Praise God for church! I love the opportunity to join with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to worship Him through song and scripture. It's a very warm and accepted peace to be a part of a church body.
My thoughts today hinge mainly on myself, but I can see others beside me with the same fault. We enter in the sanctuary greeting others we know. We sit down and worship. We stand up and leave. All along the way we socialize with those we know, but today my heart stood still for someone I saw sitting alone.
How can myself and others walk in and out of a church without talking to those alone? As members, we can't wait for a minister to walk around the church or stand at the front door to greet everyone. We must all be ministers to visitors and those not connected with the body of believers.
Maybe this post is just a personal motivator, but I think this is a major issue in large churches.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Confession
I have a confession to make.
The past few years of my life have been incredible. I've been able to grow and learn so much in the word of God since my freshman year in college, but, even though I grow and continue to learn, I still feel like I'm unable to disciple.
I feel like I'm not yet filled with enough wisdom and knowledge to adequately disciple someone younger than me. It's so much easier to chase after a gospel-centered minister to be discipled by rather than discipling someone younger. Do you ever feel like you want to become more holy? Knowing we will never be as holy as God, what is our "top" of being holy? In other words, will we ever truly attain our goal of holiness?
My confession is this: I've avoided discipling others because I continually feel unholy.
If I was God watching me continue to avoid leading others in discipleship I would be crying. He is probably telling me he has given me enough. He has led me where I need to be to carry-out his duties and his callings. He won't lead me into anything I can't handle, and I have faith he will continue to strengthen me in knowledge and wisdom in the future. I must stop waiting to become "something" while I am really nothing without Christ (galations 6:3). He is where I should place full dependance and foundational truth. Without Him I am nothing, but with Him I can do all things.
God wants to Advance the gospel and he is waiting for me to be a part of this.
The past few years of my life have been incredible. I've been able to grow and learn so much in the word of God since my freshman year in college, but, even though I grow and continue to learn, I still feel like I'm unable to disciple.
I feel like I'm not yet filled with enough wisdom and knowledge to adequately disciple someone younger than me. It's so much easier to chase after a gospel-centered minister to be discipled by rather than discipling someone younger. Do you ever feel like you want to become more holy? Knowing we will never be as holy as God, what is our "top" of being holy? In other words, will we ever truly attain our goal of holiness?
My confession is this: I've avoided discipling others because I continually feel unholy.
If I was God watching me continue to avoid leading others in discipleship I would be crying. He is probably telling me he has given me enough. He has led me where I need to be to carry-out his duties and his callings. He won't lead me into anything I can't handle, and I have faith he will continue to strengthen me in knowledge and wisdom in the future. I must stop waiting to become "something" while I am really nothing without Christ (galations 6:3). He is where I should place full dependance and foundational truth. Without Him I am nothing, but with Him I can do all things.
God wants to Advance the gospel and he is waiting for me to be a part of this.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
I hate divorce
"I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel Malachi 2:16a
I hate divorce.
This is a statement from God. If this is a statement from God then why do we listen to the world? Why do brothers and sisters in Christ allow each other to listen to the temptation of the world? Selfish cowards let there brothers fall. I hate divorce too, and I hate running through God seeking life without having a brother step-up and encourage, follow, and aid in building another brother's relationship towards a God filled marriage covenant. Why do we "let things slide?" The movies we watch, the shows we see, the magazines we read, but still nobody gets in the grill of my face and says "love her like God loved the church." Do not break the faith. Do not listen to the world.
Sexual temptation roams large. Sexual temptation bites evil poison into relationships. Where is a brother? Where is a sister? Do we pray for sexual purity for our brothers? our sisters? I'm tired of allowing myself to listen to the world. Can someone please stand up and understand the woman is the daughter of God. Outside of marriage a man has no right to her body. Her body is a temple of God. Sit down coward. Stop lacking in your faith with God and glue the heart of God to your forehead. Unlawful sex takes prime real-estate to destroy God's holy and pure vow of the covenant of marriage.
Marriage is from God.
My heart weeps.
I hate divorce.
I hate divorce.
This is a statement from God. If this is a statement from God then why do we listen to the world? Why do brothers and sisters in Christ allow each other to listen to the temptation of the world? Selfish cowards let there brothers fall. I hate divorce too, and I hate running through God seeking life without having a brother step-up and encourage, follow, and aid in building another brother's relationship towards a God filled marriage covenant. Why do we "let things slide?" The movies we watch, the shows we see, the magazines we read, but still nobody gets in the grill of my face and says "love her like God loved the church." Do not break the faith. Do not listen to the world.
Sexual temptation roams large. Sexual temptation bites evil poison into relationships. Where is a brother? Where is a sister? Do we pray for sexual purity for our brothers? our sisters? I'm tired of allowing myself to listen to the world. Can someone please stand up and understand the woman is the daughter of God. Outside of marriage a man has no right to her body. Her body is a temple of God. Sit down coward. Stop lacking in your faith with God and glue the heart of God to your forehead. Unlawful sex takes prime real-estate to destroy God's holy and pure vow of the covenant of marriage.
Marriage is from God.
My heart weeps.
I hate divorce.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
God not pleased
"You placed defiled food on my altar. "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the Lord's table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the Lord Almighty. Malachi 1:7-8
God sets the tone. God deserves our honor and respect. He requires the very best of our abilities. "For I am a great king, says the Lord Almighty, 'and my name is to be feared among the nations." How often do we shorthand prayer and praise towards God? We have the time in our day to spend with Him, but we decide to minimize the time with Him to jump over to something else. He is worthy of all our praise!
How lost do we have to be for God to say, "I am not pleased with you." (v.10)
May we give everything to Him who made all things.
God sets the tone. God deserves our honor and respect. He requires the very best of our abilities. "For I am a great king, says the Lord Almighty, 'and my name is to be feared among the nations." How often do we shorthand prayer and praise towards God? We have the time in our day to spend with Him, but we decide to minimize the time with Him to jump over to something else. He is worthy of all our praise!
How lost do we have to be for God to say, "I am not pleased with you." (v.10)
May we give everything to Him who made all things.
Monday, June 1, 2009
I have loved you
Malachi 1:2
"I have loved you," says the Lord.
In this book we find the Israelites back in their sinful ways, but the Lord quickly sets the tone at the top of this book. He loves us.
Now I know the Israelites have really been through a lot with their past journey, which includes many experiences of God's wrath, but it's note worthy to see him say "I have loved you."
Then the next few verses the Lord shares his thoughts on Esau and the people of Edom. He is obviously not happy with the people of Edom, but verse 5 seems to summarize the situation. If only the people would truly see the greatness of God, then they will come out of their wicked land. "You will see it with your own eyes and say, 'Great is the Lord -even beyond the borders of Israel!' But the people will continue to be under God's wrath if they continue their self-reliance in thinking they can rebuild on their own.
Like the people of Edom, I know I frequently think "self-reliance" ways. But how can we ever truly see God's greatness if we aren't dependent on him? In all things, and everything, we must depend on Him. Our minds battle and emotions stir but God will deliver peace and comfort during times of uncertainty. Depend on him
"I have loved you," says the Lord.
In this book we find the Israelites back in their sinful ways, but the Lord quickly sets the tone at the top of this book. He loves us.
Now I know the Israelites have really been through a lot with their past journey, which includes many experiences of God's wrath, but it's note worthy to see him say "I have loved you."
Then the next few verses the Lord shares his thoughts on Esau and the people of Edom. He is obviously not happy with the people of Edom, but verse 5 seems to summarize the situation. If only the people would truly see the greatness of God, then they will come out of their wicked land. "You will see it with your own eyes and say, 'Great is the Lord -even beyond the borders of Israel!' But the people will continue to be under God's wrath if they continue their self-reliance in thinking they can rebuild on their own.
Like the people of Edom, I know I frequently think "self-reliance" ways. But how can we ever truly see God's greatness if we aren't dependent on him? In all things, and everything, we must depend on Him. Our minds battle and emotions stir but God will deliver peace and comfort during times of uncertainty. Depend on him
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