Thought of the Day !!

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over." 
                                                            Matthew 18:15 (NIV)

 

Many people will hold everything in.  And so when a brother or sister sins against them, they pack it in until finally the stress leads to something unhealthy...either inwardly or outwardly. 

 

Other people will let out their aggressions when they've been sinned against by complaining to anyone who will listen.  They continue to let it out so that they don't explode, but to the wrong people.  And so they wind up not feeling any better either because they've not actually been healed.

 

Jesus said that if someone sins against us, that we should confront the person.  This is the only true way of healing ourselves.  The person may not have known they sinned against you.  A bond could be formed.  And if not, at least you can start a healthy healing process knowing that you've done what Christ would want you to do. 

 

This is not always easy.  And the other person may not always listen.  But nobody ever said that doing what is right is easy.  May God bless you as you do His will.

 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night. 

                                                                       Romans 12:13 (NLT)

  

This may seem like a foreign idea to many of us.  Many of us eat on the run so much that we don't think about inviting guests home for dinner.  We surely don't often think about people we know needing lodging and are hesitant of making our place of residence a homeless shelter.

 

The concept here is hospitality.  How might you show hospitality to people today?  Look for ways, not forgetting that being hospitable can often times be inconvenient.  Are you willing to give up a little to give a little?  God was!  As a matter of fact, He gave up a lot!

 

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
                                                                         Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)

It seems as though there were people in the first century like many people of today.  They quit coming together to worship.  They might have been afraid of persecution.  They might have gotten lazy.  They might have fallen away from the faith.

Today people have their own reasons.  Something more important has come up; a fishing trip, a ball game, a weekend away enjoying life’s pleasures, something.  Or maybe they don’t feel the need because, as we know, the bible doesn’t teach that we must go to church to be saved.  Or maybe they’ve gotten mad at someone in the church or not agreed with a decision and have decided simply not to be a part of it.  Or maybe church seems boring to them and not relevant for their life.

I could go on and on with excuses why people won’t come to church.  There are, however, a few facts to consider.

1) When you join a church, you make a commitment before God to actually attend.

2) The Church was formed so that people could show love of God in worship and care for each other’s needs.  When we neglect to meet, we tell God that we don’t need the very thing He gave us.

3) Worshiping together is not only defined by making it to this church on Sunday mornings.  We are called to meet together.  Meeting together for worship can be done in a church, in a home, or wherever two or three are gathered to pray and praise and learn about God. 

4) Worshiping together is by God’s design a way of learning about Him and experiencing Him.

5) God created us for relationships.  We were not meant to be alone.  This is made clear in the Bible where Eve is created to be Adam’s helper and in Ecclesiastes where the author calls being alone “meaningless”.

So let's not neglect meeting together as some have done.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
                                                  1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

Have you ever felt troubled and spoke to a friend or loved one about it?  It can help to get things out in the open sometimes.  And it is definitely better than keeping them bottled up where you can simply explode and your blood pressure goes through the roof.

Talking with people can help us deal with our problems.  And it's the same with God.  He wants you to bring your problems to Him just like Jesus explains when he tells those who are heavy laden to bring their burdens to him.  He will listen and will offer you relief if you too will listen.

What might be worrying you today.  Take your cares to God...to Christ...through the power of the Holy Spirit by way of prayer.  He will listen.  He will care.  He will lighten your load.  He will do this because He cares about you.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Now let me remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before.  You welcomed it then and still do now, for your faith is built on this wonderful message.  And it is this Good News that saves you if you firmly believe it.
                                                                1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (NLT)

We all love Good news.  It may be the host of a banquet that says "Mr. Hazelrig, you just won the door prize and it's a new car".  It may be the daughter and son-in-law who come in and say "Guess what Mom & Dad, we're pregnant.  Your gonna be grandparents."
It may be the letter that you open that announces that you made it into the college you have been dreaming about all your life.  It may be the doctor who cheerfully tells you that the tests are back and everything looks fine.

Yes, we all love good news.  And that's what Paul had been spreading.  His was the good news that "Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day."  And then he appeared to many as proof of this resurrection.  

If Jesus had merely died and was buried, the process wouldn't be complete.  We wouldn't have a risen Savior who had defeated death for us.  But instead we would have had a man...a great man maybe...but still a man.  

But the Good News is that our Savior is for real.  People may try to disprove Him.  Some my claim He was nothing other than a prophet.  Others will claim that the miracles, including the resurrection, never actually occurred.  But those with true faith will not be bent...will not be persuaded otherwise.  

Let us remember Jesus this day as a friend, a king, a brother, our Lord and especially our Savior.  And then let us continually give him thanks for this Good News the rest of this day.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."
                                                                 Mark 8:29 (NIV)

Jesus had just finished asking his disciples who people thought he was.  Then he directed the question at them, "Who do you say I am?"  Peter answered correctly.  His claim was true that Jesus was (and is) the Christ.  But what does that mean?  Or more importantly, what does that mean to you?  Think about this question that Jesus posed to his disciples many years ago as if he were asking you today.  What would your answer be to the question, "Who do you say I am?"

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you should be living! 

                                                                      2 Peter 3:10-11 (NLT)

Peter reminds us of what Jesus told him and the other disciples.  We all must be prepared because no one knows when Jesus will come back.  He will come to this world like a thief comes into a house at night.  No one will be expecting him.  So we must live our lives as if he were coming back today.  We don't prepare for his return by trying to figure out when or how.  We prepare by living "holy, godly lives" according to Peter. 

And should this not be our desire anyway.  For those who've been justified (or saved) by Christ have been changed.  So if the Holy Spirit lives in you then your life will be lived in anticipation of Christ's second coming every day.

May we all live this day as if it were our last.  Who knows?  It just might be.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 

                                                                           2 Peter 3:8-9 (NLT)

 

Our Father in Heaven is much more patient that we are.  We see the injustices of the world and want justice served.  People of all ages have had times of injustice.  There have been times of war.  There have been times of discrimination.  There have been times of harsh rulers.  And the rich always have seemed to get richer at the poor people's expense. 

 

So what does God do about it?  He waits.  He is waiting patiently, not because He likes watching injustices go on all around us.  But instead He waits patiently until all people are given every opportunity to change their ways and repent.  So we may have to wait a little while longer for the glory of Heaven, but at the same time, the waiting will provide many more that same glorious end.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

"If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins."
                                                         Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT)

Pretty straight forward, huh?  How do you feel you measure up in light of this passage?

I do believe, though, that our God is a God of Love and Grace and Mercy, which precedes His Judgment.  What this means to me is that forgiveness can sometimes be so difficult that it will take time and prayer to forgive.  And if we're trying to forgive, but just haven't got there yet, I believe God will honor this.  I also believe that given time and with the help of the Holy Spirit forgiveness is possible for everyone, even those who believe otherwise.  This is because I believe that all things are possible with God.

Has anyone hurt you?  Do you need to pray about your relationship with someone?  Do you need to begin the process of forgiveness today?  Speak to God about it.  He'll understand your hurt and anger.  He'll also know how to help you work through it.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
                                                                Galatians 3:28 (NLT)

Jesus came to break down the walls that separated us from God and from one another.  But the fact remains that we continue to build walls in our lives that separate us from people we don't wish to be associated with.  Classism is separation of people based on money and/or lifestyle.  Racism is separation of people based on color.  Sexism is separation of people based on gender.  And in all these there are people who think that they're better than the others because of what side of the wall they stand on. 

Jesus said to love our neighbors.  Paul says that there is no longer a difference in Jews and Gentiles in God's eyes.  There is no longer slave or free, male or female, black or white, Hispanic or Chinese, American or Iraqi, lower class or higher class...at least not in the eyes of our Lord.  So why do we work so hard to distinguish between them? 

It's because we're wall builders.  But if we expect Jesus to break down the wall (or barrier) that stands between us and God (which is sin) should we not be at least willing to break down the walls that have been built between us and our brothers and sisters?

Let us all learn to become more like Jesus, breaking down the walls of separation, instead of building them up.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

                                                               Mark 10:13-14 (ESV)

What gets me about this passage is not the great lesson of how we should not hinder the children from coming to Jesus, but in fact become more like them in our faith.  What gets me is the fact that the disciples have been told by Jesus on two other occasions in this Gospel how important the children are and how they are to be cherished (my words).

It seems that no matter how many times Jesus tells these knot-headed disciples something, they just don't listen.  The same thing happens with Jesus teaching them about how he will die in Jerusalem on three different occasions.  They never hear that he will rise again even though he tells them plainly. 

Do these disciples have a hearing problem?  Do they only hear what they want to hear?  Do they get so caught up in other things that they don't even notice that Jesus is talking to them?

Of course as I say these things about the disciples, I could ask the same questions about us Christians today, and especially me.  Do we not understand God's ways in our lives because we simply don't listen or have other things that make us lose our focus on Jesus?  I know I can.  How about you?

Let us all pay more attention to what the Bible really teaches us, and not what we want it to say.  May we all seek time in prayer today where there are no distractions that keep us from listening for God to have the opportunity to speak.  And finally, may our faith grow to be as strong as a child's so that we will not explain away what God might be calling us to be.

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.
                                                                              Romans 14:1 (NIV)

Think about people that you might have disputes, disagreements, or differences of opinion with.  It is very easy to judge them based on your own perceptions.  Is it possible that you are judging people based on any perception that you may have of them?   

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
                                                                               James 4:11-12 (NIV)
In judging others we take on the power of God.  We claim that we are right and they can't possible be if they disagree with us.  Ask yourself, "Am I really qualified to judge somebody else?" 

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
                                                                              Matthew 7:1-5 (NIV)

 How many of us have no planks in our eyes?  In other words, how many of us are without sin?  We should be working on our own selves and leaving the judging up to God.  We can always pray for people and try to persuade them in love to be the people that God wants them to be.  We can lovingly point out that there might be some sin in another person's life that is harmful to them.  But we should always do so in a manner that shows that we're not perfect either.  The key is to care about people and look up to them in humility, not down on them in judgment. 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
                                                                    Romans 12:4-5 (NIV)
  
Whenever I read this verse I think about how we all have different gifts and how we each have an important function as a different part of the body of Christ.  But as I read it this morning I noticed the last part of the verse that reads "and each member belongs to all the others."

We belong to God the Father, who created us.  We belong to Jesus the Son, who saves us.  We belong to the Holy Spirit, who lives with us.  But do you realize what it means to belong to each other?  We have a responsibility to each other.  This means we must not take other Christians for granted.  We must do things that would lift each other up and not tear each other down.  For when we speak or do harmful things to other Christians, we harm the body that we are a part of, therefore harming ourselves.

Let us live today as though we belong to each other.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
                                                            Ephesians 6:10-12 (TNIV)

If you can remember who it is that you're fighting against, it will be easier to love people.  When there is someone who is continually ugly to you and seems to be just trying to make your life miserable…or when you come across someone who cares nothing for you except when you are on her/his side of things...don't hate them.  Feel sorry for them, knowing that the devil is working through them in most cases.

If a person is a continually mean-spirited person, then the devil has convinced them to be that way.  If a person always thinks about themselves and never about you or others, then the devil has used pride and selfishness to tempt him/her just like he did Adam and Eve.  

We all have to make choices.  And those out there that you may wish to get mad at because of the way they treat you or someone else are the ones who've made a bad choice.  Don't hate them.  Hate their sin.  Or more precisely, hate the evil that is at work in their lives tempting them to sin.

Then remember that this evil is at work in your own life as well.  The devil did not leave you alone when you became a Christian.  Every time you begin to get closer to God, the devil tries harder to come between you and God through the temptation for you to sin in some form or fashion.  

Paul writes to put on the full armor of God to protect yourself against what the devil throws at you.  Know that you are struggling with the devil every day.  And so is everyone around you.  So remember that you have choices to make daily.  You can put on Christ and fight against the evil forces at work against you.  Or you can give in.  

Sometimes you will choose wisely and at other times you won't.  Pray for those times that you don't.  Pray that God will forgive and that they won't lead you away from God, and that they won't lead others away either.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
                                                                            Romans 12:9-10 (NIV)
 
Paul writes that love must be sincere.  People can fake a lot of things; intelligence, happiness, being in control of one's life, etc.  But true Christlike love can not be faked.  We can say that we love people, but the true love of Christ that Paul is speaking of will always be backed up by our actions.  

Just as he teaches us to obey the Great Commandment of love, Paul tells us to hate one thing.  "Hate what is evil."

Remember, we are not to hate people.  We are to hate the evil that is in this world that corrupts people.  This is what we will battle in our own lives.  The same temptations that others have fallen to are right there in front of us if we do not live our lives in love.   So hate the things that are corrupting your brothers and sisters (and tries to corrupt you) instead of the people who are hurt by evil.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?

                     Mark 9:19 (ESV)

This comes after Jesus has come down from the Mount of Transfiguration.  He’s met with a crowd of people arguing with his disciples.  They have been casting out demons, but this one boy is brought to them for which they have no success in exorcizing the demon.  By story’s end Jesus is frustrated with the lot because of their lack of faith, yet he heals the boy and teaches his disciples that this kind of demon can only be cast out with prayer.

The point that came to me this morning as I reread this passage is the fact that Jesus is irritated with the people.  Not only that, he comes out and tells them so.

Maybe we want to tell Jesus that he’s supposed to be loving.  He’s supposed to always have compassion and not get ugly with people.  But in doing so we would be telling God how to be God.  The fact is that Jesus is truly loving and compassionate.  But does He not have a right to be dissatisfied with us as well?  Does He not become irritated when our faith lacks for the thousandth time or our actions continue to deny our Christian claims?

I feel confident that Jesus is not happy when I continue in my selfish ways forgetting that the way of humility and faith is much better.  I’m convinced that Jesus could very well be thinking, “How long must I bear with Greg?”  But what I’m even more confident in is the fact that just like the crowd and the disciples in the story, He won’t leave me.  Instead He’ll continue to struggle with me to help me find the right faith, the right motives, the right love.  He will do that because He is a loving and compassionate God.  Thank you Jesus for that.

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

Pray continually.
      1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)

Sometimes you don't have to say a lot to mean a lot.  Two words spoken here should help us through our day.  "Pray continually."

Talking to God doesn't always have to be done kneeling at an altar or in some formal way.  God wants to stay connected with us by us staying connected with Him.  The way to do that is to speak to Him and listen to him throughout the day.  Praise Him.  Ask for His help.  Ask for forgiveness.  Tell Him about your day; your concerns and your joys.  Speak aloud.  Speak to yourself.  It doesn't matter how.  Just pray.

Some people may find it difficult finding time to pray.  And I've also heard people say that they don't know what to say.  Finding time is simply making God a priority.  Not knowing what to say is easy.  Say whatever is on your heart.  A simple "I Love You, Lord" will go a long way.  Say anything.  God just wants to hear from you.

As you look back at the end of this day, see how many times you spoke to God and also how many opportunities you missed to stay in touch.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever would lose his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

                                                                      Mark 8:34-35 (ESV)

Just how serious do we take this passage?  In light of what our culture teaches us, which is to deny ourselves nothing and strive for everything, this can seem pretty incredulous.  The only time we are taught to deny ourselves is when we are being denied certain foods so that we can gain a better looking body, which according to the world today means skinnier.

Some Christians denied something in their lives over the season of Lent.  They basically fasted for this season, giving up something that was important to them for Christ.  I remember one year giving up caffeine.  When Easter morning came I gorged myself on coffee and then later soft drinks.  I was on a caffeine high all day.  Is this truly denying ourselves for Christ?

So what does it mean to deny myself and take up my cross and follow Jesus?  The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that for me it is taking a stand against what the world teaches me is important in lieu of what Jesus teaches me.  It means that my success is not all about numbers or what the world sees as success.  It's about what makes my Father in Heaven proud of me.  I can be a huge success in this world, but if I have to do so by living by the world's standards, then I lose any rewards I could have stored up in Heaven. 

In this life we can lean on Jesus in the difficult times of our lives.  But we need to learn what it means to lose ourselves for Him in the other times as well.  For our success is predicated only upon how much we are willing to lose our lives for Him and the Gospel. 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
                                                               Ephesians 5:1 (NLT)

Sometimes we muddle our lives all up without even realizing it.  We can start a day in prayer or reading a devotional.  But before that day ends, we quite possibly have made ourselves out to be anything but imitators of God.  Maybe we placed ourselves before others or judged somebody that was different from us in our lifestyle or thought an ugly thought about somebody we are supposed to love.

Of course there are a whole host of other things that can be found in people's daily lives that are out of place for us Christians.  Often times it's not until we look back on them that we realize that what we did or said or the way we acted was not in accordance with God's will.  If you were to look back on the last 24 hours of your life, what would you see?

In the love of Christ,
greg