are we trying to walk that fence and continue to live in the world and serve God. We can't serve to masters, who are you serving today yourself or God?
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