Study Passages: Philippians 4:4-5; 1Thessalonians 5:16-18; Ephesians 1:3
Has stress taken over your life?
Our society has placed so many demands on us that it often feels like all we are doing is making decisions. We are constantly bombarded with images and criteria that we must measure up to in order to feel loved and valuable. Everything from our dress size to the kind of car we drive is under scrutiny. We are evaluated based on if we are democrat or republican, tall or short, rich or poor, married or single, educated or uneducated.
Our tensions seem to multiply on a daily basis causing us to lose the joy and pleasure of living (Philippians 4:4-5; 1Thessalonians 5:16-18).
In many cases God is not making any of these demands. It is not that we cannot experience joy, because we are blessed with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3). It is the external pressures in our lives, as determined by the world’s standards, blocking our internal joy from being experienced each day.
For example, there was a young man that owned a 1976 Buick Electra 225. Although an older car, it drove well yet he was not happy. He was embarrassed and did not want to be seen driving it. He completely missed the blessing that it was paid for and he owned a vehicle that ran without any major problems.
Why let the pressure of what others think determine your happiness? The only pressure we should be experiencing should be from the molding done at the hands of the Potter (Jeremiah 18:4-6).
Consider Colossians 3:1-4:
“If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
Luke 12:22-23; 25-26 states;
“And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for {your} life, {as to} what you shall eat; nor for your body, {as to} what you shall put on. For life are more than food, and the body than clothing. And which of you by being anxious can add a {single} cubit to his life's span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about other matters?”
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
What Does Your Love for God Look Like?
Study Passages: John 6:44; Romans 3:11, Luke 12:22-36, Hebrews 1:3, Matthew 22:36-40, John 13:34-35, John 14:15
Are you in love with Christ or is He simply your insurance to get into heaven? Do you turn to Jesus for help in your time of need or is simply an afterthought, someone to turn to when all else fails?
Anything or anyone that has won our heart controls or, at the very least, has tremendous influence over our will. For example, if we love money we will work overtime in a heartbeat. If money drives us, we may even play the lottery, secretly or openly.
When we love something, it also influences our time. If we love football then we often spend hours in front of the television every Sunday watching game after game. We won’t even check the time on our watch unless it’s to see when the next game starts. The high cost of a ticket won’t faze us because we will spend whatever is necessary to get the best seat.
While watching the news the other day, a commercial came on that showed a man who went to all the Super Bowl games. He said he missed special moments in his life, such as babies being born, birthdays of family members, and anniversary celebrations. He loves the game so much that it did not matter where the game was, what was going on personally or how much the ticket cost; he was going to be at every Super Bowl game.
You might view him as an extreme, but the reality is people do not mind spending money or going through a challenge for something they love. We always find a reason to legitimize why we need to spend and sacrifice more for the things we love.
How does our love for God look when we express it? There is no question He loves us. He drew us to Himself to be saved (John 6:44; Romans 3:11), He provides for us daily (Luke 12:22-36), He sustains everything through His Word so we can function day by day (Hebrews 1:3), He died for each believer (John 3:16), He intercedes for each believer (Romans 8:26) and He provides each believer a place after death (John 14:2-3).
How does our love for Him express itself? He said love should lead to us to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40), love each other (John 13:34-35), it should lead believers to abide in His Word (John 14:15), and it would lead us to worship Him and serve Him.
When our words say we love God, do our actions say the same?
Are you in love with Christ or is He simply your insurance to get into heaven? Do you turn to Jesus for help in your time of need or is simply an afterthought, someone to turn to when all else fails?
Anything or anyone that has won our heart controls or, at the very least, has tremendous influence over our will. For example, if we love money we will work overtime in a heartbeat. If money drives us, we may even play the lottery, secretly or openly.
When we love something, it also influences our time. If we love football then we often spend hours in front of the television every Sunday watching game after game. We won’t even check the time on our watch unless it’s to see when the next game starts. The high cost of a ticket won’t faze us because we will spend whatever is necessary to get the best seat.
While watching the news the other day, a commercial came on that showed a man who went to all the Super Bowl games. He said he missed special moments in his life, such as babies being born, birthdays of family members, and anniversary celebrations. He loves the game so much that it did not matter where the game was, what was going on personally or how much the ticket cost; he was going to be at every Super Bowl game.
You might view him as an extreme, but the reality is people do not mind spending money or going through a challenge for something they love. We always find a reason to legitimize why we need to spend and sacrifice more for the things we love.
How does our love for God look when we express it? There is no question He loves us. He drew us to Himself to be saved (John 6:44; Romans 3:11), He provides for us daily (Luke 12:22-36), He sustains everything through His Word so we can function day by day (Hebrews 1:3), He died for each believer (John 3:16), He intercedes for each believer (Romans 8:26) and He provides each believer a place after death (John 14:2-3).
How does our love for Him express itself? He said love should lead to us to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40), love each other (John 13:34-35), it should lead believers to abide in His Word (John 14:15), and it would lead us to worship Him and serve Him.
When our words say we love God, do our actions say the same?
Monday, January 24, 2011
Believing in Fantasy or Choosing Truth?
Study Passages: 2 Samuel 11:1-15
Several years ago, Barney The Purple Dinosaur, beloved friend to millions of children, was hurt. During filming of the Barney & Friends show, a cooling fan inside the sixty-pound dinosaur suit short-circuited and started to smoke. The actor playing Barney quickly got out of the suit but suffered smoke inhalation. He was taken to the hospital and soon released.
The story of the accident was carried on the news, and many children were scared and worried. Scores of parents called the television station to say their children were afraid that Barney had been burned, or worse, that he was a fake.
A spokeswoman for the producers of the program said, “It can be really devastating to a three-year-old. They love Barney and they think that something terrible has happened to him, or that he’s not real.” Fantasies like Barney can bring a person good feelings and we want to cling to it, as if it were real. But a fantasy is a fantasy, and sooner or later the truth comes out.
A teacher was once asked what is truth? The old teacher was silent as he walked across the room. He picked up a tuning fork and struck it. He said, “This sound represented an A. It is an A today; it was an A five thousand years ago, and it will be an A ten thousand years from now. The soprano upstairs sings off-key, the tenor across the hall is flat on his high notes, and the piano downstairs is out of tune. But the tuning fork is always an A.” Truth never needs to be updated.
We are often quick to say that Jesus “is the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Yet when we deny any Biblical principle that directs the decisions of our lives, we are denying Christ and choosing to live a lie. So, for example, if God says in His Word that we are not to fornicate or live together without marriage and we are currently cohabitating, we are not in obedience to God. The end result therefore is not life. Life is empowered by the Spirit, based on truth, who produces love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. However, a lie is about nothing. It is based on something that does not exist and has no foundation. Now consider the truth. The truth is “the body of real events or facts”.
The purple dinosaur named Barney never existed but the truth always did. The man inside the suit, along with his cooling system, inside represents more truth than the costumed character ever could or would. Christ lives forever and is the only truth. It does not matter how life looks He is the only way to experience truth and enjoy life.
Several years ago, Barney The Purple Dinosaur, beloved friend to millions of children, was hurt. During filming of the Barney & Friends show, a cooling fan inside the sixty-pound dinosaur suit short-circuited and started to smoke. The actor playing Barney quickly got out of the suit but suffered smoke inhalation. He was taken to the hospital and soon released.
The story of the accident was carried on the news, and many children were scared and worried. Scores of parents called the television station to say their children were afraid that Barney had been burned, or worse, that he was a fake.
A spokeswoman for the producers of the program said, “It can be really devastating to a three-year-old. They love Barney and they think that something terrible has happened to him, or that he’s not real.” Fantasies like Barney can bring a person good feelings and we want to cling to it, as if it were real. But a fantasy is a fantasy, and sooner or later the truth comes out.
A teacher was once asked what is truth? The old teacher was silent as he walked across the room. He picked up a tuning fork and struck it. He said, “This sound represented an A. It is an A today; it was an A five thousand years ago, and it will be an A ten thousand years from now. The soprano upstairs sings off-key, the tenor across the hall is flat on his high notes, and the piano downstairs is out of tune. But the tuning fork is always an A.” Truth never needs to be updated.
We are often quick to say that Jesus “is the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Yet when we deny any Biblical principle that directs the decisions of our lives, we are denying Christ and choosing to live a lie. So, for example, if God says in His Word that we are not to fornicate or live together without marriage and we are currently cohabitating, we are not in obedience to God. The end result therefore is not life. Life is empowered by the Spirit, based on truth, who produces love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. However, a lie is about nothing. It is based on something that does not exist and has no foundation. Now consider the truth. The truth is “the body of real events or facts”.
The purple dinosaur named Barney never existed but the truth always did. The man inside the suit, along with his cooling system, inside represents more truth than the costumed character ever could or would. Christ lives forever and is the only truth. It does not matter how life looks He is the only way to experience truth and enjoy life.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Hope for Teens: Finding Freedom In Christ
Study Passages: 1 Corinthians 6:12, Romans 6:18, John 8:31-32, John 8:31-32
Living God’s way isn’t always easy and teenagers seem to have it particularly tough. Spend any time around youths and you will hear, time and again, that they feel restricted while trying to live” right”. Doing the right thing often means that they can’t do what their friends do. So when they see all the things their friends are participating in, teenagers assume those activities are more rewarding, exciting and fun.
What teens do not realize is that the lifestyle they crave is like eating a lot of candy. It tastes good and then the taste encourages the desire to eat more, leading to obesity, a host of health problems and cavities.
An elderly Christian man in living in Communist-controlled Budapest remarked when asked about the effects of persecution and discrimination on the lives of Christians: "It is like the deep, fast-flowing Danube River. The banks of the river were artificially narrowed throughout the city of Budapest. As the result, the river's fast waters dug deeper and deeper into the river bottom. Believers under restrictions and persecution have limited freedom and few political options, but their narrowed lives have found great depth by going deeper in Christ."
1 Corinthians 6:12 states: "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."
God is not trying to restrict our freedom, He is seeking to release us from bondage that can lead to sin and death (Romans 6:18). John 8:31-32 states, "...If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Also, Galatians 5:1 states, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."
The real hope for teens is knowing that true freedom is never just doing what you want to do. It is always finding pleasure and having joy and peace in doing what benefits you and everyone else around you. Freedom can be compared to eating a balanced meal with plenty of vegetables and really enjoying it.
Living God’s way isn’t always easy and teenagers seem to have it particularly tough. Spend any time around youths and you will hear, time and again, that they feel restricted while trying to live” right”. Doing the right thing often means that they can’t do what their friends do. So when they see all the things their friends are participating in, teenagers assume those activities are more rewarding, exciting and fun.
What teens do not realize is that the lifestyle they crave is like eating a lot of candy. It tastes good and then the taste encourages the desire to eat more, leading to obesity, a host of health problems and cavities.
An elderly Christian man in living in Communist-controlled Budapest remarked when asked about the effects of persecution and discrimination on the lives of Christians: "It is like the deep, fast-flowing Danube River. The banks of the river were artificially narrowed throughout the city of Budapest. As the result, the river's fast waters dug deeper and deeper into the river bottom. Believers under restrictions and persecution have limited freedom and few political options, but their narrowed lives have found great depth by going deeper in Christ."
1 Corinthians 6:12 states: "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."
God is not trying to restrict our freedom, He is seeking to release us from bondage that can lead to sin and death (Romans 6:18). John 8:31-32 states, "...If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Also, Galatians 5:1 states, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."
The real hope for teens is knowing that true freedom is never just doing what you want to do. It is always finding pleasure and having joy and peace in doing what benefits you and everyone else around you. Freedom can be compared to eating a balanced meal with plenty of vegetables and really enjoying it.
Fall in Love with Jesus
Study Passages: 1 John 4:10-11, Ephesians. 4:2, Psalms 91:14-16, Matthew 22:37, 39
Does the love of God create in you a desire to obey, serve, and to pray to Him each day? Are you passionately pursuing your relationship with God? The Bible says that we can love Him even though we do not see Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:10-11).
How do we create a viable, loving relationship with Jesus? In 1 John we learn that "..whoever keeps His word in him the love of God has truly been perfected...". So we can generate God's love in our hearts by being committed to obeying His Word, and then we will be excited about obeying because now we are in love with Him. John 14:14 states that, "If you love me, you will keep My commandments." This is why Paul states that we should live a life of love, because it allows us to worship God (Ephesians. 4:2).
When we love God, God responds is a beautiful way. In Psalms 91:14-16, the writer tells us what the Lord promises for those who love Him: "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble I will rescue him, and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him, and let him behold My salvation."
The greatest command that we should all be committed to is "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind..... You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37, 39)
I challenge you today to fall in love with Jesus, and He will put everything else in its rightful place.
Does the love of God create in you a desire to obey, serve, and to pray to Him each day? Are you passionately pursuing your relationship with God? The Bible says that we can love Him even though we do not see Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:10-11).
How do we create a viable, loving relationship with Jesus? In 1 John we learn that "..whoever keeps His word in him the love of God has truly been perfected...". So we can generate God's love in our hearts by being committed to obeying His Word, and then we will be excited about obeying because now we are in love with Him. John 14:14 states that, "If you love me, you will keep My commandments." This is why Paul states that we should live a life of love, because it allows us to worship God (Ephesians. 4:2).
When we love God, God responds is a beautiful way. In Psalms 91:14-16, the writer tells us what the Lord promises for those who love Him: "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble I will rescue him, and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him, and let him behold My salvation."
The greatest command that we should all be committed to is "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind..... You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37, 39)
I challenge you today to fall in love with Jesus, and He will put everything else in its rightful place.
God’s Family Structure: A Father’s Role
Study Passages:
Proverbs 13:24, 22:6, 15; Ephesians 4:14, 6:1-2, 4; Colossians 3:21
A father’s role in a family has long been a source of discussion and high emotions in our society. A father clearly has an impact in his child’s life but what does God say about his role? How important is a dad’s involvement in the rearing of his children?
According to God’s Word, children are to turn to their dads in order to find a living definition of our Father in heaven. Men are required biblically to teach their children (Exodus 18:18), to discipline them (Proverbs 13:24; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21) and to train their sons (Proverbs 22:6). Children are also required to honor and obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1-2).
The family structure as designed by God, and as outlined in scripture, supports the proper spiritual, emotional, and social development of a child: "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name." (Ephesians 4:14-15).
All of this is extremely important because the bible states that, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. (Proverbs 22:15). Solomon also said, "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)
If a father does not take the disciplining of his child seriously (Ephesians 6:4), then the child stands a good chance of growing up to be a bigger “fool”. If we are reading the national statistics accurately, our young men may be falling into this trap. Most murder victims are black men between the ages of 15 through 24, and, according to the FBI, they account for more than 55 percent of all crime in America. Juvenile jails are over populated and in the city of Houston, we are considering building even more facilities.
Many problems in our school systems are caused by young boys experiencing behavioral or learning disorders. We must take the raising of our kids seriously, whether you are a single parent or married. If you are a single mom, I advise you to get the father involved in raising his child. If that is not practical, consider enrolling your son in your church’s male mentoring program or your daughter in a mentoring or etiquette workshop. Raising children takes time and sacrifice. Yet the rewards are remarkable!
Proverbs 13:24, 22:6, 15; Ephesians 4:14, 6:1-2, 4; Colossians 3:21
A father’s role in a family has long been a source of discussion and high emotions in our society. A father clearly has an impact in his child’s life but what does God say about his role? How important is a dad’s involvement in the rearing of his children?
According to God’s Word, children are to turn to their dads in order to find a living definition of our Father in heaven. Men are required biblically to teach their children (Exodus 18:18), to discipline them (Proverbs 13:24; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21) and to train their sons (Proverbs 22:6). Children are also required to honor and obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1-2).
The family structure as designed by God, and as outlined in scripture, supports the proper spiritual, emotional, and social development of a child: "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name." (Ephesians 4:14-15).
All of this is extremely important because the bible states that, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. (Proverbs 22:15). Solomon also said, "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)
If a father does not take the disciplining of his child seriously (Ephesians 6:4), then the child stands a good chance of growing up to be a bigger “fool”. If we are reading the national statistics accurately, our young men may be falling into this trap. Most murder victims are black men between the ages of 15 through 24, and, according to the FBI, they account for more than 55 percent of all crime in America. Juvenile jails are over populated and in the city of Houston, we are considering building even more facilities.
Many problems in our school systems are caused by young boys experiencing behavioral or learning disorders. We must take the raising of our kids seriously, whether you are a single parent or married. If you are a single mom, I advise you to get the father involved in raising his child. If that is not practical, consider enrolling your son in your church’s male mentoring program or your daughter in a mentoring or etiquette workshop. Raising children takes time and sacrifice. Yet the rewards are remarkable!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Power Walk Missions Outreach, 2010
Going to Rwanda and St. Marten is probably one of the most challenging demands God has placed before me. It is challenging because of the expense, being sensitive to my family and their concerns, time in preparation, long travel schedules, and the responsibility to the team that travels with me and being a pastor to the flock that God has called me to serve.
What is amazing is the joy it brings to provide college level information to the pastors who in turn impact the members of the churches they are called to serve. It is a blessing to see how engaged they are to learn what God has blessed us to share. It is exciting to know that the information we provide is not going on a shelf for when the time may come to use it. The information is used immediately to touch the lives of people in the Congo, Rwanda, and Burgundy, St. Marten, Trinidad, Barbados and many other Caribbean countries. It will impact people in the Congo who have just gone home from a long stay in refugee camps, pastors in the Congo who come to a central place to share one Bible so they can teach their people, pastors who in turn share with other pastor friends who were unable to come to the conference, and pastors who so want to teach the truth that they would make tremendous sacrifices so that they can effectively serve the Lord faithfully.
It is this kind of impact that God has called us to provide that makes the trip worth the sacrifice. I pray that God place us upon your heart to pray for us, contribute to God’s call to make a difference, and pray that God continues to use these pastors and leaders to impact lives for His glory and honor.
“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap it we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10).
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