I had recently heard a speaker on the radio preach about the story of the prodigal son. He pointed out that the first thing the prodigal son did after receiving his inheritance was to move out of his fathers house. Isn’t that a great analogy of what we do? We ask God for an abundance of blessings and pray for His favor. We live blessed lives, by the grace of God, and yet spend the majority of our time outside of the Kingdom of God. We take what He gives us and then we move out of his house until we’re in trouble and then we come crawling back praying and begging for His help. I wonder how many people that say they love God actually do? Do you love God just for who He is? Do you ever pray just to be in His presence? Not for what he has done for you and what he might do for you in the future? Do you ever pray without asking for something? If you haven’t thought about it, maybe it’s time.
I had also recently had a discussion with a friend about whether or not God wants us to live abundantly or meekly. I believe we are to live abundantly as kings and my friend believes we are to live in a lesser, modest manner. We both agreed that we are to be humble and giving, the difference lies in our personal lives and finances. To spare all of the details, we both quoted scripture to support our views. One in particular that he began with was the story of the rich young man in Matthew 19:16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,
19 honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself."
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
I’ve often heard this story told for the premise of stating that we are to live almost as peasants to appease Jesus, but I say for the sake of that argument we don’t know the end of the story. This young man was offered treasures in Heaven! Isn’t this worth more than anything on earth? Didn’t God create everything on earth? Then I contend that He will manifest any treasures in heaven here on earth; we are the ones that don’t make it a reality by limiting our thoughts. I believe that is what Jesus was trying to convey when he went on to say:
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
At some point we need to let our faith take over. The Gospel is literally Good News! Love God, trust God, have faith in God. In the end I pared our discussion down to it’s finest point to search in your heart; if you admit that God loves you, do you think he wants you to have the best, or just barely enough to get by?
God speed!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Ten Commend-ments:
This is to commend all of us who live by the word of God.
1. Thank you for doing our duty to God, as our creator, to worship Him.
2. Thank you for following our moral obligation to our fellow human beings, because God created all men "in His own image." If men are created in God's image, they also must be respected and loved.
3. Thank you for praising and respecting, and honoring the name of the LORD your God.
4. Thank you for remembering the Sabbath day, and keeping it holy.
5. Thank you for honoring your father and your mother.
6. Thank you for honoring every life.
7. Thank you for the faithfulness and fidelity to your spouse.
8. Thank you for being honest and trustworthy.
9. Thank you for only speaking about the good qualities of your neighbor.
10. Thank you for loving your neighbor, honoring and being happy for him for all that is his.
You are to be commended because on your journey to improve the quality of your life you’ve realized that the Bible is a guide for better living. Thank you for helping me to become a better person because you have become a better person.
God speed!
1. Thank you for doing our duty to God, as our creator, to worship Him.
2. Thank you for following our moral obligation to our fellow human beings, because God created all men "in His own image." If men are created in God's image, they also must be respected and loved.
3. Thank you for praising and respecting, and honoring the name of the LORD your God.
4. Thank you for remembering the Sabbath day, and keeping it holy.
5. Thank you for honoring your father and your mother.
6. Thank you for honoring every life.
7. Thank you for the faithfulness and fidelity to your spouse.
8. Thank you for being honest and trustworthy.
9. Thank you for only speaking about the good qualities of your neighbor.
10. Thank you for loving your neighbor, honoring and being happy for him for all that is his.
You are to be commended because on your journey to improve the quality of your life you’ve realized that the Bible is a guide for better living. Thank you for helping me to become a better person because you have become a better person.
God speed!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
My Own Lesson
I learned a valuable lesson recently; always operate out of love. Matthew 22:37 - 40 Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
If you think you know what love is, take the time to know for sure. If you’re unsure of what love is, take the time to learn. C. S. Lewis wrote a tremendous book on the subject called, “The Four Loves.” It is a thorough and thoughtful insight of the word love, which I recommend, but I can tell you that if you don’t want to put in the effort, there are alternatives. A place to start is if you love someone you wish them goodwill. If you don’t love someone, you still wish them good will. Of course you only get out of a relationship, what you put into it. We all might know what we should do, but without acting on it, nothing will ever change.
I heard a good story today about a new preacher that came and gave a wonderful sermon and the congregation was so moved that electricity was in the air. They lined up after the service to welcome the new preacher and thank him for the wonderful sermon. He graciously thanked them and encouraged them to return. Word of the wonderful new preacher spread fast throughout the community and the following Sunday service was standing room only. The congregation was excitedly anticipating the sermon and the new preacher stood and delivered the exact same wonderful sermon as the week before. Some of the parishioners that had heard it before thought that he must have delivered it to assist the people that had missed it the week before. The following Sunday the church was packed again and again the new preacher delivered the same wonderful sermon. After the seventh Sunday of the same wonderful sermon a stern committee of older women approached the new preacher and stated that though they loved the wonderful sermon, did he have any others he could deliver?
“Of course,” the preacher happily stated, “I have many that are just as wonderful.”
“Then when can we report to the people who sent us, that you might begin delivering them.”
The new preacher smiled and responded, “As soon as I see you doing something about this one I’m delivering now.”
God speed!
If you think you know what love is, take the time to know for sure. If you’re unsure of what love is, take the time to learn. C. S. Lewis wrote a tremendous book on the subject called, “The Four Loves.” It is a thorough and thoughtful insight of the word love, which I recommend, but I can tell you that if you don’t want to put in the effort, there are alternatives. A place to start is if you love someone you wish them goodwill. If you don’t love someone, you still wish them good will. Of course you only get out of a relationship, what you put into it. We all might know what we should do, but without acting on it, nothing will ever change.
I heard a good story today about a new preacher that came and gave a wonderful sermon and the congregation was so moved that electricity was in the air. They lined up after the service to welcome the new preacher and thank him for the wonderful sermon. He graciously thanked them and encouraged them to return. Word of the wonderful new preacher spread fast throughout the community and the following Sunday service was standing room only. The congregation was excitedly anticipating the sermon and the new preacher stood and delivered the exact same wonderful sermon as the week before. Some of the parishioners that had heard it before thought that he must have delivered it to assist the people that had missed it the week before. The following Sunday the church was packed again and again the new preacher delivered the same wonderful sermon. After the seventh Sunday of the same wonderful sermon a stern committee of older women approached the new preacher and stated that though they loved the wonderful sermon, did he have any others he could deliver?
“Of course,” the preacher happily stated, “I have many that are just as wonderful.”
“Then when can we report to the people who sent us, that you might begin delivering them.”
The new preacher smiled and responded, “As soon as I see you doing something about this one I’m delivering now.”
God speed!
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