Commitment
Loyalty; I will never forget my Pastor ministering about this; This is taken from notes that I took during the message. The message changed my view of getting involved.
Without commitment you can’t grow
Making A decision, doesn’t mean being committed
God is committed to you; He has extended His mercies to you, He sent His only Son to die for you so that He could extend His mercies and we could accept them.
The scripture says in Rom.12:1-2, " I beseech you therefore, brethern, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
V-2..."And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Three things to hold:
#1, A commitment to Personal growth:
Become a follower and a learner of Jesus Christ. [A disciple]
#2; A commitment to the local body;
Decisions are made every day; What is My priority
#3; A commitment to Ministry;
1st Cor. 12:4-12, "For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them, if Prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith.
Or Ministry, let us use it in our ministry, he who teaches, in teaching.
He who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence, he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let love be without hypocrisy, abhor that which is evil, cling to what is good.
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.
Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer."
These are just a few of what we should be committed to;
Loyalty, truthfulness, unbiased, patience…..
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Seed of the Word
Good Seed
"Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
(Luke 13:18-19)
This is one word that it is very important that we know exactly what it means and take it literally:
Mk.4:13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word.
This is the first parable ever that God opened up the truth of, to me. (Mk.4) It’s the most important one we will ever understand.
It’s up to us what kind, and how much fruit we produce. What we sow is what we produce; and, how much we sow determines how much we produce.
The seed (word) has to be protected and watered and hoed and fertilized if it is to produce abundantly.
We can dig up our seed over and over by speaking against it negatively. Ie.. we say, “By his stripes I am healed.” Then the next day or sometimes the same day, we say: “I feel so sick I think this sickness is going to kill me.” Doing this guarantees failure.
If you're going to grow in the kingdom of God, you're going to do it just like a seed that's been planted in the ground. How does a seed grow? All at once? No, it grows constantly-- 24 hours a day--a little all the time until it accomplishes what it was created to do.
But to have growth you first have to plant; and, what you plant is very important. Remember the word that was passed around back when computers were first being used by lay people? “garbage in, garbage out.” Watch what you feed yourself! Then, protect and feed it by meditation and prayer.
"Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
(Luke 13:18-19)
This is one word that it is very important that we know exactly what it means and take it literally:
Mk.4:13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word.
This is the first parable ever that God opened up the truth of, to me. (Mk.4) It’s the most important one we will ever understand.
It’s up to us what kind, and how much fruit we produce. What we sow is what we produce; and, how much we sow determines how much we produce.
The seed (word) has to be protected and watered and hoed and fertilized if it is to produce abundantly.
We can dig up our seed over and over by speaking against it negatively. Ie.. we say, “By his stripes I am healed.” Then the next day or sometimes the same day, we say: “I feel so sick I think this sickness is going to kill me.” Doing this guarantees failure.
If you're going to grow in the kingdom of God, you're going to do it just like a seed that's been planted in the ground. How does a seed grow? All at once? No, it grows constantly-- 24 hours a day--a little all the time until it accomplishes what it was created to do.
But to have growth you first have to plant; and, what you plant is very important. Remember the word that was passed around back when computers were first being used by lay people? “garbage in, garbage out.” Watch what you feed yourself! Then, protect and feed it by meditation and prayer.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Look for thw Light
Look for the light
After dinner one night, a tiny brown sparrow flew inside our house through the front door. A chase ensued. Each time my husband got near to it, the little intruder fluttered away in a desperate search for an exit. Before we could escort it safely outside, the bird toured the house so frantically that we could see its chest throbbing from its rapid heartbeat.
The only thing left to do was turn the light off inside, open the door and turn the light on outside
Sometimes we are like that little bird—anxious, frazzled, and afraid of what might happen next. It comforts me to think that “not one [sparrow] falls to the ground” without God knowing about it (Matt. 10:29). He sees and knows everything in our world. He has promised not to allow more to come on us than we can bear; but will, with every trial, make a way of escape. (1cor 10:13)
There are times when God has to turn the light off in our lives so he can show us the way . As long as we have the light to comfort us we will refuse to move, even when we are uncomfortable.
After dinner one night, a tiny brown sparrow flew inside our house through the front door. A chase ensued. Each time my husband got near to it, the little intruder fluttered away in a desperate search for an exit. Before we could escort it safely outside, the bird toured the house so frantically that we could see its chest throbbing from its rapid heartbeat.
The only thing left to do was turn the light off inside, open the door and turn the light on outside
Sometimes we are like that little bird—anxious, frazzled, and afraid of what might happen next. It comforts me to think that “not one [sparrow] falls to the ground” without God knowing about it (Matt. 10:29). He sees and knows everything in our world. He has promised not to allow more to come on us than we can bear; but will, with every trial, make a way of escape. (1cor 10:13)
There are times when God has to turn the light off in our lives so he can show us the way . As long as we have the light to comfort us we will refuse to move, even when we are uncomfortable.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Trusting our eyes to God
Lk6:39-42; 39 And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
Why do we find it so much easier to point out the faults of others instead of dealing with our own weaknesses? It’s always the other driver that makes the mistakes and doesn’t know how to drive. Etc..
Luke says it’s because of the plank that is in our own eye!
So what can we do about the plank? We certainly can’t go to the one to which we think has a plank in his eye?
The best thing we can do is not to go on a beam hunting trip, but rather, let God show us how He looks at us. He is the only one that has “Perfect vision”.
Isaiah 49:16 (New King James Version)
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.
Is.44:22, I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,
And like a cloud, your sins.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”
God loves us unconditionally; He never looks at us through a plank as others do. He always wants the best for us; He has nothing to gain except saving our souls, so trust Him. He will not only show you the plank but also the proper way to get rid of it so you too can see clearly to help the other guy. Praise God.
Why do we find it so much easier to point out the faults of others instead of dealing with our own weaknesses? It’s always the other driver that makes the mistakes and doesn’t know how to drive. Etc..
Luke says it’s because of the plank that is in our own eye!
So what can we do about the plank? We certainly can’t go to the one to which we think has a plank in his eye?
The best thing we can do is not to go on a beam hunting trip, but rather, let God show us how He looks at us. He is the only one that has “Perfect vision”.
Isaiah 49:16 (New King James Version)
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.
Is.44:22, I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,
And like a cloud, your sins.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”
God loves us unconditionally; He never looks at us through a plank as others do. He always wants the best for us; He has nothing to gain except saving our souls, so trust Him. He will not only show you the plank but also the proper way to get rid of it so you too can see clearly to help the other guy. Praise God.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Supernatural ! Us?
Supernatural! Us?
Luke 6:27-38 (NKJV)
27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Have you ever stopped to really consider what God is asking us to do? Only a supernatural person could live this way! No one in their natural mind is going to allow themselves to be put on the short end of the stick, intentionally, every time! Yet that is exactly what God is asking us to do; Why? And How?
God wants to be the One working in us, not us by ourselves. He knows that alone we could never live as He asks us to; but with Him working in us by His power we will, and, actually enjoy ourself because we know we are pleasing the Father. When the Father is pleased with us , we walk in His favor; and are blessed coming in and blessed going out. Hallelujah!!!
Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Deuteronomy 28:2-4
2And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy livestock, and the flocks of thy sheep.
JUST SEEING YOURSELF DOING THINGS THAT YOU KNOW YOU COULD NEVER DO ALONE IS AN OVER-POWERING FEELING BY ITSELF.
Luke 6:27-38 (NKJV)
27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Have you ever stopped to really consider what God is asking us to do? Only a supernatural person could live this way! No one in their natural mind is going to allow themselves to be put on the short end of the stick, intentionally, every time! Yet that is exactly what God is asking us to do; Why? And How?
God wants to be the One working in us, not us by ourselves. He knows that alone we could never live as He asks us to; but with Him working in us by His power we will, and, actually enjoy ourself because we know we are pleasing the Father. When the Father is pleased with us , we walk in His favor; and are blessed coming in and blessed going out. Hallelujah!!!
Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Deuteronomy 28:2-4
2And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy livestock, and the flocks of thy sheep.
JUST SEEING YOURSELF DOING THINGS THAT YOU KNOW YOU COULD NEVER DO ALONE IS AN OVER-POWERING FEELING BY ITSELF.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
True Beauty
Think not alone of outward form;
Its beauty will depart;
But cultivate the Spirit’s fruits
That grow within the heart. —D. De Haan
Godly character is the best beauty treatment in the world.
Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. —Ephesians 4:24
Its beauty will depart;
But cultivate the Spirit’s fruits
That grow within the heart. —D. De Haan
Godly character is the best beauty treatment in the world.
Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. —Ephesians 4:24
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Faith Walk
We walk by faith, not by sight
Feelings can be misleading; [prov.4:23, Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
For years I lived according to my “feelings” It was like a riding a roller coaster, one day I would feel good, the very next day I was down in the mulligrubs. I thought that what you felt was what you were. I had no knowledge of what the Bible said about it. I was totally controlled by what I thought. When I finally understood the truth I was angry with myself, I kept thinking of all the times that I had been deceived by “thoughts”
It’s easy to fall into believing our feelings more than what God’s word says; That’s the way we were raised,(most of us) and it takes help from the Holy Spirit and constant act of our will to begin thinking differently. But when you do, you will find that life is more enjoyable when your living according to what the Word of God says.
The Bible says, “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.”(prov 4:23)
(2cor. 10:5, says, Capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.”
Think this way, “If it doesn’t line up with the word of God, don’t think it!
(2cor. 5:7, says, We walk by faith, not by sight.”
This may come as a surprise to you, but we won’t always “feel” the presence of God!
Just as the Disciples that were on their way to Emmaus, Jesus walked right beside them but they didn’t know who he was.
God is a God of faith, and He works and talks in ways that only faith, not feelings can discern.
Feelings can be misleading; [prov.4:23, Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
For years I lived according to my “feelings” It was like a riding a roller coaster, one day I would feel good, the very next day I was down in the mulligrubs. I thought that what you felt was what you were. I had no knowledge of what the Bible said about it. I was totally controlled by what I thought. When I finally understood the truth I was angry with myself, I kept thinking of all the times that I had been deceived by “thoughts”
It’s easy to fall into believing our feelings more than what God’s word says; That’s the way we were raised,(most of us) and it takes help from the Holy Spirit and constant act of our will to begin thinking differently. But when you do, you will find that life is more enjoyable when your living according to what the Word of God says.
The Bible says, “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.”(prov 4:23)
(2cor. 10:5, says, Capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.”
Think this way, “If it doesn’t line up with the word of God, don’t think it!
(2cor. 5:7, says, We walk by faith, not by sight.”
This may come as a surprise to you, but we won’t always “feel” the presence of God!
Just as the Disciples that were on their way to Emmaus, Jesus walked right beside them but they didn’t know who he was.
God is a God of faith, and He works and talks in ways that only faith, not feelings can discern.
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