Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT)
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
The apostle closes this chapter of Ephesians with praise to God for what He is able to accomplish in our lives. He gives notice of God’s inexhaustible capability to do more than we may ever imagine or ask for. The praise God receives comes from the collective church of believers in Christ Jesus and will carry forward for generations to come.
Skye Jethani, from the sermon "Church: The Wisdom of God on Display," said: A few weeks ago I was in Cape Town, South Africa, for a gathering of world Christian leaders from 200 countries. One of the speakers was the Anglican archbishop of Jos, Nigeria. His name is Benjamin Kwashi, and he shared a story that was horrific and inspiring at the same time. Jos, this city in Nigeria, has been rocked by sectarian violence for years now, primarily between Christians and Muslims. There have been endless cycles of violence and vengeance and hundreds of people killed. In March of 2009, a gang of people broke into the bishop's house to kill him. He wasn't home, but his wife was. They did unspeakable things to her, and they beat her and left her for dead. He found her, and she was still alive, but she spent most of the following year in recovery. A year to the day after this gang beat her, in March of 2010, they came back. They broke into his home again, and this time they did find Benjamin. They dragged him out of his house, and they were about to kill him. They had machetes and clubs. Benjamin asked for just a moment to pray before they began. So he knelt there on the dirt and began to pray.
A moment later he felt someone holding his hand. He looked up, and it was his wife. I still can't believe the courage of that woman. She could have run, but instead she broke through this line of the same people who had attacked her a year ago and knelt with her husband to pray with him, knowing that her life was over as well. And then a moment later, he felt someone holding his other hand. He looked, and it was his teenage son. Benjamin begged his son to leave so that he wouldn't be killed as well. And his son said, "Father, they've all left. They're all gone."
Why did they leave? Benjamin said he has no idea. And he knows they'll be back. I'd like to believe that the reason they left is that when this bishop and his wife were kneeling in the dirt in prayer, the manifold wisdom of God was put on display before the powers and authorities in the heavenly realm. There was wisdom and power there that these people could not comprehend, and they became afraid and they fled.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Love not judgment
Mark 14:3-5 (NLT)
3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. 4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.
This story starts in the home of Simon in Bethany. Simon previously was a leper. Leprosy is caused by the organism Mycobacteriumleprae. It is not very contagious and has a long incubation period, which makes it difficult to determine where or when the disease was contracted. Leprosy has two common forms, tuberculoid and lepromatous, and both forms produce sores on the skin, but the lepromatous form is most severe, producing large, disfiguring lumps and bumps. All forms of the disease eventually cause nerve damage in the arms and legs, which causes sensory loss in the skin and muscle weakness. People with long-term leprosy may lose the use of their hands or feet due to repeated injury resulting from lack of sensation. Leprosy was misunderstood for years and people with the disease were placed in isolated leper colonies.
Usually the focus of these verses is on the woman pouring the perfume over the head of Jesus. Many who were there became upset that the perfume could have been sold to help the needy. They forgot or misunderstood Jesus was more than capable of tending to those in need. This woman did a good deed by pouring out her possessions for Her Savior who would pour out His life for her. But we need to remember Simon the leper. Without modern antibiotics leprosy was not curable and yet we find these people sitting and eating with a man who had been a leper. Usually the leper had to announce they were diseased and had to move away from those without the disease. Maybe because Jesus was present these people were not fearful of what they had seen Jesus heal. It is very reminiscent of modern times where HIV was not understood. At first people weren’t sure how it was acquired. Some cast blame on certain groups. People were isolated and separated from friends and families. The medical community has learned a lot more about HIV and AIDs. There are more and more people who are surviving, some who are even symptomatic free. We need to remember God commands us to love all people and care for them. Even while we may not understand a problem we need to trust God and allow Him to take care of the needs of others without imposing our judgment or criticism. We need to act out of love and let those in need know they are loved no matter what the circumstance. May each of us seek to love others as God loves us.
3 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. 4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. 5 “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.
This story starts in the home of Simon in Bethany. Simon previously was a leper. Leprosy is caused by the organism Mycobacteriumleprae. It is not very contagious and has a long incubation period, which makes it difficult to determine where or when the disease was contracted. Leprosy has two common forms, tuberculoid and lepromatous, and both forms produce sores on the skin, but the lepromatous form is most severe, producing large, disfiguring lumps and bumps. All forms of the disease eventually cause nerve damage in the arms and legs, which causes sensory loss in the skin and muscle weakness. People with long-term leprosy may lose the use of their hands or feet due to repeated injury resulting from lack of sensation. Leprosy was misunderstood for years and people with the disease were placed in isolated leper colonies.
Usually the focus of these verses is on the woman pouring the perfume over the head of Jesus. Many who were there became upset that the perfume could have been sold to help the needy. They forgot or misunderstood Jesus was more than capable of tending to those in need. This woman did a good deed by pouring out her possessions for Her Savior who would pour out His life for her. But we need to remember Simon the leper. Without modern antibiotics leprosy was not curable and yet we find these people sitting and eating with a man who had been a leper. Usually the leper had to announce they were diseased and had to move away from those without the disease. Maybe because Jesus was present these people were not fearful of what they had seen Jesus heal. It is very reminiscent of modern times where HIV was not understood. At first people weren’t sure how it was acquired. Some cast blame on certain groups. People were isolated and separated from friends and families. The medical community has learned a lot more about HIV and AIDs. There are more and more people who are surviving, some who are even symptomatic free. We need to remember God commands us to love all people and care for them. Even while we may not understand a problem we need to trust God and allow Him to take care of the needs of others without imposing our judgment or criticism. We need to act out of love and let those in need know they are loved no matter what the circumstance. May each of us seek to love others as God loves us.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Lead Me
Ephesians 5:28 (NLT)
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
God intended the husband and wife to be as one; unified in their thoughts; unified in their beliefs and unified in their dependence upon each other. So the apostle directs husbands they should love their wives and treat them with respect as though they were tending to themselves.
The following song lyrics are LEAD ME by Sanctus Real. They are strong words about the duty of a husband to lead his family. Read through the words and see if you can identify with what the writer is trying to express.
I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying
"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone."
I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying
"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone."
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I am called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't you lead me?
To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing dreams that I could give up
I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this out home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
Christian lyrics - LEAD ME LYRICS - SANCTUS REAL
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
God intended the husband and wife to be as one; unified in their thoughts; unified in their beliefs and unified in their dependence upon each other. So the apostle directs husbands they should love their wives and treat them with respect as though they were tending to themselves.
The following song lyrics are LEAD ME by Sanctus Real. They are strong words about the duty of a husband to lead his family. Read through the words and see if you can identify with what the writer is trying to express.
I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying
"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone."
I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying
"Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?
Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone."
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I am called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't you lead me?
To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love
Chasing dreams that I could give up
I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this out home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone
Christian lyrics - LEAD ME LYRICS - SANCTUS REAL
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Innocent
Hebrews 3:13 (NLT)
13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.
The apostle advises believers they should give warning to each other about sin which encroaches into their lives. Believers should be doing this on a constant basis for each day we have on earth is a blessing from God. Because we do not know if tomorrow will come then today is our day for improvement, our day to dispose of sin, and our day to focus on God.
Maybe you have had this experience before. You go to leave a department store, but the clerk forgot to remove the security tag. As you walk through the door the alarm suddenly goes off. People look towards you wondering if you are going to run or wait to have the tag disarmed. You stand there feeling somewhat awkward as if maybe you are guilty of something you did not do. You know you are innocent and wonder what people are thinking. Just remember Christ stood before Pilate beaten for a crime He never committed. When the people were given the choice to set Jesus free or let a hardened criminal free, the people cried out “Free Barabbas”. Jesus was totally innocent, yet He was crucified, a man without sin. His innocent blood was the sacrifice for our sin. Thank God even when we feel guilty our guilt and shame has already been paid for in full by Christ.
13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.
The apostle advises believers they should give warning to each other about sin which encroaches into their lives. Believers should be doing this on a constant basis for each day we have on earth is a blessing from God. Because we do not know if tomorrow will come then today is our day for improvement, our day to dispose of sin, and our day to focus on God.
Maybe you have had this experience before. You go to leave a department store, but the clerk forgot to remove the security tag. As you walk through the door the alarm suddenly goes off. People look towards you wondering if you are going to run or wait to have the tag disarmed. You stand there feeling somewhat awkward as if maybe you are guilty of something you did not do. You know you are innocent and wonder what people are thinking. Just remember Christ stood before Pilate beaten for a crime He never committed. When the people were given the choice to set Jesus free or let a hardened criminal free, the people cried out “Free Barabbas”. Jesus was totally innocent, yet He was crucified, a man without sin. His innocent blood was the sacrifice for our sin. Thank God even when we feel guilty our guilt and shame has already been paid for in full by Christ.
Monday, April 25, 2011
What you need
Luke 24:44-48(KJV)
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Christ appeared to the disciples again after his resurrection to strengthen their faith. They first feared His appearance but they gained confidence it was Christ as He spoke with them and dined with them. Christ then opened their minds to understand the meaning of the scriptures and that what must have happened did happen. Christ rose from the dead and now repentance and remission of sins was to be preached to all nations. These disciples were the witnesses to His words.
Chuck Swindoll, in Embraced by the Spirit (Zondervan 2010) wrote:
“One of my most unforgettable moments happened when I was about ten years old. My father served our country during World War II in a plant in our hometown, building all sorts of interesting equipment for the massive tanks, fighter planes, and bombers that defended us in lands far away. Dad worked too long and too hard. As a result he suffered a physical breakdown. And on its heels came an emotional trauma that puzzled everyone, including the doctors.
I was convinced in my heart that my dad was going to die. He may have had such thoughts too, because one night he called me into his room for a somber father-son talk …. I remember leaning hard against his bed, listening carefully to a voice that was hardly more than a whisper. I thought I was hearing him for the last time. He gave me counsel on life—how I should live, how I should conduct myself as his son. The counsel wasn't long, and then I left and went across the hall to the room that I shared with my older brother. All alone, I lay across my bed and sobbed, convinced that I would never see my dad alive again.
That scene still haunts me. Even though my dad recovered to live … I still remember the night he talked to me. Something very significant is wrapped up in our final words. Consider the night in Jerusalem when the Lord and his disciples gathered for … what we call "The Last Supper." Less than twelve hours after [that meal], Jesus was nailed to a cross; a few hours later, he was dead. Jesus understood the significance of those moments and the importance of his last counsel. And so he gave them exactly what they would need to carry them through the rest of their days.”
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Christ appeared to the disciples again after his resurrection to strengthen their faith. They first feared His appearance but they gained confidence it was Christ as He spoke with them and dined with them. Christ then opened their minds to understand the meaning of the scriptures and that what must have happened did happen. Christ rose from the dead and now repentance and remission of sins was to be preached to all nations. These disciples were the witnesses to His words.
Chuck Swindoll, in Embraced by the Spirit (Zondervan 2010) wrote:
“One of my most unforgettable moments happened when I was about ten years old. My father served our country during World War II in a plant in our hometown, building all sorts of interesting equipment for the massive tanks, fighter planes, and bombers that defended us in lands far away. Dad worked too long and too hard. As a result he suffered a physical breakdown. And on its heels came an emotional trauma that puzzled everyone, including the doctors.
I was convinced in my heart that my dad was going to die. He may have had such thoughts too, because one night he called me into his room for a somber father-son talk …. I remember leaning hard against his bed, listening carefully to a voice that was hardly more than a whisper. I thought I was hearing him for the last time. He gave me counsel on life—how I should live, how I should conduct myself as his son. The counsel wasn't long, and then I left and went across the hall to the room that I shared with my older brother. All alone, I lay across my bed and sobbed, convinced that I would never see my dad alive again.
That scene still haunts me. Even though my dad recovered to live … I still remember the night he talked to me. Something very significant is wrapped up in our final words. Consider the night in Jerusalem when the Lord and his disciples gathered for … what we call "The Last Supper." Less than twelve hours after [that meal], Jesus was nailed to a cross; a few hours later, he was dead. Jesus understood the significance of those moments and the importance of his last counsel. And so he gave them exactly what they would need to carry them through the rest of their days.”
Friday, April 22, 2011
A wager to believe
John 16:9 (NLT)
9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.
These are the spoken words of Jesus. Jesus speaking to the disciples about His impending death Jesus knows they are grieved; but he encourages them it is for the best so that the Holy Spirit may come. The sin Jesus refers to in the verse above is the disbelief in His Holy Salvation through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave to follow. He tells them the Holy Spirit will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
The world has a wide host of people with various beliefs. Some do not believe God exists. Some are so strongly opposed to God they have created their own belief system to prove God does not exist. Some just do not care one way or the other, while some may not have even pondered the question of God’s existence. There are those who believe in various gods while others believe they are part of a universal god. There are many beliefs, but Jesus said the world’s sin is that it refuses to believe He is God. The mathematician, philosopher, and physicist Blaise Pascal suggested even though the existence of God cannot be determined through reason, a person should wager as though God exists, because living life accordingly has everything to gain, and nothing to lose. Pascal formulated his suggestion uniquely on the God of Jesus Christ as implied by the greater context of his Pensées, a posthumously published collection of notes made by Pascal in his last years as he worked on a treatise on Christian apologetics. This theorem is often referred to as Pascal’s Gambit. Pascal believed why ignore the possibility there is a God when there is so much to gain than to ignore God and loose what he has to offer. And what does God have to offer, eternal salvation through His son Jesus Christ, along with his mercy, love and grace!
9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.
These are the spoken words of Jesus. Jesus speaking to the disciples about His impending death Jesus knows they are grieved; but he encourages them it is for the best so that the Holy Spirit may come. The sin Jesus refers to in the verse above is the disbelief in His Holy Salvation through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave to follow. He tells them the Holy Spirit will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
The world has a wide host of people with various beliefs. Some do not believe God exists. Some are so strongly opposed to God they have created their own belief system to prove God does not exist. Some just do not care one way or the other, while some may not have even pondered the question of God’s existence. There are those who believe in various gods while others believe they are part of a universal god. There are many beliefs, but Jesus said the world’s sin is that it refuses to believe He is God. The mathematician, philosopher, and physicist Blaise Pascal suggested even though the existence of God cannot be determined through reason, a person should wager as though God exists, because living life accordingly has everything to gain, and nothing to lose. Pascal formulated his suggestion uniquely on the God of Jesus Christ as implied by the greater context of his Pensées, a posthumously published collection of notes made by Pascal in his last years as he worked on a treatise on Christian apologetics. This theorem is often referred to as Pascal’s Gambit. Pascal believed why ignore the possibility there is a God when there is so much to gain than to ignore God and loose what he has to offer. And what does God have to offer, eternal salvation through His son Jesus Christ, along with his mercy, love and grace!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Evil desires evil
Proverbs 21:10 (NLT)
10 Evil people desire evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them.
The character of a wicked person has a strong inclination to perform mischief. His soul desires not only having the evil in hand, but also in seeing it and having pleasure in it. This comes from the root of sin, wickedness lying deep within ones soul and its lust conceives sin and brings it forth. There is a strong aversion against doing what is right and no man is spared that stands in his way. His neighbors find no favor and they stand closest to the path of his sinful nature.
Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister, George McDonald said, "Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it." Man always seems to think he wants the best of everything, but the problem is man does not want what is really best for him. His desires turn evil and the extremes he takes to gain what he thinks he desires hurt other people; even close neighbors and friends. But God understand exactly what we need and we need to be asking God to direct us. We need to let God intervene and change our hearts so that we desire good instead of evil. Turn your life over to God and see where He will lead you!
10 Evil people desire evil; their neighbors get no mercy from them.
The character of a wicked person has a strong inclination to perform mischief. His soul desires not only having the evil in hand, but also in seeing it and having pleasure in it. This comes from the root of sin, wickedness lying deep within ones soul and its lust conceives sin and brings it forth. There is a strong aversion against doing what is right and no man is spared that stands in his way. His neighbors find no favor and they stand closest to the path of his sinful nature.
Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister, George McDonald said, "Man finds it hard to get what he wants, because he does not want the best; God finds it hard to give, because He would give the best, and man will not take it." Man always seems to think he wants the best of everything, but the problem is man does not want what is really best for him. His desires turn evil and the extremes he takes to gain what he thinks he desires hurt other people; even close neighbors and friends. But God understand exactly what we need and we need to be asking God to direct us. We need to let God intervene and change our hearts so that we desire good instead of evil. Turn your life over to God and see where He will lead you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
