I love chocolate, and thanks to my wife I now like dark chocolate more than milk chocolate. But, thanks to diabetes I can't eat too much of it...bummer...however, I like chocolate candy, chocolate cake, chocolate muffins, hot fudge, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate and more chocolate.. are you with me? Can I have an 'Amen'?
Nothing seems to taste better than when you find the perfect chocolate. And nothing is better spiritually for us than when we come across that perfect passage that speaks directly to our need.
Psalm 119: 103
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
The Psalmist compared the Word of God to honey. However, I have a feeling that if Chocolate had been as common in those days as it is now the word chocolate would have appeared instead. One thing I have found that I am sure you can relate to is that when I taste that great piece of chocolate I want just one more bite (well maybe a couple more). As I study the Word of God often I find a tasty morsel. The Word is sweet and pleasant to the taste. Finding a morsel is what I am looking for as I go through the Bible. The morsel will lead to more. And, the more I take in of Gods Word, the better off spiritually I will be.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
What's in your wallet?
We all have seen the Capital One card commercial that says “What’s in your wallet?” I especially remember the commercial when the Vikings a storming upon this poor guy when at the last minute he pulls his Capital One card out of his wallet and the rushing attackers just go away. Well wouldn’t that be great if that were true spiritually. That when the forces of hell come charging at us with all types of temptations we can simply pull out our spiritual one card and they all go away. Boy I sure wish I could at times don't you? Well unfortunately we can't and that’s why we need to ask the question not “what’s in your wallet?” but rather “what’s in your mind?” Because the thoughtlife is one of the great battlefields of the Christian life. Satan knows that if he can win this battle, he will most likely win the war in our life
Several years ago fifteen college professors concluded after their study on the brain that: what the mind attends to, it considers; what the mind does not attend to, it dismisses; what the mind attends to continually, it believes; and what the mind believes, it eventually does. Simply put, whatever we think about is what we become and do. This is why Solomon said in Prov 23:7 “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” And as another anonymous author wrote:
Whatever we dwell on in our minds will eventually be displayed in our life. Attitudes becomes actions. There is nothing any of us has ever done that the decision was not first made in our minds. What we do in life is the sum total of our thoughts. That is why the Apostle Paul address this subject in Philippians 4:8-9. Paul knew the importance of the mind, the importance of our thinking in regards to having the right perspective in life, living and acting right.
Several years ago fifteen college professors concluded after their study on the brain that: what the mind attends to, it considers; what the mind does not attend to, it dismisses; what the mind attends to continually, it believes; and what the mind believes, it eventually does. Simply put, whatever we think about is what we become and do. This is why Solomon said in Prov 23:7 “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” And as another anonymous author wrote:
Sow a thought,
Reap an act,
Sow an act,
Reap a habit,
Sow a habit,
Reap a character,
Sow a character,
Reap a destiny.
Whatever we dwell on in our minds will eventually be displayed in our life. Attitudes becomes actions. There is nothing any of us has ever done that the decision was not first made in our minds. What we do in life is the sum total of our thoughts. That is why the Apostle Paul address this subject in Philippians 4:8-9. Paul knew the importance of the mind, the importance of our thinking in regards to having the right perspective in life, living and acting right.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Connected to God
A word that I got today from God is that sometimes we connect with God, we get the experience and we think that is enough. Enough to get by our day, we think that it is enough because we encountered God. It's good but its more than the encounter we get in the room, it goes beyond the church, the connection we get in the room/church. Its turning the connection we get from an experience to a relationship. If we go to God just for the connection to make us feel good then we are using God for an unworthy purpose.
The fruit of the encounter should cause us to love Jesus more, not a life of discipline going 'oh I must love God more, I have to pray, I must read my bible' but rather these disciplines are the result of the heart being set on fire from God. You see when someone loves you, our response is to love them back. A one way love is not a relationship at all but it takes two party loving, connecting and communicating with one another.
I just want to encourage you to turn your experience to a relationship. Loving Jesus, Loving people more. Being set apart for Him and eat the goodness He has for you from the word
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. " John 15:5-6
The fruit of the encounter should cause us to love Jesus more, not a life of discipline going 'oh I must love God more, I have to pray, I must read my bible' but rather these disciplines are the result of the heart being set on fire from God. You see when someone loves you, our response is to love them back. A one way love is not a relationship at all but it takes two party loving, connecting and communicating with one another.
I just want to encourage you to turn your experience to a relationship. Loving Jesus, Loving people more. Being set apart for Him and eat the goodness He has for you from the word
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. " John 15:5-6
Friday, May 13, 2011
The need for personal revival
While I was having my devotions, I came across the lyrics to this song called ‘Times of Refreshing’.
I thought how true that song is and how I often need those times of refreshing. How about you? I know we all do. We need those times that our soul is refreshed and made new. But not only do we need those days when our spirit is refreshed but often we need a revival in our heart, I know I do. Revival is the sovereign work of God that God's people must desire. The need for renewal and refreshing is always a significant need among God's people. We need daily revival. As a body of believers in the Church of our Lord we also need seasons of revival.
Psa. 85:6-7 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.
Revival is the refusal to hide, cover, excuse, deny and ignore the corruption within us called sin. It is being honest about our sinful condition along with the renewed desire to be clean and wholly surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Psa. 51:10-11 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Revival is the restoration of joy of the salvation that is God's precious possession shared generously with us. It is the granting of a willing spirit.
Psa. 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Revival is the renewed desire to obey the word of God in the practical expressions of our daily living.
Psa. 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Revival is the restoring of the reverence for God. It is a longing for the perfecting holiness of the Lord Jesus.
2Cor. 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Revival is the refreshed reality of being cleansed from besetting sin.
John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Revival is renewed obedience.
Psa. 119:16-17 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. 17 Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word.
Revival is the revelation of deception in our lives. It is the clear and simple desire to obey the word of God. It is the longing to please and honor the Lord.
James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Revival is a renewed disgust for worthless things.
Psa. 119:37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
Revival is the rekindled desire to put away the old nature and experience the new life in Christ with is holiness and power.
Eph. 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Revival is the releasing of the resilience of God's Spirit within us. It is the God-given ability to not surrender to defeat. It is the renewal of our spirit daily. It is not instant anything except the touch of God upon our lives. This is out of His grace and love for us and His bride, the Church.
2Cor. 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
Revival is God's desire. Is it yours? Ask Him to bring revival to your life.
Well, I thank You Lord, that You are my Saviour
You’re my strength and You’re the rock on which I stand
You give me life and a grace that greater
When I humble myself beneath your mighty hand.
You bring times of refreshing
You bring times of refreshing
You bring times of refreshing to my soul
When I’m weary from the fight
And trying to do what’s right
You bring times of refreshing to my soul.
I thought how true that song is and how I often need those times of refreshing. How about you? I know we all do. We need those times that our soul is refreshed and made new. But not only do we need those days when our spirit is refreshed but often we need a revival in our heart, I know I do. Revival is the sovereign work of God that God's people must desire. The need for renewal and refreshing is always a significant need among God's people. We need daily revival. As a body of believers in the Church of our Lord we also need seasons of revival.
Psa. 85:6-7 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.
Revival is the refusal to hide, cover, excuse, deny and ignore the corruption within us called sin. It is being honest about our sinful condition along with the renewed desire to be clean and wholly surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Psa. 51:10-11 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Revival is the restoration of joy of the salvation that is God's precious possession shared generously with us. It is the granting of a willing spirit.
Psa. 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Revival is the renewed desire to obey the word of God in the practical expressions of our daily living.
Psa. 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Revival is the restoring of the reverence for God. It is a longing for the perfecting holiness of the Lord Jesus.
2Cor. 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Revival is the refreshed reality of being cleansed from besetting sin.
John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Revival is renewed obedience.
Psa. 119:16-17 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. 17 Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word.
Revival is the revelation of deception in our lives. It is the clear and simple desire to obey the word of God. It is the longing to please and honor the Lord.
James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Revival is a renewed disgust for worthless things.
Psa. 119:37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
Revival is the rekindled desire to put away the old nature and experience the new life in Christ with is holiness and power.
Eph. 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Revival is the releasing of the resilience of God's Spirit within us. It is the God-given ability to not surrender to defeat. It is the renewal of our spirit daily. It is not instant anything except the touch of God upon our lives. This is out of His grace and love for us and His bride, the Church.
2Cor. 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
Revival is God's desire. Is it yours? Ask Him to bring revival to your life.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Text messages, Facebook and Jesus
What a world of technology we live in today. The ways to connect with people is absolutely amazing. Now, I have not seen the movie, but I recall the line from the movie “He’s just not that into you” where Drew Barrymore says “I had this guy leave me a voice mail at work so I called him at home and then he e-mailed me to my Blackberry and so I texted to his cell and then he e-mailed me to my home account and the whole thing just got out of control. And I miss the days when you had one phone number and one answering machine and that one answering machine has one cassette tape and that one cassette tape either had a message from a guy or it didn't. And now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies. It's exhausting” Yes things have changed that is for sure. So while there are in fact more ways to be rejected, there are so many ways to stay connected. And that we do, and we do it well. From facebook, myspace, youtube, text messages, skype, twitter, iphones, blackberry, and every other type of cell phone and device. Not only do we have these means of communication but we use them fervently, religiously. We text while we drive (though in some states it’s against the law), walk, watching TV, eating, working, and exercising. Facebook? Well that speaks for itself how often we are all on that. Cells phones are surgically attached to our bodies and people with a Bluetooth headset protruding from above their ear. The malls, airports and sidewalks are filled with people walking around as it would seem talking to themselves. Oh, how we communicate today. We put people on hold when our cell phone goes off. We check our ‘incoming messages’ while talking to someone personally, sitting in a meeting, or church. After all, we have to look at and answer all these messages and do so now. And what is amazing and sometimes rude is that it actually takes the priority over the person we are talking who is standing right there in front of us. The line we give is …“I gotta take this call”. I want to say, “wait a minute, I was here first”.
Now, I wonder what the Lord thinks about all this? Personally, I have no idea. But I do have an idea of what He thinks when he sees us put Him on hold. When He sees himself not having the same priority in our life like these devices we faithfully use and messages we frequently get. I wonder if He would say to us, “do MY WORDS have the same priority in your life as your text messages, facebook posts and incoming cell calls? ….You stop what you are doing, you excuse yourself from others, it’s the first thing you check in the morning – afternoon – and evening so that you can communicate with others, so…why do I not have that place in your life. Why are you so busy that you don’t have time for me? You communicate so well with others, please communicate with me and let me communicate with you.”
You see, I am not just writing a blog to you, I am writing what God is speaking to me about. God is saying, “Steve, you sure don’t have a problem finding time to check facebook so how about finding more time to spend time with me?....Steve, you like to stay connected with people, so how about staying connected with me. Steve, how about putting me at the top of your priority list too”
We are going through a series on crazy love at church that is based on Francis Chans book. One of the things that God is challenging me with is this realization that God wants me to pursue Him everyday. And the way I pursue Him is by connecting with Him everyday, keeping Him on my mind as I am on His ..every moment. See, as a Pastor and simply as a husband and a man, I find myself so drawn away by so many distractions. Yet, I seem to find the time for facebook, and text messages….don’t you?...Lord, help me to spend time with you… I want to stay in constant communication with you Lord…I need you, I need your wisdom and direction.. We might say, If the Lord would send me a text message I would take it and read it..well, you know He did, it is in His Word and our communication comes by taking the time to read it daily and spending time with Him in prayer.
See - We can get so busy that we put off the most important things in our life and the most necessary things. It happens me, and I know it can happen to you
Now, I wonder what the Lord thinks about all this? Personally, I have no idea. But I do have an idea of what He thinks when he sees us put Him on hold. When He sees himself not having the same priority in our life like these devices we faithfully use and messages we frequently get. I wonder if He would say to us, “do MY WORDS have the same priority in your life as your text messages, facebook posts and incoming cell calls? ….You stop what you are doing, you excuse yourself from others, it’s the first thing you check in the morning – afternoon – and evening so that you can communicate with others, so…why do I not have that place in your life. Why are you so busy that you don’t have time for me? You communicate so well with others, please communicate with me and let me communicate with you.”
You see, I am not just writing a blog to you, I am writing what God is speaking to me about. God is saying, “Steve, you sure don’t have a problem finding time to check facebook so how about finding more time to spend time with me?....Steve, you like to stay connected with people, so how about staying connected with me. Steve, how about putting me at the top of your priority list too”
We are going through a series on crazy love at church that is based on Francis Chans book. One of the things that God is challenging me with is this realization that God wants me to pursue Him everyday. And the way I pursue Him is by connecting with Him everyday, keeping Him on my mind as I am on His ..every moment. See, as a Pastor and simply as a husband and a man, I find myself so drawn away by so many distractions. Yet, I seem to find the time for facebook, and text messages….don’t you?...Lord, help me to spend time with you… I want to stay in constant communication with you Lord…I need you, I need your wisdom and direction.. We might say, If the Lord would send me a text message I would take it and read it..well, you know He did, it is in His Word and our communication comes by taking the time to read it daily and spending time with Him in prayer.
See - We can get so busy that we put off the most important things in our life and the most necessary things. It happens me, and I know it can happen to you
Friday, February 4, 2011
Snow
I love the line in White Christmas when Danny Kaye is trying to convince Bing Crosby they should go to Vermont because as he puts it "it should be wonderful this time of the year, all that snow". I especially like it right now because as I sit in our sons home in Murfreesboro, Tn the forecast for tonight is snow. However, while I would love to wake up to all the white stuff on the ground in the morning, it will keep my dad from traveling from Georgia tomorrow to see us and I dont want it still on the ground come Monday when Karen and I need to make our way to Springfield, Missouri to see our daughter and her family where they have already an abundance of snow.
Then as I was driving to pick up my granddaughter from school today I passed a church that had one of those supposedly 'witty' sayings on their church sign. I have seen it everyday and and everyday it reminds me why I do not want a church sign that has the ability to post those 'witty' sayings because those sayings turn into 'corny' sayings.. This sign said "Jesus loves you 'snow' much" ...
Well..with the forecast for snow and a sign that reads like that, I got thinking about what the Bible says about snow. I would encourage you to do a search for the word snow in the Bible. You will find some really neat uses of the word. Psalm 51:7 speaks of the kind of cleansing that David desired from God. Isaiah 1:18 declares that though God's people's sins were as red as scarlet, God would make them white as snow. Isaiah 55:10-11 describes how Gods word doesn't return void, but accomplishes what it intends, the way snow waters the earth.
So in many ways, snow preaches the Gospel! All of these verses were written before Jesus was crucified, how much more do they ring true with the perfected work of the Word made Flesh applied to our lives?! His blood, His suffering, His pain, His death, washes us and cleanses us so that we are whiter than snow and this word, this Gospel, will not return void, but will accomplish what God intends. We now not only stand forgiven in God's sight, but righteous, white, clean, pure, blameless, justified.
Then as I was driving to pick up my granddaughter from school today I passed a church that had one of those supposedly 'witty' sayings on their church sign. I have seen it everyday and and everyday it reminds me why I do not want a church sign that has the ability to post those 'witty' sayings because those sayings turn into 'corny' sayings.. This sign said "Jesus loves you 'snow' much" ...
Well..with the forecast for snow and a sign that reads like that, I got thinking about what the Bible says about snow. I would encourage you to do a search for the word snow in the Bible. You will find some really neat uses of the word. Psalm 51:7 speaks of the kind of cleansing that David desired from God. Isaiah 1:18 declares that though God's people's sins were as red as scarlet, God would make them white as snow. Isaiah 55:10-11 describes how Gods word doesn't return void, but accomplishes what it intends, the way snow waters the earth.
So in many ways, snow preaches the Gospel! All of these verses were written before Jesus was crucified, how much more do they ring true with the perfected work of the Word made Flesh applied to our lives?! His blood, His suffering, His pain, His death, washes us and cleanses us so that we are whiter than snow and this word, this Gospel, will not return void, but will accomplish what God intends. We now not only stand forgiven in God's sight, but righteous, white, clean, pure, blameless, justified.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Overcoming Disappointments
Everyone knows disappointment sooner or later. Friends break their word, marriages end in divorce, our children move away, colleagues betray us, the company lays us off, doctors, can’t cure us, our investments disappear, our dreams are shattered, the best-laid plans go astray, other Christians disappoint us, and very often, we disappoint ourselves. We live in a world of disappointment, and if we don’t come to grips with this truth, we are doomed to be unhappier tomorrow than we are today. John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the U.S. wrote in his diary: “My life has been spent in vain and idle aspirations”. We all want to do something, we all make certain assumptions and have expectations about life. But if those expectations are not met, we are disappointed. There is a strong correlation between good mental health and having assumptions that match reality. And there is a high correlation between misplaced assumptions and having a variety of emotional problems, including depression. Put simply, we are disappointed when things don’t go the way we thought they were going to go. Wrong expectations lead to disappointment, and disappointment leads to despair.
Now, with all that said. Don’t let your discouragement keep you from doing what you know you have to do in life. If you can’t follow the big plan, follow the small one. If you can’t see ten steps into the future, then take two or three steps. Or just take the next step in front of you. I posted on facebook last week this quote from John Maxwell. “The smallest act of obedience is better than the greatest intention” You know, he is right. Better to do a little than sit around dreaming about doing a lot. If you cannot obey God in some grand gesture, then obey Him in the small things of life. Do what you know needs to be done and do it for the glory of God.
Now, with all that said. Don’t let your discouragement keep you from doing what you know you have to do in life. If you can’t follow the big plan, follow the small one. If you can’t see ten steps into the future, then take two or three steps. Or just take the next step in front of you. I posted on facebook last week this quote from John Maxwell. “The smallest act of obedience is better than the greatest intention” You know, he is right. Better to do a little than sit around dreaming about doing a lot. If you cannot obey God in some grand gesture, then obey Him in the small things of life. Do what you know needs to be done and do it for the glory of God.
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