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Pastor's Words for Living
Empty The Tank |
3/10/2010 8:26 AM |
Life is full of shortages, at least from man’s perspective. Many worry about using up all the world’s natural resources. Certainly there is a case to be made that we should be good stewards of all that the Creator has entrusted to us, but obsession over protective rationing is a bit much.
This protective mindset often plagues the lives of genuine believers. We attempt to lower the flame of devotion to Christ because we fear it will lead us to being burned out. Serving the Lord should never be something we “work up” on our own, but a work of God’s Spirit in us and through us. The question is not whether I will become burned out by ministry, but will I become consumed with the fire that is Christ in me.
Followers of Christ need less protective rationing and more of the burning that was evident in the Apostle Paul’s life. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14) “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” (1 Cor. 9:24)
Lord, do not let me run this race just to finish. Make me to run this race without reserve and without regret. Lord, empower me to empty the tank in pursuit of Your glory.
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Attitude Adjustment |
3/8/2010 9:04 AM |
“Joy is a command. You may be working hard and serving the Lord faithfully, but if you aren’t serving with gladness, you aren’t serving Him appropriately or representing Him accurately.” - C.J. Mahaney, Living The Cross Centered Life.
So you can serve God inappropriately? Can our labors for Him, in His name really be dead on arrival? Yes, they certainly can, and if we are honest with ourselves a great number of our God-honoring efforts likely end up in the tragic category of inappropriate service. It’s not what any of us want, but without joy it is all we have to offer God.
Psalm 100:2 says, “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing.” Lord, challenge my motives and attitudes in every facet of my life. Make me joyful at all times for Your glory.
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Always Be With Grace |
3/2/2010 7:33 AM |
How does your company affect your behavior? Have you noticed that it is easier to emulate Christ when you know other Christians are around? It is a sad truth that many of us who claim to love Christ often fail to reflect that love when in the presence of unbelievers. For some reason we drop our guard and allow the world’s behavior patterns to become our own.
Colossians 4:5-6 says, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to respond to each person.” In other words, we are to behave with prudence and discretion toward those who are not followers of Christ. Every encounter is an opportunity. In fact, every encounter is a divine opportunity carefully arranged by God. What we say and how we say it can be used by God to create a thirst in the heart of an unbeliever, or it can stir up anger and bitterness.
That’s a sobering thought as I begin my day. Lord, be the Master of my life today, especially my tongue.
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Are We Real? |
2/26/2010 8:44 AM |
D.A. Carson, in his new book Scandalous offers a statement that every serious Christian should consider. Here’s what Dr. Carson said on page 51: “Our culture is so present-oriented that we filter out depictions of final judgment; we are not frightened of hell. We are far more frightened of war, old age, sickness, disease, and bankruptcy. We are more frightened of temporal judgments than final judgment.”
Take a few minutes, take a few days if necessary and prayerfully meditate on the significance of this statement. A couple of important observations leap to my mind: (1) Man is ignorant regarding final judgment. (2) Those who understand it and are in Christ are indifferent because it no longer affects them.
We must change our hearts on this matter. We must become serious prayer warriors, interceding for the souls of people. We must step up and be what God has called us to be. Equip, mobilize, and engage our world with the love and truth claims of Christ. That is real Christianity. To do less is a cheap imitation at best.
“Man is destined to die once, after that to face judgment.” - Hebrews 9:27
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When Serving God Hurts |
2/25/2010 11:51 AM |
If you attempt to follow God’s direction in your life, you can expect to experience more than an occasional heartache. Very often the hurts will come from other people who simply do not understand or appreciate the desires of your heart. They may not be interested in godly things or in truth. This will lead them to act antagonistically toward those who are serious about these things. Others may be completely apathetic about spiritual matters, even while going through religious motions. Still, there are people who believe they have a better grasp of God’s desires and design for the lives everyone else. They spend their energy helping you see the error of your ways.
There are plenty of scenarios in which it becomes painful and discouraging to serve God. Are we supposed to put some special coating on our hearts that shields us from hurtful things? Are we supposed to abandon what we believe God has said in order to comply with the crowds? The truth of the matter is that when serving God hurts, it is because there is too much of “me” in the equation. The right question to ask is, “Am I serving me, or am I serving God?”
God will use the hurt to chasten us and change us into the vessels He desires us to be. I know very few people who long for chastening, but God’s corrective hand upon our lives should be welcomed with joy and gratitude. Serving God will always hurt at different times and in different ways. We need to hold on to the truth that what He ordains for us is for our good and for His glory … every time.
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No Greater Thought |
2/24/2010 10:15 AM |
“He was despised.” He was held in contempt. People loved the miracles He performed, but they hated the truth. His righteousness and condemnations of sin were too much for the people of His day, and they continue to be too much for the world today.
His life was not one of stardom and glamour, but of continual rejection, criticism and disdain. People were disrespectful and condescending toward Him. He was a novelty, only interesting when He was doing miracles and entertaining them. He was dull and offensive when He was speaking the truth. Everything He said found a sensitive target in the heart. He continually pulled back the curtain and cast a bright light on the sin that men tried to keep hidden in darkness. They despised Him. They hated the gospel He proclaimed. They plotted against Him. They talked about Him in hurtful ways. The Hollywood version of Jesus portrays Him as a star, but the scriptures tell us He was a plague in the minds of the people.
He embraced the hatred, the shame, and even death for me. He took it all so that I could have His righteousness. There is no greater thought for me to consider.
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Evaluating God's Place In Your Life |
2/23/2010 12:08 PM |
We often use task-oriented opportunities to make ourselves feel good about God's rightful place in our lives. If you practice a personal worship time each and every day, you may consider yourself to be a godly person. If you faithfully attend a local Christian assembly, you may consider yourself to be a godly person. If you observe and obey the Ten Commandments, you may consider yourself to be a godly person. These things are all important in the context of being true disciples of Christ. Participation in these kinds of spiritual growth opportunities should be an integral part of our Christian lives, but they are not necessarily the determining factors of whether or not we are putting God first in our lives.
The best evaluator of whether God is in His rightful place in our lives is the spiritual fruit that is being produced in us and through us. Colossians 3:18-25 makes the case that relationships are a critical indicator of our attitudes toward God as well as our faith in God. Do we honor the many kinds of relationships that exist in our lives? Do we view these relationships as God intends them to be viewed?
There are some interesting words and phrases used in this short passage that can tell us alot about ourselves. Consider some of the key items in these verses: "be subject to" ... "love" ... "do not be embittered" ... "be obedient" ... "do not exasperate" ... "with sincerity of heart" ... "for the Lord rather than for men." The theme is that every relationship we have is by God's design. We are to embrace those relationships with regard to God's desires. Wives are to be subject to their husbands, husbands are to love their wives, children are to obey their parents, fathers are to guard against provoking their children, workers are to serve their employers as though they are working directly for God. In every relationship there is the foundation of love and submission.
Carefully evaluating our attitudes and actions in regards to these relationships can tell us a great deal about our relationship with the Father. We may put together a nice checklist of religious accomplishments, but still be missing the real fruit God intends for those who want Him first in their lives. |
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Victorious Living |
2/22/2010 10:09 AM |
In the Christian life we must make choices moment by moment, and day by day. We can succomb to the whispers from the enemy which undercut our peace and conformity to Christ. This path leads us to defeat. The lies of the enemy are designed to cause us to lose hope and assurance. Our faith and trust in Christ get rocked when we give place to the attacks of Satan.
Colossians 3:12-17 makes it clear that we can take another path. We can put on a heart that is much different. We can adopt a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We have the capability through God's Spirit to be people who are longsuffering and quick to forgive any injuries directed at us. We can opt to put on love instead of pride and hurt. Love is the glue that binds us together in unity.
It is one thing to know this in our minds, but how do we put it into practice when the adversity is so real and hurtful? We are told to allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts. The picture here is of a wonderful arbitrator who judges these things that are used against us. Like an umpire calling balls and strikes, Christ Jesus calls the attacks valid or unfounded. Those that are unfounded can be immediately discarded as vain attempts by the enemy to rob us of joy, peace, and unity. If they should be accurate, our arbiter makes the way plain by which we can properly resolve them. In both instances, our faith in Him is strengthened and our unity in the body of Christ is guarded. |
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Reconciled |
1/4/2010 7:54 AM |
Once I was alienated from God by sin. The relationship was broken beyond repair. I had no hope. I was destined to receive the full devastation of God's righteous wrath and judgment. I had no alternative and no way out. But even while I was reveling in my enmity toward God, Christ Jesus loved me and offered Himself up for me. He took my judgment unto Himself. He became sin that I could become a son. He took my reproach and gave me His righteousness. Now, there is no condemnation for me! Look as long and as hard as you wish, but you will find no condemnation on my record. He has rolled away my reproach. I have hope. I have life. I have been forever, ... FOREVER reconciled to God.
"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach." - Colossians 1:21-22
Lord, make me a herald of the good news today! |
The Worst Day Ever |
8/3/2009 8:40 PM |
Monday has long carried the distinction as the worst day of the week. I suppose it earned this label because we place so much value on the freedom we typically attribute to the weekend. The current climate in society seems to be turning the entire week into one long series of Mondays. How can we combat the culture of negativity that is so prevalent today? Pondering this subject led me to consider some other important questions:
· Do we place too much of a premium on material prosperity?
· Do we neglect to give proper credence to God’s complete control over all things?
· Do we fail to look for God’s hand in the midst of challenging times?
· Do we entertain thoughts of bitterness toward God for difficulties?
Soon I found myself thinking about a man who had possibly the worst day ever. Even people who have little interest in spiritual matters seem to know the saga of Job. Sometimes it is very helpful to examine another person’s difficulties to find encouragement for persevering through our own trying days. So, I decided to refresh my memory of Job’s dilemma in hopes of discovering how he dealt with his difficult ordeal.
The story begins with a description of Job’s wonderful life. He had ten children who apparently got along well together. He had an abundance of livestock and material possessions. Life was good for Job. Then one day messengers showed up at Job’s house bearing bad news. Raiders, fire from the sky, and a mighty wind had destroyed servants, livestock, and even Job’s children. Everyone has had bad days, but we would be hard pressed to find anyone having as tragic a day as Job experienced.
We can only imagine the emotions that must have exploded in Job’s heart. Most of us would have been devastated by the news, but Job’s response was truly incredible. The Scripture says, “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” As I read these words I could help but be inspired. I want to be like Job. I want my first response to difficult times to be a passion to worship God. Job’s example should be an encouragement to all of us to commit to worship God no matter the circumstances we face.
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The Genius Of Man And The Greatness Of God |
6/19/2009 10:55 PM |
There is a popular belief in the faith arena that suggests that the Bible is archaic and modern man needs to apply technology and human ingenuity to make it relevant. Many are surely well-intended attempts to proclaim the gospel effectually, and some creative methods may be appropriate as long as they take a supportive role to giving understanding to God’s truth. The danger is when there is more confidence and attention placed in the genius of man than in the truth. When we buy into the idea that Scripture is lacking relevance in our modern culture we create some unintended consequences for ourselves.
First, we are essentially claiming that there is a problem with God’s revelation of Himself to man. If we say that Scripture is not relevant, we take a position that it is not sufficient. If it is not sufficient then it is flawed in some way.
Second, we put ourselves in a position of questioning God’s ability to providentially preserve His message as He intended that message to be communicated. It has been relevant for two thousand years and we have no reason to believe that twenty-first century human beings are of a superior nature to the many that have lived before us.
Third, we deny the promise that the Holy Spirit will give us understanding of God’s message. The Holy Spirit is more than able to shine the bright light of understanding upon the Scripture for any human.
Fourth, we adopt an attitude that man’s ability to enhance God’s revelation is greater than Scripture’s own supernatural claim. Scripture claims that it is living, active, and powerful. When we claim that it is not relevant we deny the supernatural quality of God’s Word.
Fifth, we call into question God’s infallibility. If something is amiss with Scripture then God has made a mistake in His plan to reveal Himself to man.
Sixth, we undermine our own faith in the sovereignty of God. If we think we must do something to aid God’s Word then we have adopted the idea that it is God who needs our help instead of us needing His help.
The Word of God is both precious and powerful. Any attempts we make to improve it are nothing short of arrogance. Read it, meditate upon it, love it and obey it. Approach it prayerfully with trust that God is able to make it live in you.
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The Worshiping Life |
6/13/2009 6:46 PM |
Human beings are created in the image of God and for His glory. Worship is the expression of all that we are created to be and do. Most of us have compartmentalized worship. We set aside one hour each week, if our schedule permits, for worship. We not only constrict our time for worship, we also confuse our worship. It is tempting for us to approach that one hour each week with the idea of getting something for ourselves instead of giving what is due our God. This makes the minimal time we have set aside for worship to be mostly about ourselves.
Worship in the proper sense means to express reverence of the worthiness of God. It is the expression of honor to God. When we engage in worship we are to declare God’s greatness through singing hymns and praises to Him. We honor Him by giving ourselves to the study and hearing of His Word. We celebrate His faithfulness by giving our tithes and offerings. We declare His supreme place in our lives by giving our time to worship. We stand in awe of Him by proclaiming His marvelous gospel.
Worship is not something that only happens for an hour on Sunday morning, but it is a way of life. Worship should be the way we live our lives moment by moment every day. It is living continually with a heart that is intentionally focused upon honoring Him with every dimension of our lives.
How is this possible? It begins by setting the right tone for each day with a personal time of worship. Think of your day as an airplane flight. The first thing that must occur for a successful flight is that the pilot must chart and file a proper flight plan. A believer’s personal time each morning is a time for setting the heart and mind upon God and His purposes for the day. Begin by exalting Him in prayer. Cleanse your heart of all impure thoughts, desires, and deeds. Saturate your heart and mind with His Word. Lift your heart upward toward God by singing a hymn or praise song that expresses His greatness. Ask God to make you an intentional worshiper of Him throughout your day. Submit yourself to His purposes.
We are designed and equipped to be worshipers of Almighty God. Our lives have real purpose and meaning as we fulfill our calling. Commit yourself to not allow another day of your life to be wasted on the trivialities of this world. Give yourself to being consumed with passionate worship of the One who deserves all your attention and affection.
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The Good News About A Turbulent Culture |
6/12/2009 12:54 AM |
History has been fraught with trouble. Some eras have been more disturbing than others, but all man’s days have been filled with difficulties. The concept is not idle speculation, nor is it unfounded pessimism. Job 14:1 announces this truth clearly, “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil.” Even with an objective understanding of this fact, it may be tempting to try and make the case that these days we live in are more troubled than any days of the past.
A virtual war is raging across the very foundation of our culture. Values are eroding at the speed of light. Some are working feverishly to fuel the deterioration and others are tenaciously standing in the gap attempting to stem the tide. The battles are evident in every direction one looks. Unbridled greed is running rampant in the market place. Unapologetic corruption has taken center stage in the political arena. Unrelenting assaults are being levied against the family.
Jihadists have made the entire world a war zone. Rogue nations are defying international law. Wars and rumors of wars abound. The entertainment industry is engaged in a blatant campaign of ridicule and persecution against those who dare to be people of faith. They clearly have the authority of God and the credibility of His Word in their sights. The agenda they drive is one of unabashed lawlessness and arrogant perversion. If they have their way, all opposing opinions will be banished into silent oblivion.
Atheism is on the march as well. The defenders of humanism are becoming more visible and more vocal than they have been in recent memory. They are writing and publishing books that litter the best-seller lists and demonstrate a heightened tone of animosity. People of faith certainly have cause to feel a bit dazed by all that is taking place. Is it reasonable to be concerned? Certainly it is natural to be overwhelmed. Should we be discouraged to the point of despair? Absolutely not!
There is a positive side to all the turbulence dominating our world. Christians should remember that Christ Jesus has already won the war. He has not been defeated, but has defeated the enemy once and for all eternity. He has not surrendered His sovereignty and is still in control in spite of what our eyes may cause us to believe. The fact that hatred toward God and those who love Him is on the rise can be encouraging if viewed properly. The enemy is desperate and panicked. While the bad news dominates the headlines, the good news of the gospel continues to work powerfully all around this world. Reports are coming out of some very unlikely places that people are turning to Christ in record numbers. Discussion of religion is on the rise even in places like Europe where humanism appeared to have it silenced completely. This is certainly one reason that leading atheists like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins are screaming their hatred of God with renewed fervor.
The truth for those who have been regenerated by the marvelous grace of God is that these are exciting days in which to live. God’s work has always prospered in the midst of great persecution. The rise of challenges and troubles presents a powerful forum to contrast the glory of the gospel with the misery of man’s hopelessness. These are oppressive times, but we have the opportunity to reap a bountiful harvest of blessing. Be faithful and keep looking up, our redemption draws near.
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