Isaiah 59:2 (KJV) Says, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that He will not hear:" I John 3:22 (KJV) Says, "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
The above verse of scripture taken from the book of Isaiah tells us that our sins can cause God to hide His face from us, and not hear our prayers. The verse taken from the book of I John tells us that we will receive what we ask of Him, when we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Have you ever gone to God in prayer, requested something from Him, and then thought to yourself what is taking Him so long to answer me? Have you ever lost patience while waiting on God to answer your prayers, and allowed negative thoughts to enter your mind? Do you have thoughts like, God doesn't answer my prayers, He doesn't hear me, He doesn't care about me, and things of that nature? If so, have you ever consider that your behavior may be a factor?
There are various reasons that God doesn't answer some prayers, and there are some prayers He answers that are not answered in the manner in which we wanted them answered. He may not answer a prayer because He knows it is not what's best for us, because He has something better in store for us, because the timing is not right, or for our own protection, and many other reasons. With that being said, have you ever considered that He may not be giving you what you've ask Him for because you are not living in obedience to Him? Are there things in your life that God has been dealing with you about, things that you know He wants you to walk away from because they don't fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ? Have you been made aware of these things through the Holy Spirit living within you, and yet you continue on in your ways refusing to get rid of them? Are you knowingly living in disobedience to God, and expecting Him to answer your prayers? Have you ever ask yourself the question is there something in my life that I am holding onto that may be preventing God from answering my prayers?
We are quick to go to God in prayer requesting things from Him, and yet we never consider the fact that there are things He has commanded and requested of us that are being ignored. It seems reasonable to parents everywhere that children should not be rewarded for disobedience, yet many children of God go to Him in prayer asking him to reward them with something while living in blatant disobedience to Him.
I encourage you to evaluate your life, and to weed out the things that don't fit who you are as a Christian. If we want a close personal relationship with our Lord and Savior then we must walk in obedience to Him. We want God to grant our requests without ever thinking about whether or not we are fulfilling his. God wants what's best for us, He wants us to have a life filled with joy, divine peace, and contentment. He wants to bless us and answer our prayers, and He wants us to walk in obedience to Him so that he can do so. The next time you go to God in prayer asking Him for something, I encourage you to remember it's a two way street.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to prayer for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Consider Your Ways
Haggai 1:3-7 (KJV) Says, "Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you but there is none warm: and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways."
The prophecy of Haggai consists of four messages from God delivered to the nation of Israel in the city of Jerusalem after the rebuilding of the temple had ceased for about ten years. Haggai began his ministry in 520 B.C. to encourage the people to complete the task of rebuilding the temple. He was one of a small group of people who had seen the former temple in its glory. His ministry was short, lasting only about four months, but it was sufficient motivation to prompt the people to begin working on the temple again.
The immediate purpose of the book of Haggai is to encourage the people to return to the building of the temple. It was imperative that the people build the temple because blessings from God depend on obedience. In the above passage of scripture Haggai questions the people asking them if they should be dwelling in ceiled houses which refers to houses with ceilings paneled with fine wood, a common practice among kings, while the temple of the Lord was wasting away. The command consider your ways is used five times throughout this prophecy, and it is a plea on the part of God for the people to take note of their behavior, and amend their ways accordingly.
Notice that through the prophecy of Haggai God lets the people know that they need to be obedient to Him, and that the blessings He has in store for them depend on it. God's Word does not expire, and just as the Israelites were warned to amend their ways and that their blessings depended on it, our being obedient to God is mandatory, if we desire to receive the blessings He has in store for us.
We live in a society where people are quick to complain about all their problems, and just as quick to tell you who or what they blame their problems on. We live in a society where many people who profess to be Christians, which means to be Christ-like, blatantly walk in disobedience to God while questioning where He is in their life. How can we groan and complain about our problems, live in blatant disobedience to God, and at the same time question where He is in our lives? How can we question God while totally ignoring our own behavior, and making no attempt to examine our lives and weed out the things that do not fit who we are as Christians?
I'm by no means saying that every time we face a trial in our life it is because we are walking in disobedience to God. Sometimes we face trials in order to draw us closer to God, and to strengthen our personal relationship with him. Nothing draws people closer to God faster than needing Him desperately during a trial. People who have not prayed in years will drop to their knees in an instant, the moment they find themselves in a situation they cannot handle on their own. Some trials are sent into our lives to test our faith. It is easy to proclaim our faith, when everything is going great in our lives, but it is through trials that our faith is truly tested. Finally, there are some trials that we face for reasons only God understands.
In the above scripture God brings to the Israelites attention, through Haggai, that they have sown
a lot and brought in little, that they eat but are not full, that they drink but are still thirsty, that they are clothed but none of them are warm, and that they earn wages but only to put them into a bag with holes in it. God makes clear to them that all of these things are consequences of their actions. As most of us know, history repeats itself and it has here in that we too need to be reminded that some of the trials we face are consequences of our actions. We like the Israelites need to be reminded to consider our ways.
If you are facing a trial, I encourage you to take an inventory of your life, and get rid of all the things that don't fit who you are as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to remain steadfast in your faith trusting God, and setting the example you are to set as a Christian. I encourage you to be patient, and to remember God loves you tremendously. Finally, I encourage you to remember that through whatever trials you face in life, with Christ as your Savior, you can rest assured you are never walking alone.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The prophecy of Haggai consists of four messages from God delivered to the nation of Israel in the city of Jerusalem after the rebuilding of the temple had ceased for about ten years. Haggai began his ministry in 520 B.C. to encourage the people to complete the task of rebuilding the temple. He was one of a small group of people who had seen the former temple in its glory. His ministry was short, lasting only about four months, but it was sufficient motivation to prompt the people to begin working on the temple again.
The immediate purpose of the book of Haggai is to encourage the people to return to the building of the temple. It was imperative that the people build the temple because blessings from God depend on obedience. In the above passage of scripture Haggai questions the people asking them if they should be dwelling in ceiled houses which refers to houses with ceilings paneled with fine wood, a common practice among kings, while the temple of the Lord was wasting away. The command consider your ways is used five times throughout this prophecy, and it is a plea on the part of God for the people to take note of their behavior, and amend their ways accordingly.
Notice that through the prophecy of Haggai God lets the people know that they need to be obedient to Him, and that the blessings He has in store for them depend on it. God's Word does not expire, and just as the Israelites were warned to amend their ways and that their blessings depended on it, our being obedient to God is mandatory, if we desire to receive the blessings He has in store for us.
We live in a society where people are quick to complain about all their problems, and just as quick to tell you who or what they blame their problems on. We live in a society where many people who profess to be Christians, which means to be Christ-like, blatantly walk in disobedience to God while questioning where He is in their life. How can we groan and complain about our problems, live in blatant disobedience to God, and at the same time question where He is in our lives? How can we question God while totally ignoring our own behavior, and making no attempt to examine our lives and weed out the things that do not fit who we are as Christians?
I'm by no means saying that every time we face a trial in our life it is because we are walking in disobedience to God. Sometimes we face trials in order to draw us closer to God, and to strengthen our personal relationship with him. Nothing draws people closer to God faster than needing Him desperately during a trial. People who have not prayed in years will drop to their knees in an instant, the moment they find themselves in a situation they cannot handle on their own. Some trials are sent into our lives to test our faith. It is easy to proclaim our faith, when everything is going great in our lives, but it is through trials that our faith is truly tested. Finally, there are some trials that we face for reasons only God understands.
In the above scripture God brings to the Israelites attention, through Haggai, that they have sown
a lot and brought in little, that they eat but are not full, that they drink but are still thirsty, that they are clothed but none of them are warm, and that they earn wages but only to put them into a bag with holes in it. God makes clear to them that all of these things are consequences of their actions. As most of us know, history repeats itself and it has here in that we too need to be reminded that some of the trials we face are consequences of our actions. We like the Israelites need to be reminded to consider our ways.
If you are facing a trial, I encourage you to take an inventory of your life, and get rid of all the things that don't fit who you are as a disciple of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to remain steadfast in your faith trusting God, and setting the example you are to set as a Christian. I encourage you to be patient, and to remember God loves you tremendously. Finally, I encourage you to remember that through whatever trials you face in life, with Christ as your Savior, you can rest assured you are never walking alone.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
A Stiff-Necked People
Deuteronomy 9:11-16 (KJV) Says, "And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant. And the Lord said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image. Furthermore the Lord spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people: Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they. So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands. And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the Lord your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the Lord had commanded you." II Chronicles 30:8 (KJV) Says, "Now be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which He hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you."
In the above passage of scripture taken from Deuteronomy, Moses had gone up to Mt. Sinai to meet with God, and receive the ten commandments. Moses left his brother, Aaron, in charge of the Israelites who he had led out of bondage in Egypt. Aaron and the children of Israel were aware that Moses had gone to meet with God, and they had witnessed God's mighty power as He sent plague after plague upon Egypt until Pharaoh agreed to set them free. After forty days and forty nights God gave Moses the ten commandments, and advised him to go down from Mt. Sinai quickly. God advised Moses that he needed to get down from the mountain quickly because Aaron and the Israelites had corrupted themselves. God told Moses that the Israelites had turned away from what He instructed them to do, that they had strayed from His instructions and had done so quickly. They had lost patience waiting on Moses to return, and had made a molten calf to worship. They had witnessed God's power firsthand in Egypt and also as they were led out of Egypt yet they lost patience, gave up on God, and disobeyed His instructions. They were doing things their way, in their time, and leaving God out of it. How quick they were to give up on God.
In the above verse of scripture taken from II Chronicles, God warns the Israelites not to be stiff-necked like their fathers were, but instead to obey and serve Him, and to avoid his wrath. The term stiff-necked is defined as haughty and stubborn, when speaking about a person or their behavior. So in short God referred to the Israelites several times as prideful and stubborn. He also uses the term stiff-necked in four verses in Exodus, two in Deuteronomy and one in Acts, just to name a few more. This demonstrates what a huge problem pride and stubbornness were in the era of Moses, and this is a problem that remains in existence today.
The Israelites repeatedly disobeyed God, and then would turn back to Him after they made a disaster of such magnitude out of their lives; that they could no longer handle things on their own. Each time, God being merciful forgave them. The world continues to be full of stiff-necked people. There are people all around us so full of pride and so stubborn that they refuse to admit there is anything they can't handle . These people refuse to turn to Almighty God until they are in dire straits. They treat prayer like a fire alarm to be pulled only in an emergency. They pull it, and begin crying out to God for help, when something traumatic or devastating happens in heir life.
The children of Israel faced many trials and tribulations because of their disobedience to God, and it is no different for us today. We will be rewarded and blessed for living in obedience to him, and we will face consequences for disobeying him. The world is in a state of devastation, and we have numerous people acting confused as to why that is. We will never know the reason for everything, but we can look to God's Word, and find that many things are the consequences of our own actions. That being said, I don't think there's a need to ask why the world is in the state it's in, or why some people's personal lives are in the shape their in. If we take a look around at all the stiff-necked people who have chosen to disobey Almighty God just as the Israelites did, and the ones that are doing all they can to take God out of everything, we may see things a bit clearer.
The good news is that if we go to God in prayer, and repent of our sins He will forgive us and have mercy on us just as He did the Israelites. If you know you're living in disobedience to God I urge you to go to Him in prayer, ask Him to forgive you, and return to following Him immediately. If you have somehow justified in your mind that straddling the fence and obeying God in some things while disobeying him in others is acceptable, I urge you to stop kidding yourself because this behavior is by no means acceptable. If all Christians who have strayed from their walk with God would go to Him in prayer, ask for forgiveness of their sins, and return to walking in obedience to Him I have no doubt whatsoever that we would see major improvements in not only our personal lives, but in the state of the world.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture taken from Deuteronomy, Moses had gone up to Mt. Sinai to meet with God, and receive the ten commandments. Moses left his brother, Aaron, in charge of the Israelites who he had led out of bondage in Egypt. Aaron and the children of Israel were aware that Moses had gone to meet with God, and they had witnessed God's mighty power as He sent plague after plague upon Egypt until Pharaoh agreed to set them free. After forty days and forty nights God gave Moses the ten commandments, and advised him to go down from Mt. Sinai quickly. God advised Moses that he needed to get down from the mountain quickly because Aaron and the Israelites had corrupted themselves. God told Moses that the Israelites had turned away from what He instructed them to do, that they had strayed from His instructions and had done so quickly. They had lost patience waiting on Moses to return, and had made a molten calf to worship. They had witnessed God's power firsthand in Egypt and also as they were led out of Egypt yet they lost patience, gave up on God, and disobeyed His instructions. They were doing things their way, in their time, and leaving God out of it. How quick they were to give up on God.
In the above verse of scripture taken from II Chronicles, God warns the Israelites not to be stiff-necked like their fathers were, but instead to obey and serve Him, and to avoid his wrath. The term stiff-necked is defined as haughty and stubborn, when speaking about a person or their behavior. So in short God referred to the Israelites several times as prideful and stubborn. He also uses the term stiff-necked in four verses in Exodus, two in Deuteronomy and one in Acts, just to name a few more. This demonstrates what a huge problem pride and stubbornness were in the era of Moses, and this is a problem that remains in existence today.
The Israelites repeatedly disobeyed God, and then would turn back to Him after they made a disaster of such magnitude out of their lives; that they could no longer handle things on their own. Each time, God being merciful forgave them. The world continues to be full of stiff-necked people. There are people all around us so full of pride and so stubborn that they refuse to admit there is anything they can't handle . These people refuse to turn to Almighty God until they are in dire straits. They treat prayer like a fire alarm to be pulled only in an emergency. They pull it, and begin crying out to God for help, when something traumatic or devastating happens in heir life.
The children of Israel faced many trials and tribulations because of their disobedience to God, and it is no different for us today. We will be rewarded and blessed for living in obedience to him, and we will face consequences for disobeying him. The world is in a state of devastation, and we have numerous people acting confused as to why that is. We will never know the reason for everything, but we can look to God's Word, and find that many things are the consequences of our own actions. That being said, I don't think there's a need to ask why the world is in the state it's in, or why some people's personal lives are in the shape their in. If we take a look around at all the stiff-necked people who have chosen to disobey Almighty God just as the Israelites did, and the ones that are doing all they can to take God out of everything, we may see things a bit clearer.
The good news is that if we go to God in prayer, and repent of our sins He will forgive us and have mercy on us just as He did the Israelites. If you know you're living in disobedience to God I urge you to go to Him in prayer, ask Him to forgive you, and return to following Him immediately. If you have somehow justified in your mind that straddling the fence and obeying God in some things while disobeying him in others is acceptable, I urge you to stop kidding yourself because this behavior is by no means acceptable. If all Christians who have strayed from their walk with God would go to Him in prayer, ask for forgiveness of their sins, and return to walking in obedience to Him I have no doubt whatsoever that we would see major improvements in not only our personal lives, but in the state of the world.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Turn To God
Isaiah 54:10 (KJV) Says, "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Psalm 55:22 (KJV) Says, "Cast thy burdens upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) Says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." I Peter 5:6-7 (KJV) Says, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) Says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."
Let me begin by stating that God has never broken even one promise, and you can rest assured that He never will. With that said in the above passages of scripture we are promised that God's kindness will never leave us, that He has mercy on us, and that His promise of peace will not be taken away. We are instructed to cast our burdens upon the Lord and we are promised that He will sustain us. We are warned that we wrestle against Satan, and evil in the world. We are instructed to humble ourselves before God, and told that He cares for us. If you ever doubt how much God loves you, remind yourself quickly that He sent his only Son, who was without sin, to die on the cross for you so that you might have eternal life. That my friends confirms that God loves each of us tremendously. Finally, the above scripture promises us that if we stay focused on God and trust Him, He will keep us in perfect peace.
There are numerous people in the world today who are worried, troubled, and miserable for various reasons, and they can't seem to find peace. I understand that people are going through trials, and tribulations because we all face them. God never promises that we won't have times of trouble, the good news is that He will see us through all of them, if we will put our faith and trust in Him. The unfortunate thing is that numerous people in search of peace and comfort turn to other things such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and any other vice you can name seeking a solace that can only come from God.
There are many reasons why people don't turn to God in times of trouble, and one of them is that they believe the negative thoughts that Satan puts in their minds. He places thoughts in our minds, like God doesn't love me, I've made far to many mistakes for God to ever forgive me, I've waited to long to turn to God, my problems are so great not even God can help me, God has turned his back on me, and any other negative thought he can use to draw us further away from the Lord. We must not allow Satan to convince us that any of these statements or any others like them are true. Satan is the father of lies, and we must rebuke his lies, if we are to have peace. We must replace his lies with truths such as God loves me tremendously, He will never leave nor forsake me, He is holding my right hand, or any other passage of scripture you opt to use. God's Word is our weapon of defense so when Satan attacks your mind, use it on him immediately.
Another reason people don't turn to God is that they have the wrong idea of who he is. Many people have him pictured as standing in heaven with a lightening bolt in His hand just waiting to throw it at them, and nothing could be further from the truth. God is not standing up in heaven hoping we will make a mistake so He can zap us. He is kind, loving, merciful, forgiving, understanding, and so many more great things.
There are also people of the opinion that to follow God would be to live a rigid and strict life that is void of laughter and fun, and filled with boredom. This is another falsehood. The truth is when you opt to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and decide to follow Him you will have a divine peace, joy, and contentment like you have never before known. The Bible describes the peace that God gives us as a "divine peace" and a "perfect peace." Having been blessed with the peace that can only come from God, I can tell you there is a huge difference in peace from God, and any other definition of the word. I can also tell you firsthand that Christians have fun, and that our lives are far from boring.
Above are a few reasons why some people turn to worldly things, addictive substances, and material possessions in times of trouble, worry and despair in lieu of turning to the one true help which is God. If you are struggling with worry and despair I encourage you to take all of your problems to God in prayer. Cast your cares upon the Lord, and leave them there. Put your faith and trust in God knowing that He loves you, He will never leave nor forsake you, there is no problem He cannot handle, He has never broken a promise, He is merciful, kind, forgiving, long-suffering, understanding, and all things good. I urge you to consider all these things, and to turn to God having faith and trust in Him always. God never changes He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His power is unlimited. He is there for you anytime day or night, and He is willing to help you if you will simply call on Him. If you've been turning to something besides God in times of trouble, if you're still struggling, if you're the prisoner of a vice such as drugs or alcohol, then I urge you beginning right now to surrender all your troubles to God. Take all of your problems to Him, and leave them their. I urge you to put your faith and trust in God and obey Him knowing He will not let you down. I urge you to wait patiently on Him as He works things out for your good, because He loves you and He knows what's best for you.
Are you living in a state of worry, and despair? Are you believing all the lies Satan is running through your mind? Do you feel you've done so much wrong that there is no way God would ever forgive you? Have you turned to something other than God in search of peace, and contentment? Are you carrying your troubles around with you allowing them to weigh you down, and make your life miserable? If so, I urge you to surrender your life to God. Go to Him in prayer and leave all your troubles with Him. It is only in God that you will find joy, peace, contentment, and all the great things you've been searching for. If you are living in a constant state of misery, and what you're currently doing to change that is not working for you, then why not take a chance, and turn to God? He is the answer, don't give up on Him, be patient no matter how long it takes, remain steadfast in your faith remembering that God's timing is never early, never late, but perfect. Reach out to God and begin today living the life of joy, peace, and contentment He desires for you He's only a prayer away.
If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. We are not promised tomorrow so please if you have the desire to do so, do it now, right where you are. Simply go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive you for all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus was born, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. If you prayed this prayer and accepted Christ, congratulations you made the greatest decision you will ever make.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Let me begin by stating that God has never broken even one promise, and you can rest assured that He never will. With that said in the above passages of scripture we are promised that God's kindness will never leave us, that He has mercy on us, and that His promise of peace will not be taken away. We are instructed to cast our burdens upon the Lord and we are promised that He will sustain us. We are warned that we wrestle against Satan, and evil in the world. We are instructed to humble ourselves before God, and told that He cares for us. If you ever doubt how much God loves you, remind yourself quickly that He sent his only Son, who was without sin, to die on the cross for you so that you might have eternal life. That my friends confirms that God loves each of us tremendously. Finally, the above scripture promises us that if we stay focused on God and trust Him, He will keep us in perfect peace.
There are numerous people in the world today who are worried, troubled, and miserable for various reasons, and they can't seem to find peace. I understand that people are going through trials, and tribulations because we all face them. God never promises that we won't have times of trouble, the good news is that He will see us through all of them, if we will put our faith and trust in Him. The unfortunate thing is that numerous people in search of peace and comfort turn to other things such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and any other vice you can name seeking a solace that can only come from God.
There are many reasons why people don't turn to God in times of trouble, and one of them is that they believe the negative thoughts that Satan puts in their minds. He places thoughts in our minds, like God doesn't love me, I've made far to many mistakes for God to ever forgive me, I've waited to long to turn to God, my problems are so great not even God can help me, God has turned his back on me, and any other negative thought he can use to draw us further away from the Lord. We must not allow Satan to convince us that any of these statements or any others like them are true. Satan is the father of lies, and we must rebuke his lies, if we are to have peace. We must replace his lies with truths such as God loves me tremendously, He will never leave nor forsake me, He is holding my right hand, or any other passage of scripture you opt to use. God's Word is our weapon of defense so when Satan attacks your mind, use it on him immediately.
Another reason people don't turn to God is that they have the wrong idea of who he is. Many people have him pictured as standing in heaven with a lightening bolt in His hand just waiting to throw it at them, and nothing could be further from the truth. God is not standing up in heaven hoping we will make a mistake so He can zap us. He is kind, loving, merciful, forgiving, understanding, and so many more great things.
There are also people of the opinion that to follow God would be to live a rigid and strict life that is void of laughter and fun, and filled with boredom. This is another falsehood. The truth is when you opt to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and decide to follow Him you will have a divine peace, joy, and contentment like you have never before known. The Bible describes the peace that God gives us as a "divine peace" and a "perfect peace." Having been blessed with the peace that can only come from God, I can tell you there is a huge difference in peace from God, and any other definition of the word. I can also tell you firsthand that Christians have fun, and that our lives are far from boring.
Above are a few reasons why some people turn to worldly things, addictive substances, and material possessions in times of trouble, worry and despair in lieu of turning to the one true help which is God. If you are struggling with worry and despair I encourage you to take all of your problems to God in prayer. Cast your cares upon the Lord, and leave them there. Put your faith and trust in God knowing that He loves you, He will never leave nor forsake you, there is no problem He cannot handle, He has never broken a promise, He is merciful, kind, forgiving, long-suffering, understanding, and all things good. I urge you to consider all these things, and to turn to God having faith and trust in Him always. God never changes He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His power is unlimited. He is there for you anytime day or night, and He is willing to help you if you will simply call on Him. If you've been turning to something besides God in times of trouble, if you're still struggling, if you're the prisoner of a vice such as drugs or alcohol, then I urge you beginning right now to surrender all your troubles to God. Take all of your problems to Him, and leave them their. I urge you to put your faith and trust in God and obey Him knowing He will not let you down. I urge you to wait patiently on Him as He works things out for your good, because He loves you and He knows what's best for you.
Are you living in a state of worry, and despair? Are you believing all the lies Satan is running through your mind? Do you feel you've done so much wrong that there is no way God would ever forgive you? Have you turned to something other than God in search of peace, and contentment? Are you carrying your troubles around with you allowing them to weigh you down, and make your life miserable? If so, I urge you to surrender your life to God. Go to Him in prayer and leave all your troubles with Him. It is only in God that you will find joy, peace, contentment, and all the great things you've been searching for. If you are living in a constant state of misery, and what you're currently doing to change that is not working for you, then why not take a chance, and turn to God? He is the answer, don't give up on Him, be patient no matter how long it takes, remain steadfast in your faith remembering that God's timing is never early, never late, but perfect. Reach out to God and begin today living the life of joy, peace, and contentment He desires for you He's only a prayer away.
If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. We are not promised tomorrow so please if you have the desire to do so, do it now, right where you are. Simply go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive you for all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus was born, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. If you prayed this prayer and accepted Christ, congratulations you made the greatest decision you will ever make.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Asking God
I Kings 3:7-14 (KJV) Says, "And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given the that which thou hast not asked both riches and honor: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days."
In the above passage of scripture Solomon is talking with God in a dream. God has made Solomon king after the reign of his father, David. Solomon is young and the people he has rule over are more than can be numbered. Solomon was well aware of what a great responsibility being king was, and he took that responsibility seriously. When given the opportunity to ask anything of God he desired, he ask for an understanding heart to judge the people with the ability to discern good and bad. Solomon especially being young could have chosen to ask God for something that would benefit him and him only. He could have ask for gold, silver, fine horses and chariots, beautiful women, and so many other things that he himself would find pleasure in, but yet he opted to ask for an understanding heart. God was so pleased with what Solomon ask of Him that he blessed him with not only an understanding heart, but He also gave him riches, honor, and a promise of long life, if he would keep His statutes and commandments.
We are blessed to have the opportunity to go to God in prayer any time day or night. We can go to him in prayer, and ask anything and everything we desire to ask him. Many people, unlike Solomon, choose to ask God for shallow, earthly, material things in lieu of asking God for things that are of real importance. What these people fail to realize is that if your heart is right, as was Solomon's, and you ask earnestly for things that are of importance in helping you to be the best servant of God that you can be He will rain other blessings upon you as long as you live in obedience to Him. Choosing to seek and chase after money, and the material things we desire, making them a priority, is such a big mistake. We need only to realize that God wants to bless us, if we will get our hearts right, and choose to live in obedience to Him.
If you went to God in prayer right now, what would you ask of Him? Would your request be one of substance and importance that would be pleasing to God? Would your request benefit someone other than yourself? Would you ask God to lead, guide, and direct your path? Would you ask Him to shine light on His Word as you read and study it? Would you ask Him for wisdom and understanding? Would you ask Him to help you grow in the areas of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, or other areas of weakness you may have in your life? Or would your prayer be one that is material, and self-serving?
Solomon reaped many blessings because his heart was right with God. He was granted his prayer request and so much more because he was unselfish, earnest, and he had a right heart. Is your heart right in regards to your desires? Are your priorities straight? Are you living in obedience to God? Are your requests unselfish? I encourage you to do as Solomon did, and that is to ask God for things that will help you to be the best disciple of Christ you can be, and for those things that will help you to carry out and fulfill the plan God has for your life. I want to be clear there is nothing wrong with going to God in prayer about our worries, troubles, cares, and desires, but if we find ourselves going to God in prayer requesting only material possessions we need to examine our hearts immediately. I encourage you to take an honest look at your heart, to live in obedience to God, and to include in your prayers things that benefit more than self. God loves you and wants the best for you just as He did Solomon. He has blessings prepared to rain down on us, and is eager to do so, when we choose to live in obedience to him.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture Solomon is talking with God in a dream. God has made Solomon king after the reign of his father, David. Solomon is young and the people he has rule over are more than can be numbered. Solomon was well aware of what a great responsibility being king was, and he took that responsibility seriously. When given the opportunity to ask anything of God he desired, he ask for an understanding heart to judge the people with the ability to discern good and bad. Solomon especially being young could have chosen to ask God for something that would benefit him and him only. He could have ask for gold, silver, fine horses and chariots, beautiful women, and so many other things that he himself would find pleasure in, but yet he opted to ask for an understanding heart. God was so pleased with what Solomon ask of Him that he blessed him with not only an understanding heart, but He also gave him riches, honor, and a promise of long life, if he would keep His statutes and commandments.
We are blessed to have the opportunity to go to God in prayer any time day or night. We can go to him in prayer, and ask anything and everything we desire to ask him. Many people, unlike Solomon, choose to ask God for shallow, earthly, material things in lieu of asking God for things that are of real importance. What these people fail to realize is that if your heart is right, as was Solomon's, and you ask earnestly for things that are of importance in helping you to be the best servant of God that you can be He will rain other blessings upon you as long as you live in obedience to Him. Choosing to seek and chase after money, and the material things we desire, making them a priority, is such a big mistake. We need only to realize that God wants to bless us, if we will get our hearts right, and choose to live in obedience to Him.
If you went to God in prayer right now, what would you ask of Him? Would your request be one of substance and importance that would be pleasing to God? Would your request benefit someone other than yourself? Would you ask God to lead, guide, and direct your path? Would you ask Him to shine light on His Word as you read and study it? Would you ask Him for wisdom and understanding? Would you ask Him to help you grow in the areas of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, or other areas of weakness you may have in your life? Or would your prayer be one that is material, and self-serving?
Solomon reaped many blessings because his heart was right with God. He was granted his prayer request and so much more because he was unselfish, earnest, and he had a right heart. Is your heart right in regards to your desires? Are your priorities straight? Are you living in obedience to God? Are your requests unselfish? I encourage you to do as Solomon did, and that is to ask God for things that will help you to be the best disciple of Christ you can be, and for those things that will help you to carry out and fulfill the plan God has for your life. I want to be clear there is nothing wrong with going to God in prayer about our worries, troubles, cares, and desires, but if we find ourselves going to God in prayer requesting only material possessions we need to examine our hearts immediately. I encourage you to take an honest look at your heart, to live in obedience to God, and to include in your prayers things that benefit more than self. God loves you and wants the best for you just as He did Solomon. He has blessings prepared to rain down on us, and is eager to do so, when we choose to live in obedience to him.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
God Breathed
II Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV) Says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
The above passage of scripture tells us that the Bible is God-breathed. It is written by men, but authored by God. It is written for doctrine to tell us what to believe, for reproof to tell us what is wrong, for correction to tell us how to correct wrongs, and for instruction in righteousness meaning to tell us how to live. It further serves to ensure that we may be perfect meaning capable and proficient having everything needed to do what God wants. It uses the words thoroughly furnished meaning thoroughly equipped. The Bible is God's inspired Word and properly used and applied, it provides all we need for life and ministry.
The Bible has sold more copies than any other book in history, and continues to be the greatest seller of books to date. It amazes me that even though it is filled with prophesies that have come to pass, some hundreds of years after they were written, and some that are coming to pass right before our very eyes, that there remain individuals who do not believe in God. I think if non-believers took the time to examine the Bible in its entirety, they may come to realize that it is in fact one hundred percent truth.
If the Bible had been labeled a history book and taught in schools, I have no doubt there would be fewer non-believers. Students have no problem believing whatever their teachers, in any subject, teach them from a textbook written by man. For instance, although we were not present to see George Washington cross the Delaware River, or to witness tea being dumped into the Boston Harbor we believe it to be true. People have no problem accepting recorded events such as these, but when it comes to recorded history included in the Bible many have difficulty accepting it to be factual.
I personally have no doubt whatsoever that the scripture is God-breathed, and that it is one hundred percent truth. I am certain of this because of all the many promises found in scripture that God has kept for me personally. He has never failed to fulfill a promise. If a person wants proof of that they can read the Bible and find hundreds of promises he has made and kept, while finding not a single one that he has broken.
The Bible is a miracle in and of itself, if you think about it. Consider the size of the Bible, and then think about the fact that there is scripture pertaining to any and every subject you can imagine found within its pages. When I look back on my high school years and the reports I was assigned to write, I think about searching through a large stack of encyclopedias to do research on just one topic, and sometimes finding nothing of any help in any of them. That for me puts into perspective what a miracle the Bible truly is, in that it contains scripture relating to all topics yet it is just one book. Is this more proof that the Bible is a divine God-breathed work? In my opinion absolutely, and I see no room whatsoever for anyone to dispute that.
There are several points to be made to support the fact that the Bible is one hundred percent, God-breathed truth, but in spite of that there will always be people who attempt to dispute it. These people will never succeed in doing so because it is simply not possible. I often wonder why people work so hard to try and disclaim something so great, and something they need so desperately whether they realize it or not. I wonder why they would seek to take God out of everything without ever giving the Bible the consideration that it so obviously deserves. I wonder if they ever ask themselves the question what if the believers are right, I'm wrong, and I miss out on spending eternity in heaven?
If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. Right where you are go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive you of all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus was born, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. Accepting God's precious gift of salvation is without a doubt the greatest decision you will ever make.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The above passage of scripture tells us that the Bible is God-breathed. It is written by men, but authored by God. It is written for doctrine to tell us what to believe, for reproof to tell us what is wrong, for correction to tell us how to correct wrongs, and for instruction in righteousness meaning to tell us how to live. It further serves to ensure that we may be perfect meaning capable and proficient having everything needed to do what God wants. It uses the words thoroughly furnished meaning thoroughly equipped. The Bible is God's inspired Word and properly used and applied, it provides all we need for life and ministry.
The Bible has sold more copies than any other book in history, and continues to be the greatest seller of books to date. It amazes me that even though it is filled with prophesies that have come to pass, some hundreds of years after they were written, and some that are coming to pass right before our very eyes, that there remain individuals who do not believe in God. I think if non-believers took the time to examine the Bible in its entirety, they may come to realize that it is in fact one hundred percent truth.
If the Bible had been labeled a history book and taught in schools, I have no doubt there would be fewer non-believers. Students have no problem believing whatever their teachers, in any subject, teach them from a textbook written by man. For instance, although we were not present to see George Washington cross the Delaware River, or to witness tea being dumped into the Boston Harbor we believe it to be true. People have no problem accepting recorded events such as these, but when it comes to recorded history included in the Bible many have difficulty accepting it to be factual.
I personally have no doubt whatsoever that the scripture is God-breathed, and that it is one hundred percent truth. I am certain of this because of all the many promises found in scripture that God has kept for me personally. He has never failed to fulfill a promise. If a person wants proof of that they can read the Bible and find hundreds of promises he has made and kept, while finding not a single one that he has broken.
The Bible is a miracle in and of itself, if you think about it. Consider the size of the Bible, and then think about the fact that there is scripture pertaining to any and every subject you can imagine found within its pages. When I look back on my high school years and the reports I was assigned to write, I think about searching through a large stack of encyclopedias to do research on just one topic, and sometimes finding nothing of any help in any of them. That for me puts into perspective what a miracle the Bible truly is, in that it contains scripture relating to all topics yet it is just one book. Is this more proof that the Bible is a divine God-breathed work? In my opinion absolutely, and I see no room whatsoever for anyone to dispute that.
There are several points to be made to support the fact that the Bible is one hundred percent, God-breathed truth, but in spite of that there will always be people who attempt to dispute it. These people will never succeed in doing so because it is simply not possible. I often wonder why people work so hard to try and disclaim something so great, and something they need so desperately whether they realize it or not. I wonder why they would seek to take God out of everything without ever giving the Bible the consideration that it so obviously deserves. I wonder if they ever ask themselves the question what if the believers are right, I'm wrong, and I miss out on spending eternity in heaven?
If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so immediately. Right where you are go to God in prayer, ask Him to forgive you of all your sins, tell Him you believe that Jesus was born, that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He rose again. Ask Him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior. Accepting God's precious gift of salvation is without a doubt the greatest decision you will ever make.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Reaping What You Sow
Galatians 6:7-9 (KJV) Says, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
The above passage of scripture tells us not to fool ourselves into thinking that God will be mocked. This means that we can not outwit God. To disobey God's commands and then escape divine punishment would be to outwit God, and make a mockery of Him and His Word, if we think that is possible we are kidding ourselves. The above passage of scripture goes on to tell us that if we live our lives in a manner that follows and feeds our fleshly desires sowing to the flesh, then we will reap the consequences of that. If we live our lives in a manner that follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit within us, sowing to the Spirit, we will be rewarded with blessings from God.
Often times we hear the phrase "you reap what you sow" spouted at someone as a warning to prevent them from doing something God would not approve of, or when they've done something that was not of good character, and it comes back to haunt them. One would think the knowledge that we reap blessings and rewards when we sow to the Spirit would encourage people to do more in the way of sowing, but that is not necessarily the case. As a matter of fact it is rare to hear the phrase "you reap what you sow" mentioned in the form of encouragement, when someone sows good seed. Although we should have the desire in our hearts to sow good and plentiful seed of the Spirit it seems some struggle in the area of sowing.
We can sow to the Spirit in so many ways. We can sow to the Spirit by witnessing for God, helping someone in need, sharing an encouraging word, sharing a smile, and the list goes on and on. As I mentioned earlier we should sow to the Spirit out of the desire in our hearts to do so. Many people however seem to become weary in well doing, and give up which the Bible tells us not to do in Galatians 6:9 (KJV) which says, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Knowing that we are rewarded for sowing to the Spirit in more ways than I could ever list here, it would be nice if we reminded ourselves that the phrase "you reap what you sow" could be spoken in a positive light more frequently. The more good seed we sow the more blessings and rewards we reap, and the more divine peace, joy, and contentment we have in our lives. We live in a world where many people only think about themselves, and have a sense of entitlement. These people have no idea how much better their lives could be, if they would simply opt to accept Christ as their Savior, allow him to lead, guide, and direct their paths, and begin sowing to the Spirit
If you are one who admits that you have been sowing to the flesh and suffering the consequences, I urge you to make a change immediately and begin sowing to the Spirit. You will be blessed and rewarded whether it is in this earthly life or the eternal life that follows. You will be filled with joy, a divine peace, and a sense of contentment like you have never before known.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The above passage of scripture tells us not to fool ourselves into thinking that God will be mocked. This means that we can not outwit God. To disobey God's commands and then escape divine punishment would be to outwit God, and make a mockery of Him and His Word, if we think that is possible we are kidding ourselves. The above passage of scripture goes on to tell us that if we live our lives in a manner that follows and feeds our fleshly desires sowing to the flesh, then we will reap the consequences of that. If we live our lives in a manner that follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit within us, sowing to the Spirit, we will be rewarded with blessings from God.
Often times we hear the phrase "you reap what you sow" spouted at someone as a warning to prevent them from doing something God would not approve of, or when they've done something that was not of good character, and it comes back to haunt them. One would think the knowledge that we reap blessings and rewards when we sow to the Spirit would encourage people to do more in the way of sowing, but that is not necessarily the case. As a matter of fact it is rare to hear the phrase "you reap what you sow" mentioned in the form of encouragement, when someone sows good seed. Although we should have the desire in our hearts to sow good and plentiful seed of the Spirit it seems some struggle in the area of sowing.
We can sow to the Spirit in so many ways. We can sow to the Spirit by witnessing for God, helping someone in need, sharing an encouraging word, sharing a smile, and the list goes on and on. As I mentioned earlier we should sow to the Spirit out of the desire in our hearts to do so. Many people however seem to become weary in well doing, and give up which the Bible tells us not to do in Galatians 6:9 (KJV) which says, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Knowing that we are rewarded for sowing to the Spirit in more ways than I could ever list here, it would be nice if we reminded ourselves that the phrase "you reap what you sow" could be spoken in a positive light more frequently. The more good seed we sow the more blessings and rewards we reap, and the more divine peace, joy, and contentment we have in our lives. We live in a world where many people only think about themselves, and have a sense of entitlement. These people have no idea how much better their lives could be, if they would simply opt to accept Christ as their Savior, allow him to lead, guide, and direct their paths, and begin sowing to the Spirit
If you are one who admits that you have been sowing to the flesh and suffering the consequences, I urge you to make a change immediately and begin sowing to the Spirit. You will be blessed and rewarded whether it is in this earthly life or the eternal life that follows. You will be filled with joy, a divine peace, and a sense of contentment like you have never before known.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Christian
Colossians 3:12-14 (KJV) Says, "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."
In the above passage of scripture we are instructed as God's elect to be merciful, kind, humble, meek, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving. Often times I believe we read these words, but fail to give their meaning any true consideration. To be Christian means to be Christ-like, and although none of us will ever be of the character of Christ who is perfect, we are to follow the example Jesus set for us on how to behave as Christians. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are sanctified which means to be set apart. As such we should stand out, not because we are any better than others, but because having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us our behavior, attitude, and demeanor reflect who we are in Christ. People should be able to see the characteristics in the above passage of scripture within us. If we take the time to examine the meaning of these characteristics, it may help us to better evaluate how well they are shining through in our own lives.
Let's look at what it means to be merciful for instance. To be merciful by definition is to show compassion and forgiveness toward someone, when it is within your power to do them harm. When you find yourself in a position to repay someone who has hurt you or wronged you in some way, do you show them mercy, compassion and forgiveness or do you move forward with something that hurts them equally as bad as what they did to hurt you?
We all know what it means to be kind, but do we practice it? How about humility? Can you say that you have a humble spirit? Or Do you lift yourself up above others, and behave in a proud manner as if you are somehow better than those around you? By definition to be humble is to show a low estimate of one's importance. This is not to be confused with low self-esteem or to say that we should not take pride in ourselves, we should. The problem comes when we allow ourselves to grow so proud of ourselves that we begin to believe we are above others. This prideful spirit is made evident in a lofty attitude in regard to self, and a demeaning attitude toward others. Are you are guilty of being prideful and boastful?
Do you practice meekness, which by definition means to be quiet and gentle? Or do you behave in a manner that is loud and boisterous? Can you say that you are long-suffering which by definition means to show patience in times of trouble that has been caused by others? Or do you lash out at those at fault, and begin a verbal assault of blame? Do you need work in any of these areas?
Are you forgiving or do you struggle with that? If you are one who has an unforgiving spirit, then I urge you to address that issue immediately because the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:14-16 (KJV) that if we do not forgive others then God will not forgive us. If you have an unforgiving spirit consider the multiple times God has forgiven you, and then ask yourself why it is you struggle so hard to forgive? When we think about it in that light, it should not be very difficult to forgive one another.
Finally, we are to be forbearing toward one another, and by definition that means to be patient, tolerant, easy going, forgiving, and understanding. Can you say you are all these things, or are there areas that you recognize you need work in? If you recognize areas you need work in write them down, and begin improving upon them today. We all have areas of weakness, and we will continue to as long as we live because we are fallible human beings, and God understands that. He knows our hearts, however, and He is fully aware of whether or not we have an honest desire to improve on ourselves and our behavior toward others.
The above named character traits are just a few of the many Jesus demonstrated for us. There are so many more examples available to us in God's Word, and I encourage you to be conscience of the meaning of each one as you come across them in your reading. I urge you to take a moment to honestly examine your behavior. If you profess to be a Christian, I urge you to ask yourself whether or not your character reflects that of someone who is living their life in a Christ-like manner. We all have areas of weakness that need our attention, and that is to be expected because we will never be perfect. It is important, however, that we recognize those weaknesses, and begin working on them immediately so that we can be the witnesses to others that God has called us to be.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture we are instructed as God's elect to be merciful, kind, humble, meek, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving. Often times I believe we read these words, but fail to give their meaning any true consideration. To be Christian means to be Christ-like, and although none of us will ever be of the character of Christ who is perfect, we are to follow the example Jesus set for us on how to behave as Christians. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are sanctified which means to be set apart. As such we should stand out, not because we are any better than others, but because having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us our behavior, attitude, and demeanor reflect who we are in Christ. People should be able to see the characteristics in the above passage of scripture within us. If we take the time to examine the meaning of these characteristics, it may help us to better evaluate how well they are shining through in our own lives.
Let's look at what it means to be merciful for instance. To be merciful by definition is to show compassion and forgiveness toward someone, when it is within your power to do them harm. When you find yourself in a position to repay someone who has hurt you or wronged you in some way, do you show them mercy, compassion and forgiveness or do you move forward with something that hurts them equally as bad as what they did to hurt you?
We all know what it means to be kind, but do we practice it? How about humility? Can you say that you have a humble spirit? Or Do you lift yourself up above others, and behave in a proud manner as if you are somehow better than those around you? By definition to be humble is to show a low estimate of one's importance. This is not to be confused with low self-esteem or to say that we should not take pride in ourselves, we should. The problem comes when we allow ourselves to grow so proud of ourselves that we begin to believe we are above others. This prideful spirit is made evident in a lofty attitude in regard to self, and a demeaning attitude toward others. Are you are guilty of being prideful and boastful?
Do you practice meekness, which by definition means to be quiet and gentle? Or do you behave in a manner that is loud and boisterous? Can you say that you are long-suffering which by definition means to show patience in times of trouble that has been caused by others? Or do you lash out at those at fault, and begin a verbal assault of blame? Do you need work in any of these areas?
Are you forgiving or do you struggle with that? If you are one who has an unforgiving spirit, then I urge you to address that issue immediately because the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:14-16 (KJV) that if we do not forgive others then God will not forgive us. If you have an unforgiving spirit consider the multiple times God has forgiven you, and then ask yourself why it is you struggle so hard to forgive? When we think about it in that light, it should not be very difficult to forgive one another.
Finally, we are to be forbearing toward one another, and by definition that means to be patient, tolerant, easy going, forgiving, and understanding. Can you say you are all these things, or are there areas that you recognize you need work in? If you recognize areas you need work in write them down, and begin improving upon them today. We all have areas of weakness, and we will continue to as long as we live because we are fallible human beings, and God understands that. He knows our hearts, however, and He is fully aware of whether or not we have an honest desire to improve on ourselves and our behavior toward others.
The above named character traits are just a few of the many Jesus demonstrated for us. There are so many more examples available to us in God's Word, and I encourage you to be conscience of the meaning of each one as you come across them in your reading. I urge you to take a moment to honestly examine your behavior. If you profess to be a Christian, I urge you to ask yourself whether or not your character reflects that of someone who is living their life in a Christ-like manner. We all have areas of weakness that need our attention, and that is to be expected because we will never be perfect. It is important, however, that we recognize those weaknesses, and begin working on them immediately so that we can be the witnesses to others that God has called us to be.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
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