Luke 6:12 (KJV) Says, "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." Matthew 14:23 (KJV) Says, "And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone." Mark 1:35 (KJV) Says, "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."
Spending time in silence and solitude with God is of vital importance to our personal relationship with him. It is when we are alone with God that we can pray, read and study his Word, meditate on what we've read and studied, and listen and watch for all that God has to tell us and/or show us without distraction. When we sit alone in silence with God focusing only on him, he also renews our mind, and our Spirit. This time in rest with God also allows us to be hyper aware of his mighty presence, and that in and of itself is a moving experience.
In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Luke, Jesus had just healed a man with a withered hand, and was being ridiculed for doing so because it was the Sabbath day. He was also preparing for the next day, when he would choose his original twelve disciples. After healing the man's hand note that Jesus went off into a mountain alone to pray, and he prayed to God all night long. He knew he needed God's direction, restoration, and to have his strength renewed. He knew that he would receive all those things by resting alone in the presence of his Father.
In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Matthew we see that once again Jesus after dealing with multitudes of people, went up into a mountain alone to pray. Note too in this verse that Jesus sent the multitudes away. He didn't deem himself to busy to be alone in prayer with God; he sent the multitudes away making time to spend alone with him. In the above verse of scripture taken from the book of Mark it is written that Jesus got up long before daylight to go to a solitary place to pray. Note Jesus purposefully got up extremely early, long before daylight, in order to spend time alone with God in prayer.
I've listed only a few examples given to us in the Bible of Jesus going off to be alone with God in prayer; there are many more. If Jesus himself felt it was vital to spend time alone with God in prayer, he being the Son of God, don't you think we should think it vital for us, as mere human beings, to do so as well? Do you spend time in silence and solitude with God on a regular basis as Jesus did? Or do you make excuses as to why you don't? Do you deem yourself so busy that you simply don't have time to spend alone with God on a regular basis? Is there anything more important than spending time alone with God in order to build and maintain a strong personal relationship with him, get direction for your life, seek help with the storms you're facing and with the decisions you're faced with, and to be restored and renewed in him? I urge you to consider the vital importance of spending time in silence and solitude with God, and to choose to do so on a regular basis. It is documented within the pages of God's Word, in many places, that Jesus found it of vital importance, and that he made it a priority, do you?
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!
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
A Bad Rap
Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) Says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
When a person accepts Jesus Christ, as their personal Lord and Savior, they become a new creature in Christ. As such, others should be able to see the fruits of the Spirit being demonstrated in their actions, and the love of Christ shining through them.
I've had many people share with me that they have met some Christians that after having had a conversation with them or by having observed their behavior left them with no desire to be a part of Christianity. When I hear anyone say this, it breaks my heart. It is a terrible shame that there are self-proclaimed Christians who go about their daily lives behaving in a manner that is far from Christ-like.
Some of the people I have spoken with that have shared a bad experience with a self-proclaimed Christian felt as though the individual they met possessed a "holier than thou" attitude. Others have shared with me that they view Christians as nothing more than "a bunch of hypocrites." Behaving in any manner that indicates we feel we are better than another human being does not fit who we are as born again believers, and followers of Jesus Christ. I've had some tell me they've had an encounter with a Christian who pointed out to them how horrible the sin they committed was, and how unhappy God was about it. It is important that we remember God's Word tells us that no sin is greater than another, and that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All includes each and every human being in existence. It is also important that we remind ourselves that God created each and every human being in his own image, and that we should never look down upon anyone. I've also heard from people who say they've met Christians who took verses of scripture and threw them in their direction like darts; while standing on their soap box. Some have shared with me that they have had Christians witness to them about Christ whose own manner of living was nothing more than hypocritical. None of this behavior fits who we are in Christ, and none of it is pleasing to God.
In the above verses of scripture we are given the fruits of the Spirit, and these things are what others should clearly see in us. We are to love one another as God loves us, and we are to be of a peaceful Spirit as Jesus left us with his divine peace which passes all understanding before he ascended into Heaven. We should be gentle, kind, and long-suffering following the examples Jesus set for us while he was here on earth in the flesh. We should also demonstrate that we are of strong faith, and be slow to anger. It is important also that we are humble. Remember one of the ways in which Jesus demonstrated the fact that he was a humble servant was by washing the disciples feet. If Jesus Christ can wash the feet of his disciples then we being mere human beings should have no problem following in his footsteps as humble servants.
Behavior of the sort I listed above, demonstrated by self-proclaimed Christians does so much damage, and it is far from Christ-like. It is behavior like this that has given Christianity a bad rap. I encourage you to examine yourself and to be honest with yourself about some of the areas in your life that fail to match up with the fruits of the Spirit, and what being Christian should truly look like. I urge you to make a list of those things, and to go to God in prayer asking him to help you correct what needs correcting. It is vital that we do so because as Christians we are to be witnesses for Christ in the hope that we can lead the lost to accept him as their personal Lord and Savior. The manner in which we live our personal lives on a day to day basis is our greatest testimony, and lost people are watching us.
When others have an encounter with you, what do they witness? Do they experience love, kindness, gentleness, humility, compassion, and other Christ-like characteristics; or do they see someone with a "holier than thou" attitude, standing on a soap box ready to judge them? How do you treat other people in general? Do others see the love of Christ shining through you? Do they see you walking in God's divine peace? Do they see joy on your face, and in your life? Do they witness you handle storms that arise in a calm, Christ-like manner? Or do they witness you exhibit anger and bitterness when something upsets you? Do you have things in your life that could cause a non-believer to view you as a hypocrite; or does your walk line up with who you profess to be in Christ?
If you have gotten off track and find yourself falling short in living out your Christian life in a manner that makes clear who you are in Christ and that the Holy Spirit dwells within you, then I urge you to go to God in prayer and ask him to help you work on the areas in your life that need work. I encourage you to be a witness for Christ that demonstrates the fruits of the Spirit, and the his love. When we live our lives in a manner that reflects Christ, people notice something different about us, and this true Christian behavior compels them to want what we have. Self-righteous, hypocritical behavior runs people away from the Lord in lieu of drawing them to him; which is what we as Christians should be striving to do. Jesus didn't scream and yell at people, he didn't talk about them behind their backs, he didn't betray his friends, he didn't gossip, he didn't ignore those in need; or act as though he was above them, and he is Jesus Christ. He didn't talk and teach one path, and then walk another. There are many examples of how we are to behave toward others as Christians, set by Jesus himself that are documented within the pages of God's Word. I urge you to follow the examples he set for us on how we are to walk out our lives as Christians, and to be one who demonstrates to the world what true Christian behavior looks like.
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!
When a person accepts Jesus Christ, as their personal Lord and Savior, they become a new creature in Christ. As such, others should be able to see the fruits of the Spirit being demonstrated in their actions, and the love of Christ shining through them.
I've had many people share with me that they have met some Christians that after having had a conversation with them or by having observed their behavior left them with no desire to be a part of Christianity. When I hear anyone say this, it breaks my heart. It is a terrible shame that there are self-proclaimed Christians who go about their daily lives behaving in a manner that is far from Christ-like.
Some of the people I have spoken with that have shared a bad experience with a self-proclaimed Christian felt as though the individual they met possessed a "holier than thou" attitude. Others have shared with me that they view Christians as nothing more than "a bunch of hypocrites." Behaving in any manner that indicates we feel we are better than another human being does not fit who we are as born again believers, and followers of Jesus Christ. I've had some tell me they've had an encounter with a Christian who pointed out to them how horrible the sin they committed was, and how unhappy God was about it. It is important that we remember God's Word tells us that no sin is greater than another, and that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. All includes each and every human being in existence. It is also important that we remind ourselves that God created each and every human being in his own image, and that we should never look down upon anyone. I've also heard from people who say they've met Christians who took verses of scripture and threw them in their direction like darts; while standing on their soap box. Some have shared with me that they have had Christians witness to them about Christ whose own manner of living was nothing more than hypocritical. None of this behavior fits who we are in Christ, and none of it is pleasing to God.
In the above verses of scripture we are given the fruits of the Spirit, and these things are what others should clearly see in us. We are to love one another as God loves us, and we are to be of a peaceful Spirit as Jesus left us with his divine peace which passes all understanding before he ascended into Heaven. We should be gentle, kind, and long-suffering following the examples Jesus set for us while he was here on earth in the flesh. We should also demonstrate that we are of strong faith, and be slow to anger. It is important also that we are humble. Remember one of the ways in which Jesus demonstrated the fact that he was a humble servant was by washing the disciples feet. If Jesus Christ can wash the feet of his disciples then we being mere human beings should have no problem following in his footsteps as humble servants.
Behavior of the sort I listed above, demonstrated by self-proclaimed Christians does so much damage, and it is far from Christ-like. It is behavior like this that has given Christianity a bad rap. I encourage you to examine yourself and to be honest with yourself about some of the areas in your life that fail to match up with the fruits of the Spirit, and what being Christian should truly look like. I urge you to make a list of those things, and to go to God in prayer asking him to help you correct what needs correcting. It is vital that we do so because as Christians we are to be witnesses for Christ in the hope that we can lead the lost to accept him as their personal Lord and Savior. The manner in which we live our personal lives on a day to day basis is our greatest testimony, and lost people are watching us.
When others have an encounter with you, what do they witness? Do they experience love, kindness, gentleness, humility, compassion, and other Christ-like characteristics; or do they see someone with a "holier than thou" attitude, standing on a soap box ready to judge them? How do you treat other people in general? Do others see the love of Christ shining through you? Do they see you walking in God's divine peace? Do they see joy on your face, and in your life? Do they witness you handle storms that arise in a calm, Christ-like manner? Or do they witness you exhibit anger and bitterness when something upsets you? Do you have things in your life that could cause a non-believer to view you as a hypocrite; or does your walk line up with who you profess to be in Christ?
If you have gotten off track and find yourself falling short in living out your Christian life in a manner that makes clear who you are in Christ and that the Holy Spirit dwells within you, then I urge you to go to God in prayer and ask him to help you work on the areas in your life that need work. I encourage you to be a witness for Christ that demonstrates the fruits of the Spirit, and the his love. When we live our lives in a manner that reflects Christ, people notice something different about us, and this true Christian behavior compels them to want what we have. Self-righteous, hypocritical behavior runs people away from the Lord in lieu of drawing them to him; which is what we as Christians should be striving to do. Jesus didn't scream and yell at people, he didn't talk about them behind their backs, he didn't betray his friends, he didn't gossip, he didn't ignore those in need; or act as though he was above them, and he is Jesus Christ. He didn't talk and teach one path, and then walk another. There are many examples of how we are to behave toward others as Christians, set by Jesus himself that are documented within the pages of God's Word. I urge you to follow the examples he set for us on how we are to walk out our lives as Christians, and to be one who demonstrates to the world what true Christian behavior looks like.
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!
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Spreading Love
John 13:34 (KJV) Says, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." Hebrews 13:16 (KJV) Says, "But to do good and communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Philippians 2:4 (KJV) Says, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." Galatians 6:2 (KJV) Says, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (KJV) Says, "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
The above verse of scripture taken from the book of John makes clear that we are to love one another as God has loved us, and please note that it is given as a commandment. The verse of scripture taken from the book of Hebrews reminds us to do good, and that when we do it is pleasing to God. The verse of scripture taken from the book of Philippians tells us not to be solely focused on our own problems, but to look after other people. The verse of scripture taken from the book of Galatians tells us that we are to bear one another's burdens, and that to do so is to fulfill the law of Christ. The verses taken from Ecclesiastes tell us that two are better than one because when one falls the other can help them up, and if one of them has any come against them they will have help from the other one.
As human beings living in a world where Satan roams to and fro looking for people to devour; we all suffer trials and tribulations. The Bible doesn't promise us that we won't suffer these things, in fact, it tells us that we will. The great news is that God is with us every second of every day, and he holds our right hand as we walk through the storms that come our way. He also blessed us with one another to share our burdens, and to pick each other up when anything causes us heartache, and pain; or causes us to stumble.
If we take the time to truly listen to others, pay attention to their facial expression, and look into their eyes; it is easy to recognize, when they are walking through a storm. There are times when we find out that another individual is struggling with something through another person, and there are times when someone will share with us that they are facing a giant in their life. It is what we do when we are made aware that someone is hurting for whatever reason that is of vital importance. As human beings we all have the desire to be loved, understood, heard, comforted, shown compassion, and supported through the storms that come our way. As born again believers in Jesus Christ we should have the desire in our hearts to be there for one another. After all, to be Christian by definition is to be Christ-like, God is love, and love is an action word.
I encourage you to pay closer attention to others, when you interact with them. If you see pain in their eyes and on their face; or if you are aware that they are walking through a storm, reach out to them. Let them know that you love them that you truly and sincerely care about them, and that you are there for them to pray with them, and to help them in any way you can even if it's just to listen. Hear others when they reach out to you, and when I say hear them I mean listen with the intent to grasp where they are coming from, and what they are feeling.
When we fail to reach out and be their for others that we know are in pain or suffering for whatever reason, then we are passing up on an opportunity to demonstrate the light of Christ and his love within us. The next time you come across someone with a look of pain and sadness in their eyes and/or a look of distress across their face, I urge you to reach out to them. I encourage you to pray with them and for them, tell them you love them, and that you are there for them, and show them with your actions that your words are heart felt. There is one thing for certain; there are times in all of our lives, when we need someone to pick us up. I encourage you to be a blessing to others, and to spread the love of Christ whenever you are given the opportunity to do so.
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 verse of scripture taken from the book of John makes clear that we are to love one another as God has loved us, and please note that it is given as a commandment. The verse of scripture taken from the book of Hebrews reminds us to do good, and that when we do it is pleasing to God. The verse of scripture taken from the book of Philippians tells us not to be solely focused on our own problems, but to look after other people. The verse of scripture taken from the book of Galatians tells us that we are to bear one another's burdens, and that to do so is to fulfill the law of Christ. The verses taken from Ecclesiastes tell us that two are better than one because when one falls the other can help them up, and if one of them has any come against them they will have help from the other one.
As human beings living in a world where Satan roams to and fro looking for people to devour; we all suffer trials and tribulations. The Bible doesn't promise us that we won't suffer these things, in fact, it tells us that we will. The great news is that God is with us every second of every day, and he holds our right hand as we walk through the storms that come our way. He also blessed us with one another to share our burdens, and to pick each other up when anything causes us heartache, and pain; or causes us to stumble.
If we take the time to truly listen to others, pay attention to their facial expression, and look into their eyes; it is easy to recognize, when they are walking through a storm. There are times when we find out that another individual is struggling with something through another person, and there are times when someone will share with us that they are facing a giant in their life. It is what we do when we are made aware that someone is hurting for whatever reason that is of vital importance. As human beings we all have the desire to be loved, understood, heard, comforted, shown compassion, and supported through the storms that come our way. As born again believers in Jesus Christ we should have the desire in our hearts to be there for one another. After all, to be Christian by definition is to be Christ-like, God is love, and love is an action word.
I encourage you to pay closer attention to others, when you interact with them. If you see pain in their eyes and on their face; or if you are aware that they are walking through a storm, reach out to them. Let them know that you love them that you truly and sincerely care about them, and that you are there for them to pray with them, and to help them in any way you can even if it's just to listen. Hear others when they reach out to you, and when I say hear them I mean listen with the intent to grasp where they are coming from, and what they are feeling.
When we fail to reach out and be their for others that we know are in pain or suffering for whatever reason, then we are passing up on an opportunity to demonstrate the light of Christ and his love within us. The next time you come across someone with a look of pain and sadness in their eyes and/or a look of distress across their face, I urge you to reach out to them. I encourage you to pray with them and for them, tell them you love them, and that you are there for them, and show them with your actions that your words are heart felt. There is one thing for certain; there are times in all of our lives, when we need someone to pick us up. I encourage you to be a blessing to others, and to spread the love of Christ whenever you are given the opportunity to do so.
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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