Matthew 5:33-37 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Are you black and white with all of your answers? If not you leave room for the evil one. Don't believe me, reread it yourself. In John 8:44 we know that Satan is the father of lies and we know that those lies have penetrated every area of our society. We allow what we call, "little white lies", "half truths" and "fudging". These are not acceptable for the person who considers themselves a follower of Christ.
God’s absolute, unchanging standard is truth and sincerity in everything. Not only should oaths be totally truthful and dependable, but even the most routine conversations should be truthful in every detail. MacArthur, J. (1989). Matthew (326). Chicago: Moody Press.
Is every part of your conversation truthful? Are you telling the whole story or just the parts that you can tell for your advantage? What scares us about telling the truth? We have been taught in this society to withhold information, manipulate our stories all for our advantages. We are told that this is "the way of doing business", for "gaining the upper hand" and "keeping the ball in our court". All these statements are heard commonly with how people tell you to deal with people. But Jesus has another standard for those who claim to follow Him, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no."
What if your yes meant yes? Would that mean that people might get their feelings hurt? Would it mean that business associates would not be willing to do business with you? Or perhaps it would mean in the long run that people would know you are a person of your word and more importantly, it would show that you are a follower of Christ who is the truth. (John 14:6)
Monday, July 27, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
When There Are No More Words
It is amazing how we will turn to prayer when all of our resources and our wisdom are no longer worth anything for the situation we are dealing with. Why is it we do not run to prayer first? Why is it that it takes situations so big that we have no other option but to pray. On top of that, sometimes we are in situations that we do not even know how to pray. Have you ever been in a situation so deep that you do not even know what to ask for God to do?
Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, 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. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
What a comforting passage. A passage that lets us know when we are out of resources and out of words the Holy Spirit is praying on our behalf for exactly what we need.
Is that where you are today? Are you so overwhelmed by a situation or a problem you do not even know how to pray? Do not worry because the Holy Spirit is praying for you.
Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, 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. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
What a comforting passage. A passage that lets us know when we are out of resources and out of words the Holy Spirit is praying on our behalf for exactly what we need.
Is that where you are today? Are you so overwhelmed by a situation or a problem you do not even know how to pray? Do not worry because the Holy Spirit is praying for you.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Grateful
When dealing with spiritual warfare it is so easy to take for granted the fact that we are saved. We use the word saved so much we hardly know what it means anymore. It means that you are totally helpless and unless someone comes to your rescue you are doomed to die. How grateful would we be if we really understood what it meant to be saved from the destruction that could have been our fate.
On the radio I heard a story about a man who was traveling through Wisconsin on vacation with his family and they were involved in a car accident that set the car on fire. The family was rescued by volunteers who were able to get them out before they were killed by the flames. He was so grateful that he is moving his whole family to Wisconsin. He had no other way to show how grateful he was other than to change his whole lifestyle to be close to those who saved his life. Am I grateful for what Christ has done for me? Does my lifestyle reflect that I am grateful for being rescued?
In Ephesians 6 it tells us to put on the helmet of salvation. This is not for us to be saved but a constant reminder that if we are going to stand up against the devils flaming arrows then we need to remember what we are promised.
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.Have you forgotten what you were before?
Ephesians 2:1 says,"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,"
The reason we need the Helmet of salvation is because Satan knows if he can get you to doubt your right standing with God then he can get you to be ineffective. When you are grateful to God for all that He has done it will change the way you act. A soldier would be hesitant to go into battle without a helmet on and Christians that do not remember how God changed their status from dead to alive, from enemies to children, will also not be as effective in this life.
On the radio I heard a story about a man who was traveling through Wisconsin on vacation with his family and they were involved in a car accident that set the car on fire. The family was rescued by volunteers who were able to get them out before they were killed by the flames. He was so grateful that he is moving his whole family to Wisconsin. He had no other way to show how grateful he was other than to change his whole lifestyle to be close to those who saved his life. Am I grateful for what Christ has done for me? Does my lifestyle reflect that I am grateful for being rescued?
In Ephesians 6 it tells us to put on the helmet of salvation. This is not for us to be saved but a constant reminder that if we are going to stand up against the devils flaming arrows then we need to remember what we are promised.
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.Have you forgotten what you were before?
Ephesians 2:1 says,"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,"
The reason we need the Helmet of salvation is because Satan knows if he can get you to doubt your right standing with God then he can get you to be ineffective. When you are grateful to God for all that He has done it will change the way you act. A soldier would be hesitant to go into battle without a helmet on and Christians that do not remember how God changed their status from dead to alive, from enemies to children, will also not be as effective in this life.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
What's in a name?
What if no one knew my name? What if I never got credit for what I did for God?
Hebrews 11:34b-40 Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
These people were sawed in two, flogged, stoned and worse of all had to wear bad clothes. I'm thinking if I get sawed in two that there should be a building at the church named after me or at least a plaque on the wall telling about my sacrifice. These people suffered for the sake of Christ and they did not have their names even mentioned. Give these people some credit for experiencing things that I can not even imagine walking through. But they weren't mentioned because they did not do it for acknowledgement of those around them.What can be forgotten in the midst of this, acknowledge me world, is the fact that God sees all the things we deal with and He will reward us accordingly.
Matthew 6:17-19 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
In Matthew chapter 6 God tells us to give in secret, pray in secret and to fast in secret, all with the promise that He will reward us for it. God sees all the times you struggle that no one sees, the times you serve that no one notices, those times you spend praying when it would be easier to go to sleep. The temptation is to think that if it is not visible then it is not important, that if we are not acknowledged on earth, then it is not worth doing. Keep focused on what God has called you to do because although your name may never be mentioned in this life time for what you have done, it will be rewarded in the next.
Hebrews 11:34b-40 Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
These people were sawed in two, flogged, stoned and worse of all had to wear bad clothes. I'm thinking if I get sawed in two that there should be a building at the church named after me or at least a plaque on the wall telling about my sacrifice. These people suffered for the sake of Christ and they did not have their names even mentioned. Give these people some credit for experiencing things that I can not even imagine walking through. But they weren't mentioned because they did not do it for acknowledgement of those around them.What can be forgotten in the midst of this, acknowledge me world, is the fact that God sees all the things we deal with and He will reward us accordingly.
Matthew 6:17-19 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
In Matthew chapter 6 God tells us to give in secret, pray in secret and to fast in secret, all with the promise that He will reward us for it. God sees all the times you struggle that no one sees, the times you serve that no one notices, those times you spend praying when it would be easier to go to sleep. The temptation is to think that if it is not visible then it is not important, that if we are not acknowledged on earth, then it is not worth doing. Keep focused on what God has called you to do because although your name may never be mentioned in this life time for what you have done, it will be rewarded in the next.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
How Faith Protects you
Ephesians 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
You ever wonder how faith can keep the assaults from hurting you? When Paul used the language of flaming arrows he was talking about arrows that could hurt you not just if they hit you, but also if they landed near you. The soldiers only defense against flaming arrows was to have a shield that almost covered them from head to toe. This shield could be used to protect the part of the body that was being assaulted at that time. The shield was so important that a Roman soldier would count it a badge of honor to always return with his shield. The soldier knew that although he may lose his sword he still had a fighting chance if he had his shield.
Faith can be that shield for us as we are assaulted everyday by messages that bring fear, doubt and confusion. It is estimated that we receive 60,000 audio and visual messages every day. With that much coming at us it is important that we keep our faith no matter what comes down the information highway.
So how do we keep our faith in the midst of everything else going on around us?
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Some versions say "must believe that He is," I think that is a better translation because we believe in God and that He is who He says He is, He will do what He says He will do. If I really believed that God is, then I would not fret over anything no matter what is happening to me. If you look at all the Christian Martyrs who suffered for believing in Jesus Christ, you have to ask what kept them strong? It was their faith. Hebrews 11 is full of people who trusted God even though they died for what they believed.
Many people say they have faith in God but their actions do not demonstrate it. If you have faith that God is, then you will not be shaken when the flaming arrows of life go flying by and even direct hit your shield of faith. What the enemy knows if he can remove your shield of faith then it will be easier to destroy you.
“Faith is only as reliable and helpful as the trustworthiness of its object.” John MacArthur
You cross a bridge because you trust the object, you trust the chair you sit in because you trust the object. If you trust who God is then you will place all of your faith in Him, because it is Him, not because what He has or has not done. Just like Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."
To lean means to place all your weight on Him. Not half way, not testing the strength under pressure, and not bailing when things get where you do not understand. Trusting Him will lead to faith, and it is through faith that He is pleased because by demonstrating faith you are acknowledging who He is. Basically, you are saying, God I trust you no matter what the circumstances because you are trustworthy.
Walking by faith protects you because it keeps you from being scared,discouraged or confused by all the danger because you know you have a shield.
You ever wonder how faith can keep the assaults from hurting you? When Paul used the language of flaming arrows he was talking about arrows that could hurt you not just if they hit you, but also if they landed near you. The soldiers only defense against flaming arrows was to have a shield that almost covered them from head to toe. This shield could be used to protect the part of the body that was being assaulted at that time. The shield was so important that a Roman soldier would count it a badge of honor to always return with his shield. The soldier knew that although he may lose his sword he still had a fighting chance if he had his shield.
Faith can be that shield for us as we are assaulted everyday by messages that bring fear, doubt and confusion. It is estimated that we receive 60,000 audio and visual messages every day. With that much coming at us it is important that we keep our faith no matter what comes down the information highway.
So how do we keep our faith in the midst of everything else going on around us?
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Some versions say "must believe that He is," I think that is a better translation because we believe in God and that He is who He says He is, He will do what He says He will do. If I really believed that God is, then I would not fret over anything no matter what is happening to me. If you look at all the Christian Martyrs who suffered for believing in Jesus Christ, you have to ask what kept them strong? It was their faith. Hebrews 11 is full of people who trusted God even though they died for what they believed.
Many people say they have faith in God but their actions do not demonstrate it. If you have faith that God is, then you will not be shaken when the flaming arrows of life go flying by and even direct hit your shield of faith. What the enemy knows if he can remove your shield of faith then it will be easier to destroy you.
“Faith is only as reliable and helpful as the trustworthiness of its object.” John MacArthur
You cross a bridge because you trust the object, you trust the chair you sit in because you trust the object. If you trust who God is then you will place all of your faith in Him, because it is Him, not because what He has or has not done. Just like Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."
To lean means to place all your weight on Him. Not half way, not testing the strength under pressure, and not bailing when things get where you do not understand. Trusting Him will lead to faith, and it is through faith that He is pleased because by demonstrating faith you are acknowledging who He is. Basically, you are saying, God I trust you no matter what the circumstances because you are trustworthy.
Walking by faith protects you because it keeps you from being scared,discouraged or confused by all the danger because you know you have a shield.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
God wants me
We all want to be wanted. What we do not always remember is that we are wanted. We are wanted by an all loving God who has no need for us other than He just wants to love us.
Acts 17:24-25 24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
He did not need us as if He was lacking anything. God did not create us out of a need He had, but out of a love He demonstrated.
Ephesians 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Do you love for no other reason than you have been loved? Do you love only when others have something to offer you or just because the love of God flows through you? If we are going to be "imitators of God" then we have to love just because we choose to, and not based on what others do or do not do.
Acts 17:24-25 24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
He did not need us as if He was lacking anything. God did not create us out of a need He had, but out of a love He demonstrated.
Ephesians 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Do you love for no other reason than you have been loved? Do you love only when others have something to offer you or just because the love of God flows through you? If we are going to be "imitators of God" then we have to love just because we choose to, and not based on what others do or do not do.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Walking through the fire with Jesus
In Daniel Chapter 3 we see Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego standing when every one else bowed. Many of us heard this story as children but do we understand the pressure they faced? Too many times we give into people because we do not want to offend them or we just find that it is easier to get along. Sometimes though we are in situations where we have no choice but to take a stand and even suffer for following Christ.
In Daniel 3 we see a King who built an image of himself for everyone to worship and even gave the command to worship the golden image or be killed. (3:6) What I wonder is how many of us would have just given in to the Kings orders instead of standing? Some of our excuses would have been: "I have a family to support", "If I die then who is going to tell these people about God?", or what I believe many Christians would say,"What is the big deal? I do not believe in it so how can it hurt?"
What price am I willing to pay for Christ? What situations am I willing to walk through for Him? Does being a Christ follower have multiple choices and each christian gets to pick and choose what they want to walk through?
Daniel 3:16-18 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
Am I willing to follow God even if He does not come through for me? Am I willing to suffer for the sake of Christ. What if they would have used one of the excuses listed above? What if they would have given into the pressure and bowed? As they were being tied up they still had the chance to yell out that they would bow down and escape what looked like certain death. The ongoing desire to give in must have been pressure that ran through their minds over and over again. What kept them strong? What made them Stand? What made them willing to die if that is what they had to do as followers of God?
Daniel 3:24-25 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
How cool was that? They were walking around a hot furnace with Jesus. (How big was this furnace?) I can imagine them talking to Jesus and when they were being called out Jesus told them to go because they probably wanted to stay there with Him.
At the end of the story we see how the whole nation was turned toward God because of these three men who were willing to sacrifice their lives to follow God. (3:28)
What about you? What fires are you walking through that seem too much for you to handle? Are you trying to escape them or walk with Jesus through them? What are your excuses to get out of them? What if God wants to use you to walk through a difficult time in order for others to see Jesus walking with you? What price are you willing to pay to have others claim as Nebuchadnezzar did "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
In Daniel 3 we see a King who built an image of himself for everyone to worship and even gave the command to worship the golden image or be killed. (3:6) What I wonder is how many of us would have just given in to the Kings orders instead of standing? Some of our excuses would have been: "I have a family to support", "If I die then who is going to tell these people about God?", or what I believe many Christians would say,"What is the big deal? I do not believe in it so how can it hurt?"
What price am I willing to pay for Christ? What situations am I willing to walk through for Him? Does being a Christ follower have multiple choices and each christian gets to pick and choose what they want to walk through?
Daniel 3:16-18 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
Am I willing to follow God even if He does not come through for me? Am I willing to suffer for the sake of Christ. What if they would have used one of the excuses listed above? What if they would have given into the pressure and bowed? As they were being tied up they still had the chance to yell out that they would bow down and escape what looked like certain death. The ongoing desire to give in must have been pressure that ran through their minds over and over again. What kept them strong? What made them Stand? What made them willing to die if that is what they had to do as followers of God?
Daniel 3:24-25 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
How cool was that? They were walking around a hot furnace with Jesus. (How big was this furnace?) I can imagine them talking to Jesus and when they were being called out Jesus told them to go because they probably wanted to stay there with Him.
At the end of the story we see how the whole nation was turned toward God because of these three men who were willing to sacrifice their lives to follow God. (3:28)
What about you? What fires are you walking through that seem too much for you to handle? Are you trying to escape them or walk with Jesus through them? What are your excuses to get out of them? What if God wants to use you to walk through a difficult time in order for others to see Jesus walking with you? What price are you willing to pay to have others claim as Nebuchadnezzar did "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Daniel
When you look at the life of Daniel what do you see? Do you see the brave way he stood up to Kings and to lions? The cool way that God used him to reveal mysteries that no one else could solve? (1:17) What I see is a man who was betrayed over and over again by those who were around him, those who were jealous of him because of the gifts from God he had. You can not read the first 6 chapters of the book of Daniel and not see how over and over again people were jealous of Daniel and his friends. How they looked to seek to trap them and kill them through the Kings they served.(3:8-12,6:6-9)
Daniel was chosen because he was one of the top young men in the land.(1:3-5) He was found to be ten times better (1:20)than all those around him and he did it God's way and not the worlds way.(1:8) What I see in the life of Daniel is a man who not only had the opportunity to destroy those who were around him but a man that also defended them.(Daniel 2:24)Daniel knew that God would be the final judge and that those who were against him would be revealed for who they really were. (6:24)
I want to be like Daniel but how do I do that?
We see the key to this question in chapter 6 verse 10 which tells us "Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."
Sounds simple doesn't it? Then why is praying so hard for us to do? Why do we run to others for answers instead of to God? If you read about Daniel and all he went through you will see similarities to your own life.
1) He was not in control of his environment. (1:1-2)
We are not either even though we think we are sometimes.
2) He was betrayed by others and falsely accused. (6:12-15,24)
Who are you thinking of right now that has betrayed you or lied about you?
So what made Daniel ten times better? He went to God every day, three times a day. He sought God for the answers not anyone else. He asked his friends to pray to God not sit around and discuss what they should do about the issue they faced. (2:17-18)
So if you want to be like Daniel then you have to Pray. We are not talking about little sentence prayers but prayers throughout the day, (6:10) and sometimes all night prayers.(2:19)
What would our homes look like if we prayed? What would our churches look like if we prayed? What would our businesses look like if we prayed? What would we look like if we prayed? I would think we would look a little more like Daniel and we would trust God with all of our issues.
Daniel was chosen because he was one of the top young men in the land.(1:3-5) He was found to be ten times better (1:20)than all those around him and he did it God's way and not the worlds way.(1:8) What I see in the life of Daniel is a man who not only had the opportunity to destroy those who were around him but a man that also defended them.(Daniel 2:24)Daniel knew that God would be the final judge and that those who were against him would be revealed for who they really were. (6:24)
I want to be like Daniel but how do I do that?
We see the key to this question in chapter 6 verse 10 which tells us "Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."
Sounds simple doesn't it? Then why is praying so hard for us to do? Why do we run to others for answers instead of to God? If you read about Daniel and all he went through you will see similarities to your own life.
1) He was not in control of his environment. (1:1-2)
We are not either even though we think we are sometimes.
2) He was betrayed by others and falsely accused. (6:12-15,24)
Who are you thinking of right now that has betrayed you or lied about you?
So what made Daniel ten times better? He went to God every day, three times a day. He sought God for the answers not anyone else. He asked his friends to pray to God not sit around and discuss what they should do about the issue they faced. (2:17-18)
So if you want to be like Daniel then you have to Pray. We are not talking about little sentence prayers but prayers throughout the day, (6:10) and sometimes all night prayers.(2:19)
What would our homes look like if we prayed? What would our churches look like if we prayed? What would our businesses look like if we prayed? What would we look like if we prayed? I would think we would look a little more like Daniel and we would trust God with all of our issues.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Peace Out
Ephesians 6:15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
The Peace we can have with God is the most amazing experience and what everyone in this world is looking for. It is easy to take this for granted because it cost Jesus Christ everything and for us we get the inheritance for all eternity. Nothing in this world can lead to lasting peace and so the peace people are looking for is only found in the gospel of peace, which is Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
How many shoes do you have? What are the different purposes your shoes fulfill? If we are getting ready to go to the beach we put on flip flops, if we are going running we put on tennis shoes made for running and if we are dressing up, we put on our dress shoes. We are ready to put on any shoes we need for the function they will serve. But when it comes to dealing with everything we will deal with in a day, do we fit ourselves with shoes that come from the gospel of peace? We would not walk out of the house without getting ready by Taking a shower, getting dressed, brushing our teeth and whatever else you do to get ready. Why then do we not ready ourselves with the gospel of Peace? If we are going to stand against the schemes of the Devil then we have to not forget our shoes.
Can I really have peace no matter what the day holds?
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
John 1:12-13 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent,nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
The reason we can have peace is because no matter what happens in this life we have Peace with God through Jesus Christ. We are His children and nothing can take this away from us. When we care more about our relationship with God than we do our relationship with this world then the peace of God will always guard our hearts and minds. It does not mean life will always be easy but knowing that we are at peace with God is more important than whatever hardship we face in this life. If you do not have peace with God then you are either not a child of His or you have something in your life that is keeping you from having peace with God. God will cause an unrest among His children till they admit their sin and turn back to Him.
Are you ready to face the day with the gospel of peace? Don't just take the time to get physically ready, take time to get spiritually ready as well by remembering you are a child of God. You will experience more peace and those around you need to see the peace that passes all understanding.
The Peace we can have with God is the most amazing experience and what everyone in this world is looking for. It is easy to take this for granted because it cost Jesus Christ everything and for us we get the inheritance for all eternity. Nothing in this world can lead to lasting peace and so the peace people are looking for is only found in the gospel of peace, which is Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
How many shoes do you have? What are the different purposes your shoes fulfill? If we are getting ready to go to the beach we put on flip flops, if we are going running we put on tennis shoes made for running and if we are dressing up, we put on our dress shoes. We are ready to put on any shoes we need for the function they will serve. But when it comes to dealing with everything we will deal with in a day, do we fit ourselves with shoes that come from the gospel of peace? We would not walk out of the house without getting ready by Taking a shower, getting dressed, brushing our teeth and whatever else you do to get ready. Why then do we not ready ourselves with the gospel of Peace? If we are going to stand against the schemes of the Devil then we have to not forget our shoes.
Can I really have peace no matter what the day holds?
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
John 1:12-13 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent,nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
The reason we can have peace is because no matter what happens in this life we have Peace with God through Jesus Christ. We are His children and nothing can take this away from us. When we care more about our relationship with God than we do our relationship with this world then the peace of God will always guard our hearts and minds. It does not mean life will always be easy but knowing that we are at peace with God is more important than whatever hardship we face in this life. If you do not have peace with God then you are either not a child of His or you have something in your life that is keeping you from having peace with God. God will cause an unrest among His children till they admit their sin and turn back to Him.
Are you ready to face the day with the gospel of peace? Don't just take the time to get physically ready, take time to get spiritually ready as well by remembering you are a child of God. You will experience more peace and those around you need to see the peace that passes all understanding.
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