Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.
Do you realize that God put you here to make a contribution? God has for you a special assignment! He designed you to make a difference with your life! You have a role; purpose; work to fulfill.
God did not save you to sit…Soak… And soar… But to SERVE!
I call 1 John 3 our call to serve scripture:
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
1John 3: 16 – 24
John brings it down to the personal level in verses 17 and 18. Since Christ laid down his life for each one of us, we are meant to give our lives away also. In other words, we are to lay down our own possessions.
So we need to ask the question, “What does our possessions represent in today’s world?”
John makes it very clear that as we see someone who has a practical need, a tangible material need, and we turn our backs away, it’s as if we made the love of God disappear. Laying our lives down means giving freely of our money and resources to be a blessing to others.
Our possessions represent our time and talent. Jesus’ example challenges us to consider volunteering our time and abilities to bless others. Specifically, every church rises and falls on the amount of volunteer energy it has harnessed. Our church has volunteer needs in a number of places. In addition, God expects each one of us to be a blessing in the lives that need God in their lives. Intentionally building a friendship with unbelieving friends and neighbors is a wonderful way “to give away your possessions.”
John makes it very clear that giving our lives away is one of the hallmark behaviors of being a Christian.When we look at all that Jesus has done for us, how can we selfishly hold on to our own possessions? Our possessions are for other people. Who is God asking you to give your possessions to today? Let’s respond to God’s promptings today and purpose to lay our lives down for others.
So why is my inside job on what makes a good volunteer? Because I want everyone to find happiness!
The difference between happy people and unhappy people is found in the way they think! You see unhappy people think selfishly, happy people think like a servant. If you're ever going to be happy in your home-life, work-life, or in your church-life you have to begin thinking like a servant!
Unhappy people are those who live to be served. Happy people are those who live to serve.
There are many opportunities with your Church and community to serve. I dare you to take 1 day of the week and to serve… just one day. See how it fills your heart and your mood. I dare you!!!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
3 Crosses of Easter: Rebellion or Repentant?
Most of the time when we think of the cross of Calvary, we are pretty much focused on the cross that held Jesus. However, there wasn’t just one cross that day, not only a solitary death by crucifixion. I have always wondered why there were two other crosses next to Jesus on the hill called Golgotha that day? I missed the reason that Jesus was placed in the center, between two thieves sentenced to death for their crimes against society.
Well, didn’t miss it physically, but as I was reading through Luke 23:32-43 I wondered if there was a significant reason for the 2 extra crosses, one on each side. As I read, God showed me a different meaning.
In verse 39, "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ’aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’" Hanging between the earth and the sky, with insults flying from the passers by, even one of the men being crucified with Him is hurling insults in his direction. Have you ever been amazed at the depths to which human beings can sink?
This is the cross of rebellion!
The dude on the cross next to Jesus refused to acknowledge who Jesus truly was. He didn’t say, “hey Jesus, I believe in you and who you are, save all of us.” If he did, well, you can probably imagine what would have happened…but he didn’t.
Jesus said in John 8:24 "If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." Guess what, that dude probably died in his rebellious sins.
On the other cross, there isn’t any reason to believe that this guy was any better a person than the thief that hung on the opposite side of Jesus. Actually, according to Mathew they were both yelling insults at Jesus. It was about that time that Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
After that, the thief on the other cross changed his mind and responded, "’Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ’since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ’Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’"
This is the cross of repentance. While the first criminal died in his sin, the second criminal died to his sin. Based on Jesus response to this man, the dark past of this criminal was forgiven. "Jesus answered him, ’I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’"
You know, it is easy to get confused about what it is that gives us an opportunity for a relationship with God. Sometimes we give in to the thought that if only we can keep our nose clean and be good boys and girls, God will love us. Other times we hope that our family connections will endear us to God. "Grandpa was a preacher so I hope to get into heaven," is a very common way of thinking. At times probably all of us fall into the trap of believing that by doing good things God will take notice of us and let us into heaven.
But….
The criminal on the cross of repentance reminds us that it’s not who we are or what we’ve been like that gets us into heaven. We are given passage into heaven based on how we are related to Jesus Christ the Son of God. No other standard is applied. Trust in Jesus and you get to go to heaven. Reject or ignore him, and the wrath of God remains on you. That’s it, plain and simple!
Even though, most of this writing was about the cross on the left and the right, don’t forget the cross in the middle. While the one cross is the cross of rebellion and the other the cross of repentance, it is the cross of Jesus that is the cross of redemption.
In John 10:17-18 Jesus said, "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again."
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
2 Corinthians. 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Are you among those who can identify with the cross of rejection? Maybe you’ve never been openly belligerent toward Jesus, but you have never submitted to His Lordship. The cost of facing death without a relationship with Jesus Christ is dreadful.
My inside job for this writing is, which response to Jesus have you chosen….. rejection or repentance.
Well, didn’t miss it physically, but as I was reading through Luke 23:32-43 I wondered if there was a significant reason for the 2 extra crosses, one on each side. As I read, God showed me a different meaning.
In verse 39, "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ’aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’" Hanging between the earth and the sky, with insults flying from the passers by, even one of the men being crucified with Him is hurling insults in his direction. Have you ever been amazed at the depths to which human beings can sink?
This is the cross of rebellion!
The dude on the cross next to Jesus refused to acknowledge who Jesus truly was. He didn’t say, “hey Jesus, I believe in you and who you are, save all of us.” If he did, well, you can probably imagine what would have happened…but he didn’t.
Jesus said in John 8:24 "If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." Guess what, that dude probably died in his rebellious sins.
On the other cross, there isn’t any reason to believe that this guy was any better a person than the thief that hung on the opposite side of Jesus. Actually, according to Mathew they were both yelling insults at Jesus. It was about that time that Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
After that, the thief on the other cross changed his mind and responded, "’Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ’since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ’Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’"
This is the cross of repentance. While the first criminal died in his sin, the second criminal died to his sin. Based on Jesus response to this man, the dark past of this criminal was forgiven. "Jesus answered him, ’I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’"
You know, it is easy to get confused about what it is that gives us an opportunity for a relationship with God. Sometimes we give in to the thought that if only we can keep our nose clean and be good boys and girls, God will love us. Other times we hope that our family connections will endear us to God. "Grandpa was a preacher so I hope to get into heaven," is a very common way of thinking. At times probably all of us fall into the trap of believing that by doing good things God will take notice of us and let us into heaven.
But….
The criminal on the cross of repentance reminds us that it’s not who we are or what we’ve been like that gets us into heaven. We are given passage into heaven based on how we are related to Jesus Christ the Son of God. No other standard is applied. Trust in Jesus and you get to go to heaven. Reject or ignore him, and the wrath of God remains on you. That’s it, plain and simple!
Even though, most of this writing was about the cross on the left and the right, don’t forget the cross in the middle. While the one cross is the cross of rebellion and the other the cross of repentance, it is the cross of Jesus that is the cross of redemption.
In John 10:17-18 Jesus said, "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again."
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
2 Corinthians. 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Are you among those who can identify with the cross of rejection? Maybe you’ve never been openly belligerent toward Jesus, but you have never submitted to His Lordship. The cost of facing death without a relationship with Jesus Christ is dreadful.
My inside job for this writing is, which response to Jesus have you chosen….. rejection or repentance.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Being Single: A blessing from God!
The Christian single person’s life is a profound testimony to the reality and glory of Jesus Christ. When a single person, man or woman, lives with purity, integrity, joy, and contentment, that person preaches through their very life that Jesus Christ exists beyond the galaxies and that He is greater than anything in the world, including riches, fame, marriage, and family.
That’s a mouthful isn’t it. It’s truth used to elude me though. I always thought the near perfect life can only be found within marriage.
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him. - Genesis 2:21-24
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. - Proverbs 18:22
My inside Job for this week is this world needs Christian single men and women, Christian widows and widowers, to show by the joyous lives they live that Christ is real and worthy of worship.
This single minded devotion has Two (2) points:
1.) Being Single is a special call from God.
To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. 1 Corinthians 7:8
Jesus affirms both marriage and singleness as gifts of God, a calling. We don’t simply choose to be single, we recognize it as a call upon our lives. Just as those called to marriage have certain responsibilities in marriage, so those called to singleness have certain responsibilities in singleness. We should respect those in the church whom God has called to single and honor their unique role in the body of Christ.
2.) Being single is a special call to God!
The call here for the single person is if you are single don’t waste it! Live your life to the full for the sake of the kingdom of God! Make the most of every day and every opportunity for Christ! Remind those of us who are married that the kingdom of God is more important that marriage, and children, and houses, and lands! Remind us through your dedication even as a widow that Christ and his kingdom is supreme and all together worthy of our every ounce of dedication!
That’s a mouthful isn’t it. It’s truth used to elude me though. I always thought the near perfect life can only be found within marriage.
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him. - Genesis 2:21-24
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. - Proverbs 18:22
My inside Job for this week is this world needs Christian single men and women, Christian widows and widowers, to show by the joyous lives they live that Christ is real and worthy of worship.
This single minded devotion has Two (2) points:
1.) Being Single is a special call from God.
To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. 1 Corinthians 7:8
Jesus affirms both marriage and singleness as gifts of God, a calling. We don’t simply choose to be single, we recognize it as a call upon our lives. Just as those called to marriage have certain responsibilities in marriage, so those called to singleness have certain responsibilities in singleness. We should respect those in the church whom God has called to single and honor their unique role in the body of Christ.
2.) Being single is a special call to God!
The call here for the single person is if you are single don’t waste it! Live your life to the full for the sake of the kingdom of God! Make the most of every day and every opportunity for Christ! Remind those of us who are married that the kingdom of God is more important that marriage, and children, and houses, and lands! Remind us through your dedication even as a widow that Christ and his kingdom is supreme and all together worthy of our every ounce of dedication!
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Great Secret behind Easter!
With Easter fast approaching I researched the name “Easter”:
“THE NAME EASTER COMES FROM THE NAME OF A TEUTONIC GODDESS OF SPRING NAMED EASTRE.”
That’s what the Internet says…. must be true?
Easter did not originate with the Resurrection of Jesus but was originally a Pagan Festival, which the Roman Catholics converted into a day in honor of Jesus Christ. This being said, every day we should remember that Jesus rose from the dead…for us.
Now, check this out:
Luke 18:31-33 reads: "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, `we are going up to Jerusalem and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him, spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. On the third day He will rise again.’"
Believe it or not, the Apostles didn’t understand what he was saying.
The apostle Paul once said, "I preach unto you Christ crucified. Unto the Jews that is a stumbling block. Unto the Greeks it is foolishness. But to those who are saved it is the power of God and the wisdom of God." You see, Easter is the very heart of the message about Jesus.
That is why Jesus took His apostles aside saying what he said in Luke. Now what could be better than that? Jesus didn’t tell them that just once, but over & over again. In Matthew 16, 17, & 20 Jesus tells them the same thing. Still, they didn’t really understand, like it was a mystery.
When Paul refers to the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross, he calls it a "mystery." And the word "mystery" that he uses is a Greek word for a military strategy that is kept secret from the enemy. Cool? Who’s our enemy? Satan!
Okay so let’s go into some covert ops here…
Oftentimes military strategy depended so much upon secrecy, that even those in positions of command weren’t told the secret strategy until the last possible minute, because if the enemy found out, then the plan would fail. Ye olde “less of those who know the better the secret is kept.” If Satan had found out what was happening, the plan wouldn’t have worked. So God kept it secret.
At Calvary, Satan is saying, "Nah, Na nah na Nah Nah! I’ve won. I’ve beaten God. Evil is triumphant. Righteousness has been defeated." Satan didn’t know the plan of God. God can be sneaky…Thank him!!! Even though Jesus told the apostles ahead of time, it went right over their heads.
After the resurrection, their eyes were opened. Now all the pieces fit together, and these words from Jesus made sense to them. For the first time, they began to understand this teaching that had just gone over their heads before.
So, guess what, because of HIM:
1. Here is power to change the way we think, to change the way we act, to change our lives.
2. Here is power to overcome our sins, to give us victory over alcoholism, or drug abuse.
3. Here is power to heal marriages that are broken, power to aid the heart torn apart by grief.
4. Here is power to bring families back together again, and to fill chasms of loneliness that are deep inside of us.
5. Here is power greater than anything that the world has ever seen.
That’s a lot of power and to be Thankful for!!!
My inside job for this year / month / week / day / hour / minute / second is …Thankfulness!
“THE NAME EASTER COMES FROM THE NAME OF A TEUTONIC GODDESS OF SPRING NAMED EASTRE.”
That’s what the Internet says…. must be true?
Easter did not originate with the Resurrection of Jesus but was originally a Pagan Festival, which the Roman Catholics converted into a day in honor of Jesus Christ. This being said, every day we should remember that Jesus rose from the dead…for us.
Now, check this out:
Luke 18:31-33 reads: "Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, `we are going up to Jerusalem and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, insult Him, spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him. On the third day He will rise again.’"
Believe it or not, the Apostles didn’t understand what he was saying.
The apostle Paul once said, "I preach unto you Christ crucified. Unto the Jews that is a stumbling block. Unto the Greeks it is foolishness. But to those who are saved it is the power of God and the wisdom of God." You see, Easter is the very heart of the message about Jesus.
That is why Jesus took His apostles aside saying what he said in Luke. Now what could be better than that? Jesus didn’t tell them that just once, but over & over again. In Matthew 16, 17, & 20 Jesus tells them the same thing. Still, they didn’t really understand, like it was a mystery.
When Paul refers to the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross, he calls it a "mystery." And the word "mystery" that he uses is a Greek word for a military strategy that is kept secret from the enemy. Cool? Who’s our enemy? Satan!
Okay so let’s go into some covert ops here…
Oftentimes military strategy depended so much upon secrecy, that even those in positions of command weren’t told the secret strategy until the last possible minute, because if the enemy found out, then the plan would fail. Ye olde “less of those who know the better the secret is kept.” If Satan had found out what was happening, the plan wouldn’t have worked. So God kept it secret.
At Calvary, Satan is saying, "Nah, Na nah na Nah Nah! I’ve won. I’ve beaten God. Evil is triumphant. Righteousness has been defeated." Satan didn’t know the plan of God. God can be sneaky…Thank him!!! Even though Jesus told the apostles ahead of time, it went right over their heads.
After the resurrection, their eyes were opened. Now all the pieces fit together, and these words from Jesus made sense to them. For the first time, they began to understand this teaching that had just gone over their heads before.
So, guess what, because of HIM:
1. Here is power to change the way we think, to change the way we act, to change our lives.
2. Here is power to overcome our sins, to give us victory over alcoholism, or drug abuse.
3. Here is power to heal marriages that are broken, power to aid the heart torn apart by grief.
4. Here is power to bring families back together again, and to fill chasms of loneliness that are deep inside of us.
5. Here is power greater than anything that the world has ever seen.
That’s a lot of power and to be Thankful for!!!
My inside job for this year / month / week / day / hour / minute / second is …
Friday, April 8, 2011
The Christian life!
Hebrews 13 is all about the life of a Christian here on planet earth.
My inside job for this week is to love, lean, learn and live a better Christian life! To be Christlike and bear his cross with him.
Hebrews 13:1-17…. read it please.
Let me break it down for ya….
The first four verses, it’s all about Love!
VS: 1 Love your brothers
VS: 2 Love the stranger
VS: 3 Love the prisoner
VS: 4 Love your mate
That’s a lot of Love!!!
VS: 5a Lean without covetousness
VS: 5b Lean Contentedly
VS: 5c-6 Lean Confidently
GOD'S COMMITMENT TO ME - "...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
MY CONDUCT FOR GOD - "Let you conversation be without covetousness; and content with such things as ye have..."
MY CONFIDENCE FROM GOD - "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
Singing
“Lean on me, cause your not strong! And I’ll be your friend….”
Okay, so I’ll stop singing. My point though is lean on God…he won’t leave you!
Lets keep going to verses 7 –9. These verses are for our learning.
VS: 7 Learn from Godly leaders
VS: 8 Learn from the Lord Jesus Christ
VS: 9 Learn to avoid false teaching
VALUE YOUR LEADERS! Here’s the 5 ‘R’s of leadership.
REMEMBER - "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God:"
REPEAT - "...whose faith follow,"
If you follow the example of a leader's faith, you will do what they did. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.
REFLECT - "...considering the end of their conversation."
RESPECT - "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:"
RESPONSIBILITY - "...for they watch for your souls,"
REPORT - "...as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
Finally, live like there’s no tomorrow!
VS: 10-14 live a separated life
VS: 15-16 live a sacrificial life
VS: 17 live a submissive life
God puts no merit in any attempts to earn His favor or call attention to one. But He delights in deeds that spring from faith that works through love (Gal. 5:6). They are spiritual sacrifices that come from giving ourselves completely to Him (Rom. 12:1-2). He is pleased when we continually give thanks in Jesus' name, do good, and share with others (Heb. 13:15-16).
Some spiritual sacrifices will be costly. But what is gained--His praise--is always greater than what is given up. –DJD
Do you earnestly and truly want to live a Christian life, to love, live, learn and lean on God? I speak not only to saints, but also to sinners. Do you want to be right with God? Do you want to be pleasing to God? Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus! “Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free? No, there’s a cross for everyone, and there’s a cross for me!”
My inside job for this week is to love, lean, learn and live a better Christian life! To be Christlike and bear his cross with him.
Hebrews 13:1-17…. read it please.
Let me break it down for ya….
The first four verses, it’s all about Love!
VS: 1 Love your brothers
VS: 2 Love the stranger
VS: 3 Love the prisoner
VS: 4 Love your mate
That’s a lot of Love!!!
VS: 5a Lean without covetousness
VS: 5b Lean Contentedly
VS: 5c-6 Lean Confidently
GOD'S COMMITMENT TO ME - "...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
MY CONDUCT FOR GOD - "Let you conversation be without covetousness; and content with such things as ye have..."
MY CONFIDENCE FROM GOD - "So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
Singing
“Lean on me, cause your not strong! And I’ll be your friend….”
Okay, so I’ll stop singing. My point though is lean on God…he won’t leave you!
Lets keep going to verses 7 –9. These verses are for our learning.
VS: 7 Learn from Godly leaders
VS: 8 Learn from the Lord Jesus Christ
VS: 9 Learn to avoid false teaching
VALUE YOUR LEADERS! Here’s the 5 ‘R’s of leadership.
REMEMBER - "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God:"
REPEAT - "...whose faith follow,"
If you follow the example of a leader's faith, you will do what they did. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.
REFLECT - "...considering the end of their conversation."
RESPECT - "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:"
RESPONSIBILITY - "...for they watch for your souls,"
REPORT - "...as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
Finally, live like there’s no tomorrow!
VS: 10-14 live a separated life
VS: 15-16 live a sacrificial life
VS: 17 live a submissive life
God puts no merit in any attempts to earn His favor or call attention to one. But He delights in deeds that spring from faith that works through love (Gal. 5:6). They are spiritual sacrifices that come from giving ourselves completely to Him (Rom. 12:1-2). He is pleased when we continually give thanks in Jesus' name, do good, and share with others (Heb. 13:15-16).
Some spiritual sacrifices will be costly. But what is gained--His praise--is always greater than what is given up. –DJD
Do you earnestly and truly want to live a Christian life, to love, live, learn and lean on God? I speak not only to saints, but also to sinners. Do you want to be right with God? Do you want to be pleasing to God? Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus! “Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free? No, there’s a cross for everyone, and there’s a cross for me!”
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
What Faith is!
In Hebrews, Chapter 11, we find out all about Faith.
The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to Hebrews who had become Christians and part of it was dedicated to the topic of faith. He knew they would understand what he was saying about faith because he used their famous forefathers as examples.
Reading the first verse we find what Paul defines as Faith, “ Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don’t see” According to Paul, faith is being positive about receiving something we’ve been promised, without any physical proof that we’re actually going to get it.
Paul went on to show how all the famous patriarchs demonstrated faith in what they did and how they pleased God by their actions. The first was that they didn’t seem to be getting any big pay-off from their faith. They weren’t getting rich and they never made the move to easy street. It’s like these guys were always in trouble with the authorities or on the brink of some great calamity.
According to these accounts, “You obey God, you live by faith, and then you die. What kind of pay-off is that?” These guys were supposed to be the examples of how faith works. How come they all died without getting the big pay-off?
Paul said, “they only saw the promises and welcomed them from a distance. They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Having faith isn’t about expecting something back in return, not in this life anyway. Faith is about obeying. Obeying God by doing the thing He told you to do. Obedience!!!
The thing God wants you to do may seem unpleasant at times and it will probably go against the grain of what folks around you expect of you. Doing what God wants you to do isn’t very popular most of the time.
There’s a pretty good chance that the job God has given you to do is way beyond your ability to do it. That’s one of the cool things. It proves that God gave it to you; there’s no way you can accomplish it without His regular involvement.
He has something He wants you to do for Him. For His glory. That’s your purpose. That’s why He created you.
My inside job for this week is Faith and living up to your full potential, your true potential, involves getting that purpose accomplished.
If good stuff comes your way in this life, more power to you. God loves you and He wants the best for you in this life and the next. Real faith means keeping to the task at hand even when there’s no evidence that things will ever get any better.
The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to Hebrews who had become Christians and part of it was dedicated to the topic of faith. He knew they would understand what he was saying about faith because he used their famous forefathers as examples.
Reading the first verse we find what Paul defines as Faith, “ Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don’t see” According to Paul, faith is being positive about receiving something we’ve been promised, without any physical proof that we’re actually going to get it.
Paul went on to show how all the famous patriarchs demonstrated faith in what they did and how they pleased God by their actions. The first was that they didn’t seem to be getting any big pay-off from their faith. They weren’t getting rich and they never made the move to easy street. It’s like these guys were always in trouble with the authorities or on the brink of some great calamity.
According to these accounts, “You obey God, you live by faith, and then you die. What kind of pay-off is that?” These guys were supposed to be the examples of how faith works. How come they all died without getting the big pay-off?
Paul said, “they only saw the promises and welcomed them from a distance. They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Having faith isn’t about expecting something back in return, not in this life anyway. Faith is about obeying. Obeying God by doing the thing He told you to do. Obedience!!!
The thing God wants you to do may seem unpleasant at times and it will probably go against the grain of what folks around you expect of you. Doing what God wants you to do isn’t very popular most of the time.
There’s a pretty good chance that the job God has given you to do is way beyond your ability to do it. That’s one of the cool things. It proves that God gave it to you; there’s no way you can accomplish it without His regular involvement.
He has something He wants you to do for Him. For His glory. That’s your purpose. That’s why He created you.
My inside job for this week is Faith and living up to your full potential, your true potential, involves getting that purpose accomplished.
If good stuff comes your way in this life, more power to you. God loves you and He wants the best for you in this life and the next. Real faith means keeping to the task at hand even when there’s no evidence that things will ever get any better.
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