God made me to know Him,
to love Him,
and to serve Him in this world,
and to be happy with Him
forever in Heaven
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
10 Principles
And it was very good.
Genesis 1:31
God knew the specific purpose you were born to fulfil, so He provided all the gifts you'd need, including the environment required to put it all together.
Then He looked at you and said, "Very good." Can you say that too?
It's important that you can.
Why?
Because others will treat you according to how you treat yourself!
This is not pride, it's just healthy self-esteem based on God's opinion of you as revealed in His Word. When you have it, it affects every area of your life. Truth be told, it determines how far you'll go in life.
Stop and ask yourself today,
"How do I really feel about myself?"
Before you answer read these ten principles. Better yet, keep them before you daily.
(1) Never think or speak negatively about yourself; that puts you in disagreement with God.
(2) Meditate on your God-given strengths and learn to encourage yourself, for much of the time nobody else will.
(3) Don't compare yourself to anybody else. You're unique, one of a kind, an original. So don't settle for being a copy.
(4) Focus on your potential, not your limitations. Remember, God lives in you! (5) Find what you like to do, do well, and strive to do it with excellence.
(6) Have the courage to be different. Be a God pleaser, not a people pleaser.
(7) Learn to handle criticism. Let it develop you instead of discourage you.
(8) Determine your own worth instead of letting others do it for you. They'll short-change you!
(9) Keep your shortcomings in perspective - you're still a work in progress.
(10) Focus daily on your greatest source of confidence - the God Who lives in you!
Genesis 1:31
God knew the specific purpose you were born to fulfil, so He provided all the gifts you'd need, including the environment required to put it all together.
Then He looked at you and said, "Very good." Can you say that too?
It's important that you can.
Why?
Because others will treat you according to how you treat yourself!
This is not pride, it's just healthy self-esteem based on God's opinion of you as revealed in His Word. When you have it, it affects every area of your life. Truth be told, it determines how far you'll go in life.
Stop and ask yourself today,
"How do I really feel about myself?"
Before you answer read these ten principles. Better yet, keep them before you daily.
(1) Never think or speak negatively about yourself; that puts you in disagreement with God.
(2) Meditate on your God-given strengths and learn to encourage yourself, for much of the time nobody else will.
(3) Don't compare yourself to anybody else. You're unique, one of a kind, an original. So don't settle for being a copy.
(4) Focus on your potential, not your limitations. Remember, God lives in you! (5) Find what you like to do, do well, and strive to do it with excellence.
(6) Have the courage to be different. Be a God pleaser, not a people pleaser.
(7) Learn to handle criticism. Let it develop you instead of discourage you.
(8) Determine your own worth instead of letting others do it for you. They'll short-change you!
(9) Keep your shortcomings in perspective - you're still a work in progress.
(10) Focus daily on your greatest source of confidence - the God Who lives in you!
Don't Give Up Hope
The plans I have for you... are... good... to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
A few years ago the Soviet submarine Kursk went down in the Barents Sea. When the diving crews finally reached it they heard SOS signals coming from inside. Desperate sailors wondered "Is there any hope?" Sadly for them there wasn't.
Do you feel trapped in an impossible situation you can't seem to change or escape? If so, God is saying to you today,
"The plans I have for you… are… good… to give you a future and a hope."
Now, hope is not just the absence of despair, it's the presence of something greater; something only God can give.
Hope is not passive; it's the most active force in the world because it's derived from the most powerful being of all - God. And it's never further away than He is. Clint Eastwood became famous for starring in a movie called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Four decades later some of us still use those words when describing certain aspects of life.
But here's the good news: through His amazing grace God can take the good, the bad and the ugly experiences in your life and use them to make you unbelievably better at what He created you for, whatever that might be!
In God's economy all is redeemed and nothing is ever lost. He can take the good things we remember fondly, the bad things we might like to forget, and the ugly things that shaped us into people we didn't start out to be, and use all of them to facilitate His purpose for each and every one of us. So, don't give up hope!
Jeremiah 29:11
A few years ago the Soviet submarine Kursk went down in the Barents Sea. When the diving crews finally reached it they heard SOS signals coming from inside. Desperate sailors wondered "Is there any hope?" Sadly for them there wasn't.
Do you feel trapped in an impossible situation you can't seem to change or escape? If so, God is saying to you today,
"The plans I have for you… are… good… to give you a future and a hope."
Now, hope is not just the absence of despair, it's the presence of something greater; something only God can give.
Hope is not passive; it's the most active force in the world because it's derived from the most powerful being of all - God. And it's never further away than He is. Clint Eastwood became famous for starring in a movie called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Four decades later some of us still use those words when describing certain aspects of life.
But here's the good news: through His amazing grace God can take the good, the bad and the ugly experiences in your life and use them to make you unbelievably better at what He created you for, whatever that might be!
In God's economy all is redeemed and nothing is ever lost. He can take the good things we remember fondly, the bad things we might like to forget, and the ugly things that shaped us into people we didn't start out to be, and use all of them to facilitate His purpose for each and every one of us. So, don't give up hope!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Your Civil War
Walk by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16
Fritz Ridenour writes: "You want to do right, but you do wrong. You want to choose obedience, but you choose sin. Sometimes you'd almost swear you were a split personality, a regular 'walking civil war'." Sound familiar? Most of us fight our civil war in the shadows, out of sight, feeling all alone. And when we're at our lowest Satan whispers, "Face it, you'll never be good enough. Why not just give up and accept the inevitable?"
Any time we mix this flawed world with our failed nature, we've got the right combination for Spiritual defeat. But we can win!
Paul writes, "Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."
What a profound statement!
God's Spirit and our flesh are completely opposite. But when we're walking in the Spirit we cannot possibly carry out the desires of the flesh. So, we're either operating from the realm of the Spirit and we're under His control, or we're operating in the realm of the flesh and we're under its control. And that's a choice we must make each day.
Everything that tempted you as a lost person can still defeat you because you have that same old nature. It doesn't improve. The cutting remarks you used to make, you'll still make. You can still throw temper tantrums, right? Lustful thoughts will still invade your mind. Therefore, in the power of the Spirit you must throw up your hands and say, "Lord, get this stuff out of me. I can't conquer it on my own!" It's at this point that He takes over and the battle goes your way!
Galatians 5:16
Fritz Ridenour writes: "You want to do right, but you do wrong. You want to choose obedience, but you choose sin. Sometimes you'd almost swear you were a split personality, a regular 'walking civil war'." Sound familiar? Most of us fight our civil war in the shadows, out of sight, feeling all alone. And when we're at our lowest Satan whispers, "Face it, you'll never be good enough. Why not just give up and accept the inevitable?"
Any time we mix this flawed world with our failed nature, we've got the right combination for Spiritual defeat. But we can win!
Paul writes, "Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."
What a profound statement!
God's Spirit and our flesh are completely opposite. But when we're walking in the Spirit we cannot possibly carry out the desires of the flesh. So, we're either operating from the realm of the Spirit and we're under His control, or we're operating in the realm of the flesh and we're under its control. And that's a choice we must make each day.
Everything that tempted you as a lost person can still defeat you because you have that same old nature. It doesn't improve. The cutting remarks you used to make, you'll still make. You can still throw temper tantrums, right? Lustful thoughts will still invade your mind. Therefore, in the power of the Spirit you must throw up your hands and say, "Lord, get this stuff out of me. I can't conquer it on my own!" It's at this point that He takes over and the battle goes your way!
Mission Accomplished!
Having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.
John 17:4
If Satan can't buy you with what's illegitimate, he'll attempt to bury you with what's legitimate. Either way, his objective is to drive a wedge between you and God.
When Christ came to the end of His earthly ministry, though only 33 years old He could say: "I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do." Jesus could have become more involved with the 12 disciples, or taken advice from some programme committee and chosen 24 disciples to double His outreach. He could have travelled to Rome, the seat of power at the time. Or to Athens, where He could touch great minds in order to extend His influence and reputation.
But He chose only 12 disciples. He mentored them slowly and intimately, and never travelled far from the place of His birth. Some might say that if you're going to revolutionise the world you need to carry your cause to as many parts of it as possible.
But Jesus deliberately limited His itinerary.
He kept it simple.
At the end, just before breathing His last He said, "It is finished." Jesus was ready to die - because there was nothing left for Him to do. His work had been completed, from the training of the disciples to providing redemption for us. And you'll detect no hint of resignation or regret in any of His last words. Mission accomplished!
How long are you going to keep promising yourself that you'll draw closer to God, that you'll put His Kingdom first?
If you ever plan to do it, do it now!
John 17:4
If Satan can't buy you with what's illegitimate, he'll attempt to bury you with what's legitimate. Either way, his objective is to drive a wedge between you and God.
When Christ came to the end of His earthly ministry, though only 33 years old He could say: "I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do." Jesus could have become more involved with the 12 disciples, or taken advice from some programme committee and chosen 24 disciples to double His outreach. He could have travelled to Rome, the seat of power at the time. Or to Athens, where He could touch great minds in order to extend His influence and reputation.
But He chose only 12 disciples. He mentored them slowly and intimately, and never travelled far from the place of His birth. Some might say that if you're going to revolutionise the world you need to carry your cause to as many parts of it as possible.
But Jesus deliberately limited His itinerary.
He kept it simple.
At the end, just before breathing His last He said, "It is finished." Jesus was ready to die - because there was nothing left for Him to do. His work had been completed, from the training of the disciples to providing redemption for us. And you'll detect no hint of resignation or regret in any of His last words. Mission accomplished!
How long are you going to keep promising yourself that you'll draw closer to God, that you'll put His Kingdom first?
If you ever plan to do it, do it now!
Set Your Sails!
That I may... become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him.
Philippians 3:10
Ella Wheeler Wilcox wrote: "One ship drives east and another drives west, with the selfsame winds that blow. 'Tis the set of the sails and not the gales, that decides the way to go. Like the winds of the sea are the ways of fate, as we voyage along through life; 'Tis the set of the soul that decides its goal, and not the calm or the strife."
Have you noticed that the same difficult circumstance that lays one person low, lifts another to incredible heights?
"Tis the set of the sails and not the gales, which tells us the way to go."
Clearly, Paul had set his sails: "That I may… become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him." And he refused to compromise or be sidetracked.
Intimacy with God was his all-consuming goal. Is such a goal reached easily? No! It means never quitting, giving yourself ample time. You can't put Godliness on a schedule. Spiritual disciplines must be worked with until they become enduring habits. Your mind needs time and experience to assimilate them. And like any new model of behaviour they must be wrestled with, talked through, come to terms with, and tried on. With time, a few of them will begin to settle in and become a consistent lifestyle. Looking back, you'll discover you've actually changed.
How?
You set your sails in a new direction and you are no longer hopelessly blown by the winds of impulse, circumstance, expediency, popular opinion or self-interest.
Christ-likeness is a journey, not a destination.
So plan on a lifetime of travel. And while you're at it, be sure to enjoy the journey.
Philippians 3:10
Ella Wheeler Wilcox wrote: "One ship drives east and another drives west, with the selfsame winds that blow. 'Tis the set of the sails and not the gales, that decides the way to go. Like the winds of the sea are the ways of fate, as we voyage along through life; 'Tis the set of the soul that decides its goal, and not the calm or the strife."
Have you noticed that the same difficult circumstance that lays one person low, lifts another to incredible heights?
"Tis the set of the sails and not the gales, which tells us the way to go."
Clearly, Paul had set his sails: "That I may… become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him." And he refused to compromise or be sidetracked.
Intimacy with God was his all-consuming goal. Is such a goal reached easily? No! It means never quitting, giving yourself ample time. You can't put Godliness on a schedule. Spiritual disciplines must be worked with until they become enduring habits. Your mind needs time and experience to assimilate them. And like any new model of behaviour they must be wrestled with, talked through, come to terms with, and tried on. With time, a few of them will begin to settle in and become a consistent lifestyle. Looking back, you'll discover you've actually changed.
How?
You set your sails in a new direction and you are no longer hopelessly blown by the winds of impulse, circumstance, expediency, popular opinion or self-interest.
Christ-likeness is a journey, not a destination.
So plan on a lifetime of travel. And while you're at it, be sure to enjoy the journey.
Mind Management
A man reaps what he sows.
Galatians 6:7
Managing your mind should be one of your top priorities. Your mind is like a computer, it only spits out the data you feed it. Winners work hard at investing the right material inside themselves.
Dr. Hans Selye researched and popularised a tiny membrane in the back of our head known as the RAS: Reticular Activating System. Your RAS has a primary function: it moves you in the direction of your dominant thought at that moment. We naturally act on what fills our minds. When we become preoccupied with a thought, eventually we want to act on it. This explains a lot of things - like why so many rapes happen after guys have watched pornography night after night. It also explains the huge amount of violence among young people between the ages of 12 and 24. By then the average young person has seen more than 4,000 murders on TV, not to mention video games. Indiana University School of Medicine studied how the images we see impact our brains. For instance, adolescents who'd a higher level of exposure to violence had reduced levels of cognitive function. The more violence they saw the less thinking, learning, reasoning and emotional stamina they had. The garbage they fed their minds affected what came out. Their computer stored the wrong information - now they could only retrieve the wrong stuff.
The apostle Paul didn't know about computers. But he knew about agriculture: "The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:8 ).
So, manage your mind!
Galatians 6:7
Managing your mind should be one of your top priorities. Your mind is like a computer, it only spits out the data you feed it. Winners work hard at investing the right material inside themselves.
Dr. Hans Selye researched and popularised a tiny membrane in the back of our head known as the RAS: Reticular Activating System. Your RAS has a primary function: it moves you in the direction of your dominant thought at that moment. We naturally act on what fills our minds. When we become preoccupied with a thought, eventually we want to act on it. This explains a lot of things - like why so many rapes happen after guys have watched pornography night after night. It also explains the huge amount of violence among young people between the ages of 12 and 24. By then the average young person has seen more than 4,000 murders on TV, not to mention video games. Indiana University School of Medicine studied how the images we see impact our brains. For instance, adolescents who'd a higher level of exposure to violence had reduced levels of cognitive function. The more violence they saw the less thinking, learning, reasoning and emotional stamina they had. The garbage they fed their minds affected what came out. Their computer stored the wrong information - now they could only retrieve the wrong stuff.
The apostle Paul didn't know about computers. But he knew about agriculture: "The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life" (Galatians 6:8 ).
So, manage your mind!
Limited By Our Senses
We walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
The reason many of us aren't growing Spiritually is because our faith doesn't reach beyond our sight. Real faith begins where our senses end. When we can see something, we usually don't feel the need to trust God for it. And since we can't see very far, living by sight keeps us living small.
Think of the African impala, a marvellous animal that can soar 3 metres high and 10 metres out with just one jump. But did you know that you can put that impala in a 1 metre cage with no roof and it will not attempt to escape, even though it has more than enough power to clear the cage. That's because the impala won't jump if it cannot see where its feet are going to land. The impala lives by sight, so it's easy to keep it caged. The same goes for you!
But let's add an all-important truth here. Some children believe in the Tooth Fairy. The problem with that is, their faith is ineffective because the object of their faith isn't real. Scriptural faith says, "God, I know that whenever You speak You're telling the truth, and that I can stake my life on it." Faith establishes what we believe about God. Too many of us act like we've more confidence in ourselves than we do in Him. If faith is the action by which we lay hold of the power and promises of God, then if our faith is lacking we won't see the supernatural work of God in our lives - and we'll live in the natural with all its limitations.
2 Corinthians 5:7
The reason many of us aren't growing Spiritually is because our faith doesn't reach beyond our sight. Real faith begins where our senses end. When we can see something, we usually don't feel the need to trust God for it. And since we can't see very far, living by sight keeps us living small.
Think of the African impala, a marvellous animal that can soar 3 metres high and 10 metres out with just one jump. But did you know that you can put that impala in a 1 metre cage with no roof and it will not attempt to escape, even though it has more than enough power to clear the cage. That's because the impala won't jump if it cannot see where its feet are going to land. The impala lives by sight, so it's easy to keep it caged. The same goes for you!
But let's add an all-important truth here. Some children believe in the Tooth Fairy. The problem with that is, their faith is ineffective because the object of their faith isn't real. Scriptural faith says, "God, I know that whenever You speak You're telling the truth, and that I can stake my life on it." Faith establishes what we believe about God. Too many of us act like we've more confidence in ourselves than we do in Him. If faith is the action by which we lay hold of the power and promises of God, then if our faith is lacking we won't see the supernatural work of God in our lives - and we'll live in the natural with all its limitations.
Be A Friend Who Prays
When a believing person prays, great things happen.
James 5:16
Mark records: "Four men arrived carrying a paralysed man on a mat. They couldn't get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head… they lowered the sick man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralysed man, My child, your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:3-5 ).
The word prayer doesn't show up once in this paragraph. But look closely and you'll see it in action; four men lowering their sick friend through the roof into the presence of Jesus. He stops preaching, looks at the man and then announces, "My child, your sins are forgiven." What stirred Jesus? Mark answers, "Seeing their faith." The faith of four friends triggered Christ's power on his behalf. Notice, he has no movement, no treatment, no answers, and no hope. But what he does have is friends who know how to lift him into the presence of Christ. The paralytic might be gulping ("don't drop me!"). The homeowner might be groaning (de-roofing is decidedly antisocial). But Christ? He's smiling! Their faith stirs His strength. He heals the man. The paralytic leaves the house with a clean soul and strong body.
Faithful friends carry those they love in prayer, into God's presence. And when they do God responds. How? When? The four men didn't know. And we don't know either, but we know this: "When a believing person prays, great things happen." So be that kind of friend. Go ahead, carry your loved ones into the presence of Jesus, then watch what happens!
James 5:16
Mark records: "Four men arrived carrying a paralysed man on a mat. They couldn't get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head… they lowered the sick man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralysed man, My child, your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:3-5 ).
The word prayer doesn't show up once in this paragraph. But look closely and you'll see it in action; four men lowering their sick friend through the roof into the presence of Jesus. He stops preaching, looks at the man and then announces, "My child, your sins are forgiven." What stirred Jesus? Mark answers, "Seeing their faith." The faith of four friends triggered Christ's power on his behalf. Notice, he has no movement, no treatment, no answers, and no hope. But what he does have is friends who know how to lift him into the presence of Christ. The paralytic might be gulping ("don't drop me!"). The homeowner might be groaning (de-roofing is decidedly antisocial). But Christ? He's smiling! Their faith stirs His strength. He heals the man. The paralytic leaves the house with a clean soul and strong body.
Faithful friends carry those they love in prayer, into God's presence. And when they do God responds. How? When? The four men didn't know. And we don't know either, but we know this: "When a believing person prays, great things happen." So be that kind of friend. Go ahead, carry your loved ones into the presence of Jesus, then watch what happens!
"Make Yourself At Home, Lord!"
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Ephesians 3:17
The word dwell means more than just to move in and take up residence. It means to make yourself comfortable, to spread out and have the run of the house. When it comes right down to it, how many of us are willing to give Christ complete control?
You see illustrations of this in popular television programmes where people allow someone else to come in and redo their homes or gardens. Sometimes two sets of friends or family members agree to trade houses and redo a room in each other's place, without any prior approval or guarantees. The participants give their house keys to the show's host, and they hand them over to the other party. Then they go to work and tear out the other family's carpet, take down the curtains and pictures, discard furniture, repaint, and do whatever they decide needs to be done. One show called "Radical Home Makeover" even demolishes the house and rebuilds it from the ground up. The family is sent on holiday while this takes place. When they return it's a scene of wild celebration as the neighbours gather and the family breaks down weeping with joy at the result.
Now, if we can demonstrate that kind of faith in other people, surely we can allow Christ to come in and make Himself at home in our hearts. One thing's sure, we won't be unhappy with the results.
When you give Jesus the keys to your heart He "decorates" it with love, joy and peace, etc.
He rewires it to tap you into the Holy Spirit's power. What could be better?
Ephesians 3:17
The word dwell means more than just to move in and take up residence. It means to make yourself comfortable, to spread out and have the run of the house. When it comes right down to it, how many of us are willing to give Christ complete control?
You see illustrations of this in popular television programmes where people allow someone else to come in and redo their homes or gardens. Sometimes two sets of friends or family members agree to trade houses and redo a room in each other's place, without any prior approval or guarantees. The participants give their house keys to the show's host, and they hand them over to the other party. Then they go to work and tear out the other family's carpet, take down the curtains and pictures, discard furniture, repaint, and do whatever they decide needs to be done. One show called "Radical Home Makeover" even demolishes the house and rebuilds it from the ground up. The family is sent on holiday while this takes place. When they return it's a scene of wild celebration as the neighbours gather and the family breaks down weeping with joy at the result.
Now, if we can demonstrate that kind of faith in other people, surely we can allow Christ to come in and make Himself at home in our hearts. One thing's sure, we won't be unhappy with the results.
When you give Jesus the keys to your heart He "decorates" it with love, joy and peace, etc.
He rewires it to tap you into the Holy Spirit's power. What could be better?
Growing In Four Areas
Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.
Luke 2:52
Growing is something even Jesus did. He grew in four areas:
(1) He grew "in wisdom" - intellectual development.
(2) He grew "in stature" - physical development.
(3) He grew "in favour with God" - Spiritual development.
(4) He grew "in favour with men" - social and emotional development.
Your Spiritual growth should not be compartmentalised, but integrated into every other aspect of your life. This is where we've been missing it! You cannot neglect one of these areas without endangering your growth in all of them. So don't limit Jesus to some religious compartment of your existence and say, "A chapter a day keeps the devil away." Wake up to the realisation that you can give the Lord of your life greater control over every aspect of your being. This is what makes the Christian life dynamic, not static.
But notice something: this is a highly individualised process. We are each in different stages of our development. That's why comparison is foolish.
Don't spend your life comparing yourself to others, because you're not them.
You are you!
Each day examine these four major areas and ask, "Lord, how am I doing?" In some areas you'll show up well, in others you'll have a long way to go.
When it comes to your values and your habits you'll discover that:
(a) some are good and just need to be reaffirmed;
(b) some are inconsistent and need to be reinforced;
(c) some are underdeveloped and need to be refined;
(d) some are harmful and need to be repented of.
Bottom line?
You'll grow if you commit yourself to it!
Luke 2:52
Growing is something even Jesus did. He grew in four areas:
(1) He grew "in wisdom" - intellectual development.
(2) He grew "in stature" - physical development.
(3) He grew "in favour with God" - Spiritual development.
(4) He grew "in favour with men" - social and emotional development.
Your Spiritual growth should not be compartmentalised, but integrated into every other aspect of your life. This is where we've been missing it! You cannot neglect one of these areas without endangering your growth in all of them. So don't limit Jesus to some religious compartment of your existence and say, "A chapter a day keeps the devil away." Wake up to the realisation that you can give the Lord of your life greater control over every aspect of your being. This is what makes the Christian life dynamic, not static.
But notice something: this is a highly individualised process. We are each in different stages of our development. That's why comparison is foolish.
Don't spend your life comparing yourself to others, because you're not them.
You are you!
Each day examine these four major areas and ask, "Lord, how am I doing?" In some areas you'll show up well, in others you'll have a long way to go.
When it comes to your values and your habits you'll discover that:
(a) some are good and just need to be reaffirmed;
(b) some are inconsistent and need to be reinforced;
(c) some are underdeveloped and need to be refined;
(d) some are harmful and need to be repented of.
Bottom line?
You'll grow if you commit yourself to it!
Saturday, January 13, 2007
It Will Show
Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.
John 14:8
You can't be a little bit pregnant. You may be in the early stages, but if you've life within you eventually it'll become clear to everyone and the end result will be a child bearing your image and DNA.
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father."
Jesus answered, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9 ).
This exchange tells us that it's possible to be a Christian yet not really know God in the way we claim to.
How can you know that the life of God is growing within you? Whenever you hear or read His Word, it'll have your name on it.
When you pray your Spirit will pick up signals from God that answer your questions, correct your wanderings and satisfy your deepest longings.
How quickly and solidly you grow depends on how hungry you are for growth. The formula for Spiritual growth is simple: rate multiplied by time equals distance. The degree to which you use your time to pursue God will determine the speed at which you arrive at your destination of maturity. That's why it's possible to be a Christian for five years, and be more Spiritually advanced than those who've been saved for 25 years.
Wherever you may be on your journey with Christ, the best place to start - is right where you are. You can't go back to yesterday or leap into tomorrow. But today is a brand new day. Use it to draw close to the Lord!
John 14:8
You can't be a little bit pregnant. You may be in the early stages, but if you've life within you eventually it'll become clear to everyone and the end result will be a child bearing your image and DNA.
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father."
Jesus answered, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9 ).
This exchange tells us that it's possible to be a Christian yet not really know God in the way we claim to.
How can you know that the life of God is growing within you? Whenever you hear or read His Word, it'll have your name on it.
When you pray your Spirit will pick up signals from God that answer your questions, correct your wanderings and satisfy your deepest longings.
How quickly and solidly you grow depends on how hungry you are for growth. The formula for Spiritual growth is simple: rate multiplied by time equals distance. The degree to which you use your time to pursue God will determine the speed at which you arrive at your destination of maturity. That's why it's possible to be a Christian for five years, and be more Spiritually advanced than those who've been saved for 25 years.
Wherever you may be on your journey with Christ, the best place to start - is right where you are. You can't go back to yesterday or leap into tomorrow. But today is a brand new day. Use it to draw close to the Lord!
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Rainbow Rainbow Rainbow
I saw rainbow on 1/1/07 about 7pm..when I went out dinner with my sister and nephew.. last year around this period when I was in L A, I saw rainbow too...
Monday, January 01, 2007
Bury The Past #1
Walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:4
Some people stay up until midnight to welcome the New Year.
Others stay up to make sure the old year leaves!
Seriously, as you enter this New Year you can't afford to let your past poison your present or sabotage your future.
That's why certain things that refuse to be healed-must be forsaken and forgotten! There are people praising God in church every Sunday who lie awake in the privacy of their homes digging up bones, picking at scars, and reliving old memories.
You need to accept that some issues will never be resolved, and if you let them they'll take up residence in your head.
Thank God Paul was honest enough to admit that he still struggled. Unlike those with a pharisaical spirit who condemn others for doing the very things they do themselves, Paul says, "I know the law but… can't keep it… sin… keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I… need help… I decide to do good, but… my decisions… don't result in actions. Something… gets the better of me every time" (Romans 7:15-20 ).
"Thank you Paul" from the rest of us who mistakenly thought that once we became Christians there'd be no more struggles!
Then Paul goes on to say, "Consider yourselves to be dead to sin" (Romans 6:11 );
"Just as Christ was raised from the dead… we also should walk in newness of life." In other words, stop pursuing dead issues; admit them, quit them, and forget them! Instead of struggling to change what can't be changed, let God's transforming power sweep through your life and sever the ties between you and all those tormenting thoughts from your past. Let them go today in Jesus' Name!
Romans 6:4
Some people stay up until midnight to welcome the New Year.
Others stay up to make sure the old year leaves!
Seriously, as you enter this New Year you can't afford to let your past poison your present or sabotage your future.
That's why certain things that refuse to be healed-must be forsaken and forgotten! There are people praising God in church every Sunday who lie awake in the privacy of their homes digging up bones, picking at scars, and reliving old memories.
You need to accept that some issues will never be resolved, and if you let them they'll take up residence in your head.
Thank God Paul was honest enough to admit that he still struggled. Unlike those with a pharisaical spirit who condemn others for doing the very things they do themselves, Paul says, "I know the law but… can't keep it… sin… keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I… need help… I decide to do good, but… my decisions… don't result in actions. Something… gets the better of me every time" (Romans 7:15-20 ).
"Thank you Paul" from the rest of us who mistakenly thought that once we became Christians there'd be no more struggles!
Then Paul goes on to say, "Consider yourselves to be dead to sin" (Romans 6:11 );
"Just as Christ was raised from the dead… we also should walk in newness of life." In other words, stop pursuing dead issues; admit them, quit them, and forget them! Instead of struggling to change what can't be changed, let God's transforming power sweep through your life and sever the ties between you and all those tormenting thoughts from your past. Let them go today in Jesus' Name!
Growth - Don't Rush It!
They go from strength to strength.
Psalm 84:7
Child development experts have identified a problem called "hurried child syndrome." It's the tendency of parents in our fast paced society to rush their children into adulthood. There are numerous reasons: they want their child to excel to the point of never giving them a chance to enjoy their childhood. Activities that are supposed to be fun become hotbeds of competition and pressure. Jam-packed schedules with no relaxed family time also contribute. Some parents want their children to hurry and grow up because they don't want to be bothered with the inconveniences. But you can't skip the stages of childhood and produce healthy adults.
Each stage is important.
The same is true of our Spiritual growth.
Spiritual birth, childhood, and adolescence are all necessary stages to our becoming mature. Although, unlike physical development, you can grow Spiritually as fast as you want to. But you have to work at it.
The first tree to go down in the storm is the one with shallow roots.
So don't get in a hurry. And don't covet something because it looks good in somebody else's life. God tailors His blessings to your size. If you try wearing a suit you haven't grown into, you look foolish. Speaking of leaders, Paul writes, "He must not be a new believer, lest the position go to his head and the Devil trip him up" (1 Timothy 3:6 ).
God will give you all the blessing and responsibility you can handle - but not one bit more. And He'll do it based on your stage of growth. So, enjoy where you are on your way to where you're going!
Psalm 84:7
Child development experts have identified a problem called "hurried child syndrome." It's the tendency of parents in our fast paced society to rush their children into adulthood. There are numerous reasons: they want their child to excel to the point of never giving them a chance to enjoy their childhood. Activities that are supposed to be fun become hotbeds of competition and pressure. Jam-packed schedules with no relaxed family time also contribute. Some parents want their children to hurry and grow up because they don't want to be bothered with the inconveniences. But you can't skip the stages of childhood and produce healthy adults.
Each stage is important.
The same is true of our Spiritual growth.
Spiritual birth, childhood, and adolescence are all necessary stages to our becoming mature. Although, unlike physical development, you can grow Spiritually as fast as you want to. But you have to work at it.
The first tree to go down in the storm is the one with shallow roots.
So don't get in a hurry. And don't covet something because it looks good in somebody else's life. God tailors His blessings to your size. If you try wearing a suit you haven't grown into, you look foolish. Speaking of leaders, Paul writes, "He must not be a new believer, lest the position go to his head and the Devil trip him up" (1 Timothy 3:6 ).
God will give you all the blessing and responsibility you can handle - but not one bit more. And He'll do it based on your stage of growth. So, enjoy where you are on your way to where you're going!
Be Yourself
I have finished my course.
2 Timothy 4:7
Be yourself. Life's too short to be anything else. Paul said "I have finished my course." You can only win if you run on the track God gave you. To run any other kind of race is to lose.
Perhaps you remember the movie Catch Me If You Can. It's based on a true story. Frank Abagnale, Jr. lived a wild and crazy life as a doctor, airline pilot, banker, investor, attorney and celebrity. The irony is, he wasn't any of those. And even though he deserves an academy award for his portrayal of them, he was a fake, a fraud and a pretender. It all began early in his life when he realised he'd the talent to convince people he was "somebody" through his sheer confidence and acting ability. He began to make money at his game and soon found himself addicted to role playing. Before it was over he'd helped perform surgery in an operating room, conned banks out of thousands of dollars, flown an aeroplane as a pilot, and gone places most people only dream of going. The problem was - it was all a show. A few years into it he wanted out. The glamour was gone. He was desperate to come clean. But he had created such a web of deceit that it wasn't easy. The FBI was onto him, and he ended up spending years in prison. Frank had a great talent, but he wasted it pretending to be someone else.
God can only bless you when you're committed to being what He redeemed and called you to be. To live any other way is to be lonely, fearful and unfulfilled. So, be yourself!
2 Timothy 4:7
Be yourself. Life's too short to be anything else. Paul said "I have finished my course." You can only win if you run on the track God gave you. To run any other kind of race is to lose.
Perhaps you remember the movie Catch Me If You Can. It's based on a true story. Frank Abagnale, Jr. lived a wild and crazy life as a doctor, airline pilot, banker, investor, attorney and celebrity. The irony is, he wasn't any of those. And even though he deserves an academy award for his portrayal of them, he was a fake, a fraud and a pretender. It all began early in his life when he realised he'd the talent to convince people he was "somebody" through his sheer confidence and acting ability. He began to make money at his game and soon found himself addicted to role playing. Before it was over he'd helped perform surgery in an operating room, conned banks out of thousands of dollars, flown an aeroplane as a pilot, and gone places most people only dream of going. The problem was - it was all a show. A few years into it he wanted out. The glamour was gone. He was desperate to come clean. But he had created such a web of deceit that it wasn't easy. The FBI was onto him, and he ended up spending years in prison. Frank had a great talent, but he wasted it pretending to be someone else.
God can only bless you when you're committed to being what He redeemed and called you to be. To live any other way is to be lonely, fearful and unfulfilled. So, be yourself!
The God-Given Ability To Succeed
It is [God] that gives you power [ideas, ability, creativity] to get wealth.
Deuteronomy 8:18
When God gives you the ability to succeed, it often begins as an idea.
But that idea only becomes a reality when you make a plan and carry it out, otherwise your seed rots in the ground of excuses. Never laugh at somebody's idea, for often such ideas come from God.
Stop and think: if God's a creator and we are made in His likeness, shouldn't we be creative too?
The gift God gave you is your key to success. He didn't give it to you to be put on display, wasted on worthless things, or denied out of a false sense of humility.
No, He gave it to you to be invested.
Jesus told the story of three men who were each given money to invest.
The first two doubled theirs;
the third buried his in the ground because he was afraid of losing it.
As a result Jesus called him "a wicked, lazy servant" (Matthew 25:26 ).
Look out! Fear is one of your greatest enemies. It numbs your spirit and incarcerates your creativity. Use what God's given you. Use it or lose it!
Maybe you think you're too old. Wrong! There's no magical age at which excellence emerges or success suddenly comes knocking.
With God you're never too young or too old to be blessed, and in turn bless others.
Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he drafted The Declaration of Independence. Michelangelo was doing some of his finest work at 87. Seize the day. Redeem the "now" moments of your life - the time you're waiting for may never arrive.
Deuteronomy 8:18
When God gives you the ability to succeed, it often begins as an idea.
But that idea only becomes a reality when you make a plan and carry it out, otherwise your seed rots in the ground of excuses. Never laugh at somebody's idea, for often such ideas come from God.
Stop and think: if God's a creator and we are made in His likeness, shouldn't we be creative too?
The gift God gave you is your key to success. He didn't give it to you to be put on display, wasted on worthless things, or denied out of a false sense of humility.
No, He gave it to you to be invested.
Jesus told the story of three men who were each given money to invest.
The first two doubled theirs;
the third buried his in the ground because he was afraid of losing it.
As a result Jesus called him "a wicked, lazy servant" (Matthew 25:26 ).
Look out! Fear is one of your greatest enemies. It numbs your spirit and incarcerates your creativity. Use what God's given you. Use it or lose it!
Maybe you think you're too old. Wrong! There's no magical age at which excellence emerges or success suddenly comes knocking.
With God you're never too young or too old to be blessed, and in turn bless others.
Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he drafted The Declaration of Independence. Michelangelo was doing some of his finest work at 87. Seize the day. Redeem the "now" moments of your life - the time you're waiting for may never arrive.
Is Your Gift Bigger Than You?
O Lord... who may dwell on your holy hill? He who walks with integrity.
Psalm 15:1-2
You wouldn't give your 5-year-old a 12-gauge shotgun or a big Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Shotguns and motorcycles are great - but they're for adults. You need maturity to handle them. Giving such gifts to your child would endanger them, and everybody else around them. The gifts just don't fit the person. Perhaps you're a talented individual. God's given you some large gifts like the ability to speak well, or organise things, or create and design. But we sabotage ourselves when our gift becomes bigger than we are. How does this happen? When we begin to lean on the talents God gave us and don't mature emotionally and Spiritually - we ruin our chance to use those talents as God designed them. When our character doesn't keep up with our talent, we learn to "wing it" through life.
We live on the surface but lack real strength underneath. And it shows up when the crisis hits, the storm comes, or we are under pressure. You can't "wing it" when it comes to character building. The greater the size of your gifts, the more you must dedicate time to developing your character.
Eugene Peterson paraphrases the Psalmist in The Message: "God, who gets invited to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?
Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbour; despise the despicable.
Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe.
You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this" (Psalm 15:1-5 ).
So, do you live that way?
Psalm 15:1-2
You wouldn't give your 5-year-old a 12-gauge shotgun or a big Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Shotguns and motorcycles are great - but they're for adults. You need maturity to handle them. Giving such gifts to your child would endanger them, and everybody else around them. The gifts just don't fit the person. Perhaps you're a talented individual. God's given you some large gifts like the ability to speak well, or organise things, or create and design. But we sabotage ourselves when our gift becomes bigger than we are. How does this happen? When we begin to lean on the talents God gave us and don't mature emotionally and Spiritually - we ruin our chance to use those talents as God designed them. When our character doesn't keep up with our talent, we learn to "wing it" through life.
We live on the surface but lack real strength underneath. And it shows up when the crisis hits, the storm comes, or we are under pressure. You can't "wing it" when it comes to character building. The greater the size of your gifts, the more you must dedicate time to developing your character.
Eugene Peterson paraphrases the Psalmist in The Message: "God, who gets invited to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?
Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbour; despise the despicable.
Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe.
You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this" (Psalm 15:1-5 ).
So, do you live that way?
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