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." 

Just don't give up when things seem their worst or when this world seems to have the best of you.  You were created by a loving God who will always be by your side, even when you don't realize it or can't make sense of it.  As the old poem "Footprints" tells us, when we believe that we are walking alone in this world, it is then that He is carrying us.

And when you have been brought through the valley and feel the light again, don't forget that it was God who saw you through.  Praise Him on those days.  Praise Him in the storm.  Praise Him today whatever may be going on in your life.  Just praise Him.  

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.  The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world.  I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

                                                John 15:18-19 (NLT)

I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. 

                                                John 16:1 (NLT)

The one who is the prince of this world, who continues to do his magic and perpetrate lies is the devil. This is why so many of the teachings of our culture, and world in general, is contradictory to what Jesus taught. Since the devil is ultimately pulling the strings in this world, just as Jesus said, the world will hate us because people have fallen for his lies.

When talking about the world Jesus was not talking about every single person in it hating us for being Christians. He means those who have bought into the world's ideas that are contradictory to his ways. These are the ones who will hate us. And these are the ones who will persecute and even kill us. In some parts of the world people are jailed or killed simply for professing the Christian faith.

Here in America we might be persecuted from time to time but in no way like the disciples or even those inside China or Korea today. We might feel like our hardships due to persecutions are bad. Actually we are quite lucky. We do still have rights and freedoms.  But persecution can be found here as well.

The problem is that so many of us Christians don't look any different from the world. So the world does not hate us. In some ways that is actually a shame.

May our love and selflessness and humility, our words and actions, our ways that are like Christ be so bright that they shine in this dark world. Let us grow to be more like Christ instead of more like the world.  Even if this means persecution.

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !! - Unity

"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.

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 !!

* Notice * I will be out of town next week taking a little R & R at a friend's lakehouse.  I'm pretty sure there is no internet connection there.  So there will be no "Thought of the Day !!" devotions for next week.  - greg

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.
 
The truth is that only the Lord knows it all.  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 !!

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)

We all have doubts at some point in our lives (possibly many points).  It might be a doubt about the existence of God.  Or it might 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 !!

     Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

     “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

                               Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT)

Like Peter we want to limit the amount of forgiveness that we will give to someone.  Personally, I think Peter was probably thinking to himself that seven times was a pretty good number of times.  It actually seems like a lot of forgiveness and is more than most anyone else would bother to forgive someone.  But this was still limited forgiveness. 

How many of us don’t want to go as far as Peter did?  How often is forgiveness not even an option?  Or maybe you’re willing to give a person a second chance.  But a second failure would mean absolutely no more forgiveness of the offense…whatever it might be?

Jesus answered Peter; “…not seven times…but seventy times seven”.  What he means is that we are to continue to forgive, no matter what. 

Forgiveness is not approving or excusing or even pardoning what someone has done.  What forgiveness does is this.  It chooses not to keep a record of the wrongs done to one self.  It refuses to punish someone for what they did…unless it was a crime and there is legal punishment involved.

Forgiveness is an inner condition where we rid ourselves of bitterness instead of holding on to it and allowing it to pull us down.  So take Jesus’ advice / teaching / command, and forgive.

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

                                                                Matthew 5:48 (NLT)

Be perfect?  Did Jesus really suggest that we be perfect?  Yes.  He even went as far as to say to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.  How are we supposed to be sinless?  Is Jesus not demanding something that is impossible for us imperfect humans? 

Of course not.  Jesus wouldn’t burden us with something we could not do.  To understand this better, let’s look at this verse in its context.  Jesus is teaching about love.  He goes as far as telling us that we must love our enemies.  That would take some pretty radical love.  God the Father has this kind of love.  In the his letter to the Romans Paul writes that we were all enemies of God at one time.  Yet while we were still sinful enemies, God sent His Son to die for us (who were enemies).

Jesus teaches that we are to have perfect love.  And this is obtainable in this lifetime, otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have commanded us to love our enemies or love each other as He loves us.  When we love like Jesus, we put others before ourselves.  When we perfect love, we sacrifice ourselves for others.  When we’ve reached perfection, we have the love of God in us.

Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.

                                Matthew 7:24 (NLT)

Jesus teaches two things here.  One is to listen, and the other is to do.

Many people in our churches today are great biblical scholars.  Others are on their way to becoming very knowledgeable about the Bible.  But sadly, many are not.  Many have not listened to what Jesus has taught in the bible or what the Church has taught through the years.  Also, they’ve taken bits and pieces here and there to form their own belief system.  So often I find myself having conversations with people who tell me this or that truth and inform me that it’s in the bible but cannot tell me where.  In reality, this so-called truth is more likely something someone told them or something that they want to believe.  Jesus says we must listen, or else we will be in trouble. 

Knowledge is good.  We must know what Jesus and the Church teaches.  But knowledge is only relevant when it’s translated into action.  We must learn to put what we learn into action and not simply sit and enjoy a devotion or listen to a sermon and say to ourselves, “good thoughts” or “good sermon”.  They are not “good” unless we put them into practice.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.  This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
                                                                     Matthew 7:12 (NLT)

I have a pet peeve.  It's when people don't think of others. 

I hate it when someone needs to move over a lane in traffic and no one will allow them to.  I hate it when someone decides to take over the conversation and not let the other person have a word.  I hate it when someone working at a cash register speaks more to friends than the person being waited on.  On the other hand, I hate it when a person being waited on is rude to the cashier.  I hate it when people think it's okay to share their problems with you, but when you do the same they act like it's no big deal because their problems are worse.  I hate it when people expect you to drop everything when they need you, but they're always busy when you need them.  I hate it when people feel that they have the right to get mad at you, but that if you get mad at them, it's the end of the world.  I hate it when somebody talks to everyone in the room, but neglects that one person that no one else seems to be talking to. 

I have a pet peeve.  It's when people think of themselves, but not of others.  I also have an even bigger pet peeve.  It's when I'm the one not thinking about others.  We are all called to live by the Golden Rule of doing unto others as we would have them do unto us.  But do we forget that at times and treat others the way we think that they should be treated or in a negative way because of whatever mood we're in?

My pet peeve is when we think of ourselves, but don't think of others.  What about you?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Sowing and Reaping - Last Sunday's Sermon

Thought of the Day !!

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
                                                         1 John 3:18 (NIV)

On one hand, words are very strong.  The old saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is simply not true.  Words can be devastating.  And once said, they can never be taken out of the memory of the person that they are said to even if all is forgiven.  

On the other hand, however, words are weak when used to show love.  That is, unless they're backed with actions.  The letter of James tells us that faith without works is dead.  I say the same goes with love.  If one says these words to a spouse that he/she abuses in any way, then there is no love.  If a friend says I love you sister/brother, but isn't willing to stand by the other in a time of need, there is no love.  And the same is true in any case where love is spoken while not shown.  

Francis of Assisi, who lived around the 12th century and began the Franciscan order of monks, would teach his order to preach the Gospel and when necessary use words.  Francis knew that his monks could speak the Good News all they wanted, but if they didn't show it by the way they lived, they would never be effective.  In the same way, you can tell others that you love them, but it won't mean a thing if you don't show them.  

Let us continually show our love to each other and to God with our words, but also with our actions.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

But since you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you - see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
                                                      2 Corinthians 8:7 (TNIV)

Have you ever seen the church sign that read, “Give God what is right, not what is left”?  The truth is, God doesn’t want our leftovers.  He doesn’t want us to serve Him only when we feel we can make the time.  He doesn’t want the leftover money in our checking account after all the bills are paid.

In the Old Testament it was called “first fruits”.  God expected His children to show their trust in Him by giving up the best of what they had instead of the leftovers. 

Our God is Holy.  He gave us life, and He can take it away at any time He chooses.  He gives us forgiveness and second chances.  He is mighty, yet cares for the weak.  He deserves excellence.  The Corinthians excelled in some areas, but Paul was asking them not to settle for excelling in just some areas.  We should strive to excel in all areas when it comes to our Holy God. 

Some might say, “But something is better than nothing.” And so they throw a few dollars in the offering plate even though they just came in to a lot of money.  Or they come on most Sunday mornings claiming that they attend this or that church.

Is something really better than nothing?  NO.  If you’re not willing to give God the best of what you got…then don’t give anything at all.  If you're not willing to give Him what He deserves, then it's an insult to give a pittance. 

Look at it from a human point of view.  When invited to dinner, would you be happy with the scraps that are left over from your host?  Well God’s no different.  Jesus said, “Deny yourselves and take up your crosses and follow me” not “take all you can fill your bags with and come on.”

Excellence means giving God what He deserves.  It means giving Him what's right, not what's left.  I means giving our full selves.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
                                                                Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

There are a lot of people in this world who believe that they can pick and choose a theology that's right for them.  They go to church and decide which sermon is good based on if they liked the content or not.  Many try out different religions to see which one is most appealing.  Some are searching for the easiest, some for the most enjoyable that will allow them to keep doing the things that they want to do.  

The truth is that broad is the road that leads to destruction and all these quick fix, prosperity gospel, self-serving ideologies and theologies lie on that path.  I may not know all the answers, but one thing I can say is this.  The narrow road that few find is only narrow because people are searching to satisfy themselves instead of their loving God who wants nothing more than to have a relationship with us and then bring us joy.  

Search and you will find that true happiness is not found in self-serving religions or bars or pill bottles or needles or sexually promiscuous relationships.  These things only bring about short-lived satisfaction and leave you wanting more.  Real everlasting joy comes by putting God first and using Jesus as our example.  Once you experience the love of Christ, you will find the happiness that you've been longing for.   

In the love of Christ,
greg