Thought of the Day !!

Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer to everyone.

                                                                          Colossians 4:5-6 (NLT)

 

On the surface I see Paul trying to teach us to be different from non-Christians.  We must use our time with them as opportunities to minister and evangelize.  This doesn't necessarily mean that we ask them if they're saved or try and preach to them.  Instead, we are to live and act like Christ would around them.  We are to care for them and teach them about Christ whenever possible.  We are to show love to them by what we do and what we say and how we say it.  We are to lift them up, being gracious to them.

This is just as important in our daily walk with other Christians as with non-Christians.  In today's world there is so much falling out in our churches and denominations.  One person believes this and another believes that.  One person does this and another doesn't like it.  And when this happens, I wonder just how much of the conversation is "gracious and effective"?

 

Maybe it's not fighting over beliefs or actions.  A lot of us may just be critical or rude or negative.  Maybe this is you or me and we don't even realize it.  Do you know how many times that you make someone think to themselves "I wonder what side of the bed he/she woke up on this morning?"  Do you realize that you might be turning some people off by what you say to them?  I've wondered that about myself at times.  Maybe it would be a good idea if we all stop and really think about how we come off to others.

 

And then let's never forget that the original purpose of this passage was for our conversation to "be gracious and effective so that (we) will have the right answer for everyone."  We want our answers to those who are non-Christian to be positive instead of negative.  And our answers may not come after we've been asked questions.  Many times we may answer their questions by how we speak to and show respect for each other as Christian brothers and sisters.

 

So today let's focus on how our conversations with each other (Christian and non-Christian alike) can be more gracious and effective.

 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

     After breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," Peter replied, "you know I love you." "Then feed my lambs," Jesus told him.
     Jesus repeated the question: "Simon son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Lord," Peter said, "you know I love you." "Then take care of my sheep," Jesus said.
     Once more he asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, "Lord, you know everything. You know I love you." Jesus said, "Then feed my sheep.
                                                       John 21:15-17 (NLT)

Three times Peter had denied knowing Jesus on that fateful night.  Peter had to feel like an utter failure.  He was the one who was supposed to be the "Rock".  But all he had done was hit rock bottom.  

There's a good thing Jesus doesn't have a three strikes and out policy.  For Jesus offers Peter the same number of chances to reclaim his love for him as the number of times that Peter failed him.  This is a great thing about our God.  The number of times we fail is the exact number of times we are offered reconciliation.  

Know that no matter how far away you get or how many times you fail your Lord, He's still willing to take you back and forgive you.  That is what's so truly amazing about God's grace.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
                                              1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT)

This verse is a reminder of two things.  First of all, Paul tells us that we are all given a spiritual gift.  I believe that there could be more than one, but Paul reminds us that we all have at least one. 

So often people will tell me that they don't have any spiritual gifts.  They don't sing well, play a musical instrument or are not able to preach.  In their minds, this obviously means that no spiritual gift is available to them.  Some look to the scriptures that list a few of the spiritual gifts and say that this small list does not have anything that they are good at.  And so, obviously, they have no spiritual gifts. 

But Paul never mentions that his lists of gifts are exhaustive.  He never says that spiritual gifts are few in number.  The fact is that any gift given to you by God for the purpose of ministry is a spiritual gift.  Some use their wonderful cooking as a spiritual gift to feed those in need.  Some use the gift of being able to listen to people without interuption as a form of ministry.  Some use the gifts of time or writing or giving for ministry.  These all become spiritual gifts.  Find out what you're good at and use it for ministry.

The second thing this passage reminds us is that spiritual gifts are not given to us to keep to ourselves.  They are given to us to be used to show our love of neighbor.  Again, I urge you to find out what you're good at and use it for ministry.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

     When they arrived and found [Jesus], they asked, "Teacher, how did you get here?"
     Jesus replied, "The truth is, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you saw the miraculous sign.  But you shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food.  Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you.  For God the Father has sent me for that very purpose."
                                                                  John 6:25-27 (NLT)

This passage comes on the heels of the story of the feeding of the five thousand in which these people were miraculously fed with five loaves and two small fish. 

I'm saddened by what I see with these people.  I see people who are thinking of nobody but themselves…who think about what Jesus can do for them without a thought of what they can do for him. 

I'm saddened when I see these same kinds of people today.  But I'm probably most saddened when I see myself in this picture;  when I see myself wondering what God has done for me lately…when I place my own demands upon Jesus…when I think of temporary satisfaction instead of looking at the bigger picture.  What about you?  Can you see yourself as ever acting like this?

The people asked Jesus how he got there to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.  He didn't bother to answer that question…but as Jesus so often does…he gets right to the heart of the matter.  He tells them that they're not looking for him because he produced a miracle, but instead for selfish reasons.  They just want to see if they can find a free meal again.  

His response is to tell them that they shouldn't be so concerned with temporary things that will be here today and gone tomorrow.  Instead of seeking another meal of fish and bread, they should be searching for the greatest thing that Jesus can give them…eternal bread…eternal filling…eternal life.

May we all be seekers of things eternal today.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him.

                                                               Colossians 2:6 (NLT)

Yesterday I talked about what it meant to believe in Jesus.  Today I want to look at what it means to say that He is our Lord and Savior.  Lets look at Jesus as Lord first.  Paul wrote that as we have accepted Christ Jesus as our Lord that we must continue to live in obedience to him.  The key here is the word obedience. 

The word lord is not used like it once was.  Once upon a time you might hear about the lord of the manor or the lord of this or that piece of land.  And the lord was the one who was in charge.  He was the one whom you had to obey.  So when we speak of Jesus as our Lord, we are saying that Jesus is the one who is in charge of our lives.  His teachings are the ones that we are willing to obey.  If you claim that Jesus is your Lord, but you are not living by his teachings, then you are lying to yourself and to others. 

Then there is the word Savior.  This is pretty simple.  Jesus died on a cross.  And when he did, we were given a way to be saved from our sins.  I like to say that he did it so that we would know there was a way out of our sinful lives.

So when we believe in Him by putting our trust in Him, we are saved from our old sinful ways.  Because He saves us from ourselves, He is our Savior.

So believe in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior and you shall be saved from the penalty of your sin, which is death.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him.

                                                           Colossians 2:6 (NLT)

 

When we believe in Christ and accept Him as our Lord and Savior we are saved, born again, created anew or however else you want to say it.  We begin a new life with Christ.  So what does it mean to believe in Christ?  Does it mean that we believe in an intellectual way with our minds, deducing that there must be a God and therefore must be a Christ?  Or does it mean more?  What does it mean to say we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior?  Today I want to talk about what it means to believe in Jesus.  Tomorrow we will look at the terms Lord and Savior. 

 

John 3:16 is possibly the most well-known verse in the bible.  And people throughout the ages have taken this verse to be the means of their salvation.  God gave His Son so that if we would believe in him we would not perish but have everlasting life.  So if we believe in Jesus we will be saved.  A truer statement will never be made.  But what does it mean exactly to believe?  Well, throughout the Gospel of John when the word believe is used, it is used to mean more than an intellectual belief.  It's more of an action verb.  And the action is to place our lives, our fates if you will, into Jesus' hands, trusting in Him for their outcome. 

 

I've always believed, and taught, that to believe is more than believing with our heads.  It's also believing with our hearts, which will lead to believing through our actions.  In other words, when we believe with our heads, we acknowledge the Truth.  When we believe with our hearts, we place our love in the Truth.  And when we do these two, our actions will follow suit.  And the Truth that we believe in is Christ Jesus.

 

All this means is that if you say that you believe in Christ and are saved because of it, make sure you aren't just talking about agreeing with the fact that Jesus lived or even the things he taught.  Come to know Christ in an intimate way, trusting in Him and placing your whole life in His hands. 

 

Tomorrow we will talk about what it means to say that "Jesus is my Lord and Savior."

 

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)

Maybe we ought to ask ourselves from time to time which way we're leaning.  Are we leaning towards a holy life or an impure one?  None of us are perfect.  But all of us can strive for perfection (or holiness).  This is what God desires.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever...
                                                              Psalm 37:28 (NIV)

God does care about those who are just.  He cares about those who put others first.  He cares about those who practice love of God and love of neighbor.  He cares about those who don't try to get ahead at others' expense.  He cares about those who are faithful to live according to His Word.  He cares about those who speak to Him on a regular basis.  He cares about those who don't fill their prayers with their desires only.  He cares about those who listen to the call of others in need.  He cares about those who give up their time to help out.  He cares about those who care about each other.  God Cares and will Protect. 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
                                                                     Romans 8:26 (NIV)

Are there times in your life when you just don't know what to ask God for or how to go about asking?  Have you ever wanted to pray for somebody, but you didn't know their specific need?  Have you ever been in a funk and didn't understand why and had no clue how to put it into words before God?

I know I have experienced all of these and figure you have too.  Jesus tells us to take our burdens to him, but there have been times when I really didn't know how to explain what these burdens were.  That can make it hard when trying to share our problems with others.  But God already knows.  He already knows what we're going through, what others are going through, what pains and hurts we are all feeling, what burdens we bear.

Begin by simply going to God in prayer.  You may or may not be able to say what you desire.  But God's Holy Spirit reaches down into the depths of your heart to get what the heart knows but the brain can't put into words.  Pray that God would recognize the things you can't explain.  The Bible says that He's capable of just that. 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
                                            1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NRSV)

As we awake today our president is still Pres. Obama. Many people are celebrating this fact. Many people voted for Pres. Obama. On the other hand, in this divided nation of ours, many people were upset today. There are those who claim the world is coming to an end. There are also those who believe a bright new day has arrived. To be quite honest though the same God that was in charge yesterday is in charge today. And in His Word we are told what to do. On this day let us think about this scripture. Whether we are happy or sad let us pray. May we pray for our leaders in love, and may we ask for God to guide them and to share his grace with them when they fail.

Just remember that at the end of the day it is not the president who has complete authority over this nation. It is our great God through the power of His Holy Spirit.

Have a blessed day today.

In the Love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

And "don't sin by letting anger gain control over you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.
                                                                          Ephesians 4:26-27 (NLT)

There are many times I have been angry about something in my lifetime.  Sometimes this anger has been justifiable anger where I had good reason to be angry.  Sometimes my feelings got hurt and I just thought I had good reason to be angry.  And at other times I had no right to be angry at all.  

The biggest problem with anger is that it can fester and develop into multiple sins.  Anger can lead to unforgiveness, revenge, harsh words, and many more sinful emotions or actions.  This anger, at its extreme can become hate.  And this is about as far from God as we can venture because God is love.  

So our anger can be the thing that leads us far away from God.  But on the other hand, it is allowing God's Son to grow in us that will help us fend off anger and the awful things that it can lead to.  When, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have Christ abiding in us, we will grow in the love of Christ and find it harder and harder to become angry.

If you are angry with someone right now, I suggest getting that anger in check.  Forgive, or ask for forgiveness.  Be more like Christ would have you be, not like the devil is trying to make you.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' " 

                                                                       Luke 17:7-10 (NIV)

 Let me share a story with you about a famous evangelist, D. L. Moody.  Moody was hosting a Bible Conference in Massachusetts in the late 1800’s.  Many of the participants came from Europe.  Following the European custom of the time, they left their shoes outside their room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight.  They didn’t know that there were no hall servants in America.  

Walking down the dormitory halls that night, Moody noticed the shoes and wanted to make sure that his guests were not embarrassed.  He gathered up the shoes, went to his room and began to clean and polish them.  During the night, an unexpected friend came by and caught him in the act of this good deed. 

The following morning the foreign visitors opened their doors and found their shoes shined.  They didn’t know by whom.  Moody told no one, but his friend told a few people, and during the rest of the conference a different person volunteered to shine the shoes in secret each night.  Moody, and the other volunteers, saw doing whatever good for their European guests as their duty.  And if that meant cleaning their shoes and receiving no accolades for it…so be it.  

This parable that Jesus shares is probably no one’s favorite.  As a matter of fact, my dislike of it stems from the fact that I truly believe that our service should come out of love, not duty.  But I guess that when we love God with all our hearts, and serve Him because of this, we still have this duty (or obligation), we just don’t see it that way. 

I think what Jesus is saying here is that God doesn’t owe us anything for living good Christian lives.  His love, forgiveness and blessings that He gives us are a matter of grace, not something we’ve earned.  So why should we visit the sick…care for those in need…forgive each other…love each other?  Because we’re supposed to…because it’s our duty…because when we do, it brings a smile to God’s face and warm feeling to His heart.   That’s enough reward for those who love Him.  And so our duty becomes our desire.

In the love of Christ,
greg

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