Thought of the Day !!

Again I say, don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.
2 Timothy 2:23-24 (NLT)

How many of us argue over something that doesn't really matter in the whole scheme of things?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

A positive attitude will make the day much better for everyone than a negative one will. Seek to be positive today and see what happens.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

"God is PERSONAL, but never private." --- Jim Wallis, God's Politics

We come to a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when, as John Wesley put it, God's Spirit comes together with ours. When we pray, we can be very personal with God. He hears and sees everything about us. There is no other more personal relationship to be had. But our relationship with God is never meant to be private.

Our culture has privatized faith. Society teaches individualism in everything, and so we are taught that our relationship is a private one and our faith is nobody's business. We have a hard time with accountability because we believe that others shouldn't be allowed to tell us how to believe or live out our beliefs. But faith is, and always has been public. Jesus may have gone to the mountains to pray in private, but he came back down to share his ministry in public. And so we must do the same. Every week we make a public profession on Sunday mornings (or whenever you go to church) to our faith by meeting together in a public place. But true faith lasts much more than one or two hours a week. Make your faith...your ministry...your Lord public. Share these everywhere you go and "spur one another on toward love and good deeds".

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.
Galatians 5:16 (NLT)

When we're not guided by God's Holy Spirit, we're guided by our own sinful nature. Often times we justify our sinful actions by claiming that "it's only human nature". We get mad or refuse to forgive and blame it on being human. That's a much nicer way of telling the truth, which is that it's just our "Sinful Nature" controlling us. So yes, it may be human nature to do some things, but that doesn't make them any less sinful. And the reason we live that way is because we're listening to our sinful nature instead of the Holy Spirit.

Then we also use the excuse that it's too hard to be a good Christian when so many out there are against us. Or it's too hard to do what Jesus wants me to do with all the pressures in my life. Or it's too hard to...(you fill in the blanks).

Being "too hard" is just another excuse. Jesus never promised us a rose garden. He used words like "take up your cross" and "deny yourself". Of course he also told us that when things got too hard that we could bring those things to him for help. That's part of what it means to be guided by the Holy Spirit.

So lets quit making excuses today. Be guided by the Holy Spirit in what you say and do. And see what a difference it makes when God is guiding us instead of our own selfish sinful nature.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

If you're ill, weary, or weak, God still has a purpose for you. If you feel like you're at the end of your rope and feel like giving up, Jesus wants you to know that He'll never let go of you. You may not always be given the strength to soar like an eagle, but you'll at least be able to "walk and not faint."

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Rick Warren wrote The Purpose Driven Life a few years ago, and it was a huge best-seller. If you've not read the book or have forgotten those first lines, it begins with these words.

"It's not about you."

How many times today alone will we make selfish decisions or not think about someone else? How often will we not be put out so as to help someone else? How often will we declare our opinion, not listening to another's? How often will we not allow someone over into our lane because we were there first? How often will we take the closest parking place, even though God has given us energy to walk a little farther? How often will we leave the shopping cart in the middle of the parking lot for someone else to pick up? How often will we not take part of our precious time to speak to someone else? How often will we think of ourselves in the little ways that go unnoticed everyday?

Today keep these words in your mind and your heart. They are a mere paraphrase of what Jesus taught. "It's not about you."

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
John 17:23 (NIV)

Unity. Now there's a word I have some trouble with. And this is because we, even as Christians, are so divided. There's Catholics and Protestants. There's numerous denominations. Don't forget conservative thinkers, moderate thinkers and liberal thinkers. Then think of all the things that have been done in the name of God that divide us. Some split over issues like abortion, divorce or homosexuality. Others on how church should be done. While still others part company in their church every time they hear something they don't like from the preacher because they know very well there's another church down the road.

Yes, we are divided in many ways. But Jesus was truly unified with the Father and prayed for the unity of his disciples. I believe he would want this unity to flow down to everyone who has put their faith in him since then as well. As unified people we can let the world know that God loved us so much that He sent His only Son for us. Maybe the reason there are so many who don't believe is that we are so divided. Maybe if we were truly unified, ours would be the fastest growing religion in America instead of Islam (a fact I learned a few years ago and can only assume is still true).

But what others may not see is that we do hold something in common. If you call yourself a Christian...and mean what that says (accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior and being Christ-like), then you share something in common with me and I with you. We love God. We love Jesus. And we know of God's love for us shown in how He sent His Son for us. If only our unity in that fact could be seen as clearly and shouted as loudly as the things that divide us, we'd do a better job of fulfilling the Great Commission (Go and make disciples).

Let us strive to seek more unity in love than division in anger.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
Proverbs 16:20 (NIV)

Have you ever met a know-it-all? You know, someone who thinks that they know everything there is to know about something and nobody can argue with them or convince them otherwise. I'm sure I've been one at times in my life. Maybe you can even recount a time or situation where you were one too.

But the truth is that only the Lord knows it all. Yet still many people go around thinking that their beliefs about God or their denomination's stance or their style of worship, etc. is the only correct way. What we all have to do is remember that we can be wrong from time to time, or that even though we have it right, someone else may also. And so, we should always be willing to learn. Always be willing to open your mind, for you never know when you might actually be wrong.

Of course, we need to be smart too. We shouldn't just believe anything that anybody tells us either. Test the validity of what others say by Scripture, your reason, your experience on the subject and the tradition of the Church.

C.S. Lewis, along with others, claimed that if a belief had not passed the test of time in the Church that it could not be valid. Yet there are many new ways of thinking popping up everyday. So I want to emphasize that I'm not saying that we should merely accept everything, but that we should be open to listening to others and then trusting in God to help us through.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT)

Read this verse over and over and see what God speaks to you in your innermost spirit.

In the love of Christ,
greg

** I will be out of town next week, so there will be no "Thought of the Day !!" devotionals next week. We'll be back up and running on the 19th. Until then, have a blessed time.

Thought of the Day !!

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Matthew 9:10-13 (NIV)

The Pharisees wouldn't have anything to do with those who had sinned. Jesus would.

The Pharisees cared more about law than love and grace. Jesus didn't.

The Pharisees condemned people for where they were at in their lives. Jesus showed mercy by calling the people lost in sin to come to him.

Which will we be more like?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

(Jesus says) "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
John 15:7-8 (NRSV)

There are many out there, including several TV evangelists, who take this verse and others like it to form their own type of gospel. It's where we are told that whatever we ask for will be given to us by God if we have enough faith (and so often if we send enough money). That would mean that many of us don't have enough faith evidently.

But that is not what Jesus is telling his disciples here. First of all, we will get what we ask for if, and only if, we abide in Christ. If we abide in Christ, then we share his love and compassion and desire for God's will to be done. This means that we're not going to go out and claim a new car or house in the name of Jesus. Instead, our desires will be consistent with the will of God.

Part of producing fruit means thinking about God's wishes instead of our own. I once read an article about the famed TV evangelist Jim Bakkar, who was imprisoned for fraud. According to this article he found out during his prison term that asking for money and all that came with it just brought about pain and a desire to have more.

During this time, and while old Tammy Faye was divorcing him, he reread the scriptures and saw what was truly important. He realized that was bearing fruit, not asking what we can gain, but what we can do for others. And after his release he started working with a street ministry.

Abiding in Christ means loving God and neighbor and having Christ guide and motivate us. It means loving one another as Christ loves us. It means inviting others into the relationship that we already have with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It means sharing the peace that Christ affords us with those that we come in contact with.

If we will abide in Christ and allow Him to abide in us, we will receive much more than we can ever imagine.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

As they sat down to eat, [Jesus] took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.
Luke 24:30-31 (NLT)

This is the night following the morning of the Resurrection of Jesus. Jesus has been walking with two believers on the way to Emmaus, but they didn't recognize him. God had closed their eyes. As their time together came to an end though, their eyes were opened to the Truth...to Jesus.

Having our eyes opened to some truth can be exciting, scary and enlightening all at one time. It might be some sin in our lives. It might be someone who is in need. It might be that we've been wrong in our thinking about something. It might be an opportunity to make a difference. It could be a number of things.

I wonder what my eyes need to be opened to today? What might you need God to open your eyes to? Are we willing to ask?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Psalms 94:19 (NLT)

I personally think that we all have doubts at some point in our lives (possibly many points). It may be a doubt about the existence of God. Or it may be doubting our own ability to do something. Possibly the doubt is whether or not someone can pull through. And often times we doubt others.

When doubt begins to take control of your mind, what do you do? Do you let depression set in? Are you a take charge kind of person who tries to alleviate the doubts by your own power (for instance, doing something you doubt someone else can or will do)? Or do you turn to God to find your peace in anxious and overwhelming situations?

Is there anything in your life that's causing turmoil now? Do you think there will be in the future? God wants you to know that no matter the burden, He can help you through it. No matter what it is you doubt about life, He already has the answer. Come to Him and let Him renew your hope.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve one another in love.
Galatians 5:13 (NIV)

As Christians we are people who are free. But we also have not been given a license to sin either. We are free to choose. And those of us who are Christians will choose to love God and each other. That is the true nature of a Christian. If we don't have this, how can we honestly call ourselves by that name?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Romans 6:1 (NIV)

Some people believe that after they're saved and baptized that they can do whatever they wish. Now this may sound ludicrous to you. But the fact is that there are those who,though not claiming this belief, go on living the same sinful life after they have accepted Jesus. Or maybe they change for a month or a year or so. Then after a short while they go back to being the same old person they once were. They are the rocky soil that the seed of God's Word was placed in, the soil where it could not take root.

By no means are we expected to be perfect. And by know means are we expected to keep to a rigid law feeling guilty for every sin we commit. Jesus came and died to end both of these things. What He wants from us is to believe and accept the salvation He has for us, while also changing our lives to the best of our ability to be more like His.

In the love of Christ,
greg