Thought of the Day !!

So get rid of all malicious behavior and deceit. Don't just pretend to be good! Be done with hypocrisy and jealousy and backstabbing.
1 Peter 2:1 (NLT)

There are many more things that we could add to Peter's list of stuff to rid ourselves of. The point is that after we're born again through the Holy Spirit we are to put a stop to the kinds of behavior that used to rule us. This may not happen over night, so don't fool yourself into believing that people who are Christians are automatically going to become saints. But at the same time, we don't just "pretend to be good", as Peter puts it, while all along living another way. This is hypocrisy. And Jesus don't want nothing to do with no hypocrites. He showed that while he was here on earth in human form.

The Christian contemporary group D.C. Talk has a song that begins with these lyrics.
"What an unbelieving world finds unbelievable
is Christians that acknowledge Jesus with their lips
and deny him with their lifestyles.
That's what an unbelieving world finds so unbelievable."
(quoted by memory - please forgive me if not exact wording)

The key is to realize that we're not perfect, but that we're trying to be. At the same time we must realize that the people around us are in the same boat. Some have matured in their Christian faith more than others, while some are still in the infant stages. Just be true to Christ in whatever stage of maturity you are in, and don't try to pretend you're something your not. But also never settle for where you are in your relationship with Christ and with one another. Always be striving for perfection in Christlike love, therefore growing in Christian maturity.

If we would all do this, an unbelieving world would see no hypocrisy in those who call themselves believers.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)

I would like to share a quote by C.S. Lewis:

"Do not waste your time bothering whether you "love" your neighbor. Act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less."

Love is an action verb. It's something that we have to put to work in our lives. We can say that we love people all day long. But that won't make it so.

God created us as beings with free will. We have the ability to choose. Will we choose to claim that we love others. Or will we choose to act out love towards others? How about this? Why don't we do both? And as Lewis pointed out, even when we have a hard time loving someone, we will be able to make it happen through behaving in a manner that is loving toward them.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NLT)

There are a variety of gifts, and not all of us will have the same gifts. For instance, I can’t draw anything other than those three dimensional box cubes when I’m doodling. I simply don’t have the gift. But I can type pretty well and fairly fast. Some, however can’t type a lick, and they hunt and peck at the keyboard in front of them. But put a drawing pencil or paintbrush in their hands…and stand back. The magic comes pouring out of them.

But whether it’s typing or drawing, common sense or book sense…whether it’s the gift of healing or the gift of teaching…speaking in tongues or interpreting them…no matter what the gifts are, they come from the same God. And they’re given to us through His same Holy Spirit.

So seek out your gifts. Know that they come from your Father in Heaven through the power of the Holy Spirit. And then use them to glorify the One who gave them to you.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

I want to let you know that I will be leaving in a few hours to go to Chicago. I will be attending a conference at Willow Creek, a church in the Chicago area. So there will be no more "Thought of the Day !!" devotions this week. I'll be back and things will be back to normal next Monday. Until then, I leave you with this message I read today from Bibleleague.org's Verse of the Day. I thought it was so good that I wanted to share it with you. Talk to you again next week.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Romans 14:19 -- Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. (NIV)

Be an agent of peace today. Relate to your spouse and your fellow workers in a way that benefits them. In an age where gossip and slander abound, you will stand out as a true friend. What efforts are you making that might lead to peace?

Thought of the Day !!

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me -- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:9 (NIV)

Paul has taught the Philippians what he knows about Christ. He's been an example for them to follow. We are also called upon to be an example for others. I don't know about you, but there have been times when my example has not been the best. These are the times that I've not followed Christ's example.

If we would all strive daily to be an example for others, we might find that some of the things we do that are not so Christlike will begin to disappear. Ask yourself if your lifestyle is the example that you would want others to follow. Is it the lifestyle that Christ would have you lead? What are the aspects of it that need to disappear so that others can follow your example of what a Christian should be?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.
Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

Lets face it. It is much easier to find fault in others than in our own selves. But in reality nobody's perfect. So if people have to put up with my faults, should I not also try to put up with theirs? The next time you are about to get upset at someone else because of some fault of theirs think about an imperfection of your own. Maybe that will help you to be humble and gentle as Paul teaches us all to be.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought / Question of the day !!

O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1 (NLT)

David, who wrote this Psalm, knew what was important in life. He knew that there was nothing in this world that would quench the thirsting of his soul like his God. I wonder how earnestly I really search for my God on a daily basis. How about you? Do you seek Him in everything you do? Do you ask His advice? Do you rely on His guidance everywhere you go?

I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself;
how I praise you.
Psalm 63:2-3 (NLT)

I wonder how often I neglect to give God the praise He deserves. He's the reason I'm here. I was created to be a part of His family, and it's only then that I can truly be happy.

What about you? When was the last time that you saw God / Jesus / Holy Spirit in His sanctuary? When was the last time you gazed upon His power and glory? When was the last time you truly praised Him for what He's done for you?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought / Question of the day !!

Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
1 Corinthians 14:12

Each of us can build up the Church and serve our God in unique ways. What gift has God given you that will allow you to be a part of ministry? Seek out your gifts and your passions, and then figure out how to use them to build up God's kingdom here on earth.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought / Question of the day !!

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)

What are you doing for the Lord today? And with how much enthusiasm are you doing it?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
Romans 8:11

If we claim the name Christian and have asked Jesus to come into our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit, let us let the same Holy Spirit drive and motivate us. Let the Spirit fill you and send you where God wants you to go. Let your lives be spent for Him until such time which He chooses for us to see Him face to face and eat at his table with Him.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Acts 8:30-31 (NIV)

In reading our bibles we come to know more about Christ through the pages of His Holy Word. We not only learn more about Him, but we get to know Him as well. But I would imagine that you, like me, have been reading at some time and found something you didn't understand. That's only normal. I tell new Christians to read their bibles and don't worry about everything that they don't understand because in time more and more will be opened to them.

So how do we come to understand Scripture better? We can use commentaries, which are other's understanding of what we read. These are used a lot in sermon preparation to get other people's take on what will be preached on. But another way that is very important is studying our bibles together. In doing this, we learn from others as we offer them a fresh new look at things.

Are you in a Bible Study, Small Group, Sunday School or other gathering where the Bible is being read and discussed? Do you meet with a friend and/or friends to talk about verses of Scripture? Do you encourage one another to study God's Word?

I encourage everyone to seek ways of learning and being formed by God's Word this week. Do this in private, and do it with others. Over time we will all grow spiritually if we hold fast to these disciplines.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

The Pharisees were indignant. "Why does your teacher eat with such scum?" they asked his disciples. When he heard this, Jesus replied, "Healthy people don't need a doctor--sick people do." Then he added, "Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: `I want you to be merciful; I don't want your sacrifices.' For I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough."
Matthew 9:11-13 (NLT)

John Wesley took scriptures like this to heart as he said that our mission was to seek out the least, the last and the lost. For is that not exactly what Jesus did? Is that not exactly what the Church is called to do in Jesus' absence?

We either want to seek out the least, the last and the lost, or we don't want to get dirty. There is really no in between here. The dirtiest man that ever lived was Jesus. Yes, I did say Jesus. We think more about how Jesus was perfectly sinless and how he makes us clean. But to make us clean he had to first get his hands dirty and come to us where we were. And after he does this, he asks that we be willing to do the same.

We can all get caught up in our comfort zones where life is safe and we know how to handle everything that's going on around us. But the truth is that when we do this, we become like the Pharisees in many ways. It's time to come out of our comfort zones and do ministry...real ministry. That may mean going to the places where there are people who are sick in sin. It may mean inviting people who are different to our churches. It may mean welcoming people who are different. It may actually mean that we become a different kind of people ourselves; the kind of people who are more open and welcoming to all God's children. Oh what a difference that would make in God's kingdom.

Are you ready to make a difference for Christ? If so, allow him to use you somewhere or somehow today that you might not normally want to be used. And if you don't feel that calling today, wait patiently and pray about it. God will find a place to use you. I suspect He already has it picked out. He's just waiting for your willingness to allow Him to work through you.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought / Question of the day !!

He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing what is right.
Titus 2:14 (NLT)

Jesus gave his life for us so that we could be redeemed, or freed from the guilt of our sins. The only thing we have to do is accept his love for us. And when God's Holy Spirit envelopes us, where Jesus begins abiding in us (and us in him), then we become different people. We become more repentant people desiring change and who are committed to doing what is right.

In other words, because we are saved by God's grace and have chosen to have Jesus living in us, we are born again as different people. We have something different guiding us. We have Jesus in us. When we were born of flesh and blood, our heart was filled with things of the flesh. When we are born again of the Spirit, our heart is filled with the Holy Spirit.

(Jesus said) "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don't be surprised when I say, `You must be born again.'" - John 3:5-6 (NLT)

Have you been born again?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their sorrow.
Isaiah 49:13 (NLT)

There is hope in our Lord. And as long as there is hope, we can sing for joy.

Oh there will be times of sorrow for us all. There will be times when we our tears are of sadness instead of joy. But even then, our God is with us. His comfort can be found. For it is deeper than the great deeps for His children.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
1 John 4:20

This is a strong statement about love. Love is something that is hard to define, but much easier to show. So when we hate a brother or sister, we show the lack of it. And the ultimate love that God expects from us has no hate in it. This is proven by Jesus when he teaches us to love even our enemies. So love all, and hate none.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

God has called us to be holy, not to live impure lives. Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human rules but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 (NLT)

Surely you've heard people talk about accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Maybe you've even been asked if you've done this very thing. But what does it mean to say that Jesus is Lord? What does it mean to say he is Savior?

For the answer to the second question concerning Savior, I believe that it means that Jesus is the one who saves us from our sins. He's the one we place our trust in for salvation.

As for the first question, it means that he is the ruler of our lives. If we claim that Jesus is Lord, it means that we will obey Him. His commands to us are just that; commands. They are not suggestions. We can obey if we wish. Or we can choose not to obey. But the truth of the matter is that Jesus is only our Lord when we obey Him. And he commands us to love God, to love each other and to be holy.

Are we obeying Jesus today in being holy? Or are we living an immoral lifestyle? Are we placing God first in our hearts and lives? Or are we at the center of them? Do we show love of God by loving our neighbor? Or do we love ourselves more than others?

It's not that if we mess up, we will be tossed aside by God. It's that in choosing to live unholy lives we make the choice to reject God. Our lives will be lived out in a holy fashion, or they will be lived out in a way that is not pleasing to God. Which would you prefer?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

For we speak as messengers who have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He is the one who examines the motives of our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 (NLT)

As Paul writes to the people of Thessalonica here, he is in the process of remembering his prior visit with them. He reminds them that he and his companions had nothing to hide and that their message was authentic. In doing so, he claims that their "purpose is to please God, not people."

This is something that we might claim as well. But our claim doesn't necessarily make it true. Oh I don't mean that we are lying when we say that our purpose is to please our God. I mean that we want it to be, but in reality we may be trying to please others or ourselves. And maybe we don't even realize it.

Of course this may not be the case with you. But shouldn't we all be willing to test ourselves daily to see just what our motives really are?

In the love of Christ,
greg