Opening Prayer: High and Mighty Father, we bow down before You as humble servants, pleading for Your mercy. So many times through-out the day, we fall short of Your mighty being. It is only by Your constant grace that we can be assured of a better tomorrow. With sincerity, we ask for Your forgiveness, and we thank You in advance for the blessings You have in store for us. It is with much assurance that we know You will always come through for us. Your timing is perfect, and Your path is clear. As we harmonize our words and actions with You, Father, we pray it will only be to Your glory and honor. Let us know what You desire of us so that we can do nothing that's against Your will. As Jesus said, let it not our will, but Your will be done. In Christ's mighty name I pray, AMEN.
"but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by law as transgressors." James 2:9 (NKJ)
"If you treat one person as being more important than another, you are sinning" James 2:9 (NCV)
Have you ever been caught in this sin? The dentist is far superior to the plumber because his wages are higher, he has a greater degree, and his job does not require him to wallow in human wastes. The college professor surpasses the pre-school teacher because she does not have to wipe a little kids nose for a living. The lawyer is more important than the stay-at-home mother because he stands in front of a crowd of people and can persuade them to believe as he believes. God must favor those higher ranked individuals more, or else he would not have had them raise higher in society. Therefore, we should all stick our noses up while we pass the plumber, pre-school teacher, and stay-at-home mom, while bowing down before the dentist, professor, and lawyer.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." We all know this quote, the famous John 3:16. Every baseball game has that Christian individual or group holding the sign with John 3:16 written on it. No, it does not say "And God said, go Sox", as portrayed by the well known Family Guy. It clearly states that God's Son, Christ, died for whoever believes in Him. Hmm, that's strange...I don't see anywhere in there that says He came to die for all who believe in Him AND make an annual salary that has six figures or more.
So, if Christ died for everyone, what does that mean? It means, as Christians, we should treat every individual the same as any other. Christ did not go to the Kings and demand to be treated as royalty and only be surrounded by such people. When He came, leaving the high Kingdom of Heaven, He took role amongst the peasants. With a snap of His fingers, He could have been King of earthly Kings, in addition to already existing rank of King of the Heavens. But did He? No, He did not. He walked with the commoners, healing the weak.
Did you know that, in Mark 10:23, Jesus even says to His disciples "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God"? We must be willing to give up all our earthly treasures to follow Jesus, like Paul had to do. Isn't it much easier to sacrifice everything if you already have little? As humans, we become attached to our material goods, and when we are asked to give them up, even for our greater good, it is difficult. In Mark 10:17-22, a rich man came up to Him with much love in his heart, asking what more he must do to enter the kingdom. All the commandments were followed by this man, for he truly loved the Lord. But Jesus requested he get rid of all his wealth and follow Him. This, the rich young man, could not do, for he "had great possessions". With sorrow, the man walked away, forfeiting his eternal salvation in order to keep his earthly wealth.
Back to the original topic, we must learn to be like Christ in every way. This does include the art of not judging. Christ loves us all, no matter our professions. The dentist, professor, and lawyer are all important people, there's no doubt about that. But imagine a world without a plumber to fix our pipes, a pre-school teacher to begin our learning, and a stay-at-home mother to raise well rounded children. If there was no one to take those more humble jobs, they wouldn't get done and society would not be able to exist. "You should admire people who faithfully fulfill God's mission for them by carefully doing nonglamorous tasks"(Nature in a Nutshell; Daily Devotions for Juniors, pg 275).
Closing Prayer: Oh Father, how grateful we are. The knowledge of knowing Christ loves us all, despite our salary, is such a reassuring fact. As we disperse into the coming week, help us to thank all who do the less glamorous jobs of society, knowing that we could not thrive without their humble doings. It is only by Your grace that we can push aside our human instinct to look down upon these servants of Yours, believing ourselves to be gods compared to them. It is only by Your doings that we can be lead to the career that You aim for us to follow, so we pray You guide us to those paths. Thank you for Your continuous mercy; we are unworthy of Your blessings. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
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Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
What do I do With These Gifts?
Opening Prayer: Almighty Father above, how can we, Your humble servants, ever thank You for the blessings You've bestowed upon us? Countless gifts You have showered us in, pouring out Your grace upon us. And what do You ask in return? Nothing but our love. Father, there is nothing we can do that is close to being enough to show our gratitude for You. It is our prayer that You sit with us as we worship You here, softening our hearts so as to allow us to accept Your love and give love in return. Thank for giving so much and asking so little, Lord. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJ)
Christ came down from the perfect Heavens to live a life of pain and die a slow death. Why did He sacrifice so much for a people that lusted His blood? Was He masochistic? I'm edging towards a strong negative on that one. Then what? People don't die for their enemies, do they? That's what this world has taught us. It has hardened us into knowing that we either save ourselves, or die.
But Christ didn't follow the world, now did He? Those that hated Him, He still loved. God is not petty like mankind, He does not pick and choose who is worthy of His love. God loves us all. It is easy for us to say that we love someone who is righteous, but God loves the wicked more than we love the righteous. His ability to love is beyond our comprehension! He sent His only Son to earth to die for SINNERS. Why would He do that for any reason but that He loves us, despite our filthy appearance?
With that said, how can we repay Him? If we are being honest, there is no way we can pay God the same amount He has loaned us. Christ gave a loan He knew we'd never be able to repay. He did this out of love and all He asked in return is that we love Him. If you love Him, you'll keep His commandments (John 14:15 NKJ). In addition to dying for us, God gives each and every one of us a gift. These gifts are to be used to witness to our fellow man. What good is a gift if it goes unused? Or equally bad, a gift used for something other than its intended purpose!
It isn't unoften I hear people complaining that they have not found their 'niche' in life. They claim they don't have a God-given gift to benefit from. How can they spread the gospel if they have no specialty? They can't publicly speak, they have no talent for writing, no ability to heal. Remember, each one of us has been given a gift from God (1 Peter 4:10). Some of us take a bit longer to find it, sure, but God's timing is always perfect. We must have faith that He will follow through for us, even if it doesn't happen right away or right when we think it should (Hebrews 11:6). But when He does shine true to His word, that gift is the property of God. He may be letting us borrow it, but it is to glorify Him, not ourselves. Everything is His, including our very lives.
So, Brothers and Sisters, what do you say? We going to return to God what is rightfully His? Who's with me?
Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have so bountifully provided for us and only asked that we love You in return. There is no possible way we could ever fully thank You, and yet you continue to bless us. Thank you, Lord, for giving us the necessary means to survive this sin-filled world. Without Your constant grace, we'd fall short of You, High Father. It is by Your blessings we have hope for the coming day. What we ask of You now, Lord, is that You continue to walk with us in the coming week. If we have not yet uncovered our gifts, we pray you present them soon, in Your perfect timing. And we also pray, Father, that every action, every word, every thought, is in Your honor. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
http://hishiddenvoice.livejournal.com/1676.html
"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJ)
Christ came down from the perfect Heavens to live a life of pain and die a slow death. Why did He sacrifice so much for a people that lusted His blood? Was He masochistic? I'm edging towards a strong negative on that one. Then what? People don't die for their enemies, do they? That's what this world has taught us. It has hardened us into knowing that we either save ourselves, or die.
But Christ didn't follow the world, now did He? Those that hated Him, He still loved. God is not petty like mankind, He does not pick and choose who is worthy of His love. God loves us all. It is easy for us to say that we love someone who is righteous, but God loves the wicked more than we love the righteous. His ability to love is beyond our comprehension! He sent His only Son to earth to die for SINNERS. Why would He do that for any reason but that He loves us, despite our filthy appearance?
With that said, how can we repay Him? If we are being honest, there is no way we can pay God the same amount He has loaned us. Christ gave a loan He knew we'd never be able to repay. He did this out of love and all He asked in return is that we love Him. If you love Him, you'll keep His commandments (John 14:15 NKJ). In addition to dying for us, God gives each and every one of us a gift. These gifts are to be used to witness to our fellow man. What good is a gift if it goes unused? Or equally bad, a gift used for something other than its intended purpose!
It isn't unoften I hear people complaining that they have not found their 'niche' in life. They claim they don't have a God-given gift to benefit from. How can they spread the gospel if they have no specialty? They can't publicly speak, they have no talent for writing, no ability to heal. Remember, each one of us has been given a gift from God (1 Peter 4:10). Some of us take a bit longer to find it, sure, but God's timing is always perfect. We must have faith that He will follow through for us, even if it doesn't happen right away or right when we think it should (Hebrews 11:6). But when He does shine true to His word, that gift is the property of God. He may be letting us borrow it, but it is to glorify Him, not ourselves. Everything is His, including our very lives.
So, Brothers and Sisters, what do you say? We going to return to God what is rightfully His? Who's with me?
Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have so bountifully provided for us and only asked that we love You in return. There is no possible way we could ever fully thank You, and yet you continue to bless us. Thank you, Lord, for giving us the necessary means to survive this sin-filled world. Without Your constant grace, we'd fall short of You, High Father. It is by Your blessings we have hope for the coming day. What we ask of You now, Lord, is that You continue to walk with us in the coming week. If we have not yet uncovered our gifts, we pray you present them soon, in Your perfect timing. And we also pray, Father, that every action, every word, every thought, is in Your honor. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
http://hishiddenvoice.livejournal.com/1676.html
Friday, September 10, 2010
Happy Doing Work? Oxymoron, much?
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father above, another week has passed us by. Each day You bless us with a new adventure. We meet new people, get new opportunities to spread our God-given wings and glorify Your being. We are so thankful, merciful Father, for You guiding our every step. Without Your constant lead, we'd go astray like sheep, lost and easily captured by the prince of darkness. And though our work is difficult, Lord, we know You will not give us any burden we can not carry. Thank you, Lord, for being so just to us, even when we are not worthy of Your grace. In Christ name we pray, AMEN.
"And in every work that [Hezekiah] began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered" 2 Chronicles 31:21.
Have you ever done something but there was no joy in the action? Maybe a kindness towards someone less fortunate? Perhaps you helped a friend? Maybe it was even a ministry act, you spread the word of Christ! But, despite the good intentions, you feel no pleasure in the actions. They are done with hopes that one can earn salvation through works, but these are false teachings. In order to do something with all your heart, there must be personal pleasure. Some think this to be an absurd thought because good deeds should not be done for personal gain (whether tangible or intangible). This is quite true! However, if you do a deed with your whole heart, you will feel joy naturally, even when that was not the intention of it. Making the Lord happy by doing His work will, in turn, make you a happier individual! And when we are happy laboring for God, He will be sure to have us prosper, just as He did for Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles.
The Lord likes to see us happy, just as a human father takes pleasure in the joy of his child. We are the Lord's children, after all! Even as we suffer, He calls for us to be joyful, because doing such builds us to be a better Christian(Romans 5:3,4). If we have absolute faith in the Lord, nothing can bring us down, whether mental or physical. If He leads us to it, He will lead us through it! He can do this only if we believe He can. We cause ourselves so much unnecessary pain and discomfort, not to mention failures, by not believing the Lord will, or has the ability to, lead us through certain things. When this is said, many think of trials, but that isn't just it. When we work for the Lord, whether it be ministry work, or using the abilities He's given us to do good, we must have faith in Him. When the work gets difficult, we must remain joyful, knowing He does not intend to leave us hanging by ourselves.
It can be discouraging, sometimes, when we work so hard and have nothing come of it. All through the difficult mission, we speak to our Heavenly Father and ask for His guidance and aid, but it seems as if He is ignoring us. Sometimes it even seems as if He hears us, and puts more on our shoulders to make us fail even worse! But if we look to 2 Chronicles 21:31, we can see that we only prosper if we do the work with ALL our heart. This means we do everything in our power to make it happen, which is more than just praying. However, as I have spelled out quite numerously above, it also means do it with a light and joyful heart. Only if these terms are to be met, may we prosper in the name of the Lord.
"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" John 15:7.
If the Father and you are one in the same, you will not desire something He doesn't wish for you to have. If you ask for nothing he doesn't already desire for you, then He will surely reward you those things you ask for. In order to have Him abiding in you and you in Him, we must work with all our heart in His honor. Labor that goes to glorifying the Father will strengthen your bond with Him, and make His wishes, your desires. Only at this point will you prosper by His grace. And when you find joy in the Father's pleasure, work will be a blessing to you when it's in His honor.
Closing Prayer: Father above, work is hard when the world is against us and our teachings. But, Lord, we know You know our pain and suffering first hand, for You experienced it all and more. But despite the hardships, we pray You give us the everlasting strength to find pleasure in our doings, knowing they please You. So as this week approaches, we pray You bring forth opportunities to honor and glorify You, and make us feel rejoicing in doing so. Only by Your grace, can we find the saving of others, doing Your work, to be a heart warming blessing. Lord, give us the compassion to love all that we do, because we know we do it for You with all our heart. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
"And in every work that [Hezekiah] began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered" 2 Chronicles 31:21.
Have you ever done something but there was no joy in the action? Maybe a kindness towards someone less fortunate? Perhaps you helped a friend? Maybe it was even a ministry act, you spread the word of Christ! But, despite the good intentions, you feel no pleasure in the actions. They are done with hopes that one can earn salvation through works, but these are false teachings. In order to do something with all your heart, there must be personal pleasure. Some think this to be an absurd thought because good deeds should not be done for personal gain (whether tangible or intangible). This is quite true! However, if you do a deed with your whole heart, you will feel joy naturally, even when that was not the intention of it. Making the Lord happy by doing His work will, in turn, make you a happier individual! And when we are happy laboring for God, He will be sure to have us prosper, just as He did for Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles.
The Lord likes to see us happy, just as a human father takes pleasure in the joy of his child. We are the Lord's children, after all! Even as we suffer, He calls for us to be joyful, because doing such builds us to be a better Christian(Romans 5:3,4). If we have absolute faith in the Lord, nothing can bring us down, whether mental or physical. If He leads us to it, He will lead us through it! He can do this only if we believe He can. We cause ourselves so much unnecessary pain and discomfort, not to mention failures, by not believing the Lord will, or has the ability to, lead us through certain things. When this is said, many think of trials, but that isn't just it. When we work for the Lord, whether it be ministry work, or using the abilities He's given us to do good, we must have faith in Him. When the work gets difficult, we must remain joyful, knowing He does not intend to leave us hanging by ourselves.
It can be discouraging, sometimes, when we work so hard and have nothing come of it. All through the difficult mission, we speak to our Heavenly Father and ask for His guidance and aid, but it seems as if He is ignoring us. Sometimes it even seems as if He hears us, and puts more on our shoulders to make us fail even worse! But if we look to 2 Chronicles 21:31, we can see that we only prosper if we do the work with ALL our heart. This means we do everything in our power to make it happen, which is more than just praying. However, as I have spelled out quite numerously above, it also means do it with a light and joyful heart. Only if these terms are to be met, may we prosper in the name of the Lord.
"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" John 15:7.
If the Father and you are one in the same, you will not desire something He doesn't wish for you to have. If you ask for nothing he doesn't already desire for you, then He will surely reward you those things you ask for. In order to have Him abiding in you and you in Him, we must work with all our heart in His honor. Labor that goes to glorifying the Father will strengthen your bond with Him, and make His wishes, your desires. Only at this point will you prosper by His grace. And when you find joy in the Father's pleasure, work will be a blessing to you when it's in His honor.
Closing Prayer: Father above, work is hard when the world is against us and our teachings. But, Lord, we know You know our pain and suffering first hand, for You experienced it all and more. But despite the hardships, we pray You give us the everlasting strength to find pleasure in our doings, knowing they please You. So as this week approaches, we pray You bring forth opportunities to honor and glorify You, and make us feel rejoicing in doing so. Only by Your grace, can we find the saving of others, doing Your work, to be a heart warming blessing. Lord, give us the compassion to love all that we do, because we know we do it for You with all our heart. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
Friday, September 03, 2010
Rejoice!
Opening Prayer:
Heavenly Father, oh how merciful You are. The trials drag us down, for we are weak, but by Your strength may we prevail. Even when the pain becomes unbearable, we can drop to our knees and call Your name, knowing You'll respond faster than the brain and heart can comprehend. Your promises ring true, even through the dark, proving to us how much You care. Knowing we are all something special to You is the only reassuring light we need to carry on. So lift our burdens, Lord, and guide us. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
"Come unto me all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
We all know that verse, and yet, we still labour. Constantly we take on our own burdens, leading to weakness which results in the giving into temptations. Lucifer targets those who do not take God up on His promises, knowing those who try to carry their own weight will fall short and be easily deceived. The Lord has promised us that He'd give us rest for a reason. If we attempt to carry our own pain and never ask the Lord to lift it from our shoulders, we will fall short of His glory. There are no ifs, ands, or buts! Why suffer when there's no need? Why risk becoming weak and mistakenly accepting an action from Satan? There's no reason to, and it's foolish to try.
I often find myself drifting back and dragging forward the issues of the past. I know I've had a bumpy beginning to my Christian life, and I also know I am not alone with this fact. Many people tend to notice that once they get baptised, their life falls oddly into darkness. This is because Satan knows he has almost lost another victim, so he goes into overdrive trying to regather the lost souls. Now, once the Lord has helped you to rise above the issues, why is it so many people (myself included) relish the gruesome agony of it so much that we return to the dilemma and bring it forward? Do we enjoy crying? Are we gluttons for pain? No, I don't think it's any of those things. Satan wants us to doubt, so he brings forth an occurrence that makes you think of the tragedies, so as to weaken your soul with sorrow. Once weakened, we are ripe for the pickings.
"...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know our suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:3, 4)
So do not let Satan win. I am not saying you put a smile on to hide how much it hurts, but truly speak to the Lord and let the joy of Christ overflow you. If you do so, nothing will bring you down! Satan is powerless to the rejoicing of the Holy Spirit! I have seen this first hand, so I will provide a short (personal) testimony for you:
Since becoming a Christian, life has been tough--really, super tough. It has been so bad, it sometimes didn't seem worth it. I pondered whether I should throw aside God, reject Him and appease the demand of Lucifer. I also wondered if I should do the unthinkable sin of death, the one I could never turn back from. For about a year now I have had these forbidden desires, for that is when the tribulations first began. They were painful, but minor at first, but time watered and fed it, causing it to grow in power. I was very close to snapping, and there would be no returning if I did.
But just a day ago, Thursday 9/2/10, I made the conscious decision to let Christ overflow my heart with His undying joy. And you know something? I haven't stop smiling. Only for a split second my mind wandered to the pain of the past, but the Lord quickly flicked it away. I've been healed through the love of the Lord, and you can be too.
Heavenly Father, oh how merciful You are. The trials drag us down, for we are weak, but by Your strength may we prevail. Even when the pain becomes unbearable, we can drop to our knees and call Your name, knowing You'll respond faster than the brain and heart can comprehend. Your promises ring true, even through the dark, proving to us how much You care. Knowing we are all something special to You is the only reassuring light we need to carry on. So lift our burdens, Lord, and guide us. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
"Come unto me all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
We all know that verse, and yet, we still labour. Constantly we take on our own burdens, leading to weakness which results in the giving into temptations. Lucifer targets those who do not take God up on His promises, knowing those who try to carry their own weight will fall short and be easily deceived. The Lord has promised us that He'd give us rest for a reason. If we attempt to carry our own pain and never ask the Lord to lift it from our shoulders, we will fall short of His glory. There are no ifs, ands, or buts! Why suffer when there's no need? Why risk becoming weak and mistakenly accepting an action from Satan? There's no reason to, and it's foolish to try.
I often find myself drifting back and dragging forward the issues of the past. I know I've had a bumpy beginning to my Christian life, and I also know I am not alone with this fact. Many people tend to notice that once they get baptised, their life falls oddly into darkness. This is because Satan knows he has almost lost another victim, so he goes into overdrive trying to regather the lost souls. Now, once the Lord has helped you to rise above the issues, why is it so many people (myself included) relish the gruesome agony of it so much that we return to the dilemma and bring it forward? Do we enjoy crying? Are we gluttons for pain? No, I don't think it's any of those things. Satan wants us to doubt, so he brings forth an occurrence that makes you think of the tragedies, so as to weaken your soul with sorrow. Once weakened, we are ripe for the pickings.
"...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know our suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:3, 4)
So do not let Satan win. I am not saying you put a smile on to hide how much it hurts, but truly speak to the Lord and let the joy of Christ overflow you. If you do so, nothing will bring you down! Satan is powerless to the rejoicing of the Holy Spirit! I have seen this first hand, so I will provide a short (personal) testimony for you:
Since becoming a Christian, life has been tough--really, super tough. It has been so bad, it sometimes didn't seem worth it. I pondered whether I should throw aside God, reject Him and appease the demand of Lucifer. I also wondered if I should do the unthinkable sin of death, the one I could never turn back from. For about a year now I have had these forbidden desires, for that is when the tribulations first began. They were painful, but minor at first, but time watered and fed it, causing it to grow in power. I was very close to snapping, and there would be no returning if I did.
But just a day ago, Thursday 9/2/10, I made the conscious decision to let Christ overflow my heart with His undying joy. And you know something? I haven't stop smiling. Only for a split second my mind wandered to the pain of the past, but the Lord quickly flicked it away. I've been healed through the love of the Lord, and you can be too.
No matter how difficult life gets, Christ will aid you in overpowering it; all you have to do is ask. Ask and you will receive, and if you don't receive, it's because you have not sincerely asked of the Lord (Matthew 7:7). This is true because if your heart be with the Lord, you will not ask anything of Him that He Himself doesn't want for you. He'll guide your tongue and your wants, you just have to allow Him to do so! This means you must surrender your will over to Him. It'll be the best thing you ever do, I can promise because of the faith I have in the Father.
Closing Prayer:
Lord, we are weary as we walk, stumbling with exhaust. The burden is heavy, oh Merciful Father. We pray You lift this weight from us, and we thank You in advance for doing so. For we know You desire peace for us, Lord, so You will answer our prayer for relief. Just as Simon carried the wooden cross for Jesus when He grew physically weak, You will now carry our cross in our time of need. We know that all we must do is seek and ask, in order to find and receive. Your love is enough to sustain our joy, oh wondrous Father, even during our darkest and most difficult tribulations. Be our rejoicing soul in this coming week, for though the world is trying to bring us down, You want to lift us up. In Christ's name I pray, AMEN.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Oh, It Hurts!
Let us begin with a prayer:
Lord, some of us hurt. We call to You for comfort, knowing You understand and feel our pains. But we are humbled by You, Lord, for You have known far greater pains than us, and survived with Your innocence intact. Sometimes we fall short of You, Lord, weakened by the worlds efforts to push us down. But, God, we know You are still there, and You are still strong. That will never change.
And so we ask, oh Lord, that You be with us now. The journey is rough, the path is painful, the future is bleak. But despite all this, You're there. That is enough to keep us moving. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you" John 15:18 (New King James Bible).
Are you having some pain come forward in recent times? Perhaps an old ailment is beginning to resurface? Finding it difficult to throw yourself to your knees in prayer because you feel ashamed for your emotions? It's okay, Brothers and Sisters, it's normal to have this. The world is a rough place to live, especially when you are refusing to succumb to its cheap pleasures. But I promise you, it WILL be worth it. You have something better than my promise, too; you have the promise of the Lord.
He assures us that the world hated Him far longer than it hated us. He died on the cross for us, loving us as we spit on Him with disgust. If anyone knows pain, it's Jesus. It's natural for us to think our pain is the worst, but we must always think back to His death on the cross. How bad do we really have it compared to the innocent who shed His blood for our faults? Doug Batchelor, my personal hero, wrote a book called "At Jesus' Feet; the Gospel according to Mary Magdalene". On page 125, he quotes one of his favorite authors.
"It will do you good...to frequently review the closing scenes in the life of the Redeemer. Here, beset with temptations as He was, we may all learn lessons of the utmost importance to us. It will do well to spend a thorough hour each day reviewing the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary.
"We should take it point by point and let the imagination vividly grasp each scene, especially the closing ones of His earthly life. By thus contemplating His teachings and sufferings, and the infinite sacrifice made by Him for the redemption of the race, we may strengthen our faith, quicken our love, and become more deeply imbued with the spirit which sustained our Saviour.
"If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and faith at the foot of the cross...Everything noble and generous in man will respond to the contemplation of Christ upon the cross" (Lift Him Up p.240).
I think the author makes a valuable point in this passage. Look at your trials, your friend's trials, your family's trials, and pile them all together. Christ suffered them all, with the addition of the rest of the world's trials! I am not belittling the problems we all suffer, but it gives us something to think about. Before we complain that the Lord has forsaken us and curse His holy name, stop and think. He suffered every single one so as to make our pain less. He could have stay in the Kingdom and lived His life of leisure, but He chose to come down and die for us. If He chooses to do such for us, don't you think He will be sure to guide us through? He wouldn't come here and get nailed to a cross, only to allow His children to become crushed under the worldly pains!
"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise" Hebrews 10:35, 36.
It's clear here that no matter our trial, no matter what this world (and its master, Lucifer) throws at you, stand strong against it. It is okay to mourn over your ailments, but do even that with rejoicing because our sufferings lead to perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:3,4). It WILL be worth it for the Lord keeps His promises. If we stand strong and push through with the joy of Christ in our hearts, we can prevail and we will find ourselves a place within the Kingdom. The Lord says so, so we know it to be true.
Let us end with a prayer:
Oh Father, we hurt, but we know You share in our pain. For us You died so for You we must live. As we close here, we pray You be with us in the coming week. The world is a difficult place to live, You know this better than anyone. Walk with us, Lord, and carry us when need be. Only through you can we be strong enough to survive the journey. With this said, take our will as we hand it to You, Father. Mold us into the beings You wish us to be. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
Lord, some of us hurt. We call to You for comfort, knowing You understand and feel our pains. But we are humbled by You, Lord, for You have known far greater pains than us, and survived with Your innocence intact. Sometimes we fall short of You, Lord, weakened by the worlds efforts to push us down. But, God, we know You are still there, and You are still strong. That will never change.
And so we ask, oh Lord, that You be with us now. The journey is rough, the path is painful, the future is bleak. But despite all this, You're there. That is enough to keep us moving. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you" John 15:18 (New King James Bible).
Are you having some pain come forward in recent times? Perhaps an old ailment is beginning to resurface? Finding it difficult to throw yourself to your knees in prayer because you feel ashamed for your emotions? It's okay, Brothers and Sisters, it's normal to have this. The world is a rough place to live, especially when you are refusing to succumb to its cheap pleasures. But I promise you, it WILL be worth it. You have something better than my promise, too; you have the promise of the Lord.
He assures us that the world hated Him far longer than it hated us. He died on the cross for us, loving us as we spit on Him with disgust. If anyone knows pain, it's Jesus. It's natural for us to think our pain is the worst, but we must always think back to His death on the cross. How bad do we really have it compared to the innocent who shed His blood for our faults? Doug Batchelor, my personal hero, wrote a book called "At Jesus' Feet; the Gospel according to Mary Magdalene". On page 125, he quotes one of his favorite authors.
"It will do you good...to frequently review the closing scenes in the life of the Redeemer. Here, beset with temptations as He was, we may all learn lessons of the utmost importance to us. It will do well to spend a thorough hour each day reviewing the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary.
"We should take it point by point and let the imagination vividly grasp each scene, especially the closing ones of His earthly life. By thus contemplating His teachings and sufferings, and the infinite sacrifice made by Him for the redemption of the race, we may strengthen our faith, quicken our love, and become more deeply imbued with the spirit which sustained our Saviour.
"If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and faith at the foot of the cross...Everything noble and generous in man will respond to the contemplation of Christ upon the cross" (Lift Him Up p.240).
I think the author makes a valuable point in this passage. Look at your trials, your friend's trials, your family's trials, and pile them all together. Christ suffered them all, with the addition of the rest of the world's trials! I am not belittling the problems we all suffer, but it gives us something to think about. Before we complain that the Lord has forsaken us and curse His holy name, stop and think. He suffered every single one so as to make our pain less. He could have stay in the Kingdom and lived His life of leisure, but He chose to come down and die for us. If He chooses to do such for us, don't you think He will be sure to guide us through? He wouldn't come here and get nailed to a cross, only to allow His children to become crushed under the worldly pains!
"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise" Hebrews 10:35, 36.
It's clear here that no matter our trial, no matter what this world (and its master, Lucifer) throws at you, stand strong against it. It is okay to mourn over your ailments, but do even that with rejoicing because our sufferings lead to perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:3,4). It WILL be worth it for the Lord keeps His promises. If we stand strong and push through with the joy of Christ in our hearts, we can prevail and we will find ourselves a place within the Kingdom. The Lord says so, so we know it to be true.
Let us end with a prayer:
Oh Father, we hurt, but we know You share in our pain. For us You died so for You we must live. As we close here, we pray You be with us in the coming week. The world is a difficult place to live, You know this better than anyone. Walk with us, Lord, and carry us when need be. Only through you can we be strong enough to survive the journey. With this said, take our will as we hand it to You, Father. Mold us into the beings You wish us to be. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Journey
Shall we start with a prayer?
Dear Heavenly Father, we come here today to worship Your mighty being. We pray you rain the Holy Spirit upon us, help us to gather what it is You wish us to learn from the sermon ahead. And Lord, we pray you are with all who gather in Your name today. Finally, we want to pray for those who are lost. We pray they find You and know the comfort You provide. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
So, last week didn't go as I planned. Okay, it went very differently from what I planned.
My piece last week was not supposed to travel on over to a sermon about the great promise of the Lord. It was supposed to be a welcome thread, telling how I got to where I was. But you know something? God has His own plans. I do believe that though the 'sermon' did not go the way I intended, it was God who switched my way of going about it. God knew that someone who was going to be reading that or watching it would need a reminder of His promise of all promises. So, I have no complaints. I just thank God for speaking through me.
Well, I ended last week talking about the promises of the Lord. I'm tempted to continue on from there, but something deep within me is saying to tell my story further. Perhaps there's another one out there, thirsting to find faith. Maybe hearing my journey from the Devil to the Lord will help someone else believe. I don't always listen to my gut, but I feel this time it's different. This is God speaking.
So last week I explained how I jumped into the church. I was a greedy vegetarian, and they were having a buffet (now I know it to be called a Fellowship Dinner). At the very beginning of my piece last week, I mentioned how it bothered me thinking that my loved ones were watching me fail from above. That doesn't sound like a very nice Heaven, does it? I mean, who wants to live a good life, and then be rewarded after death by getting to watch their children and grandchildren suffering? I sure wouldn't wish that upon anyone, which is my biggest reason for not believing.
This was cleared up pretty quickly for me. My pastor explained, and showed many texts proving, that after death, it is not straight to Heaven or straight to an eternal Hell. No, rather we sleep. Yes, I said it, until Christ comes again, we are unconscious. "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten" (Ecclesiastes 9:5). "[...]There is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going" (Ecclesiastes 9:10). "So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep" (Job 14:12). It is clearly stated here that God says the dead know absolutely nothing, and the dead cannot contact the living, nor know what the living are doing. They are dead. Their thoughts have perished (Psalms 146:4).
When my pastor informed me of this, oh wow, I can't even comprehend the extreme joy I felt. But still...another thing bothered me terribly. Could a God so high and mighty really let His lost children suffer for eternity in Hell? Would God really let the Devil have control of the punishment for His misguided children? How could I serve a God that allowed this, while still remaining happy? How could my pastor, a truly loving individual, respect such a cruel and ruthless being?
"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished" (2 Peter 2:9). There are no souls in hellfire today. The Bible clearly states that God holds back the wicked until the day of judgement. You see, they are sleeping too. Both the righteous and the unjust that perish before Jesus' coming simply sleep. Now, when Jesus does come, the wicked burn for all eternity after that, right? FALSE! How cruel would that be? Plus, it would be contradictory to so many other places in the Bible! The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)! If they burned in eternal hellfire, wouldn't that be living? Sure it'd be a painful life, but still living. Now, I could name verse after verse that shows the wicked are destroyed in a temporary fire, but why don't I leave that for a future sermon? I could speak for a VERY long time on this topic.
After all this was settled in my head, my pastor had smiled at me, thinking his job was done. I was sold, now that my questions were all answer, right? Well, he was wrong. With sad eyes, I had looked up and met his gaze, my expression showing my sorrow clearly. "Pastor, if God is so good, why are Christians so cold? Isn't it a commandment to love thy neighbor as ye love thyself? But they don't. I just don't think God would allow the insanity if He existed." This caught the pastor off guard, but then he smiled a warm smile, eyes thickly presenting his understanding. "Lindsay, we are humans. We sin. If God made the path easy, we'd never learn. I know good Christians and I know bad Christians." He got lower and spoke softer. "But I also know good atheists and bad atheists." And with that, he had walked from the room, his point made.
I once saw a quote and, though it is humorous, it does hold much truth. "God, I love you, but it's your fan club that terrifies me." It's true that not all Christians hold true to the ways God gave us, but does that mean He doesn't exist? No way. He gave is freewill, and He isn't going to take that away by making us do certain things. If we want to live a lieing, deceitful life, He won't stop us. But He will hold us accountable for our choices.
I want to end with a prayer:
Dear Almighty Father, we come to the closing of another week. Another week filled with both pain, and joy. Lord, we know You walk with us, holding our hands and sometimes even carrying us. You won't have us suffer more than we can handle, for You are a just Father. You care for Your children, even when they don't care for You, oh Lord. In this coming week, Father, guide us. We want to surrender our will fully to You, and have You mold us into what You want us to be. We know You won't force us, Lord, but we are willing. Hold our hands and lead, for we are ready to follow. In Christ's Name we pray, AMEN.
God bless and have an amazing week,
Lindsay
Remember, you can always watch the sermons rather than read. Or you could do both! The videos may contain music and stories that are not found in the writing pieces :)
If you'd prefer to listen to my sermons, rather than read them, I also have a Youtube account:
http://www.youtube.com/user/HisHiddenVoice (Due to technical difficulties, this weeks video sermon is not yet up.)
Dear Heavenly Father, we come here today to worship Your mighty being. We pray you rain the Holy Spirit upon us, help us to gather what it is You wish us to learn from the sermon ahead. And Lord, we pray you are with all who gather in Your name today. Finally, we want to pray for those who are lost. We pray they find You and know the comfort You provide. In Christ's name we pray, AMEN.
So, last week didn't go as I planned. Okay, it went very differently from what I planned.
My piece last week was not supposed to travel on over to a sermon about the great promise of the Lord. It was supposed to be a welcome thread, telling how I got to where I was. But you know something? God has His own plans. I do believe that though the 'sermon' did not go the way I intended, it was God who switched my way of going about it. God knew that someone who was going to be reading that or watching it would need a reminder of His promise of all promises. So, I have no complaints. I just thank God for speaking through me.
Well, I ended last week talking about the promises of the Lord. I'm tempted to continue on from there, but something deep within me is saying to tell my story further. Perhaps there's another one out there, thirsting to find faith. Maybe hearing my journey from the Devil to the Lord will help someone else believe. I don't always listen to my gut, but I feel this time it's different. This is God speaking.
So last week I explained how I jumped into the church. I was a greedy vegetarian, and they were having a buffet (now I know it to be called a Fellowship Dinner). At the very beginning of my piece last week, I mentioned how it bothered me thinking that my loved ones were watching me fail from above. That doesn't sound like a very nice Heaven, does it? I mean, who wants to live a good life, and then be rewarded after death by getting to watch their children and grandchildren suffering? I sure wouldn't wish that upon anyone, which is my biggest reason for not believing.
This was cleared up pretty quickly for me. My pastor explained, and showed many texts proving, that after death, it is not straight to Heaven or straight to an eternal Hell. No, rather we sleep. Yes, I said it, until Christ comes again, we are unconscious. "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten" (Ecclesiastes 9:5). "[...]There is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going" (Ecclesiastes 9:10). "So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep" (Job 14:12). It is clearly stated here that God says the dead know absolutely nothing, and the dead cannot contact the living, nor know what the living are doing. They are dead. Their thoughts have perished (Psalms 146:4).
When my pastor informed me of this, oh wow, I can't even comprehend the extreme joy I felt. But still...another thing bothered me terribly. Could a God so high and mighty really let His lost children suffer for eternity in Hell? Would God really let the Devil have control of the punishment for His misguided children? How could I serve a God that allowed this, while still remaining happy? How could my pastor, a truly loving individual, respect such a cruel and ruthless being?
"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished" (2 Peter 2:9). There are no souls in hellfire today. The Bible clearly states that God holds back the wicked until the day of judgement. You see, they are sleeping too. Both the righteous and the unjust that perish before Jesus' coming simply sleep. Now, when Jesus does come, the wicked burn for all eternity after that, right? FALSE! How cruel would that be? Plus, it would be contradictory to so many other places in the Bible! The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)! If they burned in eternal hellfire, wouldn't that be living? Sure it'd be a painful life, but still living. Now, I could name verse after verse that shows the wicked are destroyed in a temporary fire, but why don't I leave that for a future sermon? I could speak for a VERY long time on this topic.
After all this was settled in my head, my pastor had smiled at me, thinking his job was done. I was sold, now that my questions were all answer, right? Well, he was wrong. With sad eyes, I had looked up and met his gaze, my expression showing my sorrow clearly. "Pastor, if God is so good, why are Christians so cold? Isn't it a commandment to love thy neighbor as ye love thyself? But they don't. I just don't think God would allow the insanity if He existed." This caught the pastor off guard, but then he smiled a warm smile, eyes thickly presenting his understanding. "Lindsay, we are humans. We sin. If God made the path easy, we'd never learn. I know good Christians and I know bad Christians." He got lower and spoke softer. "But I also know good atheists and bad atheists." And with that, he had walked from the room, his point made.
I once saw a quote and, though it is humorous, it does hold much truth. "God, I love you, but it's your fan club that terrifies me." It's true that not all Christians hold true to the ways God gave us, but does that mean He doesn't exist? No way. He gave is freewill, and He isn't going to take that away by making us do certain things. If we want to live a lieing, deceitful life, He won't stop us. But He will hold us accountable for our choices.
I want to end with a prayer:
Dear Almighty Father, we come to the closing of another week. Another week filled with both pain, and joy. Lord, we know You walk with us, holding our hands and sometimes even carrying us. You won't have us suffer more than we can handle, for You are a just Father. You care for Your children, even when they don't care for You, oh Lord. In this coming week, Father, guide us. We want to surrender our will fully to You, and have You mold us into what You want us to be. We know You won't force us, Lord, but we are willing. Hold our hands and lead, for we are ready to follow. In Christ's Name we pray, AMEN.
God bless and have an amazing week,
Lindsay
Remember, you can always watch the sermons rather than read. Or you could do both! The videos may contain music and stories that are not found in the writing pieces :)
If you'd prefer to listen to my sermons, rather than read them, I also have a Youtube account:
http://www.youtube.com/user/HisHiddenVoice (Due to technical difficulties, this weeks video sermon is not yet up.)
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Welcome:: He Promised
Never thought I'd be doing this, writing words for God. Never IN MY LIFE did I expect to want to be a pastor. But now, the want is so strong that I would be a fool to ignore it.
You see, I grew up a self-proclaimed athiest. For 14 or so years I followed this theory, though I could often find myself looking to the sky in wonder. I found comfort in the fact that we were buried and that was the end. I didn't want to think my loved ones were up there watching me tumble through life, watching me fall and fail. Even when we moved to Virginia, the Bible Belt, I refused to give in. I hung with the crowd that shared my "lack of belief", and I actually thought I was happy.
But about a year ago now, my mother stumbled across a church I'd never heard of. They were called the Seventh-Day Adventists and I became oddly intrigued. Okay...maybe it wasn't so odd. I mean, my ma proposed it to me with saying "Wanna go to a vegetarian buffet? We have to sit through a sermon first." Now, I am a vegetarian, so I was willing to suffer the words of some wacko pastor in order to get good food (and boy, are there some fine cooks in that church). But I never bargained for what would happen. As the pastor stood up front and preached, I found myself unable to look away with disinterest. Truth was, I was interested...more than that actually. I was yearning to learn what this pastor knew. How could he stand up there and preach about a slave owner named God, and keep a smile on his face the whole time? He really loved his master...and for a year now, he taught me to as well.
Now, of course, this year has not all been up hill. Heck, I want to meet a Christian that has a life of rainbows and butterflies! Truth is, the Christian road is tough, really tough. God is very blunt is saying that it's the toughest road one could follow. However tough it is though, He promises it will be worth it. Now, if some human came up and gave me a promise like that, I would laugh and shew him away, ordering he stop speaking such nonsense. But God? No, this Guy doesn't lie. He is the only one who's never spoken a lie. He's the only one we can count on to keep His promises.
So let me end with some proof here. Let us travel to the Great Book, the Word of God. Yes, I do mean the Bible. Now, my Bible is the New King James version, so if you prefer a different version, you can find it online or in your own Bible. The book we are turning to is Psalms, chapter 23, verse 4. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." You see, God knows this life is difficult, and that the Devil tempts us at every corner. Each choice we make could mean the difference between Salvation, and death. But, he promises here, and in many places within the Bible, that He's there for us. My pastor once said in a sermon that if we get to the end of our rope, swing on over to God's rope. His rope is endless and He won't let you fall.
God bless you and have a wonderful week.
Pastor in training, Lindsay :)
If you'd prefer to listen to my sermons, rather than read them, I also have a Youtube account: http://www.youtube.com/user/HisHiddenVoice
You see, I grew up a self-proclaimed athiest. For 14 or so years I followed this theory, though I could often find myself looking to the sky in wonder. I found comfort in the fact that we were buried and that was the end. I didn't want to think my loved ones were up there watching me tumble through life, watching me fall and fail. Even when we moved to Virginia, the Bible Belt, I refused to give in. I hung with the crowd that shared my "lack of belief", and I actually thought I was happy.
But about a year ago now, my mother stumbled across a church I'd never heard of. They were called the Seventh-Day Adventists and I became oddly intrigued. Okay...maybe it wasn't so odd. I mean, my ma proposed it to me with saying "Wanna go to a vegetarian buffet? We have to sit through a sermon first." Now, I am a vegetarian, so I was willing to suffer the words of some wacko pastor in order to get good food (and boy, are there some fine cooks in that church). But I never bargained for what would happen. As the pastor stood up front and preached, I found myself unable to look away with disinterest. Truth was, I was interested...more than that actually. I was yearning to learn what this pastor knew. How could he stand up there and preach about a slave owner named God, and keep a smile on his face the whole time? He really loved his master...and for a year now, he taught me to as well.
Now, of course, this year has not all been up hill. Heck, I want to meet a Christian that has a life of rainbows and butterflies! Truth is, the Christian road is tough, really tough. God is very blunt is saying that it's the toughest road one could follow. However tough it is though, He promises it will be worth it. Now, if some human came up and gave me a promise like that, I would laugh and shew him away, ordering he stop speaking such nonsense. But God? No, this Guy doesn't lie. He is the only one who's never spoken a lie. He's the only one we can count on to keep His promises.
So let me end with some proof here. Let us travel to the Great Book, the Word of God. Yes, I do mean the Bible. Now, my Bible is the New King James version, so if you prefer a different version, you can find it online or in your own Bible. The book we are turning to is Psalms, chapter 23, verse 4. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." You see, God knows this life is difficult, and that the Devil tempts us at every corner. Each choice we make could mean the difference between Salvation, and death. But, he promises here, and in many places within the Bible, that He's there for us. My pastor once said in a sermon that if we get to the end of our rope, swing on over to God's rope. His rope is endless and He won't let you fall.
God bless you and have a wonderful week.
Pastor in training, Lindsay :)
If you'd prefer to listen to my sermons, rather than read them, I also have a Youtube account: http://www.youtube.com/user/HisHiddenVoice
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