"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." -Prov 17:22 (NASB)
Ok, so I'm finally in the category of parents who actually use the phrase, "when I was a kid..."! I'm serious , though. When I was growing up, Atari and eventually Nintendo were JUST coming out, we still had a monster satellite dish in the back yard (which you needed about seven descrambler boxes just to watch), and we recorded songs and audio clips on cassette tapes and filmed videos on VHS with a camera big enough for the networks to use! So what did we do with all of this stuff? We got creative. Yes, there were days of lying around and watching movies and playing video games- but they were few and far between. I remember when I was growing up, my best friend Jeff Collins and I would make all sorts of funny videos, record songs on my tape recorder, and shovel off the snow in the driveway so we could shoot hoops. We would play games of HORSE, have home run derbies with wiffle balls, and make our best attempts at learning how to skateboard. Yes, I may have broken a few bones and once even plummeted 15 feet out of a tree into a swamp, but we were having FUN!
So where am I going with all of this, other than down nostalgia lane? Here's my point: I recently read an article explaining how our children's play time is currently under attack. In the last decade or two, children have lost approximately 12 hours a week of unsupervised recreational play time! I'm not talking about school sports, intramural leagues, and camps of all sorts. No, I am talking about letting them go outside and explore the world like we used to do (even if it means eating a worm or two). Before I go any further, I will agree with many of you on one thing: the world definitely IS a different place than when we were growing up. It's rare to think of our kids playing out in the woods until dark nowadays, walking down the street alone, or letting them go over to other kid's house where we may or may not know the parents that well. The world has changed, and often not for the better- I get that. Believe me when I say that I would NEVER substitute my daughter's safety for a little extra "fun" on her behalf. What I'm saying is that we need to let our kids be kids, and possibly even reintroduce them to some of the things we did at their age. Turn the TV off more often, set time frames on things like Facebook, phone usage, and video games. Challenge your kids to get up and go explore the huge world of opportunities that God has laid out before them! Yes, I'm sure you may have resistance on their part, but in some ways, it's not their fault. Our kids often do not know about such great adventures and times that are available for them, because WE (our generation, that is) have created a virtual world for them that requires very little face to face contact with each other. Kids don't have to be themselves when they're online, plus they can play football (on an Xbox or PS3) all day long and not even break a sweat. It is reasons such as these, combined with countless more that limit our children on their cognitive and creativity skills, physical strength and health, confidence, and so on.
I'm not trying to be a downer here. In fact, I actually hope that I stirred up some great old memories for you! As I mentioned above, we may even have to introduce them to some of these activities. I have taught my daughter the art of diving in a pile of leaves, we have had water fights with the hose, and of course- I am her favorite tackling dummy. As parents, we need to "let go of the reigns" as it be, but naturally still keep our children's safety at priority number one. Yes, it may be hard for us to break our molds as well. I'm sure many of you (myself included) have gotten very comfortable in our nice and cozy little world we've created. We surely wouldn't want to drag mud on the new tile in the hallway, would we? Hmmm... Maybe that's EXACTLY what we DO need! Come on, dad...let's go for it. Make the most of these precious times with your kids, no matter what their age. Hey, the bigger they are, the more competitive the games will be, right? I challenge you to take advantage of these times for every one's sake. One day our kids will be grown and gone, and we will have missed out on some of the greatest times God has ever blessed us with. Plus, our kids will grow into more confident adults and leaders, and I'm sure we will flourish as well. As always, seek guidance through God's Word and prayer for opportunities to grow yourself as a father, and be sure to glorify Him at the end of the night for such a great day of play! (I would suggest, however, keeping the worms out of every one's diet as much as possible.) Have fun!!!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Calling All Christians! -Pt 5
"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." -Psalm 73:26 (NASB)
Well, we've covered a lot in these past several blogs. We discovered how as Christians we are held to higher standards in reference to our words, our judgment (or lack of) of others, and how we steward our bodies and flesh. We challenged ourselves (and possibly others?) to go out and serve God by taking an active role in ministry as well. Today we will cover the final piece to working all of these points together- our Source when it comes to all of this. Jesus MUST be our source of strength, renewal, and protection when it comes to living out the manner to which we've been called. Anything less, and we are bound to fall. When I first started the single dad ministry, I was pumped up! I had just given my life to the Lord a little over one year earlier, and definitely had no idea the work that lie ahead. Within about a year and a half, I became totally fried in the whole matter, and had to shut the group down for a while. What happened? Although I do believe that I was following God's will for my life, I also allowed many of the guys to dump all of their problems on me, and it drained me in every imaginable way. I tried to do too much, and got burned out. Now, don't get me wrong, ministry is a high calling and we are bound to put in some serious leg work sometimes, but the victory is through Christ, and it is He we must seek through it all.
The Bible tells us in Psalms 73:28, "But it is good for me to draw near to God..." (KJV) and in James 4:8, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." (NKJV). Although this can be exercised in a variety of ways, I have two key words for you: "quiet time". I've said it a thousand times, add once more here. Nothing in the world can quite match up to true, uninterrupted, one on one personal time between you and God. Now, this doesn't always have to be in a prayer position on your bedroom floor. No, your drive into work everyday or a walk through the countryside can be just effective. The main point is that there are zero (or minimal) distractions where you can talk and listen to Him as He speaks into your life. The writer of Hebrews instructs us to "come boldly to the throne of grace..." (Heb 4:12), which means to draw near with confidence. God loves us, just as we are- you know that. He desires that personal relationship with us, for us to reach new heights that only He can bring us to. Our key to unlocking that potential is by dying to self and becoming obedient children, and giving our Father the love and time that He truly deserves. When we do, Jesus will become the only source of strength and refreshment we truly will ever need. Isn't it time you went and connected with Him today?
Well, we've covered a lot in these past several blogs. We discovered how as Christians we are held to higher standards in reference to our words, our judgment (or lack of) of others, and how we steward our bodies and flesh. We challenged ourselves (and possibly others?) to go out and serve God by taking an active role in ministry as well. Today we will cover the final piece to working all of these points together- our Source when it comes to all of this. Jesus MUST be our source of strength, renewal, and protection when it comes to living out the manner to which we've been called. Anything less, and we are bound to fall. When I first started the single dad ministry, I was pumped up! I had just given my life to the Lord a little over one year earlier, and definitely had no idea the work that lie ahead. Within about a year and a half, I became totally fried in the whole matter, and had to shut the group down for a while. What happened? Although I do believe that I was following God's will for my life, I also allowed many of the guys to dump all of their problems on me, and it drained me in every imaginable way. I tried to do too much, and got burned out. Now, don't get me wrong, ministry is a high calling and we are bound to put in some serious leg work sometimes, but the victory is through Christ, and it is He we must seek through it all.
The Bible tells us in Psalms 73:28, "But it is good for me to draw near to God..." (KJV) and in James 4:8, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." (NKJV). Although this can be exercised in a variety of ways, I have two key words for you: "quiet time". I've said it a thousand times, add once more here. Nothing in the world can quite match up to true, uninterrupted, one on one personal time between you and God. Now, this doesn't always have to be in a prayer position on your bedroom floor. No, your drive into work everyday or a walk through the countryside can be just effective. The main point is that there are zero (or minimal) distractions where you can talk and listen to Him as He speaks into your life. The writer of Hebrews instructs us to "come boldly to the throne of grace..." (Heb 4:12), which means to draw near with confidence. God loves us, just as we are- you know that. He desires that personal relationship with us, for us to reach new heights that only He can bring us to. Our key to unlocking that potential is by dying to self and becoming obedient children, and giving our Father the love and time that He truly deserves. When we do, Jesus will become the only source of strength and refreshment we truly will ever need. Isn't it time you went and connected with Him today?
Friday, November 11, 2011
11/11/11
Hi everyone,
Today I'm am going to take a break from our final section of "Calling All Christians" and focus on today in particular. What's so significant about today, you ask? Well, not only is it a once in a century date and really easy to write or type, it is an anniversary date in my life. Below is a text message I sent out to my friends and family this morning:
"As we enter into this time of Thanksgiving, I pray each one of us would truly humble ourselves for the countless undeserved blessings we receive each and every day. For me personally, today is nine years to the day since I was nearly killed in my car accident. I don't deserve to be alive, but I am. And not only am I alive in a physical sense, but I am living in Jesus Christ, whom traded His life for mine. Words can not describe my thankfulness, but He knows. Seek Him today and let our Savior know how much you love Him and be thankful for everything. Live it, don't just say it! Be blessed."
Needless to say my prayer time included plenty of praise, tears, and joy this morning! Let's focus on what really matters every day. God; our salvation; our families; the fact that we live in the greatest nation in the world (let's also remember to thank a veteran today as well); and everything else we have, but almost never deserve. Start your Thanksgiving today, and praise the One who gave it all to you in the first place- each and every day.
Today I'm am going to take a break from our final section of "Calling All Christians" and focus on today in particular. What's so significant about today, you ask? Well, not only is it a once in a century date and really easy to write or type, it is an anniversary date in my life. Below is a text message I sent out to my friends and family this morning:
"As we enter into this time of Thanksgiving, I pray each one of us would truly humble ourselves for the countless undeserved blessings we receive each and every day. For me personally, today is nine years to the day since I was nearly killed in my car accident. I don't deserve to be alive, but I am. And not only am I alive in a physical sense, but I am living in Jesus Christ, whom traded His life for mine. Words can not describe my thankfulness, but He knows. Seek Him today and let our Savior know how much you love Him and be thankful for everything. Live it, don't just say it! Be blessed."
Needless to say my prayer time included plenty of praise, tears, and joy this morning! Let's focus on what really matters every day. God; our salvation; our families; the fact that we live in the greatest nation in the world (let's also remember to thank a veteran today as well); and everything else we have, but almost never deserve. Start your Thanksgiving today, and praise the One who gave it all to you in the first place- each and every day.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Calling All Christians! -Pt 4
"But you, be sober in all things, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." -2Tim4:5 NASB)
In our previous three discussions, I have focused mainly on us working on ourselves- discovering what it takes to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, to set ourselves apart from the world, to be pure and holy for His purposes. Today I'm going to switch gears a bit and challenge each one of you (if you haven't already) to step out of the box and get involved in ministry. I spoke on this topic at a fundraiser last year, and one of my main points was not only to get my audience to donate financially to the ministry I was representing, but to get involved DIRECTLY in one form or another. You see, our greatest calling by Jesus is to "go and make disciples", a verse most Christians know, but only some follow. I don't care what denomination you are from (we're all one Body, by the way), whether or not your church is very evangelistic or not, and if you've ever had any experience in doing any outreach. The fact of the matter is that we are ALL called to ministry, be it great or small.
"Freely you received, freely give." -Matt 10:8 (NASB)
I don't need to spell it out for you how desperately our world needs Jesus. Kids are literally dying each and every day, hope is being lost through a major campaign to push God out of our nation, and in so many cases, nothing is being done to help. It's one thing for us to pray for the lost and struggling (a must), and to preach it from the pulpit, but my challenge to you today is, what are you doing to advance God's Kingdom? Before I go any further, please do not think I am putting myself above any one, that I am implying that we all need to become Billy Graham's, or whatnot. All I am saying is that EVERY SINGLE member of the Body of Christ should be serving in one form or another. Our pastor spoke on this the other day and challenged the congregation to get involved, be it big or small. What does something like this look like? Well, God gave you a special talent (works) that only you can accomplish for his purposes. (Eph 2:10) Maybe you are a great singer, well why not try out for the choir? Or perhaps you can make a mean apple pie; hey, I don't know a single church in the world that would pass up some good home cooking! I'm sure a bake sale, position in the cafeteria, or food pantry ministry would love a "piece of your pie"! Whatever you know you are good at: greeting, ushering, working the cameras, evangelism, missions, etc... do it with all your heart. God gave us His absolute best, and expects the same in return.
My advice would be to begin to seek the Lord in this, especially if He has been tugging on your heart lately. Ask Him, "God, you have created me for Your purposes and to go into the field to reap the harvest. Lord, I am asking humbly, what is Your will for me today in ministry? My heart is open and faithful, God, and even though it may be a bit scary- I trust You completely." When we first came to Christ we gave our lives to Jesus because we couldn't do it ourselves. We trust God with our resources, our children, and everything else; so why wouldn't we seek Him with passion in fulfilling our God-given destiny?!? Start today. He will lead you faithfully, and as my friend says, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called." In other words, if He brings you to a particular ministry, He will most definitely arm you for the work ahead. Now, go and serve your King!
In our previous three discussions, I have focused mainly on us working on ourselves- discovering what it takes to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, to set ourselves apart from the world, to be pure and holy for His purposes. Today I'm going to switch gears a bit and challenge each one of you (if you haven't already) to step out of the box and get involved in ministry. I spoke on this topic at a fundraiser last year, and one of my main points was not only to get my audience to donate financially to the ministry I was representing, but to get involved DIRECTLY in one form or another. You see, our greatest calling by Jesus is to "go and make disciples", a verse most Christians know, but only some follow. I don't care what denomination you are from (we're all one Body, by the way), whether or not your church is very evangelistic or not, and if you've ever had any experience in doing any outreach. The fact of the matter is that we are ALL called to ministry, be it great or small.
"Freely you received, freely give." -Matt 10:8 (NASB)
I don't need to spell it out for you how desperately our world needs Jesus. Kids are literally dying each and every day, hope is being lost through a major campaign to push God out of our nation, and in so many cases, nothing is being done to help. It's one thing for us to pray for the lost and struggling (a must), and to preach it from the pulpit, but my challenge to you today is, what are you doing to advance God's Kingdom? Before I go any further, please do not think I am putting myself above any one, that I am implying that we all need to become Billy Graham's, or whatnot. All I am saying is that EVERY SINGLE member of the Body of Christ should be serving in one form or another. Our pastor spoke on this the other day and challenged the congregation to get involved, be it big or small. What does something like this look like? Well, God gave you a special talent (works) that only you can accomplish for his purposes. (Eph 2:10) Maybe you are a great singer, well why not try out for the choir? Or perhaps you can make a mean apple pie; hey, I don't know a single church in the world that would pass up some good home cooking! I'm sure a bake sale, position in the cafeteria, or food pantry ministry would love a "piece of your pie"! Whatever you know you are good at: greeting, ushering, working the cameras, evangelism, missions, etc... do it with all your heart. God gave us His absolute best, and expects the same in return.
My advice would be to begin to seek the Lord in this, especially if He has been tugging on your heart lately. Ask Him, "God, you have created me for Your purposes and to go into the field to reap the harvest. Lord, I am asking humbly, what is Your will for me today in ministry? My heart is open and faithful, God, and even though it may be a bit scary- I trust You completely." When we first came to Christ we gave our lives to Jesus because we couldn't do it ourselves. We trust God with our resources, our children, and everything else; so why wouldn't we seek Him with passion in fulfilling our God-given destiny?!? Start today. He will lead you faithfully, and as my friend says, "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called." In other words, if He brings you to a particular ministry, He will most definitely arm you for the work ahead. Now, go and serve your King!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Calling All Christians! -Pt 3
Read 1Peter 1:13-16
I love how the verses above go hand in hand with today's topic: dying to the flesh. Follow along with me on this:
"Prepare your mind for action" I can not begin to tell you how often battles have raged in me (before I was saved and afterwards) against addictions and strongholds- and the toughest ones are always in my mind. When it comes down to it, this is often where the war is waged and battles, both small and great, are won or lost. When I was addicted to cocaine, I often found that if I actually rode the physical withdrawals out long enough, I would begin to dwell on the high in my mind. I also soon learned that with drugs such as cocaine, that the MENTAL withdrawals can last up to a year and a half! The battlefield is always in the mind, and just like we would work our bodies out in a gym to get bigger and stronger, we must work out or train our minds to be strong in the time that we need it the most. Satan will attack at strategically placed times: often when we're tired, alone, or in uncomfortable situations. He will whisper soft thoughts of doubt, deceit, or deception into our minds, sometimes only a little bit at once- but letting it build up over time until we crack. Our counter punch to this is memorization of Scripture, discernment, and prayer. Once again, mental maturity comes over time and through CONSTANT one on one time with God. You simply can not step into the ring with an eternal opponent with no training and not expect to get clocked over and over! Take the time to find out where your weak spots are, how you react to them, and search God's Word for answers. Talk with others who have been through similar situations and hold each other accountable.
"As obedient children..." Three words that God has been giving me over and over lately have been: thankfulness, obedience, and praise. We must change our thinking to thanking God for everything in our lives: trials and blessings; our jobs and children; our finances (no matter how much or how little), and so on. We are to praise Him at all times, in the good and the bad. One Scripture that really hit me this morning was Luke 6:46: "Why do you call Me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?" (NASB) I've read that Scripture a thousand times over, but today it stuck out. I was really battling my flesh early this morning, I had over an hour of down time before an early morning meeting, and I found my mind wandering. I immediately pulled out some old notes I had from a conference and found that verse. Hey, better late than never, right? The way I took it was sort of like if I viewed myself as a hypocrite or not. What I mean is, I claim to be this righteous and holy man of God, and I know I am, but if I (we) live in secret sin, we're lying to ourselves, to God, and to the world. (1John 1:6) Obedience. We must seek it in the same way that we would expect it from our children, yet with greater fervor. The best part of this is that Jesus has gone ahead of us in every situation we will face, He's been there. Not only has He experienced the full temptation of being human, but he cleared the way for us to stay in constant contact with our Father through it all, and not have to worry about God abandoning us when we need Him the most. Jesus knows what we're up against, and He has provided a way through it all whenever needed. (1Cor 10:13)
I could go on for much, much longer in all of this, but I won't. Just know that as long as we're still breathing air here on earth, we will be in a constant battle with our flesh, you can count on it. However, God's Word is infinitely more powerful than anything the enemy can throw at us, but there will be times when you will have to stand strong on His promises and fight back. Get into the Word daily; pray regularly; change your friendships and surroundings if needed (I even went as far as throwing away all of my secular Cd's and cancelled cable TV); and if you don't have a mentor and/or accountability partner, now is the time to start looking for one. We're not going to beat the flesh on our own, but if Jesus is already alive in you, then the chains have been broken. The key is drawing so close to Him every single day that the lusts of the world will supernaturally begin to fade out of your life. Trust me, I've been in the trenches in multiple areas as well, and it is only now- almost five years after my salvation, that I am finally getting an understanding of just how desperate I am for Jesus. Former lusts have faded almost completely out of my life (but I'm also aware that the enemy is always looking for another opportunity to destroy me), but I also realize that apart from Jesus, I (we) can do nothing. (John 15:5)
I love how the verses above go hand in hand with today's topic: dying to the flesh. Follow along with me on this:
"Prepare your mind for action" I can not begin to tell you how often battles have raged in me (before I was saved and afterwards) against addictions and strongholds- and the toughest ones are always in my mind. When it comes down to it, this is often where the war is waged and battles, both small and great, are won or lost. When I was addicted to cocaine, I often found that if I actually rode the physical withdrawals out long enough, I would begin to dwell on the high in my mind. I also soon learned that with drugs such as cocaine, that the MENTAL withdrawals can last up to a year and a half! The battlefield is always in the mind, and just like we would work our bodies out in a gym to get bigger and stronger, we must work out or train our minds to be strong in the time that we need it the most. Satan will attack at strategically placed times: often when we're tired, alone, or in uncomfortable situations. He will whisper soft thoughts of doubt, deceit, or deception into our minds, sometimes only a little bit at once- but letting it build up over time until we crack. Our counter punch to this is memorization of Scripture, discernment, and prayer. Once again, mental maturity comes over time and through CONSTANT one on one time with God. You simply can not step into the ring with an eternal opponent with no training and not expect to get clocked over and over! Take the time to find out where your weak spots are, how you react to them, and search God's Word for answers. Talk with others who have been through similar situations and hold each other accountable.
"As obedient children..." Three words that God has been giving me over and over lately have been: thankfulness, obedience, and praise. We must change our thinking to thanking God for everything in our lives: trials and blessings; our jobs and children; our finances (no matter how much or how little), and so on. We are to praise Him at all times, in the good and the bad. One Scripture that really hit me this morning was Luke 6:46: "Why do you call Me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?" (NASB) I've read that Scripture a thousand times over, but today it stuck out. I was really battling my flesh early this morning, I had over an hour of down time before an early morning meeting, and I found my mind wandering. I immediately pulled out some old notes I had from a conference and found that verse. Hey, better late than never, right? The way I took it was sort of like if I viewed myself as a hypocrite or not. What I mean is, I claim to be this righteous and holy man of God, and I know I am, but if I (we) live in secret sin, we're lying to ourselves, to God, and to the world. (1John 1:6) Obedience. We must seek it in the same way that we would expect it from our children, yet with greater fervor. The best part of this is that Jesus has gone ahead of us in every situation we will face, He's been there. Not only has He experienced the full temptation of being human, but he cleared the way for us to stay in constant contact with our Father through it all, and not have to worry about God abandoning us when we need Him the most. Jesus knows what we're up against, and He has provided a way through it all whenever needed. (1Cor 10:13)
I could go on for much, much longer in all of this, but I won't. Just know that as long as we're still breathing air here on earth, we will be in a constant battle with our flesh, you can count on it. However, God's Word is infinitely more powerful than anything the enemy can throw at us, but there will be times when you will have to stand strong on His promises and fight back. Get into the Word daily; pray regularly; change your friendships and surroundings if needed (I even went as far as throwing away all of my secular Cd's and cancelled cable TV); and if you don't have a mentor and/or accountability partner, now is the time to start looking for one. We're not going to beat the flesh on our own, but if Jesus is already alive in you, then the chains have been broken. The key is drawing so close to Him every single day that the lusts of the world will supernaturally begin to fade out of your life. Trust me, I've been in the trenches in multiple areas as well, and it is only now- almost five years after my salvation, that I am finally getting an understanding of just how desperate I am for Jesus. Former lusts have faded almost completely out of my life (but I'm also aware that the enemy is always looking for another opportunity to destroy me), but I also realize that apart from Jesus, I (we) can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Calling All Christians! -Pt 2
Read 1Peter 1:13-16
In the passage above, a quotation from Leviticus 11:44-45, the OT tells us to "consecrate" ourselves and "be holy". Well, what does that exactly mean? The word consecrate means to make holy. Holy means to set apart. So, in other words, God is commanding us to set ourselves apart- for His purposes and because He is. Well, once we receive Jesus as our Lord, that is exactly what we do. We are washed clean from our past, born again as a new creation. However, as we discussed in part one of this topic, our flesh does not always want to die that fast! WE must make the choice to turn from our sinful nature and begin a new life in Jesus. Yes, we have been freed from all unrighteousness, but strongholds can and will remain. God has given us the tools, but it's up to us whether or not we want to walk in the destiny He has laid out before us.
In part one I focused on our words- watching what we say and using a God-given gift for the right use. Today I'm going to combine that with the topic of judgement; not us being judged, but rather, being cautious that we do not judge others. You know the Scripture: "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way that you judge, you will be judged...You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." -Matt 7:1-5 (NASB) Judging others can easily go hand in hand with gossip (words) and all of the destruction along with it. If we allow Satan to plant seeds of hate, anger, prejudice, and false teaching about others into our hearts, he can literally tear us apart form the inside out. I'm guilty of it, and I'm sure you are too. So, the question is, what are we going to do about it? As General Douglas MacArthur once said, "The greater the knowledge of the enemy, the greater the potential for victory." I have mentioned multiple times in my writings and speakings the importance of spending good, quality time with God is the best way to not only grow in your personal walk, but to fight off attacks and deception from the enemy. Given the fact that we are all sinful human beings and fall short of God's glory, yet He loves us unconditionally, none of us are fit to place judgement on others- for whatever reason. God loves you, just as you are. He did not nor does not see who you were or still may be. No, He sees you as His creation- perfect and holy.
"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." -Romans 8:29-30 (NKJV) God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ to destroy the works of the devil, and take judgement off of ourselves and each other, and nail it to the cross once and for all. So does that mean we're free and clear from this sin? Well, yes and no. (See Romans 14:10) We are freed from the sin itself, but as with anything that involves free will, we can choose to fall back into it. However, as the verse I just mentioned states, we will all stand accountable for our choices one day before Jesus. We are living in a world that places judgement (whether it means to or not) on pretty much everything around us. Think about it. How does the world (not us individually) place judgement on our looks, weight, style, and personal lives? Well, I say not good. If there was healthy "recommendations" as opposed to judgement, there would be almost zero need for all of the diet fads and shows, magazine and advertisement smut, and media barrage that infiltrates and sabotages our family values. Have you seen "Courageous" yet? If not, I would highly recommend that you do- especially all of you men, whether you are dads or not. Dads, WE are called to be the spiritual leaders in our house- no one else. Before we can teach our children not to place judgement on anything or anyone, we need to take a deep moral inventory of ourselves and make sure we're lining up within God's parameters. Are we setting ourselves apart from the crowd? Will we stand alone for our (and our family's) beliefs and values if necessary? Remember, God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us, even while we were still sinners. So in "calling all Christians", I challenge you to take that step of faith, to seek out a family resolution like the one mentioned in the movie, and dedicate YOUR house to the serving of the Lord!
In the passage above, a quotation from Leviticus 11:44-45, the OT tells us to "consecrate" ourselves and "be holy". Well, what does that exactly mean? The word consecrate means to make holy. Holy means to set apart. So, in other words, God is commanding us to set ourselves apart- for His purposes and because He is. Well, once we receive Jesus as our Lord, that is exactly what we do. We are washed clean from our past, born again as a new creation. However, as we discussed in part one of this topic, our flesh does not always want to die that fast! WE must make the choice to turn from our sinful nature and begin a new life in Jesus. Yes, we have been freed from all unrighteousness, but strongholds can and will remain. God has given us the tools, but it's up to us whether or not we want to walk in the destiny He has laid out before us.
In part one I focused on our words- watching what we say and using a God-given gift for the right use. Today I'm going to combine that with the topic of judgement; not us being judged, but rather, being cautious that we do not judge others. You know the Scripture: "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way that you judge, you will be judged...You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." -Matt 7:1-5 (NASB) Judging others can easily go hand in hand with gossip (words) and all of the destruction along with it. If we allow Satan to plant seeds of hate, anger, prejudice, and false teaching about others into our hearts, he can literally tear us apart form the inside out. I'm guilty of it, and I'm sure you are too. So, the question is, what are we going to do about it? As General Douglas MacArthur once said, "The greater the knowledge of the enemy, the greater the potential for victory." I have mentioned multiple times in my writings and speakings the importance of spending good, quality time with God is the best way to not only grow in your personal walk, but to fight off attacks and deception from the enemy. Given the fact that we are all sinful human beings and fall short of God's glory, yet He loves us unconditionally, none of us are fit to place judgement on others- for whatever reason. God loves you, just as you are. He did not nor does not see who you were or still may be. No, He sees you as His creation- perfect and holy.
"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified." -Romans 8:29-30 (NKJV) God sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ to destroy the works of the devil, and take judgement off of ourselves and each other, and nail it to the cross once and for all. So does that mean we're free and clear from this sin? Well, yes and no. (See Romans 14:10) We are freed from the sin itself, but as with anything that involves free will, we can choose to fall back into it. However, as the verse I just mentioned states, we will all stand accountable for our choices one day before Jesus. We are living in a world that places judgement (whether it means to or not) on pretty much everything around us. Think about it. How does the world (not us individually) place judgement on our looks, weight, style, and personal lives? Well, I say not good. If there was healthy "recommendations" as opposed to judgement, there would be almost zero need for all of the diet fads and shows, magazine and advertisement smut, and media barrage that infiltrates and sabotages our family values. Have you seen "Courageous" yet? If not, I would highly recommend that you do- especially all of you men, whether you are dads or not. Dads, WE are called to be the spiritual leaders in our house- no one else. Before we can teach our children not to place judgement on anything or anyone, we need to take a deep moral inventory of ourselves and make sure we're lining up within God's parameters. Are we setting ourselves apart from the crowd? Will we stand alone for our (and our family's) beliefs and values if necessary? Remember, God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us, even while we were still sinners. So in "calling all Christians", I challenge you to take that step of faith, to seek out a family resolution like the one mentioned in the movie, and dedicate YOUR house to the serving of the Lord!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Calling All Christians!
"Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." -1Peter 1:13-16 (NASB)
Today I am going to basically begin a series on several topics that we "Christians" often fall in. Please keep in mind that this is to bring awareness to not only where the Body as a whole often fails, but perhaps something I write will set off a flag in your mind as well- possibly an area that needs to be addressed in your walk. Believe me when I say that this blog is being written by an extremely imperfect man, but one whose eyes are on the cross, and strives daily to reach my potential in Jesus Christ. Although I probably could write a book on topics such as these, I will focus on several topics, including our words, judging, dying to the flesh, and getting involved in ministry.
Words are an extremely amazing gift from God. With them we can bless our Lord with prayers and praise, we can tell our kids how much we love them, and use our communication skills to advance our careers. However, just like any other great gift, comes great responsibility. James reminds us in his letter that we stumble in many ways, and he who is able to bridle his tongue can control his whole body as well. (James 3:2) Wow! Did you get that? Just think of how hard it is to control our flesh, yet the Bible tells us if we can control one tiny little muscle, we can literally steer our entire ship. (v 4) Our words can be just as devastating, and often relationships can be broken, reputations can be ruined, and friendships severely damaged or lost over the wrong words. And by all means- watch the gossip!!! Do you want to hear a great definition of what gossip is? According to my pastor, gossip is "when you share something negative about someone to someone else who does not have the power to change it." Let that sink in a bit and then make any necessary corrections. (See also Proverbs 18:19)
Now, I'm not going to focus entirely on the negative portion of words, but I do pray you walk cautiously and be aware of the evil behind cutting words. Be aware of your enemy and keen to his tactics, because tools such as gossip and slander are some of his best angles in breaking the Body of Christ up. On to the positive. Dad, speaking words of love, affirmation, and joy will go farther in your child's life than you will ever know. I mentioned in a previous blog of a time my daughter asked me if I just wanted to go outside and "talk". We didn't discuss anything major, but sharing priceless times with her like this, plus all of the countless prayers, words of affirmation, and telling her how much I love her is laying a foundation in Jesus Christ that will stand against anything this world will ever tell her. There will be a time the world tells our kids that they are failures; but they will rise above if they know dad sees them differently. I'm sure there will be plenty of times a teenage boy whispers sweet nothings in my daughter's ear (unless I can find a way to keep her 5 years old), but I pray she won't be phased by his tactics because of the validation she got from God and from me. Finally, with all of the filth that is on TV, music, and in movies, make sure you teach your kids to help filter out the swearing and slander- that especially means that they NEVER hear it from us as well!
If your tongue is currently getting the best of you, take it to the One who is able to help you overcome. Come open and transparent, asking for wisdom and discernment. Let the praises flow first and foremost to our Lord and give Him the blessings that He is due. Submit yourself, your words, and tongue completely to Him and watch the transformation that follows.
Today I am going to basically begin a series on several topics that we "Christians" often fall in. Please keep in mind that this is to bring awareness to not only where the Body as a whole often fails, but perhaps something I write will set off a flag in your mind as well- possibly an area that needs to be addressed in your walk. Believe me when I say that this blog is being written by an extremely imperfect man, but one whose eyes are on the cross, and strives daily to reach my potential in Jesus Christ. Although I probably could write a book on topics such as these, I will focus on several topics, including our words, judging, dying to the flesh, and getting involved in ministry.
Words are an extremely amazing gift from God. With them we can bless our Lord with prayers and praise, we can tell our kids how much we love them, and use our communication skills to advance our careers. However, just like any other great gift, comes great responsibility. James reminds us in his letter that we stumble in many ways, and he who is able to bridle his tongue can control his whole body as well. (James 3:2) Wow! Did you get that? Just think of how hard it is to control our flesh, yet the Bible tells us if we can control one tiny little muscle, we can literally steer our entire ship. (v 4) Our words can be just as devastating, and often relationships can be broken, reputations can be ruined, and friendships severely damaged or lost over the wrong words. And by all means- watch the gossip!!! Do you want to hear a great definition of what gossip is? According to my pastor, gossip is "when you share something negative about someone to someone else who does not have the power to change it." Let that sink in a bit and then make any necessary corrections. (See also Proverbs 18:19)
Now, I'm not going to focus entirely on the negative portion of words, but I do pray you walk cautiously and be aware of the evil behind cutting words. Be aware of your enemy and keen to his tactics, because tools such as gossip and slander are some of his best angles in breaking the Body of Christ up. On to the positive. Dad, speaking words of love, affirmation, and joy will go farther in your child's life than you will ever know. I mentioned in a previous blog of a time my daughter asked me if I just wanted to go outside and "talk". We didn't discuss anything major, but sharing priceless times with her like this, plus all of the countless prayers, words of affirmation, and telling her how much I love her is laying a foundation in Jesus Christ that will stand against anything this world will ever tell her. There will be a time the world tells our kids that they are failures; but they will rise above if they know dad sees them differently. I'm sure there will be plenty of times a teenage boy whispers sweet nothings in my daughter's ear (unless I can find a way to keep her 5 years old), but I pray she won't be phased by his tactics because of the validation she got from God and from me. Finally, with all of the filth that is on TV, music, and in movies, make sure you teach your kids to help filter out the swearing and slander- that especially means that they NEVER hear it from us as well!
If your tongue is currently getting the best of you, take it to the One who is able to help you overcome. Come open and transparent, asking for wisdom and discernment. Let the praises flow first and foremost to our Lord and give Him the blessings that He is due. Submit yourself, your words, and tongue completely to Him and watch the transformation that follows.
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