Leviticus 20:22-23 “You must keep all my decrees and regulations by putting them into practice; otherwise the land to which I am bringing you as your new home will vomit you out. 23 Do not live according to the customs of the people I am driving out before you. It is because they do these shameful things that I detest them"
Sin drives us out of the land of promise and allows others to possess what was once ours. God told the children of Israel that the reason he was driving out the inhabitants of the land was because of the detestable things they were doing. Then he warns them to obey his decrees/regulations and not to live according to the customs of those being driven out of the land, because if they do the land will vomit them out.
Righteous living stabilizes our lives and our future, but sinful living causes us to be displaced and constantly moving. There is a very distinct difference between being on a journey to a desired destination and being a restless wanderer never knowing what tomorrow may bring. The difference is what moves you, those on a journey of faith are moved by the Spirit of God and a desire to do his will. Wanderer's on the other hand are moved by circumstance, situations and the repercussions of their sin. The Hittites and the other inhabitants of the land were moved because of their sin, the Israelites were being moved by the will of God. How about you? What moves you, what causes you to change directions and make life changing decisions? Is it the pressure of sin and wrong choices or is it the Spirit of God and his will for your life?
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Never Alone
2 Timothy 4:16-17 "The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death"
I was reminded this morning, that on Valentines Day there are many people who will be alone or at least feel alone. Unfortunately holidays like Valentines has an amazing way of making people that are single, not in a relationship or those who are unable to be with their spouse, to feel like they are all alone and unloved. But nothing could be further from the truth! If you are a Christian then you are never alone, Paul in the scripture above talks about going before a judge, being tried for his faith and everyone abandoned him, no one came with him but he says "The Lord stood with me and gave me strength."
This is my prayer today for every person who feels alone. I pray that your eyes would be opened to The Lord Who Stands With You and will never leave you and that he will give you strength to do his will. I bind the spirit of loneliness and break its power from off your life and I release his peace and presence to fill your life. I also pray that God would bring godly people into your life and that he would give you the desires of your heart as you live a life that pleases him. In Jesus Name, Amen.
I was reminded this morning, that on Valentines Day there are many people who will be alone or at least feel alone. Unfortunately holidays like Valentines has an amazing way of making people that are single, not in a relationship or those who are unable to be with their spouse, to feel like they are all alone and unloved. But nothing could be further from the truth! If you are a Christian then you are never alone, Paul in the scripture above talks about going before a judge, being tried for his faith and everyone abandoned him, no one came with him but he says "The Lord stood with me and gave me strength."
This is my prayer today for every person who feels alone. I pray that your eyes would be opened to The Lord Who Stands With You and will never leave you and that he will give you strength to do his will. I bind the spirit of loneliness and break its power from off your life and I release his peace and presence to fill your life. I also pray that God would bring godly people into your life and that he would give you the desires of your heart as you live a life that pleases him. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Defining Marks
Proverbs 9:7-9 "Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt. 8 So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you. 9 Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more."
One of the most defining marks that separates the wise man from the fool is how they receive correction, instruction and teaching. A wise man receives them all and eagerly applies what he has learned so that he can become wiser. The fool however doesn't receive any of it. He gets angry and actually attacks the person that is trying to help him.
So what about you? How do you receive correction, instruction and teaching? How you answer this question will reveal the true condition of your heart, do you accept correction, instruction and teaching or reject it by blaming others and making excuses? Are you a wise man or a fool?
One of the most defining marks that separates the wise man from the fool is how they receive correction, instruction and teaching. A wise man receives them all and eagerly applies what he has learned so that he can become wiser. The fool however doesn't receive any of it. He gets angry and actually attacks the person that is trying to help him.
So what about you? How do you receive correction, instruction and teaching? How you answer this question will reveal the true condition of your heart, do you accept correction, instruction and teaching or reject it by blaming others and making excuses? Are you a wise man or a fool?
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The Standard
Exodus 15:25-26 "It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”
Exodus 16:19/27-28 "Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” 20 But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them. 27 Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. 28 The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions?"
God told Moses that he was going to set a standard for the people of Israel to live by and that the standard would be a test of their faithfulness to God. Every time the children of Israel violated the standard that God set for them, they revealed the true condition of their heart. They loved what God was doing for them, but they didn't love God.
Unfortunately there are many in the Church today who love what God does for them but they don't love God. I know that sounds like a harsh statement but the proof is in the pudding. When you look at how many professing Christians are living their lives, they profess with their mouths but their lives deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They say the right things but live the wrong way. "I love God but I support homosexual marriage", "I love God but I support the murder of unborn babies", "I love God but every decision I make is based on money", "I love God but I just don't have time to be involved in the local church", "I love God but I have no concern for the eternal souls of men, that is the preachers job", I love God but don't ask me to make any sacrifices for the kingdom of God", "I love God but I am my own person and I do my own thing" and the list goes on and on.
Jesus said you would know a tree by its fruits not its profession. The standards of the word of God don't make us righteous, we are made righteous through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and him alone. But the standards of the word do reveal our heart and help us and others to see if we really do love God or love what God does for us. How you respond to the standards of the word of God reveal whether you are faithful to God or just milking God for what you can get from him.
But standards apply not only to your relationship with God but also with those in leadership over you. Standards are test, they test our faithfulness to one who sets the standard. Standards reveal a persons heart toward their leader, those who buck the standard don't have the leaders heart, therefore they don't have the leaders back.
Every pastor/leader should have standards in place that line up with the word of God and the vision of the house. These standards not only protect the people that you have been called to lead, but it reveals the heart of the people and shows the position of their heart to you the leader. Someone that continually bucks the standard does not qualify to be in a leadership position because they don't have your heart.
Now understand that their is a difference someone who has legitimate questions and concern and someone who bucks the standard. The one with legitimate questions ask their questions and move on, the one who bucks the standard is always challenging the way you do things or what you are asking them to do. Standards are test, that reveal people's hearts, if you are a leader and you don't have standards in place then I encourage you to get before God and set a standard for ministry and leadership in your church or ministry. These standards safeguard your people and your own heart.
Exodus 16:19/27-28 "Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” 20 But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them. 27 Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. 28 The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions?"
God told Moses that he was going to set a standard for the people of Israel to live by and that the standard would be a test of their faithfulness to God. Every time the children of Israel violated the standard that God set for them, they revealed the true condition of their heart. They loved what God was doing for them, but they didn't love God.
Unfortunately there are many in the Church today who love what God does for them but they don't love God. I know that sounds like a harsh statement but the proof is in the pudding. When you look at how many professing Christians are living their lives, they profess with their mouths but their lives deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They say the right things but live the wrong way. "I love God but I support homosexual marriage", "I love God but I support the murder of unborn babies", "I love God but every decision I make is based on money", "I love God but I just don't have time to be involved in the local church", "I love God but I have no concern for the eternal souls of men, that is the preachers job", I love God but don't ask me to make any sacrifices for the kingdom of God", "I love God but I am my own person and I do my own thing" and the list goes on and on.
Jesus said you would know a tree by its fruits not its profession. The standards of the word of God don't make us righteous, we are made righteous through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and him alone. But the standards of the word do reveal our heart and help us and others to see if we really do love God or love what God does for us. How you respond to the standards of the word of God reveal whether you are faithful to God or just milking God for what you can get from him.
But standards apply not only to your relationship with God but also with those in leadership over you. Standards are test, they test our faithfulness to one who sets the standard. Standards reveal a persons heart toward their leader, those who buck the standard don't have the leaders heart, therefore they don't have the leaders back.
Every pastor/leader should have standards in place that line up with the word of God and the vision of the house. These standards not only protect the people that you have been called to lead, but it reveals the heart of the people and shows the position of their heart to you the leader. Someone that continually bucks the standard does not qualify to be in a leadership position because they don't have your heart.
Now understand that their is a difference someone who has legitimate questions and concern and someone who bucks the standard. The one with legitimate questions ask their questions and move on, the one who bucks the standard is always challenging the way you do things or what you are asking them to do. Standards are test, that reveal people's hearts, if you are a leader and you don't have standards in place then I encourage you to get before God and set a standard for ministry and leadership in your church or ministry. These standards safeguard your people and your own heart.
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