Isaiah 59:10 "Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon."
I love the spiritual side of Christianity, preaching, teaching, prayer and worship. But there are always two sides to every coin. The spiritual and the practical, we must have the spiritual because in order to change a life you must change a heart.
But many times the key to opening hearts is by filling bellies and helping to meet the needs in people's lives. Not everyone is going to stand in a pulpit and preach or teach the word, but everyone is capable of meeting needs and helping those who are hungry or in trouble.
If we want to shine bright in the darkness then God says feed the hungry and help those in trouble. It just takes a little light to penetrate a deep darkness and you never know what one act of kindness will do to change someone's heart and life forever. Sometimes the most spiritual act is a practical one.
In this scripture God rebukes the children of Israel because they were going through the motions of spirituality but they were lacking the practicality. Our faith is intended to produce the works of Christ which many times can only be described by compassion and grace. Helping the helpless and healing the hurting. We are never more like God than when we are giving of ourselves to help others.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Comfort and Joy
Isaiah 51:3 "The Lord will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins.
Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air."
Isaiah 52:7-10 "...the God of Israel reigns! 8 The watchmen shout and sing with joy,
for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. 9 Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God."
Both of these scriptures teach us that Gods comfort brings us joy. His presence in our lives turns the darkest night into the light of day. So here is my counsel for you today, don't resist his comfort. When God reaches out to comfort your heart and minister healing into your life; receive it. Many times in our grief and sadness we embrace out pain and hold onto our sorrow and sadness.
When our grief is connected to the loss of a loved one, we believe that if we hold on to the pain then we are somehow holding on to the one we loved. But this is not true, our continued sorrow doesn't bring them back, it pushes those who are still with us away. Now let me say that there is a season of grief, but God never intended it to be a lifestyle. When the sorrow of your loss keeps you from embracing the remaining joys of your life, you have to be willing to receive Gods comfort.
Be honest with God, vent you sorrow and pain but when it is all said and done. Open your heart to his comfort and invite him into your heart to bring joy instead of sorrow. You will be amazed at how quickly the comfort of God will restore your heart to wholeness.
Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air."
Isaiah 52:7-10 "...the God of Israel reigns! 8 The watchmen shout and sing with joy,
for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. 9 Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God."
Both of these scriptures teach us that Gods comfort brings us joy. His presence in our lives turns the darkest night into the light of day. So here is my counsel for you today, don't resist his comfort. When God reaches out to comfort your heart and minister healing into your life; receive it. Many times in our grief and sadness we embrace out pain and hold onto our sorrow and sadness.
When our grief is connected to the loss of a loved one, we believe that if we hold on to the pain then we are somehow holding on to the one we loved. But this is not true, our continued sorrow doesn't bring them back, it pushes those who are still with us away. Now let me say that there is a season of grief, but God never intended it to be a lifestyle. When the sorrow of your loss keeps you from embracing the remaining joys of your life, you have to be willing to receive Gods comfort.
Be honest with God, vent you sorrow and pain but when it is all said and done. Open your heart to his comfort and invite him into your heart to bring joy instead of sorrow. You will be amazed at how quickly the comfort of God will restore your heart to wholeness.
Comfort and Joy
Isaiah 51:3 "The Lord will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins.
Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air."
Isaiah 52:7-10 "...the God of Israel reigns! 8 The watchmen shout and sing with joy,
for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. 9 Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God."
Both of these scriptures teach us that Gods comfort brings us joy. His presence in our lives turns the darkest night into the light of day. So here is my counsel for you today, don't resist his comfort. When God reaches out to comfort your heart and minister healing into your life; receive it. Many times in our grief and sadness we embrace out pain and hold onto our sorrow and sadness.
When our grief is connected to the loss of a loved one, we believe that if we hold on to the pain then we are somehow holding on to the one we loved. But this is not true, our continued sorrow doesn't bring them back, it pushes those who are still with us away. Now let me say that there is a season of grief, but God never intended it to be a lifestyle. When the sorrow of your loss keeps you from embracing the remaining joys of your life, you have to be willing to receive Gods comfort.
Be honest with God, vent you sorrow and pain but when it is all said and done. Open your heart to his comfort and invite him into your heart to bring joy instead of sorrow. You will be amazed at how quickly the comfort of God will restore your heart to wholeness.
Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord.
Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air."
Isaiah 52:7-10 "...the God of Israel reigns! 8 The watchmen shout and sing with joy,
for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. 9 Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God."
Both of these scriptures teach us that Gods comfort brings us joy. His presence in our lives turns the darkest night into the light of day. So here is my counsel for you today, don't resist his comfort. When God reaches out to comfort your heart and minister healing into your life; receive it. Many times in our grief and sadness we embrace out pain and hold onto our sorrow and sadness.
When our grief is connected to the loss of a loved one, we believe that if we hold on to the pain then we are somehow holding on to the one we loved. But this is not true, our continued sorrow doesn't bring them back, it pushes those who are still with us away. Now let me say that there is a season of grief, but God never intended it to be a lifestyle. When the sorrow of your loss keeps you from embracing the remaining joys of your life, you have to be willing to receive Gods comfort.
Be honest with God, vent you sorrow and pain but when it is all said and done. Open your heart to his comfort and invite him into your heart to bring joy instead of sorrow. You will be amazed at how quickly the comfort of God will restore your heart to wholeness.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Outlawed Prayer
Daniel 6:10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. 11 Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. 12 So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human-except to you, Your Majesty-will be thrown into the den of lions?”“Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”
Just this week our local school system received a letter from an anti-religious group stating that they received a complaint from an anonymous parent and we are breaking the law because we have a student led prayer before our high school football games. They threatened us with a law suit if we did not stop this outlawed prayer immediately.
So the question is what do we do and the answer like always is found in the Bible. We are not the first group of people that has experienced outlawed prayer, Daniel in our scripture today faced death if he continued to pray. I love what the scripture says, "But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God." when he heard about the law of man that violated the law of God, he didn't flinch, backdown or try to hide. Scripture says he went on doing just what he had always done, he prayed.
So what are we going to do, citizens of Arab, Alabama? Are we going to back down and allow a minority to control what the majority of the people in Arab believe in. Are we going to sit idly by and watch another Christian liberty be taken from us or are we going to stand up and speak out against this injustice that is trying to be imposed upon us. I for one refuse to be quiet and let the enemy bully us around. This is not a natural battle, we are not fighting an anti-religious organization from Wisconsin, we are fighting a spiritual battle for the principles of truth that make us strong and preserve the values of our Christian faith.
I challenge everyone to call the school board (256-586-6011) and let them know that you support prayer and that you are not willing to allow one anonymous parent who is offended by prayer to govern an entire school district. Let them know that you are offended by the fact the they would remove prayer. We can not sit by and do nothing, raise your voice and as Daniel lets stand for what is right and God will stand with us. He is still capable of shutting the mouths of lions and delivering his people.
What happens in Arab, Alabama will become the standard for what will happen in all the school districts that surround us. We are not just fighting for our school we are fighting for a standard of righteousness that will govern our community, state and nation.
Just this week our local school system received a letter from an anti-religious group stating that they received a complaint from an anonymous parent and we are breaking the law because we have a student led prayer before our high school football games. They threatened us with a law suit if we did not stop this outlawed prayer immediately.
So the question is what do we do and the answer like always is found in the Bible. We are not the first group of people that has experienced outlawed prayer, Daniel in our scripture today faced death if he continued to pray. I love what the scripture says, "But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God." when he heard about the law of man that violated the law of God, he didn't flinch, backdown or try to hide. Scripture says he went on doing just what he had always done, he prayed.
So what are we going to do, citizens of Arab, Alabama? Are we going to back down and allow a minority to control what the majority of the people in Arab believe in. Are we going to sit idly by and watch another Christian liberty be taken from us or are we going to stand up and speak out against this injustice that is trying to be imposed upon us. I for one refuse to be quiet and let the enemy bully us around. This is not a natural battle, we are not fighting an anti-religious organization from Wisconsin, we are fighting a spiritual battle for the principles of truth that make us strong and preserve the values of our Christian faith.
I challenge everyone to call the school board (256-586-6011) and let them know that you support prayer and that you are not willing to allow one anonymous parent who is offended by prayer to govern an entire school district. Let them know that you are offended by the fact the they would remove prayer. We can not sit by and do nothing, raise your voice and as Daniel lets stand for what is right and God will stand with us. He is still capable of shutting the mouths of lions and delivering his people.
What happens in Arab, Alabama will become the standard for what will happen in all the school districts that surround us. We are not just fighting for our school we are fighting for a standard of righteousness that will govern our community, state and nation.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Silence - the secret weapon
Isaiah 36:18-21 “Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you by saying, ‘The Lord will rescue us!’ Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria? 19 What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power? 20 What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the Lord can rescue Jerusalem from me?” 21 But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, “Do not answer him.”
This scripture reveals to us one of the greatest spiritual strategies ever given to man. The bible says that in the midst of the enemies taunts, threats and accusations the people were silent and did not utter a word. There is victory in silence that many have failed to experience. So many times we allow our fleshly feelings to become our voice and instead of holding our tongue until we have heard from God, we speak out of emotion and fuel our enemy instead of defeating him.
I want to challenge you to refuse to argue with the enemy, we never gain victory by debating the enemy. Our victory comes when we take authority over the enemy and speak the word of God. The next time someone wants to taunt you or make false accusations against you, hold your tongue. Don't fuel the fire of their ignorance, walk away, get a word from God and then move forward in the direction that he speaks into your life. Silence isn't weakness it is strength and it will bring the victory of Christ into your life.
This scripture reveals to us one of the greatest spiritual strategies ever given to man. The bible says that in the midst of the enemies taunts, threats and accusations the people were silent and did not utter a word. There is victory in silence that many have failed to experience. So many times we allow our fleshly feelings to become our voice and instead of holding our tongue until we have heard from God, we speak out of emotion and fuel our enemy instead of defeating him.
I want to challenge you to refuse to argue with the enemy, we never gain victory by debating the enemy. Our victory comes when we take authority over the enemy and speak the word of God. The next time someone wants to taunt you or make false accusations against you, hold your tongue. Don't fuel the fire of their ignorance, walk away, get a word from God and then move forward in the direction that he speaks into your life. Silence isn't weakness it is strength and it will bring the victory of Christ into your life.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Criticism
Galatians 2:11-13 "But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy."
If you are a leader the question is not will you be criticized, the question is will you allow the fear of criticism to keep you from doing what God has called you to do. Peter allowed the fear of criticism to keep him from fellowshipping and reaching out to those Jesus died to save.
Fear of man always brings death, because it causes you to make decisions based upon what others are saying. When we should make decisions based upon what God is saying. The vision of God for your life and his kingdom is more valuable than any other thing that you have. If you compromise the vision of God in order to avoid the criticism of man, you have failed. Not only have you failed but you still will not be exempt from criticism, it will still come. As a leader you only have two choices; do what God has called you to do with criticism or don't do what God has called you to do with criticism. It really is a no brainier, so embrace the vision, learn from your critics but stay true to what God has called you to do.
If you are a leader the question is not will you be criticized, the question is will you allow the fear of criticism to keep you from doing what God has called you to do. Peter allowed the fear of criticism to keep him from fellowshipping and reaching out to those Jesus died to save.
Fear of man always brings death, because it causes you to make decisions based upon what others are saying. When we should make decisions based upon what God is saying. The vision of God for your life and his kingdom is more valuable than any other thing that you have. If you compromise the vision of God in order to avoid the criticism of man, you have failed. Not only have you failed but you still will not be exempt from criticism, it will still come. As a leader you only have two choices; do what God has called you to do with criticism or don't do what God has called you to do with criticism. It really is a no brainier, so embrace the vision, learn from your critics but stay true to what God has called you to do.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Committed
Proverbs 23:12 "Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge."
Commitment is key to any form of success, but being committed to instruction is the key to all success. If you are not committed to continual growth your success will be limited, because what makes you successful is not enough to keep you successful, you must grow.
Understand that there are foundational principles of success that never change and apply to everyone in every walk of life. When I talk about growing, I am not talking about replacing these foundational principles with new ideas. I am talking about adjusting and changing the variables of your life that must stay flexible for you to continue to go to the next level. As a pastor our message and philosophy of ministry doesn't change but our methods must always be growing and changing to continue to reach a generation that needs God. So if you are committed to success you must also be committed to instruction, as you learn you will grow and as you grow so will the success of your life.
Commitment is key to any form of success, but being committed to instruction is the key to all success. If you are not committed to continual growth your success will be limited, because what makes you successful is not enough to keep you successful, you must grow.
Understand that there are foundational principles of success that never change and apply to everyone in every walk of life. When I talk about growing, I am not talking about replacing these foundational principles with new ideas. I am talking about adjusting and changing the variables of your life that must stay flexible for you to continue to go to the next level. As a pastor our message and philosophy of ministry doesn't change but our methods must always be growing and changing to continue to reach a generation that needs God. So if you are committed to success you must also be committed to instruction, as you learn you will grow and as you grow so will the success of your life.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Joyful Faith
Psalms 57:7 "My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!"
Faith produces joy; David said my heart is confident in you God, no wonder I can sing your praises. If you have lost your joy you need to check your faith. When our confidence in God begins to wavier then our joy begins to fade away. Faith enables you to see the hand of God at work in your life, it not only opens your eyes to his handy work but it opens your heart to joy.
When is the last time you sung a song of praise around your house or on your job. Is there an area in your life that you have lost your joy, then get alone with God. Ask him to show you where you lost confidence in him. Our lack of confidence in God is not because he has failed us but because in the midst of our pain we believed a lie about God. Those lies under-mind our faith and rob us of our joy, so when you expose the lie you rebuild your faith and release the joy of the Lord.
Faith produces joy; David said my heart is confident in you God, no wonder I can sing your praises. If you have lost your joy you need to check your faith. When our confidence in God begins to wavier then our joy begins to fade away. Faith enables you to see the hand of God at work in your life, it not only opens your eyes to his handy work but it opens your heart to joy.
When is the last time you sung a song of praise around your house or on your job. Is there an area in your life that you have lost your joy, then get alone with God. Ask him to show you where you lost confidence in him. Our lack of confidence in God is not because he has failed us but because in the midst of our pain we believed a lie about God. Those lies under-mind our faith and rob us of our joy, so when you expose the lie you rebuild your faith and release the joy of the Lord.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Ministry of Giving
2 Corinthians 9:12 "So two good things will result from this ministry of giving-the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God."
In this scripture Paul talks about the ministry of giving, I've heard it said that we are never more like God than when we give. The most well known scripture in the entire bible shows us that God is a giver and giving should be motivated by love.
John 3:16 says " For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..." God loved so God gave and that is the ministry of giving in a nut shell.
In our scripture for today, Paul teaches us that there are two things that will result from our giving, number one is that the needs of others will be meet. Isn't this what happened as a result of God's giving in John 3:16; we had a need and God sowed a seed. That seed Jesus Christ meet the needs of humanity and reconciled us to God. When we give our motivation should be love and our desire should be to meet the needs of others.
There are those who say we give to get and even though the principle of sowing and reaping is correct, I believe that motive matters to God. And the biblical motivation for giving is not getting, it is love. A love for God and a love for people, this kind of motivation produces the greatest fruit.
The second result from our giving, is that those who receive will praise God because of your giving. God is glorified and exalted when we give, our generosity produce praise and thanksgiving to abound. As Christians we are called to glorify God, what an amazing revelation that through our giving, not only does our obedience and acts of love glorify God but it also causes others to give him praise.
Sometimes people give to others, so that they will be praised, or so that they can brag about what they have given. But when we give, our giving should produce praise for God and God alone. That is why the scripture says when you give don't let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. Don't give to receive praise, give so that God will be praised, because that should be the result of our giving.
In this scripture Paul talks about the ministry of giving, I've heard it said that we are never more like God than when we give. The most well known scripture in the entire bible shows us that God is a giver and giving should be motivated by love.
John 3:16 says " For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..." God loved so God gave and that is the ministry of giving in a nut shell.
In our scripture for today, Paul teaches us that there are two things that will result from our giving, number one is that the needs of others will be meet. Isn't this what happened as a result of God's giving in John 3:16; we had a need and God sowed a seed. That seed Jesus Christ meet the needs of humanity and reconciled us to God. When we give our motivation should be love and our desire should be to meet the needs of others.
There are those who say we give to get and even though the principle of sowing and reaping is correct, I believe that motive matters to God. And the biblical motivation for giving is not getting, it is love. A love for God and a love for people, this kind of motivation produces the greatest fruit.
The second result from our giving, is that those who receive will praise God because of your giving. God is glorified and exalted when we give, our generosity produce praise and thanksgiving to abound. As Christians we are called to glorify God, what an amazing revelation that through our giving, not only does our obedience and acts of love glorify God but it also causes others to give him praise.
Sometimes people give to others, so that they will be praised, or so that they can brag about what they have given. But when we give, our giving should produce praise for God and God alone. That is why the scripture says when you give don't let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. Don't give to receive praise, give so that God will be praised, because that should be the result of our giving.
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