Proverbs 26:6-7 "Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison! 7 A proverb in the mouth of a fool is as useless as a paralyzed leg."
The messenger is as important as the message. The life, character and integrity of the messenger validates the message. If the messenger is living a life inconsistent with the message, then the message will not be received even though it is true.
As Christians,ministers and preachers of the Gospel we have an obligation to God and the watching world to practice what we preach. As todays proverb teaches us, a righteous message conveyed through a foolish messenger bring death and not life.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
How To Minister Comfort
Proverbs 25:20 "Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound."
One of the most important roles that we play as believers, is the role of a comforter. We should bring comfort to those who have a heavy heart. The way we comfort the heavy hearted is not with extravagant joy but with heartfelt compassion. Today's proverb teaches us that singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart actually makes things worse instead of better.
Today I want to share with you four things that every heavy heart needs and how we can minister to those whose hearts are weighted down.
The first thing that we can do is to show compassion. The Bible teaches us to mourn with those who mourn. I've learned that by simply saying"I'm sorry that you are having to go through this" brings comfort to peoples hearts and shows them that you care. This statement shows compassion and opens their heart to receive from you.
The second thing that we can do is to listen, many times people just need a safe place to express their grief and sorrow. Be willing to be a sounding board for their grief or sorrow and you will be surprised by how powerful a listening ear is to a heavy heart.
The third thing we can do is encourage them by pointing them to the Lord. God is the God of all comfort and he is the God of all hope. When we show compassion and listen we open the door of their heart to receive from us the encouragement that God is there and he is will to heal the broken hearted.
The fourth thing that we can do is pray. Pray that the peace of God and the healing hand of heaven would rest upon their hearts and bring wholeness to their lives. Prayer is powerful, it invites the Lord to do what we can't do and allows us to walk away knowing that He is at work.
One of the most important roles that we play as believers, is the role of a comforter. We should bring comfort to those who have a heavy heart. The way we comfort the heavy hearted is not with extravagant joy but with heartfelt compassion. Today's proverb teaches us that singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart actually makes things worse instead of better.
Today I want to share with you four things that every heavy heart needs and how we can minister to those whose hearts are weighted down.
The first thing that we can do is to show compassion. The Bible teaches us to mourn with those who mourn. I've learned that by simply saying"I'm sorry that you are having to go through this" brings comfort to peoples hearts and shows them that you care. This statement shows compassion and opens their heart to receive from you.
The second thing that we can do is to listen, many times people just need a safe place to express their grief and sorrow. Be willing to be a sounding board for their grief or sorrow and you will be surprised by how powerful a listening ear is to a heavy heart.
The third thing we can do is encourage them by pointing them to the Lord. God is the God of all comfort and he is the God of all hope. When we show compassion and listen we open the door of their heart to receive from us the encouragement that God is there and he is will to heal the broken hearted.
The fourth thing that we can do is pray. Pray that the peace of God and the healing hand of heaven would rest upon their hearts and bring wholeness to their lives. Prayer is powerful, it invites the Lord to do what we can't do and allows us to walk away knowing that He is at work.
Monday, October 17, 2011
True Beauty
1 Timothy 2:10 "For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do"
The apostle Paul challenges the new testament women of God to make themselves attractive by the good things that they do. Ladies it is your actions not your appearance that makes you attractive and beautiful. So much time, energy and money is spent on the outward appearance when the true marks of beauty are not defined by your hair or clothing but by your attitude and actions toward others. We have all seen women who had it together on the outside but were extremely lacking on the inside. Ladies who may look good in a magazine but who lack the beautiful of character, compassion and grace.
Let me share as a man to all you ladies out there, that the outward beauty of a woman may catch the eye of a man, but it is the inward beauty of Character, compassion and grace that catches the heart of a man. No man, or at least no godly man wants to be married to a woman that is so full of vanity that she is unable or unwilling to give of herself to add value to others. Character, compassion and grace are the hallmarks of greatness and they add more beauty to your life than designer outfit ever could.
The apostle Paul challenges the new testament women of God to make themselves attractive by the good things that they do. Ladies it is your actions not your appearance that makes you attractive and beautiful. So much time, energy and money is spent on the outward appearance when the true marks of beauty are not defined by your hair or clothing but by your attitude and actions toward others. We have all seen women who had it together on the outside but were extremely lacking on the inside. Ladies who may look good in a magazine but who lack the beautiful of character, compassion and grace.
Let me share as a man to all you ladies out there, that the outward beauty of a woman may catch the eye of a man, but it is the inward beauty of Character, compassion and grace that catches the heart of a man. No man, or at least no godly man wants to be married to a woman that is so full of vanity that she is unable or unwilling to give of herself to add value to others. Character, compassion and grace are the hallmarks of greatness and they add more beauty to your life than designer outfit ever could.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
No American Idol
Jeremiah 10:16 "But the God of Israel is no idol! He is the Creator of everything that exists, including Israel, his own special possession.The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name! "
American Idol has been an American sensation since it's creation. Raw talent is formed and fashioned into a singing icon, as millions praise and celebrate these individuals. Who only months before were ordinary people, working ordinary jobs. The winner of american idol is a created work of the hands of creative and talented people. But God boldly declares that he is NO IDOL!
What does that mean? It means that he is God with or without us. He is not the creation our hands he is the creator, who spoke our world into existence. It is totally acceptable to reject an idol, even as popular as the American Idol show is, there are those who hate it and totally reject it. But God is NO IDOL, if you reject the creator of the universe, you spit in the face of the one who gave you life and formed you in your mothers womb.
God is NO IDOL and what you do with him, eternally effects your life. Your eternal destination, between heaven and hell is determined by whether you accept or reject God and his Son Jesus Christ. God is not an idol but he is a Savior that longs to see your heart and life changed by his love. If you have never accepted him, then today is your day to experience the greatest gift a man can experience, eternal life through a relationship with the one who created you.
American Idol has been an American sensation since it's creation. Raw talent is formed and fashioned into a singing icon, as millions praise and celebrate these individuals. Who only months before were ordinary people, working ordinary jobs. The winner of american idol is a created work of the hands of creative and talented people. But God boldly declares that he is NO IDOL!
What does that mean? It means that he is God with or without us. He is not the creation our hands he is the creator, who spoke our world into existence. It is totally acceptable to reject an idol, even as popular as the American Idol show is, there are those who hate it and totally reject it. But God is NO IDOL, if you reject the creator of the universe, you spit in the face of the one who gave you life and formed you in your mothers womb.
God is NO IDOL and what you do with him, eternally effects your life. Your eternal destination, between heaven and hell is determined by whether you accept or reject God and his Son Jesus Christ. God is not an idol but he is a Savior that longs to see your heart and life changed by his love. If you have never accepted him, then today is your day to experience the greatest gift a man can experience, eternal life through a relationship with the one who created you.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Model
Jeremiah 18:19-21&23 "Listen to what my enemies are saying. 20 Should they repay evil for good?They have dug a pit to kill me,though I pleaded for them and tried to protect them from your anger. 21 So let their children starve! Let them die by the sword!Let their wives become childless widows. Let their old men die in a plague, and let their young men be killed in battle! 23 Lord, you know all about their murderous plots against me. Don’t forgive their crimes and blot out their sins. Let them die before you. Deal with them in your anger."
Jeremiah was called and anointed, but he wasn't perfect. Our model for life and ministry is Jesus. Jeremiah ask God to judge his people when they rejected him, he asked God to not forgive their sins because they plotted against him. But Jesus asked God to show the people mercy that crucified him and he ask God to forgive them because they did not know what they were doing.
We can learn from everyone one but Jesus is the model for our lives. Jeremiah was a great prophet, but we were created to be like Jesus. Paul was a great teacher but we were created to be like Jesus. John was a great apostle but we were created to be like Jesus. We learn from all of those who have gone before us, but when in doubt on what to do or how to handle a situation, Jesus's words and actions trump everything and everyone else. He is the model for life and godliness.
Jeremiah was called and anointed, but he wasn't perfect. Our model for life and ministry is Jesus. Jeremiah ask God to judge his people when they rejected him, he asked God to not forgive their sins because they plotted against him. But Jesus asked God to show the people mercy that crucified him and he ask God to forgive them because they did not know what they were doing.
We can learn from everyone one but Jesus is the model for our lives. Jeremiah was a great prophet, but we were created to be like Jesus. Paul was a great teacher but we were created to be like Jesus. John was a great apostle but we were created to be like Jesus. We learn from all of those who have gone before us, but when in doubt on what to do or how to handle a situation, Jesus's words and actions trump everything and everyone else. He is the model for life and godliness.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Let Go
Jeremiah 3:5 "Surely you won’t be angry forever! Surely you can forget about it!’
So you talk, but you keep on doing all the evil you can.”
The children of Israel wanted to remind God of his mercy, but they didn't want to turn from their sins. God's mercy is real and his grace will change your life forever, but if you are not willing to stop sinning and turn to God with all your heart and life. Then his mercy and grace will do you no good. Mercy and grace are gifts we receive but in order to embrace these gifts we must let go of the sin that we have been holding on to.
Ask your self today, what am I holding on to that is keeping me from receiving God's best for my life? Release it today and reach out to God because he is reaching out to you!
So you talk, but you keep on doing all the evil you can.”
The children of Israel wanted to remind God of his mercy, but they didn't want to turn from their sins. God's mercy is real and his grace will change your life forever, but if you are not willing to stop sinning and turn to God with all your heart and life. Then his mercy and grace will do you no good. Mercy and grace are gifts we receive but in order to embrace these gifts we must let go of the sin that we have been holding on to.
Ask your self today, what am I holding on to that is keeping me from receiving God's best for my life? Release it today and reach out to God because he is reaching out to you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)