Tossed
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:14-15
When you spend your week being tossed back and forth by everything coming at you, who do you listen to? Do you listen to the right people, or do you listen to those who lead you down a rocky and treacherous path. One thing we see today is people who will lie, cheat and steal to get things they want, and won't care who they hurt. Instead of being tossed around by the false and deceitful words of others to get what you think you want, why not listen to the truth spoken by our Lord and Savior who will provide you what you need.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
Fantastic Friday #289- Crack
Crack
12 Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says:
“Because you have rejected this message,
relied on oppression
and depended on deceit,
13 this sin will become for you
like a high wall, cracked and bulging,
that collapses suddenly, in an instant.
14 It will break in pieces like pottery,
shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
for taking coals from a hearth
or scooping water out of a cistern.” Isaiah 30:12-14
Have you ever taken a close look at a crack on the sidewalk, the side of a house, or a road. The crack always begins with something very small and if gone unfixed, the crack can grow longer and larger and eventually can cause great damage or destruction. Sin is like that in our lives. Sin can start off with something very small that rejects God and what He wants for us. If that sin is ignored, then it can grow into other sin to where it can create a giant chasm between God and us. God has the tools to fix the crack in our lives. So take steps to fill in the cracks in your life with the Lord and stop the spread of that crack before your life crumbles.
Have a great weekend.
12 Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says:
“Because you have rejected this message,
relied on oppression
and depended on deceit,
13 this sin will become for you
like a high wall, cracked and bulging,
that collapses suddenly, in an instant.
14 It will break in pieces like pottery,
shattered so mercilessly
that among its pieces not a fragment will be found
for taking coals from a hearth
or scooping water out of a cistern.” Isaiah 30:12-14
Have you ever taken a close look at a crack on the sidewalk, the side of a house, or a road. The crack always begins with something very small and if gone unfixed, the crack can grow longer and larger and eventually can cause great damage or destruction. Sin is like that in our lives. Sin can start off with something very small that rejects God and what He wants for us. If that sin is ignored, then it can grow into other sin to where it can create a giant chasm between God and us. God has the tools to fix the crack in our lives. So take steps to fill in the cracks in your life with the Lord and stop the spread of that crack before your life crumbles.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Fantastic Friday #288- Prayers
Prayers
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him... Hebrews 5:7-9
It is interesting to look back on your prayers and see where God has worked in your life or how He answered something you had prayed for diligently. So when you pray, do you offer up prayers with a heart of humble thanks, or do you look to your prayers as some words and phrases you hope God will listen to and answer for you? If you look carefully at this scripture, Jesus was faithful in prayer and petitions and He did it with a great deal of emotion. He also in other verses took time and prayed alone. While prayers said in group are a good thing, prayers in private are very personal and relational. I know that if our hearts and emotions are placed into our prayers, we can only strengthen our relationship with our Father in Heaven. The next time your prayers are said, lift up the One who suffered for us for our salvation, then focus on humble thanks and let the Spirit guide you through your prayers.
Have a great weekend.
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him... Hebrews 5:7-9
It is interesting to look back on your prayers and see where God has worked in your life or how He answered something you had prayed for diligently. So when you pray, do you offer up prayers with a heart of humble thanks, or do you look to your prayers as some words and phrases you hope God will listen to and answer for you? If you look carefully at this scripture, Jesus was faithful in prayer and petitions and He did it with a great deal of emotion. He also in other verses took time and prayed alone. While prayers said in group are a good thing, prayers in private are very personal and relational. I know that if our hearts and emotions are placed into our prayers, we can only strengthen our relationship with our Father in Heaven. The next time your prayers are said, lift up the One who suffered for us for our salvation, then focus on humble thanks and let the Spirit guide you through your prayers.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Fantastic Friday #287 - Night
Night
5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:5-8
What do you think about at night? Is it the choices you made during the day, the choices you didn't make, the time spent with family, the time spent with friends, the problem you face tomorrow, or is it something else? Do you think God thinks about you at night? I assure you he isn't thinking about what you did wrong during your day but I am pretty sure he is thinking about what He wants you to do. So many times we get caught up in the SWCS during our night reflection. This is the Shoulda Woulda Coulda Syndrome that we all suffer from and sometimes confusion can be a side effect of SWCS. The SWCS can drag us further away from our Lord if we let it consume our Nightly thoughts. Remember, the best antibiotic for Shoulda Woulda Coulda Syndrome is our Lord who counsels us away from negativity.
Have a great weekend.
5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:5-8
What do you think about at night? Is it the choices you made during the day, the choices you didn't make, the time spent with family, the time spent with friends, the problem you face tomorrow, or is it something else? Do you think God thinks about you at night? I assure you he isn't thinking about what you did wrong during your day but I am pretty sure he is thinking about what He wants you to do. So many times we get caught up in the SWCS during our night reflection. This is the Shoulda Woulda Coulda Syndrome that we all suffer from and sometimes confusion can be a side effect of SWCS. The SWCS can drag us further away from our Lord if we let it consume our Nightly thoughts. Remember, the best antibiotic for Shoulda Woulda Coulda Syndrome is our Lord who counsels us away from negativity.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Fantastic Friday #286 - Burden
Burden
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
20 Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death. Psalm 68:19-20
Do you have some heavy burdens to bear? How close have you really looked at your own life lately? When you look at your life, the people around you that are close to you and the people around you that are not so close to you, do sit around and start comparing burdens that you weigh you down? The noun form of burden means that which is carried, the verb form of burden is to load heavily. It sounds like when we have a burden, we do it to ourselves. We take on a burden instead of allowing it to be carried by someone else, or we load it heavily on our own backs. It is a lot easier to let our Father in Heaven carry our burdens for us. I think if we quit loading these heavy burdens on our own back, we could probably enjoy our life a bit more.
Have a great weekend.
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
20 Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death. Psalm 68:19-20
Do you have some heavy burdens to bear? How close have you really looked at your own life lately? When you look at your life, the people around you that are close to you and the people around you that are not so close to you, do sit around and start comparing burdens that you weigh you down? The noun form of burden means that which is carried, the verb form of burden is to load heavily. It sounds like when we have a burden, we do it to ourselves. We take on a burden instead of allowing it to be carried by someone else, or we load it heavily on our own backs. It is a lot easier to let our Father in Heaven carry our burdens for us. I think if we quit loading these heavy burdens on our own back, we could probably enjoy our life a bit more.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Fantastic Friday #285 - Later
Later
24 A person’s steps are directed by the LORD.
How then can anyone understand their own way?
25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows. Proverbs 20:24-25
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
How many of us sit around and say, "I'll take care of that later." If someone asks you to help them, do you say maybe later and then never do it. If a child asks you for help, do you say that you will help later and then never come back to help that child. Do you think God, when we look for help from Him, says maybe later? I would think his answers are more clear than that, in fact it is usually yes, no or not right now. The thing we need to avoid doing is committing to something and then backing out, or committing to something and saying, well maybe later. We as humans tend to have a very short term memory when there is something that does not serve our interests. Why not serve other's interests now instead of later, and then maybe later you can look back on how you fulfilled your vows.
Have a great weekend.
24 A person’s steps are directed by the LORD.
How then can anyone understand their own way?
25 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly
and only later to consider one’s vows. Proverbs 20:24-25
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
How many of us sit around and say, "I'll take care of that later." If someone asks you to help them, do you say maybe later and then never do it. If a child asks you for help, do you say that you will help later and then never come back to help that child. Do you think God, when we look for help from Him, says maybe later? I would think his answers are more clear than that, in fact it is usually yes, no or not right now. The thing we need to avoid doing is committing to something and then backing out, or committing to something and saying, well maybe later. We as humans tend to have a very short term memory when there is something that does not serve our interests. Why not serve other's interests now instead of later, and then maybe later you can look back on how you fulfilled your vows.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Fantastic Friday #284 - Deceit
Deceit
6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Acts 13:6:11
When you are waiting on an answer to a prayer, who and what do you listen to? Do you take the advice of someone who you know won't tell you the truth and give you what you want to hear, or do you simply rely on what you think you want to do? Do you take a poll where the only the choices to the questions are answers that get you what you want, or do you spend your time convincing the people around you that your decision is the right one? If you look at the first four things I have mentioned here, they all have to do with "I" and "me" and what "you" want to have happen. These things can also be led by the deceitful enemy just as Elymas above. The enemy uses this deceit to keep you from waiting on the answer to come. You, I or me cannot answer our own prayers because we are not in control. We all need to wait for the truthful answer by letting the Holy Spirit lead us through the darkness and guide our decisions. We don't need to spend our time convincing ourselves and others we have made the right decision, because if you have to convince yourself it probably isn't the right one.
Have a great weekend.
6 They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7 who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Acts 13:6:11
When you are waiting on an answer to a prayer, who and what do you listen to? Do you take the advice of someone who you know won't tell you the truth and give you what you want to hear, or do you simply rely on what you think you want to do? Do you take a poll where the only the choices to the questions are answers that get you what you want, or do you spend your time convincing the people around you that your decision is the right one? If you look at the first four things I have mentioned here, they all have to do with "I" and "me" and what "you" want to have happen. These things can also be led by the deceitful enemy just as Elymas above. The enemy uses this deceit to keep you from waiting on the answer to come. You, I or me cannot answer our own prayers because we are not in control. We all need to wait for the truthful answer by letting the Holy Spirit lead us through the darkness and guide our decisions. We don't need to spend our time convincing ourselves and others we have made the right decision, because if you have to convince yourself it probably isn't the right one.
Have a great weekend.
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