"We love him, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19
A few days ago we talked about paying God the honor and glory that He is due. I have wondered why do we have to be "reminded" to honor Him, to love Him, to trust Him, to serve and obey Him. Why do I have to be reminded to praise God? Why do I have to be reminded to love Him with all my heart? Why do I have to be reminded to give Him first place in my life? You would think that after all He has done for us there would never be a question about giving Him what is due- it would be the result and automatic response of a heart of gratitude.
I don't have to be reminded to love my husband. I don't have to be reminded to do nice things for him. I don't have to be reminded to give him a word of praise when he does something kind for me. So why must I be constantly reminded to "honor" my Lord and Savior?
I will leave you with this thought to ponder this weekend and in doing so examine your relationship with the Lord and see if you are always having to be reminded to look to Him, to give Him what He is due, to love, trust and obey Him. If what you do where the Lord is concerned doesn't, for the most part, come automatically out of response to His great love for you, perhaps you need to go back and get reacquainted with Him.
Have a great day. We should not have to be reminded to love Him and put Him first.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
"Eternal Opportunities"
"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:16
The Amplified Bible says, "Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil." Are you making the most of your time? I am not necessarily talking about using your time wisely to get a lot of earthly responsibilities taken care of- although you should manage your time wisely, not be lazy or slothful and accomplish what is required of you. I am talking about using your time wisely where the kingdom of God is concerned. Are you using your time wisely on those things which have eternal value? This world will not last forever. The time of Christ's return is drawing near. The end of this age as we know it will one day soon come to an end. The days are evil and getting more evil with each passing day. Therefore, it is not the time to be wasting time.
"Buy up each opportunity." Are you buying up each opportunity to let your light shine before men so that they will glorify God? Are you buying up each opportunity by sharing the good news that Jesus saves with those who are lost? Are you using your "talents" to bring a "profit" to the kingdom? Are you buying up each opportunity as a way to lay up treasures in heaven. Are you buying up each opportunity by allowing God's hand of love to reach out through you to those who are suffering, to the weak, to the rejected, to the confused, to the discouraged? Are you buying up each opportunity by being obedient to the wooing of the Holy Spirit to go where He leads you? Are you buying up each opportunity to point people to Christ and lift Him up by speaking a word of comfort to the hurting, by feeding the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting the sick and imprisoned, by giving a cup of cold water to the thirsty?
Each day is a day filled with opportunity after opportunity for us to give honor to God and bring souls that are lost into His kingdom. As I said earlier, this world will not last forever, but the things that are done for Christ's kingdom will. It's those opportunities that we need to take advantage of and buy up because they are investments in eternity.
Have a great day. Are you using your time to buy up those opportunities that have eternal value?
The Amplified Bible says, "Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil." Are you making the most of your time? I am not necessarily talking about using your time wisely to get a lot of earthly responsibilities taken care of- although you should manage your time wisely, not be lazy or slothful and accomplish what is required of you. I am talking about using your time wisely where the kingdom of God is concerned. Are you using your time wisely on those things which have eternal value? This world will not last forever. The time of Christ's return is drawing near. The end of this age as we know it will one day soon come to an end. The days are evil and getting more evil with each passing day. Therefore, it is not the time to be wasting time.
"Buy up each opportunity." Are you buying up each opportunity to let your light shine before men so that they will glorify God? Are you buying up each opportunity by sharing the good news that Jesus saves with those who are lost? Are you using your "talents" to bring a "profit" to the kingdom? Are you buying up each opportunity as a way to lay up treasures in heaven. Are you buying up each opportunity by allowing God's hand of love to reach out through you to those who are suffering, to the weak, to the rejected, to the confused, to the discouraged? Are you buying up each opportunity by being obedient to the wooing of the Holy Spirit to go where He leads you? Are you buying up each opportunity to point people to Christ and lift Him up by speaking a word of comfort to the hurting, by feeding the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting the sick and imprisoned, by giving a cup of cold water to the thirsty?
Each day is a day filled with opportunity after opportunity for us to give honor to God and bring souls that are lost into His kingdom. As I said earlier, this world will not last forever, but the things that are done for Christ's kingdom will. It's those opportunities that we need to take advantage of and buy up because they are investments in eternity.
Have a great day. Are you using your time to buy up those opportunities that have eternal value?
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
"Pay What You Owe"
"Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." Romans 13:7
As I opened the Bible resource where I get each morning's scripture from, I noticed the verse of the day. I thought it was "interesting/funny" that it was this verse that talked about paying taxes given the fact that today is tax day in the United States. In this verse we are told to pay what we owe. If you owe taxes, pay them. If you owe a bill, pay it. If you owe someone money, pay them. We should never try to get out of paying our debts- it's called integrity, and God's people should be people of integrity.
It also says that if someone is due honor or respect, give it to them. So what about the Lord? Doesn't that include Him? Doesn't He deserve honor? Are we giving Him the respect and honor that He deserves? We owe Him so much. We owe Him a debt of gratitude that we can never repay. But just because we can never repay it doesn't mean that we should forget the debt and take Him for granted. We should be giving Him the highest honor possible. We should be holding Him in high regard. We should honor Him above anyone and anything else.
How do we give Him honor? By giving Him what He is due- our love, devotion, worship and obedience. And we give Him our love, devotion, worship and obedience by keeping His commandments; by acknowledging Him in all that we do; by giving Him first place in our lives; by surrendering total control of our lives to Him; by being imitators of Him before the world; by being people who are following Him- His plan and His agenda- not our own.
As you are paying "what" you owe, make sure you are paying "all" that you owe, and all "who" you owe... including the Lord.
Have a great day. We should always pay what we owe, and first on our list should be the Lord.
As I opened the Bible resource where I get each morning's scripture from, I noticed the verse of the day. I thought it was "interesting/funny" that it was this verse that talked about paying taxes given the fact that today is tax day in the United States. In this verse we are told to pay what we owe. If you owe taxes, pay them. If you owe a bill, pay it. If you owe someone money, pay them. We should never try to get out of paying our debts- it's called integrity, and God's people should be people of integrity.
It also says that if someone is due honor or respect, give it to them. So what about the Lord? Doesn't that include Him? Doesn't He deserve honor? Are we giving Him the respect and honor that He deserves? We owe Him so much. We owe Him a debt of gratitude that we can never repay. But just because we can never repay it doesn't mean that we should forget the debt and take Him for granted. We should be giving Him the highest honor possible. We should be holding Him in high regard. We should honor Him above anyone and anything else.
How do we give Him honor? By giving Him what He is due- our love, devotion, worship and obedience. And we give Him our love, devotion, worship and obedience by keeping His commandments; by acknowledging Him in all that we do; by giving Him first place in our lives; by surrendering total control of our lives to Him; by being imitators of Him before the world; by being people who are following Him- His plan and His agenda- not our own.
As you are paying "what" you owe, make sure you are paying "all" that you owe, and all "who" you owe... including the Lord.
Have a great day. We should always pay what we owe, and first on our list should be the Lord.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
"Two Voices"
"Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." Psalm 37:24
When babies first start learning to walk, they do a lot of falling down. My grandbaby is walking very well now, but a few weeks ago she was spending a lot of time falling down. Each time she would fall, I would clap and laugh and act like it was a great accomplishment. As a result, she would get right on up with a great big smile on her face and take off walking again- she didn't lay there and cry, or wait for you to pick her up and she didn't give up.
Do every feel like that baby learning to walk? Do you ever feel like you spend more time falling down than you do walking? Do you ever feel like for every step you take forward you take two steps back? Do you feel like you make one step then trip and fall on the second step? Honestly, I have felt like that. I still feel like that some times. Some days it's just so hard to get my "land legs". Some days my footing isn't very secure. Some times I feel like I am always falling flat on my face.
When I do wind up "on the ground- flat on my face", I hear two voices speaking to me. One is the voice of enemy who spews out his lies, accusations and condemnations at me. He tells me that I will never "get it right". He tells me I am a failure. He tells me I need to just give up. He encourages me to stay down and not try again. He tells me to lay there and feel sorry for myself- wallow in my pain and hurt and inability. He tries to heap guilt on me.
Then there is the other voice. It is the voice of my Father who tells me that it will be all right. Who tells me to get up and try again. Who tells me "you can do it". Who does for me what I did for my grandbaby. He cheers me on. He tells me I will succeed. He reaches for me, helps me up, stands me back on my feet, dusts me off and sends me on my way. He tells me He still loves me.
I know the same two voices come to you also when you fall. The question is which one are you going to listen to? Are you going to listen to the enemy and lay there and give up? Or are you going to listen to the voice of your loving heavenly Father cheering you on?
Have a great day. The voice you listen to will determine whether you stay down in defeat or get up and walk in victory.
When babies first start learning to walk, they do a lot of falling down. My grandbaby is walking very well now, but a few weeks ago she was spending a lot of time falling down. Each time she would fall, I would clap and laugh and act like it was a great accomplishment. As a result, she would get right on up with a great big smile on her face and take off walking again- she didn't lay there and cry, or wait for you to pick her up and she didn't give up.
Do every feel like that baby learning to walk? Do you ever feel like you spend more time falling down than you do walking? Do you ever feel like for every step you take forward you take two steps back? Do you feel like you make one step then trip and fall on the second step? Honestly, I have felt like that. I still feel like that some times. Some days it's just so hard to get my "land legs". Some days my footing isn't very secure. Some times I feel like I am always falling flat on my face.
When I do wind up "on the ground- flat on my face", I hear two voices speaking to me. One is the voice of enemy who spews out his lies, accusations and condemnations at me. He tells me that I will never "get it right". He tells me I am a failure. He tells me I need to just give up. He encourages me to stay down and not try again. He tells me to lay there and feel sorry for myself- wallow in my pain and hurt and inability. He tries to heap guilt on me.
Then there is the other voice. It is the voice of my Father who tells me that it will be all right. Who tells me to get up and try again. Who tells me "you can do it". Who does for me what I did for my grandbaby. He cheers me on. He tells me I will succeed. He reaches for me, helps me up, stands me back on my feet, dusts me off and sends me on my way. He tells me He still loves me.
I know the same two voices come to you also when you fall. The question is which one are you going to listen to? Are you going to listen to the enemy and lay there and give up? Or are you going to listen to the voice of your loving heavenly Father cheering you on?
Have a great day. The voice you listen to will determine whether you stay down in defeat or get up and walk in victory.
Monday, April 13, 2009
"Can You Praise Him?"
"I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1
Most mornings the scene outside my window is one of sunshine. This morning there is nothing to see out there but fog. Last night the scene was flashes of lightening, heavy rain and swaying trees. The scene outside my window seems to constantly be changing. The one I like best is the one that is full of sunshine.
Life can be compared to the view of a window. Some days we see sunshine, some days we see rain, some days there is fog, some days there are lightening flashes. I am sure if we had our pick we would much prefer the days that are filled with sunshine- no storms, no dreariness, no threatening wind. But life doesn't happen like that. The question then comes to mind, "Can you still praise Him regardless of what comes?"
Can you still praise Him in the storms like you do in the sunshine? Can you still praise Him in the fog? Can you still praise Him when it's raining? Can you still praise Him when all is "not" so well? Can you still praise Him when the fog of life is obscuring your view of Him; when His hand and provisions are hid from sight; when His "face" is hard to see; when His presence is not easily felt? Can you praise Him in times of battle when the victory seems to be no where in sight? Can you still praise Him when the boat is filling with water; when the furnace is seven times hotter; when the giant is making his threats; when the sea is hindering? Can you still praise Him?
Have a great day. Can you still praise Him? Or maybe I should said, "Will you?"
Most mornings the scene outside my window is one of sunshine. This morning there is nothing to see out there but fog. Last night the scene was flashes of lightening, heavy rain and swaying trees. The scene outside my window seems to constantly be changing. The one I like best is the one that is full of sunshine.
Life can be compared to the view of a window. Some days we see sunshine, some days we see rain, some days there is fog, some days there are lightening flashes. I am sure if we had our pick we would much prefer the days that are filled with sunshine- no storms, no dreariness, no threatening wind. But life doesn't happen like that. The question then comes to mind, "Can you still praise Him regardless of what comes?"
Can you still praise Him in the storms like you do in the sunshine? Can you still praise Him in the fog? Can you still praise Him when it's raining? Can you still praise Him when all is "not" so well? Can you still praise Him when the fog of life is obscuring your view of Him; when His hand and provisions are hid from sight; when His "face" is hard to see; when His presence is not easily felt? Can you praise Him in times of battle when the victory seems to be no where in sight? Can you still praise Him when the boat is filling with water; when the furnace is seven times hotter; when the giant is making his threats; when the sea is hindering? Can you still praise Him?
Have a great day. Can you still praise Him? Or maybe I should said, "Will you?"
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