Eccl 9:11-12
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
The reality is that LIFE HAPPENS! There are times when God does show His children favor and because of prayers that we have made God has changed His mind on a certain thing, but there are times when life happens. It may be raining today simply because the clouds are full and can no longer contain it! The train has stopped you at the crossing simply because this is the moment it had entered the path in which you were on. People have been mean, unruly, hateful, disrespectful and may just have ignored you because they are people. That's life.
I do believe in spiritual influence, good and evil but I also believe that time and chance happeneth to us all. Meaning that not everything that happens to us in our lives is spiritually determined! The bible tells us that it rains on the just and the unjust alike. This doesn't mean that the just are blessed with the equal amount that the unjust are cursed or judged! What this means is good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people!
If bad things always happened to bad people then what hope would they ever have? If good things always happened to good people then what faith, trust or dependency on God would we ever need?
Living in reality means that I recognize that not everything goes according to my plans. It means that I don't blame God for allowing bad things to happen and only bless Him for the good! In all things give thanks!
Like the old song says, You take the good you take the bad you take the both and there you have The Facts of Life! As a Christian I have help from the Lord in my life's journey but I will still face what every life faces. I will face temptation. I will face difficulties. I will face loss and struggle. I will face the rain, the storm and winters cold but I will also face the warmth of the sun, not because the enemy is against me and the Lord is for me but because that's reality.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!!!!!! In most cases it is because your heart is still beating, its because you are alive. We want to blame the enemy for all that happens but the problem is then we end up also blaming God for doing nothing about it.
There are times of influence from the enemy, but it will be a time when you are having an impact on the kingdom, when your reaching the lost, when your life is turning from sin to God not during your day to day life! The enemy will try to do greater damage than a flat tire on your car, broken down washing machine, late payment on your bills and even more than a common cold!
When we learn to live in reality our faith will quit waivering with every mishap! We wont blame God or give unwarranted credit to the enemy!
If you draw a circle and put your life and God in it, that's one reality! Now if you take God out of that circle, that's another reality but a reality nonetheless.
With Christ there is hope, purpose, help, direction, guidance and eternal salvation but there will still be difficult times, that's life, that's reality! Reality is where I live but it is still lived by faith and my life is still in His hands!!
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Awaken with purpose!
Isa 60:1-5
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
Well if that doesn't say it all! The people of God have great purpose to be awake and alive this morning, noon and night and every day that follows! We are the light of an ever darkening world and without us there is no hope for them that live in it! Let your light so shine before men that they see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Absolute darkness is simply the absence of light! We bring and we offer that light through our lives and His glorious gospel. If we don't arise, if we don't allow the light of Jesus to shine in our daily walk it is not we who are being effected but those who depend on us! Our families, co-workers, friends and everyone who we may come in to contact with need to see Jesus in us to survive.
As the church we have to understand what we mean to this world! We are the counter agent to all that is evil and ungodly! Where sin doth abound grace doth much more abound! Greater is He that is in YOU than he that is in the world! If you being the light are removed from the surroundings you are involved in darkness prevails! It may seem hopeless, it may seem unproductive to remain but without you there hope fades.
This morning I awoke with purpose! Though most of my day will be spent on the job I have to remember and remind myself that there is a greater purpose to this day than making a living or fulfilling my duties! It is to present Christ to the world!!! Maybe you are awake to get kids off to school, go to school yourself or maybe its to clean the house or to do nothing at all, today you have purpose! Shine the light on all that you can and if your confined to your home then pray for those who aren't and for the souls of the lost to receive that light! We all have a significant role to fulfill today, wherever you are and whatever your day brings YOU are a force in the kingdom!
If the church could ever realize the importance that we have to this world our woes would become non-existent or at least not our focus. As dark as it seems our lives can get being the light I cant even imagine how those without light feel!
You may get or be frustrated with those who you are trying to help and influence for the cause of Christ but the light must continue to shine! Many will reject you, turn against or rebel against you but that does not change our purpose! Just remember that the resistance and the rejection that you feel is not toward you, it is a reaction to what the light you shine is revealing in their lives.
Prov 4:18-19
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
When Jesus shines through us it reveals what it is that they are stumbling upon and they have to react to it, some react with persecution and some to repentance! My purpose is to shine the light and be ready to lead them to repentance!
Isa 59:10
We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
As the blind and they that stumble reach out to find stability and direction we need to be the ones they find. If you have breath and know Jesus, then you have purpose!
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
Well if that doesn't say it all! The people of God have great purpose to be awake and alive this morning, noon and night and every day that follows! We are the light of an ever darkening world and without us there is no hope for them that live in it! Let your light so shine before men that they see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Absolute darkness is simply the absence of light! We bring and we offer that light through our lives and His glorious gospel. If we don't arise, if we don't allow the light of Jesus to shine in our daily walk it is not we who are being effected but those who depend on us! Our families, co-workers, friends and everyone who we may come in to contact with need to see Jesus in us to survive.
As the church we have to understand what we mean to this world! We are the counter agent to all that is evil and ungodly! Where sin doth abound grace doth much more abound! Greater is He that is in YOU than he that is in the world! If you being the light are removed from the surroundings you are involved in darkness prevails! It may seem hopeless, it may seem unproductive to remain but without you there hope fades.
This morning I awoke with purpose! Though most of my day will be spent on the job I have to remember and remind myself that there is a greater purpose to this day than making a living or fulfilling my duties! It is to present Christ to the world!!! Maybe you are awake to get kids off to school, go to school yourself or maybe its to clean the house or to do nothing at all, today you have purpose! Shine the light on all that you can and if your confined to your home then pray for those who aren't and for the souls of the lost to receive that light! We all have a significant role to fulfill today, wherever you are and whatever your day brings YOU are a force in the kingdom!
If the church could ever realize the importance that we have to this world our woes would become non-existent or at least not our focus. As dark as it seems our lives can get being the light I cant even imagine how those without light feel!
You may get or be frustrated with those who you are trying to help and influence for the cause of Christ but the light must continue to shine! Many will reject you, turn against or rebel against you but that does not change our purpose! Just remember that the resistance and the rejection that you feel is not toward you, it is a reaction to what the light you shine is revealing in their lives.
Prov 4:18-19
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
When Jesus shines through us it reveals what it is that they are stumbling upon and they have to react to it, some react with persecution and some to repentance! My purpose is to shine the light and be ready to lead them to repentance!
Isa 59:10
We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
As the blind and they that stumble reach out to find stability and direction we need to be the ones they find. If you have breath and know Jesus, then you have purpose!
Friday, May 2, 2014
Time to be selfish!
1 Sam 30:6
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
David as the leader of the people was catching all the blame for what had just transpired. The enemy came in and burned the city and had captured their wives, sons and their daughters! But here is what the people didn't allow themselves to see, Even David's wives were taken! David was suffering loss right along side them and instead of sticking together, working out a plan to save them they turned to David and put all the blame on him! Welcome to leadership 101. When the people don't get the results they want, you get the blame!
David had no one that he felt he could turn to. David the bible says was GREATLY DISTRESSED! You might say he felt like throwing in the towel. You might say he felt like giving up! David may have even been contemplating running for his life! But David encouraged HIMSELF in the Lord!
If God before me who can be against me! God is my strength, my shield, my deliverer! I am chosen of God, called and sanctified for the Masters use! David had to say to himself all that he knew of His God to get himself back into a place where he could lead and where he could begin again to encourage others!
David was not in a place to speak to the people with faith, considering it was the people who caused him to be distressed. Looking at them and saying All things work together for the good, to them that love God and are the called according to His purpose probably would have worked against Him. And since no one was stepping up to encourage David, no one was standing beside him or holding up his hands David had to be selfish and care for himself!
David didn't give up. David didn't abandon them. David didn't go on a vacation, David went to the prayer room and lifted himself up. Not by putting others down, or condemning their actions or seeking out others who would be in agreement with him, he encourage himself in the Lord.
If you're going to be selfish, be this kind of selfish. Take time for yourself in prayer to build yourself up by Gods word. Take time for yourself and read the scriptures. Take time for yourself, by yourself away from others who are not encouraging you, and who may be causing you to be distressed!
The biggest reason that I hear from people why they don't take time away from others is because they are trying to help them! And the answer I can usually give is You cant save a drowning victim if you are drowning yourself!
Maybe its selfish to get saved! Maybe its selfish to seek healing for your own soul! Maybe its selfish to find the shore to plant your own feet on. But if your going to be this selfish do it for the right reason and that is for the cause of Christ. To offer hope and help to others! To become strong in the Lord and be able to do His will!
Its time to build yourself up, speak faith into your life and encourage yourself by what God has to say about you!
Jer 29:11-14
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
David as the leader of the people was catching all the blame for what had just transpired. The enemy came in and burned the city and had captured their wives, sons and their daughters! But here is what the people didn't allow themselves to see, Even David's wives were taken! David was suffering loss right along side them and instead of sticking together, working out a plan to save them they turned to David and put all the blame on him! Welcome to leadership 101. When the people don't get the results they want, you get the blame!
David had no one that he felt he could turn to. David the bible says was GREATLY DISTRESSED! You might say he felt like throwing in the towel. You might say he felt like giving up! David may have even been contemplating running for his life! But David encouraged HIMSELF in the Lord!
If God before me who can be against me! God is my strength, my shield, my deliverer! I am chosen of God, called and sanctified for the Masters use! David had to say to himself all that he knew of His God to get himself back into a place where he could lead and where he could begin again to encourage others!
David was not in a place to speak to the people with faith, considering it was the people who caused him to be distressed. Looking at them and saying All things work together for the good, to them that love God and are the called according to His purpose probably would have worked against Him. And since no one was stepping up to encourage David, no one was standing beside him or holding up his hands David had to be selfish and care for himself!
David didn't give up. David didn't abandon them. David didn't go on a vacation, David went to the prayer room and lifted himself up. Not by putting others down, or condemning their actions or seeking out others who would be in agreement with him, he encourage himself in the Lord.
If you're going to be selfish, be this kind of selfish. Take time for yourself in prayer to build yourself up by Gods word. Take time for yourself and read the scriptures. Take time for yourself, by yourself away from others who are not encouraging you, and who may be causing you to be distressed!
The biggest reason that I hear from people why they don't take time away from others is because they are trying to help them! And the answer I can usually give is You cant save a drowning victim if you are drowning yourself!
Maybe its selfish to get saved! Maybe its selfish to seek healing for your own soul! Maybe its selfish to find the shore to plant your own feet on. But if your going to be this selfish do it for the right reason and that is for the cause of Christ. To offer hope and help to others! To become strong in the Lord and be able to do His will!
Its time to build yourself up, speak faith into your life and encourage yourself by what God has to say about you!
Jer 29:11-14
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)