October 2011
21 posts
4 tags
God Speaks
Our own ideas are very important to us — so important that we are sometimes likely to think that God gave them to us. We know that our perspective, our point of view is correct, therefore God must have given it.
The Christian must remember that God speaks through many different people, with many different ideas, and that His voice is one of consistency. God does not waiver or change His...
4 tags
Stand Firm
To wait quietly while remaining steadfast is very difficult but extremely important. It is not unusual for God to speak into the life of an individual the path or principal to follow. Yet, the rest of the world, the best of friends, the most competent of colleagues advise otherwise.
The Christian must listen for God, discern the right course, and stand firm against all who would detract. God...
4 tags
Work For God
The Bible says that God made all things for us, and us He made for His glory. How important do our words become and also the thoughts which lie behind them? How important are our actions and the intents which spring from them? To realize that everything we do or say can work for the glory of God is, at the very least, humbling.
The Christian must focus on the body being a servant of the soul,...
4 tags
Worship God
Many people focus on the teachings of Jesus and forget about the rest of the Bible. To do this is to see only one aspect of God and how He reveals Himself. In truth it provides an interesting loophole into idolatry.
If a Christian concentrates his or her attention on the human personality of Jesus, His life and His perspective, and considers that alone to be the heart of the Gospel, then Jesus...
We Don't Know
There is no way for one person to know the scars on the soul of another person. What ordeals, what afflictions, what pains have touched each throughout life is hidden deep within. Many smiling faces hide agonizing loss. Many cheerful words cover deeply wounded hearts. Many light steps speak nothing of the weight that is carried. Therefore, it is only through eyes of love and understanding...
3 tags
The Roots of Stewardship
Everything we do leaves its mark on life — not just our own life, but also on the lives of all those who surround us. What tremendous duties, responsibilities, and destinies are experienced each and every day we live. Everything we do touches eternity. Every word we speak for good or for evil, to help or out of indifference, from cowardice or strength, has the possibility of affecting...
3 tags
What God Doesn't Do
Many people think that if their heart is given to Christ, and their work is dedicated to God, then in turn they will either have, or deserve, a life free of conflict or struggle. But God never promises that He will take trials out of life. The Christian will never know the entire world to be in agreement with him or her. The Christian will still hear unkind words spoken. The Christian will...
2 tags
What Shall I Do With Him?
How suddenly and without warning come the great crisis of life. If a person knew that next week he or she would be living through some great sorrow or sickness, if it were certain that in a couple of months his or her life would be at an end, how different would be the living. But those times in life come unannounced. The great crisis most often come unforeseen and unexpected.
For the...
5 tags
Where Are You?
Genesis teaches that in the beginning humanity was given one rule to follow —a single restraint, some one thing which was not to be done. Free to stand or free to fall is the choice which God gave to the being created in His image.
The eons have not changed that fact. Without such freedom, how could integrity and greatness, discipline and the very soul itself be developed? Humanity...
4 tags
Who Holds Truth?
Many people believe today that all religions are essentially the same. This conviction has even given rise to its own religion which professes exactly that —no religions are uniquely right and none are wrong.
For such a belief to be true then God ceases to be King of all the earth whom all persons must ultimately face. Rather, those who believe in him stand before his judgment and those...
4 tags
Temptation
Our world does not think much about the concept of temptation, let alone the denial of temptation. To a large degree we have forgotten the importance of the word “no.” But temptation, and our refusing to yield to it, are very important parts of the Christian character.
To grow into “the wisdom and stature of Christ,” requires self-denial, struggle, and a focus on work. ...
4 tags
True Prayer
The mere repeating of words is not true praying — not fully. Along with the words there must be a sincerity of the spirit, a passionate glow in the heart, and inflamed worship by the soul at is desires oneness with its Creator. Unless the whole of our self pours out with the words, and lays the full of our life at the feet of God, we have not truly prayer.
Works Without Faith
A lot of people say that they can be a good person with out being a religious person. Yet Christianity teaches that morality without faith results in a crude and incomplete character. Without religion there is no absolute truth on which to rely. Without religion there are no grounds for universal influence. Without religion there is no credible source to go to and no ultimate reason to refer...
4 tags
Only God
So much of contemporary religion is presented as if there were no God. Writings, personal relations, even the act of worship are focused on living a better life, self-improvement, and achieving happiness. We are taught to help a neighbor for no other reason than it is the right thing to do. The Sanctuary has become the “worship center,” though the worship of who or what is often not...
Worship The Big Christ
There are words of Christ which lead to truth, but of themselves they are not enough. There are actions of Christ whose example lights the way of love toward one another, but alone these are insufficient. There is the known presence of Christ that brings us peace, quiets our fears, and soothes the pains of life. but even all of these blessings, taken by themselves, are impoverished and...
5 tags
Correct Understanding
Life is filled with examples of how people are misunderstood or positions which people hold are misinterpreted. Many people wrongly assume that others do not care. Opinions grounded on lack of knowledge are easy to find. Our imaginations tell us that someone is angry with us when that is far from the truth — they are not, nor have they ever been. Our limited perspective says that a...
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Yield To The Spirit
Full benefits of the faith are only known by those who yield to the Spirit. Our maturing, our value, our becoming stronger and moving forward is God’s doing — not our own. We must yield to the Spirit’s leading and have faith that God guides our life wisely and lovingly.
The Spirit of God dwells in you and “he will guide you into all truth.” —John 16:13
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Only God Enters
We may belong to “the family of man,” but we are really quite alone. True friendships, deep loves, our families gathered around, all are very necessary to us, but it is as an individual that we wage the battle of life.
We each must live our own life, therefore it would be in our best interest to have a well grounded relationship with God. Other people may walk life with us, but...
5 tags
You Must Cross
God’s best and deepest rewards of life always lie beyond a gulf. The darkness of the depth, the turbulence of the water, the greatness of the width, tests the sincerity of the person who would journey there. The abyss must be crossed — there is no other way.
But the Christian must also know this: every bit as much as God is in the reward, He is equally in the chasm and the the...
4 tags
FAITH MUST BE CULTIVATED
The ability to have an ongoing religious experience must be developed and prepared for. Faith, and the capacity to experience it, grows through studying scripture, worshipping with other Christians, praying, and singing songs. All of this contributes to a relationship where God is enjoyed and honored. Faith must be brought out and exercised, otherwise it dries up due to atrophy and...
5 tags
Faith Is Personal
There is a desire in the world today to depersonalize issues which effect the church. This is creating a lot of confusion among Christians and to ask the impossible. The relationship which we have with Our Lord is only understood and lived to it’s fullest when it is personal. As individuals we are called to serve Christ. God comes to each of us in the silence of prayer and the promptings...
