Posts with the category “god-thoughts”

Love is the highest value in the kingdom economy, but it’s not the only value. The triumvirate of love, joy and peace show up again and again in Jesus’ teachings, and the writings of Paul. They are the core reality we aim at in our spiritual journey with Jesus. All three are more than just emotions, they are overall conditions of the heart. They aren’t just pleasant feelings; they are the kinds of people we become through our apprenticeship to Jesus, who embodies all three ad infinitum. And joy, like love, is incompatible with hurry. All the spiritual masters – from inside and outside the Jesus tradition – agree on this (as do secular psychologists, mindfulness experts, etc.): if there’s a secret to happiness, it’s simple—presence to the moment. The more present we are to the now, the more grateful we are for what is, the more we tap into joy. We often vow to give God “our future” with great aplomb and a heroic virtue. But the future is easy to give God for the simple fact that we don’t have it. All we have is the present. The here and now. This moment, this pain, this joy, this gratitude, this surrender. And the more moments we slowly and gratefully turn over to God, the more we tap into his joy. Exercise for the day: Practice presence Find one, simple act of delight to do today – read a poem, listen to a song, drink a cup of coffee, take a short walk – and do it slowly, practicing presence to the moment and gratitude. Reading question: What good things do I pass over daily in my helter-skelter rush through life?  Read More

Hurry doesn’t just make you weary. It is the great enemy of your spiritual life. In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer provides four down-to-earth practices for staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive: 1) Silence and solitude, 2) Sabbath, 3) simplicity, and 4) slowing. It’s the unhurried Way of Jesus.  Read More

Hurry doesn’t just make you weary. It is the great enemy of your spiritual life. In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer provides four down-to-earth practices for staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive: 1) Silence and solitude, 2) Sabbath, 3) simplicity, and 4) slowing. It’s the unhurried Way of Jesus.  Read More

Hurry doesn’t just make you weary. It is the great enemy of your spiritual life. In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer provides four down-to-earth practices for staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive: 1) Silence and solitude, 2) Sabbath, 3) simplicity, and 4) slowing. It’s the unhurried Way of Jesus.  Read More

Read: Mark 16:1-8John 8:12John 11:25Revelation 1:18 God is faithful. What He says He will do, He always fulfils. Every time Jesus made a statement about who He is he followed through. Everything He said He was, He proved to be. The “I am…” statements that Jesus made were not just inspirational phrases, they are transformational for any person who receives them and believes them.Jesus is the Son of...  Read More

Read:Mark 15:33-47Matthew 28:20Joshua 1:9John 16:33 Can you imagine what it was like for the disciples and loved ones of Jesus on that first Easter Saturday? The day after Jesus is nailed to the cross and placed in a tomb. The deep pain, the hurt and disappointment, the hopelessness and heartache. Imagine the questions and confusion swirling around their hearts and minds. For us, we have the benef...  Read More

Read:Mark 15:22-27Exodus 3:14John 10:9John 14:62 Corinthians 5:17 Throughout the Bible Jesus made clear statements about who He was. There was no ambiguity about His life, His mission and His purpose. God has always been clear with His people that He is love, and He is all we need. In Exodus 3:14 God says to a nervous and apprehensive Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” – He is filling Moses with confidence an...  Read More

'My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather...  Read More

'For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Chri...  Read More

'My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in orde...  Read More

'I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! As we have ...  Read More

“In a sense I believe this epistle has been the backbone and background for every spiritual movement and revival that has taken place in the past nineteen hundred years,” observes J. Vernon McGee. “And, my friend, it will be the background for other revivals.”  Read More

'“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). 'Matthew 1:23and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”Matthew 28:20 I am the type of person who absolutely loves having family, friends, and people around me, especially during the holidays. I realize I migh...  Read More

'As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”'Matthew 3:16-17'“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 'Luke 2:14 Today’s Scripture passag...  Read More

'For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. '1 Corinthians 13:12'There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. 'Revelation 22:5 When I think of the new heavens and ne...  Read More

'No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. '1 Corinthians 10:13  'For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—y...  Read More

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.Psalms 39:7 NIVThe Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.2 Peter 3:9 NIV We live in such a fast-moving society, don’t we? We are likely experiencing that to its fullest right now during the Christmas season. The holid...  Read More

God is so good, and His people truly should have a thankful heart, praising Him for who He is and what He has done. Unfortunately, His people haven't always had that thankful heart.  Read More

This weeks Reading:James 5:1-20 Warnings to the WealthyThe Bible says riches are neither good nor evil. We find many wealthy people in the Bible who are not condemned for their prosperity – Abraham, Job and David, for instance. In Genesis, we find God created all good things so people could fully enjoy His glory.The problem is not mere possession of things. The problem is our sinful desires, the w...  Read More

This weeks Reading:James 4:13-17 Prideful BoastingJames concludes this section of the letter with verses 13 through 17. He presses into how little we actually know or control our lives. Therefore, our best possible option at all times is to depend on God. These verses call us out for the times we boast about where we will go, what we will do and how things will turn out – habits commonly accepted...  Read More

This weeks Reading:James 4:1-12 Troubles and TemptationsJames points out sins, also called ways of the world. Believers commonly struggle with old habits of sin. They must be abandoned by applying true wisdom to produce new works by faith.Discontentment: James writes, “You do not have because you do not ask God … you ask with wrong motives.” He addresses the sin first seen in Adam and Eve (1). Dis...  Read More

This weeks Reading:James 3:1-18 Speech of the TongueFrom the beginning of his letter, James identifies speech as a key test of authentic faith. Chapter 1 says those who “do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” (1:26). James has already condemned speaking words of moral filth, dead faith, hypocrisy, favoritism and false gospels by the time we g...  Read More

This weeks Reading:James 3:1-18James 4:1-17James 5:1-20 Living for ChristLike no other time in human history, global communication technology increases the damage uncontrolled tongues can do. Some leaders rule nations by the force of their speech. Parents and others shape the next generation by what they say and how they say it. How do you respond to careless criticism, gossip or angry outbursts ...  Read More

This weeks Reading:James 2:14-26  Faith and WorksSometimes people get confused when they compare James’ and Paul’s teachings about faith and works. Such confusion is resolved when Bible students consider all that both men wrote that is contained in the Bible.Context is crucial. Paul wrote largely to Gentile believers, and James wrote largely to Jewish believers.Paul focuses on how works is not rel...  Read More

This weeks Reading:James 2:1-13 FavoritismIn 2:1-13, James condemns favoritism (discrimination); particularly self-serving, judgmental treatment of the rich and poor. His comments equally apply to our lives today. Evil thoughts about what we can get from fellow believers must be rejected.Instead, God is to be glorified for what He has freely given to all. Jesus, the Lord of glory, laid aside His d...  Read More

This weeks Reading:James 1:19-27 Saving Faith DefinedJames, Paul and all great teachers in churches agree on the three elements of authentic faith. God-given faith includes content, assent, and commitment:Content: The gospel message focuses on the person and work of Jesus Christ. He carried out the Father’s will in His earthly ministry in dependence on the Holy Spirit. The eternal Son of God also ...  Read More

James 1:18 gives an essential truth: temptation and sin come from evil, never from God. Adam and Eve discovered how “their own evil desire” enticed them to sin (4). They received and passed on to all humanity the wages of sin – death, as God had forewarned (5). God knows and cares about every heartache and hardship. Jesus Christ will bring sin and suffering to an end when He returns.  Read More

There are eternal rewards for how we work in this life and it is good and right for those rewards to lead us to care deeply about serving others, and by extension the Lord, through the ministry of excellence at work.   Read More

Why are we commanded to steward our time wisely? Not so that we will have more time to spend on selfish pursuits. We are called to redeem our time because "the days are evil” and we are running out of time to do the will of the Lord.   Read More

When we do our most exceptional work, we will often be rewarded with financial excess. One God-honoring use of that excess is to share it generously with those who have none. The poor need our help, and we the Church are called to give it.   Read More

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  Read More

God loves you and me no matter how productive or unproductive we are today. Ironically, it’s that truth that gives us the ambition to be wildly productive. Why? Because working to earn someone’s favor is exhausting. But working in response to unconditional favor is intoxicating.  Read More

What does that future hope mean for our work today? Everything! As those "under Christ" and his authority, we are called to work in a way that makes the world long for heaven to come to earth.   Read More

Living in Peace With Others YouVersion Bible Study Finding Peace Day 8 by Charles Stanley  Read More

Today, God is asking the same question of us: “What is in your hand?” It could be a pen, cooking utensil, computer, ball, phone, certificate, diploma, or small plot of land. We should not dismiss what we have, no matter how small or unworthy it may seem. God is ready to use it to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives.   Read More

Imagine... Jesus has defeated death on the cross, has risen from the dead, has spent 40 days with you teaching you and giving instructions on how to be His witnesses to the world, and then He ascends into heaven before your very eyes. The book of Acts finds us right at this moment of Jesus’ ascension and tells of the ministry His disciples undertake to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman Empire and to establish the church.  Read More

I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with litt...  Read More

God knows we can't afford to just lie there in bed, especially when it comes to our Spiritual Fitness. So when we hesitate, we have the Holy Spirit urging us onward back into the right frame of mind.   Read More

Sadly, We are certain of the painful reality of death because of our experience of this world. But We can also be certain of the joyful reality of resurrection because of our experience of Jesus Christ.  Read More

How can you act like shepherds, telling everyone about Jesus, particularly during this time of year?   Read More