Zechariah 7:9-10 (NLT)
9 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.”
This is part of the message given by God to Zechariah to express to the people. It was a call for justice and mercy to be given to all. Zechariah said previous generations had refused to listen to this call, but God was once again calling the people to listen. God reminds the people in verse 13, ““Since they refused to listen when I called to them, I would not listen when they called to me, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Whoever you are, whatever you might believe the idea to “judge fairly, show mercy and kindness to one another” is something we in the world should all do. We all should also avoid taking advantage of and oppressing widows, orphans, foreigners and the poor. And lastly we all should show love to one another, not scheming or plotting against each other; but instead seeing how we can benefit another person. If we were honest with ourselves the reason we might not do this is because we are selfish and self-center. We tend to put our desires first and sadly we neglect the needs of other people, even sometimes going to the extent of taking advantage of them.
Now speaking to Christians, Christ gave himself freely on the cross as a sacrifice for all of our sin. His motives were not self-centered, they were not selfish; but instead were focused on mercy and grace for others. Christ showed kindness, He showed mercy and most of all He watched after those who could not defend themselves. Take the time to start focusing on others and see what you can do for them. Reach out and help in ways that no one else can help. Love like no one else has loved them before. And always give your heart to the Lord so that He can lead up in your mission to lead others to Christ.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Conversational prayer
Matthew 6:7-13 (NLT)
7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
In these verses Jesus was teaching those listening how to pray. He started by saying not to repeat chants over and over like some might do. Instead Jesus offered the listeners a direct prayer. There was no repetition. The prayer was spoken directly to God. Jesus praised God. He asked for God’s grace to be upon us. Jesus asked that our needs might be met; our sins forgiven; and protection from spiritual battles.
Our prayers are our conversations with God. Some of us learned as children to repeat prayers and that is appropriate when young and learning about God. Most of us should have matured such that we have a relationship with God where we are able to talk to God about our lives, our issues, our love for Him, and anything else that we desire. In Psalms King David would often express his anger, his fear, his hopelessness and other emotions he was feeling. David would also give thanks to God and praise Him for the work in His life. Often I will hear a Muslim speak and they say “thanks be to God” when something is good in their lives. As Christians we too should include God in our conversations and give thanks for what He has done for us. My pastor Johnny Hunt once said he was out at dinner with his wife and he thought how lovely she looked. So he stopped and said, “God I just want to thank you for Miss Janet. She looks lovely tonight, doesn’t she?” God wants our spontaneous thoughts and He wants us to express how we feel, what we need, and how He can help. Take time through your day to stop and pray for yourself, for your family and for others and see how God will bless you.
7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
In these verses Jesus was teaching those listening how to pray. He started by saying not to repeat chants over and over like some might do. Instead Jesus offered the listeners a direct prayer. There was no repetition. The prayer was spoken directly to God. Jesus praised God. He asked for God’s grace to be upon us. Jesus asked that our needs might be met; our sins forgiven; and protection from spiritual battles.
Our prayers are our conversations with God. Some of us learned as children to repeat prayers and that is appropriate when young and learning about God. Most of us should have matured such that we have a relationship with God where we are able to talk to God about our lives, our issues, our love for Him, and anything else that we desire. In Psalms King David would often express his anger, his fear, his hopelessness and other emotions he was feeling. David would also give thanks to God and praise Him for the work in His life. Often I will hear a Muslim speak and they say “thanks be to God” when something is good in their lives. As Christians we too should include God in our conversations and give thanks for what He has done for us. My pastor Johnny Hunt once said he was out at dinner with his wife and he thought how lovely she looked. So he stopped and said, “God I just want to thank you for Miss Janet. She looks lovely tonight, doesn’t she?” God wants our spontaneous thoughts and He wants us to express how we feel, what we need, and how He can help. Take time through your day to stop and pray for yourself, for your family and for others and see how God will bless you.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Following Christ instead of rules
Colossians 2:20-23 (NLT)
20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Matthew Henry said, “They thought themselves wiser than their neighbours, in observing the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, that they might be sure in the one, at least, to be in the right; but, alas! it was but a show of wisdom, a mere invention and pretence. So they seem to neglect the body, by abstaining from such and such meats, and mortifying their bodily pleasures and appetites; but there is nothing of true devotion in these things, for the gospel teaches us to worship God in spirit and truth and not by ritual observances, and through the mediation of Christ alone and not of any angels.” The apostle was pointing out it is our relationship with Christ that motivates us and moves us to do what is right, not traditions, not learned rules, but our love for our Lord and Savior.
The Apostle Paul asks an important question to the Christians he is addressing, “Why do you keep on following the rules of the world?” Everyone struggles with some temptation in their life. And then there are those, such as addicts, who let temptations take over their life. So an addict may set up boundaries that consist of rules as a safeguard. For instance someone addicted to gambling may decide to follow rules such as:
Not watching sporting events
Making sure to stay away from casinos
Keep away from friends who talk about making idle bets
And while those rules are good to help establish boundaries the person finds themselves always in a constant battle to follow those rules. They may even add new rules worried the current rules aren’t good enough to keep them away from temptation. So they become trapped worried about following the rules of the rules; how to measure up to the world; and how to live to other’s expectations. In truth it is Christ’s expectation we want to live up to. It is Christ who should guide us and set us free from rules. We should follow Christ in our hearts and trust that He will lead us to do what is right. Rules are good to start a boundary, but then let Christ take over so you no longer worry about those boundaries, but instead live a holy and righteous life for His sake.
20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Matthew Henry said, “They thought themselves wiser than their neighbours, in observing the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, that they might be sure in the one, at least, to be in the right; but, alas! it was but a show of wisdom, a mere invention and pretence. So they seem to neglect the body, by abstaining from such and such meats, and mortifying their bodily pleasures and appetites; but there is nothing of true devotion in these things, for the gospel teaches us to worship God in spirit and truth and not by ritual observances, and through the mediation of Christ alone and not of any angels.” The apostle was pointing out it is our relationship with Christ that motivates us and moves us to do what is right, not traditions, not learned rules, but our love for our Lord and Savior.
The Apostle Paul asks an important question to the Christians he is addressing, “Why do you keep on following the rules of the world?” Everyone struggles with some temptation in their life. And then there are those, such as addicts, who let temptations take over their life. So an addict may set up boundaries that consist of rules as a safeguard. For instance someone addicted to gambling may decide to follow rules such as:
Not watching sporting events
Making sure to stay away from casinos
Keep away from friends who talk about making idle bets
And while those rules are good to help establish boundaries the person finds themselves always in a constant battle to follow those rules. They may even add new rules worried the current rules aren’t good enough to keep them away from temptation. So they become trapped worried about following the rules of the rules; how to measure up to the world; and how to live to other’s expectations. In truth it is Christ’s expectation we want to live up to. It is Christ who should guide us and set us free from rules. We should follow Christ in our hearts and trust that He will lead us to do what is right. Rules are good to start a boundary, but then let Christ take over so you no longer worry about those boundaries, but instead live a holy and righteous life for His sake.
Monday, November 7, 2011
It might not make sense
1 Corinthians 1:20-23 (NLT)
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.
The apostle tells us that all the wisdom of man put together cannot fathom the wisdom of God. The apostle says the teaching of the crucifixion of Christ is foolish to the Jewish religious scholars who look for signs. The Greek scholars are also baffled by why God does for it does not fit human wisdom. Yet Paul continues to preach the message of Christ crucified even when it offends or makes no sense to those who do not wish to believe.
Gary Thomas tells the following story in his book Holy Available about a friend of his who was on a business trip: After the sessions an attractive young woman knocked on his hotel door …. When he opened the door, she pushed through and walked right into his room. You can't be in here," he said.
"Why not?" she asked teasingly. "Are you scared?" The woman started acting seductively. She made it very clear that she was available for any favor of his choosing. When he insisted that she leave, she finally did something … [that] was over-the top provocative. Immediately afterward, my friend wisely told two business associates exactly what happened …. My friend is a godly man, but he's human. He admits he slept very little that night …. He couldn't get this woman's words or related images out of his mind. He tossed and turned, thankful he hadn't fallen but exhausted from being so provoked. Two months later, he returned to that city, working with the same company he had worked with on his previous visit—when the [same] young woman pulled him aside. "We have to talk," she said. My friend's heart started racing as he feared the worst …. Her first words put him at ease. "I can't thank you enough for being the first man who has ever cared about me more than my body." My friend learned that this woman had been abused earlier in life. She had been promiscuous ever since her early teen years, and because of her physical appearance no man had ever been willing to walk away from her advances. And so she kept reliving the moments of her deepest hurt. "I'm going back to church," she told him. "I need to get my life back together. When I finally met a man like you who was more interested in me than in my body, it showed me how messed up I had become." Sisters and brothers, how we live our lives makes a difference. We need to be the people that we already are in God’s eyes. We need to live in the light so that others will come to know Jesus. We need to teach our children by what we say and what we do, that the things of this world don’t compare to the glories we have in Christ. It’s time to stop living like we’re asleep.
Following Christ and living as Christ would have us live might seem foolish to some people, but it will change lives. Our mission is to show the love of Christ and not beat people down for the sins they are committing; that is God’s job move and motivate people in the right direction. This man did what was right and his devotion to God helped change a life. It may have even saved her life.
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.
The apostle tells us that all the wisdom of man put together cannot fathom the wisdom of God. The apostle says the teaching of the crucifixion of Christ is foolish to the Jewish religious scholars who look for signs. The Greek scholars are also baffled by why God does for it does not fit human wisdom. Yet Paul continues to preach the message of Christ crucified even when it offends or makes no sense to those who do not wish to believe.
Gary Thomas tells the following story in his book Holy Available about a friend of his who was on a business trip: After the sessions an attractive young woman knocked on his hotel door …. When he opened the door, she pushed through and walked right into his room. You can't be in here," he said.
"Why not?" she asked teasingly. "Are you scared?" The woman started acting seductively. She made it very clear that she was available for any favor of his choosing. When he insisted that she leave, she finally did something … [that] was over-the top provocative. Immediately afterward, my friend wisely told two business associates exactly what happened …. My friend is a godly man, but he's human. He admits he slept very little that night …. He couldn't get this woman's words or related images out of his mind. He tossed and turned, thankful he hadn't fallen but exhausted from being so provoked. Two months later, he returned to that city, working with the same company he had worked with on his previous visit—when the [same] young woman pulled him aside. "We have to talk," she said. My friend's heart started racing as he feared the worst …. Her first words put him at ease. "I can't thank you enough for being the first man who has ever cared about me more than my body." My friend learned that this woman had been abused earlier in life. She had been promiscuous ever since her early teen years, and because of her physical appearance no man had ever been willing to walk away from her advances. And so she kept reliving the moments of her deepest hurt. "I'm going back to church," she told him. "I need to get my life back together. When I finally met a man like you who was more interested in me than in my body, it showed me how messed up I had become." Sisters and brothers, how we live our lives makes a difference. We need to be the people that we already are in God’s eyes. We need to live in the light so that others will come to know Jesus. We need to teach our children by what we say and what we do, that the things of this world don’t compare to the glories we have in Christ. It’s time to stop living like we’re asleep.
Following Christ and living as Christ would have us live might seem foolish to some people, but it will change lives. Our mission is to show the love of Christ and not beat people down for the sins they are committing; that is God’s job move and motivate people in the right direction. This man did what was right and his devotion to God helped change a life. It may have even saved her life.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Abandoned
Hebrews 13:5 (NLT)
For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
In these verses we find important promises from God. First God will never fail you. No matter what the circumstance is that you are going through God won’t fail to keep His promises towards you. Second, God will never abandon you. Whatever trial, whatever difficulty, whatever pain you face, God is there with you.
The word abandoned means to be given up. Someone abandoned has been left behind, forsaken. Whoever was responsible for providing care has failed. They have betrayed trust and left the person alone. My father was an abusive alcoholic. My mother had to divorce him because he continued to beat her. He shot at her, tried to run her over with the car and did many other abusive things. He abandoned us for the sake of his alcohol. My mother remarried and my step-father left just after my brother was born. He abandoned us because he didn’t want to face responsibility. The fear of abandonment can become overwhelming. I think back to all the times I was the responsible one for watching my brother, for cleaning the house, for taking care of the yard. I was abandoned to those duties because the men who should have been there to help were not. Thankfully my Father God has always been there to encourage me, watch after me, and lead me through difficult times. Thankfully I can say I never abandoned my children because my God never abandoned me.
Maybe some of you have been abandoned and because of that you have held on to bitterness in your life. Maybe your abandonment issues have caused you to abandon others. I pray God will heal your heart and fill it with His love. May you know God will never fail you nor will he abandon you.
For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
In these verses we find important promises from God. First God will never fail you. No matter what the circumstance is that you are going through God won’t fail to keep His promises towards you. Second, God will never abandon you. Whatever trial, whatever difficulty, whatever pain you face, God is there with you.
The word abandoned means to be given up. Someone abandoned has been left behind, forsaken. Whoever was responsible for providing care has failed. They have betrayed trust and left the person alone. My father was an abusive alcoholic. My mother had to divorce him because he continued to beat her. He shot at her, tried to run her over with the car and did many other abusive things. He abandoned us for the sake of his alcohol. My mother remarried and my step-father left just after my brother was born. He abandoned us because he didn’t want to face responsibility. The fear of abandonment can become overwhelming. I think back to all the times I was the responsible one for watching my brother, for cleaning the house, for taking care of the yard. I was abandoned to those duties because the men who should have been there to help were not. Thankfully my Father God has always been there to encourage me, watch after me, and lead me through difficult times. Thankfully I can say I never abandoned my children because my God never abandoned me.
Maybe some of you have been abandoned and because of that you have held on to bitterness in your life. Maybe your abandonment issues have caused you to abandon others. I pray God will heal your heart and fill it with His love. May you know God will never fail you nor will he abandon you.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Repeated sin
Hebrews 10:1-2 (NLT)
1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
In these verses the apostle explains how the Mosaic Law required a repeated cleaning for sin. Why? Because no matter how hard one tried they always fell back into repeating sin which required atonement. Had it been possible to provide a onetime permanent cleansing there would have been no need to repeat the process time after time.
Here's the gospel: you're more sinful than you ever dared believe; you're more loved than you ever dared hope. (Tim Keller) Christ gave His life to atone once and all for the sin of the world. Christ sacrificed himself so our repetition of sins would not require a repetition of cleansing. For every time a sin was repeated there was also the shame that came with the sin knowing the sin needed to be cleansed. But in Christ there is no shame for He paid your debt in full once and for all and for all time. Give thanks to Christ who took away the guilt and shame of sin that you could live a life to glorify God.
1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
In these verses the apostle explains how the Mosaic Law required a repeated cleaning for sin. Why? Because no matter how hard one tried they always fell back into repeating sin which required atonement. Had it been possible to provide a onetime permanent cleansing there would have been no need to repeat the process time after time.
Here's the gospel: you're more sinful than you ever dared believe; you're more loved than you ever dared hope. (Tim Keller) Christ gave His life to atone once and all for the sin of the world. Christ sacrificed himself so our repetition of sins would not require a repetition of cleansing. For every time a sin was repeated there was also the shame that came with the sin knowing the sin needed to be cleansed. But in Christ there is no shame for He paid your debt in full once and for all and for all time. Give thanks to Christ who took away the guilt and shame of sin that you could live a life to glorify God.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Do not allow others to entice you
Proverbs 1:10-14 (NLT)
10 My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! 11 They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! 12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.13 Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.14 Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.”
This proverb is the advice of a father to his child to acquire wisdom and stay away from those who might lead them away from wise action. We see the follies of those ignoring wisdom. They look for those they may attack and kill just for the pleasure of taking their riches.
The following is a true story from Dave Jackson written in Leadership magazine. "Our train rolled into Kansas City at 1 a.m. Dim lights came on to help the new passengers find seats. Many of us who had been riding home through the night had spread out to occupy two seats apiece. An attractive woman made her way down the aisle with her bags. She was looking from side to side, hoping for someone to move. I turned toward the window and watched her in the reflection. ‘May I sit here?’ she asked. ‘Sure.’ I looked up and smiled as I moved over. She threw her things into the rack above and sat down. Near the back of the car, only one of my colleagues from the church had managed to keep his extra space. ‘Lucky guy’. ‘My name's Kathy. What's yours?’ I told her, and we talked quietly for a while. She was on her way to visit her mother after some rough spats with her husband. I was eager to get home and see my wife and family after an exhausting church leadership conference. Soon we both slipped off to sleep. At some later stop, I awoke to find Kathy cuddled next to me. 'You don't mind if I lean my head on your shoulder, do you?' she said sleepily. ‘Uh, no. I guess not.' She was just tired... wasn't she? And besides, I had a wonderful wife and a great marriage and would be home before noon. I looked around to see if anyone was noticing. She cuddled closer. I wondered what she really wanted‑‑or would allow. At first I couldn't believe what I was thinking. But then it was her fault. She knew exactly what she was doing. I might as well enjoy it. After all, what could happen on a train full of people? Nothing, nothing really... except what Jesus warned about happening in the heart. Finally, I excused myself so I could go back and talk with my friend‑‑the ‘lucky’ one with the empty seat beside him. Or maybe I was the lucky one since that extra space was still available. I only knew I didn't need to stay where I had been.
We need to watch the circumstances we fall into and beware of those who might lead us into the temptation of sin. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
10 My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! 11 They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! 12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.13 Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.14 Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.”
This proverb is the advice of a father to his child to acquire wisdom and stay away from those who might lead them away from wise action. We see the follies of those ignoring wisdom. They look for those they may attack and kill just for the pleasure of taking their riches.
The following is a true story from Dave Jackson written in Leadership magazine. "Our train rolled into Kansas City at 1 a.m. Dim lights came on to help the new passengers find seats. Many of us who had been riding home through the night had spread out to occupy two seats apiece. An attractive woman made her way down the aisle with her bags. She was looking from side to side, hoping for someone to move. I turned toward the window and watched her in the reflection. ‘May I sit here?’ she asked. ‘Sure.’ I looked up and smiled as I moved over. She threw her things into the rack above and sat down. Near the back of the car, only one of my colleagues from the church had managed to keep his extra space. ‘Lucky guy’. ‘My name's Kathy. What's yours?’ I told her, and we talked quietly for a while. She was on her way to visit her mother after some rough spats with her husband. I was eager to get home and see my wife and family after an exhausting church leadership conference. Soon we both slipped off to sleep. At some later stop, I awoke to find Kathy cuddled next to me. 'You don't mind if I lean my head on your shoulder, do you?' she said sleepily. ‘Uh, no. I guess not.' She was just tired... wasn't she? And besides, I had a wonderful wife and a great marriage and would be home before noon. I looked around to see if anyone was noticing. She cuddled closer. I wondered what she really wanted‑‑or would allow. At first I couldn't believe what I was thinking. But then it was her fault. She knew exactly what she was doing. I might as well enjoy it. After all, what could happen on a train full of people? Nothing, nothing really... except what Jesus warned about happening in the heart. Finally, I excused myself so I could go back and talk with my friend‑‑the ‘lucky’ one with the empty seat beside him. Or maybe I was the lucky one since that extra space was still available. I only knew I didn't need to stay where I had been.
We need to watch the circumstances we fall into and beware of those who might lead us into the temptation of sin. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
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