"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6
The other morning the Lord spoke something to my heart that I want to share with you this morning. He said that we sing about how great He is and how nothing is impossible or too difficult for Him and we quote the verses that say the same, but when we come to Him we must believe that He is who He is and that He will answer.
There is a difference between a head knowledge and a heart knowledge of God. There is a difference in a mental belief and having a confidence that is deep rooted within your heart. That belief is unshaken when the storms of life come, when the day turns to darkness, when the seas roar and the threat of destruction is looming over you.
This heart knowledge of God is quiet different from that of the disciples when they were in the boat during the storm and were in fear of drowning. They woke Jesus up and He rebuked the storm and saved them from what they thought was sure death. Do you remember how they responded to Jesus' calming of the storm? "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:41) They didn't begin to rejoice and sing the "Hallelujah Chorus". They didn't fall on their knees and worship Him. They didn't even say, "Thank You, Jesus". They started talking among themselves wondering just who this man was and they marveled that He had stopped the storm.
The disciples had been with Jesus day in a day out. They had heard His teachings. They were abandoning all and following Him. But did they really believe He was who He was? "He that cometh to God must believe that He is". If so, why did they wonder who He was? "What manner of man is this?" When they called out to Jesus to save them, they were amazed that He did it and how He did it. Did they ask but not really believe He would answer? "He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
What about you? Do you have a head knowledge of God but not a heart knowledge? Do you just sing about His greatness but not really believe that He is great? Do you quote the verses but they haven't gotten into your heart and produced real faith? Do you really believe that He is who He says He is or are you still wondering if He really rewards those who diligently see Him? Jesus told His disciples that they were "faithless" but He didn't give up on them. He continually revealed Himself to them and their faith eventually came to the place where they had no doubt about who He was... so much so that they all willing laid down their lives for Him because of their faith in who He was. We can come to that kind of faith also.
Have a great day. Do you really believe He is who He is?
For further reading:
Mark 4:35-41; 9:23-25; 7:6
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
"Breakfast Foods"
"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4
Let's talk about breakfast a little this morning. Here in the United States we have a wide variety of breakfast foods to choose from: pop-tarts, cereal, biscuits, toast, bagels, pancakes, eggs, bacon, oatmeal, donuts, etc. A lot of people prefer to eat something that they can grab with one hand as they go out the door. Me personally, I am not a breakfast eater- I much prefer to eat later in the day. But when I do eat breakfast, I don't want just a bowl of cereal or a pastry, I want a "real" breakfast. Being from the South that means grits, eggs, sausage and homemade biscuits with fruit preserves. That's the kind of breakfast that sticks to your ribs and goes with you throughout the day.
Why did I bring this up? Too many Christians are trying to live on a "spiritual" diet of "cold pastries" and "cereal bars". What do I mean by that? They are trying to grow spiritually and go throughout the day on something that has no "spiritual nutritional" value to it.
The purpose for eating breakfast or any other meal is so that our bodies will receive nutrition and be physically strong. When we feed it the right things, it will be. When we feed it the wrong things, it won't. Likewise, the same thing happens when you feed your "spirit man". Feed it the right thing and it will grow and be strong. Feed it the wrong thing and it won't. And just because it comes packaged as "the Word of God" doesn't mean that it will give you "spiritual nutrition". There's lots on the grocer's shelves that comes labeled as "breakfast" foods but they only fill you up for the moment, they don't give you the nutrition that you need to be strong. So you have to be careful and "eat" the Word of God that is not watered down, compromised, and full of "fluff". You have to feed it more than a gospel that is focused on material things, blessings, a life of ease and self gratification. It takes feeding your spirit man on the rightly divided truth of God's word if you are going to grow and be spiritually healthy.
Have a great day. Are you feeding your spirit man a quick fix meal that has no nutritional value or something that will make it strong and healthy?
For further reading:
Luke 4:4
2 Timothy 2:15; 4:2-4; 3:14-17
Let's talk about breakfast a little this morning. Here in the United States we have a wide variety of breakfast foods to choose from: pop-tarts, cereal, biscuits, toast, bagels, pancakes, eggs, bacon, oatmeal, donuts, etc. A lot of people prefer to eat something that they can grab with one hand as they go out the door. Me personally, I am not a breakfast eater- I much prefer to eat later in the day. But when I do eat breakfast, I don't want just a bowl of cereal or a pastry, I want a "real" breakfast. Being from the South that means grits, eggs, sausage and homemade biscuits with fruit preserves. That's the kind of breakfast that sticks to your ribs and goes with you throughout the day.
Why did I bring this up? Too many Christians are trying to live on a "spiritual" diet of "cold pastries" and "cereal bars". What do I mean by that? They are trying to grow spiritually and go throughout the day on something that has no "spiritual nutritional" value to it.
The purpose for eating breakfast or any other meal is so that our bodies will receive nutrition and be physically strong. When we feed it the right things, it will be. When we feed it the wrong things, it won't. Likewise, the same thing happens when you feed your "spirit man". Feed it the right thing and it will grow and be strong. Feed it the wrong thing and it won't. And just because it comes packaged as "the Word of God" doesn't mean that it will give you "spiritual nutrition". There's lots on the grocer's shelves that comes labeled as "breakfast" foods but they only fill you up for the moment, they don't give you the nutrition that you need to be strong. So you have to be careful and "eat" the Word of God that is not watered down, compromised, and full of "fluff". You have to feed it more than a gospel that is focused on material things, blessings, a life of ease and self gratification. It takes feeding your spirit man on the rightly divided truth of God's word if you are going to grow and be spiritually healthy.
Have a great day. Are you feeding your spirit man a quick fix meal that has no nutritional value or something that will make it strong and healthy?
For further reading:
Luke 4:4
2 Timothy 2:15; 4:2-4; 3:14-17
Friday, November 5, 2010
"Treasures"
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." Matthew 6:19,20
There is a philosophy in the world that says, "Get all you can, and can all you get". The world is "money minded" and "money hungry". You have heard the expression, "Money makes the world go 'round". Sadly, this same way of thinking has wound up in the church. Money does help make life a little easier when you have enough to pay the bills and put food on the table. The lack of it has been the source of many marital problems. Wanting to have enough to meet your needs is not wrong. But money and riches should never be the focus of the followers of Jesus.
The argument in Christianity on the subject is that Jesus taught about having wealth; Jesus had a treasurer so He must have had money; and so on. But we forget that He also taught verses like the ones above. He taught us that we can't serve God and mammon both. He taught us that the most important treasures and the ones to be sought after were the ones that are eternal and certain- treasures/riches in heaven. (And by the way, His treasurer turned out to be Judas the one who betrayed him into the hands of those who crucified him. And he betrayed him for more money.)
When Jesus spoke the words above He didn't stop there, He added a warning. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (verse 21) He warned us that preoccupation with money, a desire to have treasures, the longing to be rich can be a snare that will capture our heart and take it prisoner. If your heart is captured by something (whatever it may be) instead of God, then He doesn't have it. And if He doesn't have it, how can you love Him with all your heart?
Wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also. If your treasure is in temporary riches- that is where you will find your heart. If it is in eternal ones, than that's where you'll find it.
Have a great day. Where does your treasure lie? That is where you will find your heart.
For further reading:
Deuteronomy 30:19
Proverbs 15:16
Matthew 6:24,25
Luke 12:13-23
James 2:5,6
There is a philosophy in the world that says, "Get all you can, and can all you get". The world is "money minded" and "money hungry". You have heard the expression, "Money makes the world go 'round". Sadly, this same way of thinking has wound up in the church. Money does help make life a little easier when you have enough to pay the bills and put food on the table. The lack of it has been the source of many marital problems. Wanting to have enough to meet your needs is not wrong. But money and riches should never be the focus of the followers of Jesus.
The argument in Christianity on the subject is that Jesus taught about having wealth; Jesus had a treasurer so He must have had money; and so on. But we forget that He also taught verses like the ones above. He taught us that we can't serve God and mammon both. He taught us that the most important treasures and the ones to be sought after were the ones that are eternal and certain- treasures/riches in heaven. (And by the way, His treasurer turned out to be Judas the one who betrayed him into the hands of those who crucified him. And he betrayed him for more money.)
When Jesus spoke the words above He didn't stop there, He added a warning. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (verse 21) He warned us that preoccupation with money, a desire to have treasures, the longing to be rich can be a snare that will capture our heart and take it prisoner. If your heart is captured by something (whatever it may be) instead of God, then He doesn't have it. And if He doesn't have it, how can you love Him with all your heart?
Wherever your treasure is, there will your heart be also. If your treasure is in temporary riches- that is where you will find your heart. If it is in eternal ones, than that's where you'll find it.
Have a great day. Where does your treasure lie? That is where you will find your heart.
For further reading:
Deuteronomy 30:19
Proverbs 15:16
Matthew 6:24,25
Luke 12:13-23
James 2:5,6
Thursday, November 4, 2010
"What's In Your Heart?"
"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Matthew 12:34
The scriptures tell us that we should love the Lord with all our heart. How do we know whether we do or not? How do we know what has our heart? How do we know what consumes our heart? One way is by examining our lives to see if we are obeying His commandments and doing our best to keep them, walking in them and letting them be the governing factor of our lives. Because if we love Him we will keep His commandments.
Another way to know is by listening to yourself when you talk. What comes out of your mouth? Our verse above tells us that whatever our heart is full of is what will come out of our mouth. If you are full of love for God it will come- you will hear it in the things that you say. If you are full of bitterness, envy, hurt, it too will come out in your conversation. It is so easy to tell where people are just by listening to what they are saying. Like wise, it is just as easy to know where we are by what we are saying. This means that if you aren't sure what is filling your heart, all you have to do is listen to yourself for a while and you will soon discover what it is.
I know people who all they talk about is money- getting their next dollar, how to keep what money they have. I know others that talk about nothing but their ex-spouse and what wrong they did to them. There are those also who talk about their illnesses, aches and pains all the time. And the list goes on. Don't misunderstand me, it is not wrong to talk about these things I have mentioned, but when it becomes your whole conversation and the only thing you talk about all the time, then it means this is what has your heart.
By listening to yourself you will get a pretty good idea of what really has your whole heart.
Have a great day. If you really want to know what is in your heart... just listen to what you are saying.
For further reading:
Deuteronomy 6:5
Matthew 22:37
John 14:15
Luke 6:45
Malachi 3:16
The scriptures tell us that we should love the Lord with all our heart. How do we know whether we do or not? How do we know what has our heart? How do we know what consumes our heart? One way is by examining our lives to see if we are obeying His commandments and doing our best to keep them, walking in them and letting them be the governing factor of our lives. Because if we love Him we will keep His commandments.
Another way to know is by listening to yourself when you talk. What comes out of your mouth? Our verse above tells us that whatever our heart is full of is what will come out of our mouth. If you are full of love for God it will come- you will hear it in the things that you say. If you are full of bitterness, envy, hurt, it too will come out in your conversation. It is so easy to tell where people are just by listening to what they are saying. Like wise, it is just as easy to know where we are by what we are saying. This means that if you aren't sure what is filling your heart, all you have to do is listen to yourself for a while and you will soon discover what it is.
I know people who all they talk about is money- getting their next dollar, how to keep what money they have. I know others that talk about nothing but their ex-spouse and what wrong they did to them. There are those also who talk about their illnesses, aches and pains all the time. And the list goes on. Don't misunderstand me, it is not wrong to talk about these things I have mentioned, but when it becomes your whole conversation and the only thing you talk about all the time, then it means this is what has your heart.
By listening to yourself you will get a pretty good idea of what really has your whole heart.
Have a great day. If you really want to know what is in your heart... just listen to what you are saying.
For further reading:
Deuteronomy 6:5
Matthew 22:37
John 14:15
Luke 6:45
Malachi 3:16
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
"No Third Choice"
"Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." Hebrews 11:25
It all boils down to choice. You choose to either accept Jesus as Savior or you don't. You choose to either serve God or not. You choose to obey Him or disobey Him. You choose to allow Him to have the Lordship over your life or you choose to let something else have it. You choose to have a relationship with Him or not. There are only two chooses ever where the Lord is concerned- for or against Him.
Moses, in our verse above, had to make one of two choices- either suffer with the people of God or enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. There was no "third" choice- he couldn't do both. And neither is there a third choice for us. The scriptures make that plain- either be hot or cold; serve God or mammon; blessings or cursing; life or death.
What choice are you making today? In your daily affairs and situations are you choosing to obey the Lord or not? Are you choosing to put Him or self first? Are you choosing to apply His word to the problems you face or try to handle them yourself? Are you choosing your own agenda or His agenda? Are you following your own plan for your life or the plan He has laid out for you? Like we have said, there are only two chooses to chose between. There is not a third one- you can't have it both ways. It is either God's way or your own way, but not both.
Have a great day. There are two choices that lay before you, which one are you choosing? Yours or God's?
For further reading:
Revelation 3:16
Matthew 6:24
Joshua 24:15
Deuteronomy 30:19
It all boils down to choice. You choose to either accept Jesus as Savior or you don't. You choose to either serve God or not. You choose to obey Him or disobey Him. You choose to allow Him to have the Lordship over your life or you choose to let something else have it. You choose to have a relationship with Him or not. There are only two chooses ever where the Lord is concerned- for or against Him.
Moses, in our verse above, had to make one of two choices- either suffer with the people of God or enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. There was no "third" choice- he couldn't do both. And neither is there a third choice for us. The scriptures make that plain- either be hot or cold; serve God or mammon; blessings or cursing; life or death.
What choice are you making today? In your daily affairs and situations are you choosing to obey the Lord or not? Are you choosing to put Him or self first? Are you choosing to apply His word to the problems you face or try to handle them yourself? Are you choosing your own agenda or His agenda? Are you following your own plan for your life or the plan He has laid out for you? Like we have said, there are only two chooses to chose between. There is not a third one- you can't have it both ways. It is either God's way or your own way, but not both.
Have a great day. There are two choices that lay before you, which one are you choosing? Yours or God's?
For further reading:
Revelation 3:16
Matthew 6:24
Joshua 24:15
Deuteronomy 30:19
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