Today
I received a notification on my phone from my bank with my updated balance. I
panicked when I noticed that it was much lower than it should have been. I
quickly ran up to my room and jumped on my laptop to see where that money went.
Apparently, I signed up for Amazon Prime at the beginning of the school year to
get free shipping on my textbooks. The free six-month subscription ran out, and
I was charged for a year's worth of Amazon Prime. That rather made me extremely
conscious about my financial situation. The amount of debt I am already in.
Everything that I stopped worrying about came rushing back in. I had planned to
go to Target tonight to get groceries for the week, but the situation made me
hesitate before spending any money. I finished some homework and decided to
finish reading Simply Christian, a book I should have already finished. I had
read about three pages when I fell asleep--awaking 30 minutes later unsure what
time it was. It was 9:20 and Target closed at 10. I decided to go ahead and get
a few groceries, so off to Target I went. When I pulled into Target, I parked
in front of an older looking car. I recall noticing three people sitting in the
car, all middle-aged and they seemed to be eating something. I thought that was
strange, but as I was walking in, I remembered hearing about people living in
their cars outside of places like Target and Wal-Mart. I did not think much
more about it until I got back outside. They were all still sitting in there. I
put my groceries in the backseat and crawled into the drivers seat. Then it hit
me. Maybe this is the reason why I fell asleep reading. Maybe God wanted me to
see this. Maybe I was to be reminded how much better I have it. I could be
reading excessively far into this situation. Those people may very well not be
homeless. However, that incident made me remember that my situation could be
much worse. We are sometimes too caught up in our own issues that we become
blind to our blessings. I am so thankful for what I saw tonight, it has certainly
changed my attitude I had today.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Idols
"You shall have no other
gods before me." -Deuteronomy 5:7
Today we don't have to worry about
worshipping golden calves or Zeus and the other Greek gods. In our everyday
life we don't have these religious fanatics who take things to extremes.
Painting bodies. Wearing ridiculous costumes. Chanting and dancing for their
idols. Even building large temples to worship their idols in. We don't have to
worry about this… or do we? If you turn your TV on to any sports channel, is
that not what you are watching? We get all dressed up, we put on face paint and
start chants. We host tailgate parties and after game parties. I'm not saying
watching football is wrong at all, but it can be if you let it get to the point
of becoming a god. A god is what we sacrifice for and what we pursue. In our
culture we have turned things like football games and cellphones into gods. No
longer do we worship the true and living God alone, but also the god of food,
the god of sex, the god of entertainment, the god of money, the god of success,
and the god of achievement. The largest "god" that we worship is
ourselves. We are so caught up on how things can make us more popular or how we
can grab the spotlight that often we throw God out the window until we need
something from Him again. When we have to choose between God and something we
want, who do we choose? So if you start scratching at whatever struggle you're
dealing with, eventually you'll find that underneath it is a false god. Until
that god is dethroned, and the Lord God takes his rightful place, you will not
have victory.
What gods are
you worshipping?
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Suffering
Are you suffering because of something in your past or a sin you're currently struggling with? Understand that God does not want to see you suffer. A loving God does not enjoy the suffering that comes your way, but His compassionate love and care will see you through your times of pain.
"For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." -Hebrews 2:18
Recognize that Jesus himself suffered for you. He suffered the agonies of the Cross, which was incredible physical suffering, but he also bore the unimaginable weight of the sins of the world.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." -Romans 8:18
We need to remember that suffering is not forever and will end when those who believe in Jesus are welcomed into heaven. Ask God to ease your pain and ask for help to overcome whatever is hindering you.
" He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3
"For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." -Hebrews 2:18
Recognize that Jesus himself suffered for you. He suffered the agonies of the Cross, which was incredible physical suffering, but he also bore the unimaginable weight of the sins of the world.
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." -Romans 8:18
We need to remember that suffering is not forever and will end when those who believe in Jesus are welcomed into heaven. Ask God to ease your pain and ask for help to overcome whatever is hindering you.
" He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3
God's Grace
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sometimes we tend to let the shame of our sin get in the way of repenting of our sin. We get the idea in our heads that we can't be forgiven because we have committed that certain sin time and time again. But we can. God's grace is amazing. Grace is God showing His love to you even though you don't deserve it. You can't earn God's grace. You do not deserve to be saved from sin and to have eternal life. But God showed His grace by saving you from sin's punishment when you trusted in Jesus as your Savior. God also shows His grace by giving you strength and guidance, and by taking care of you each day. God, by His grace, gives you strength to handle difficult problems in your life. If you know Jesus as your Savior, you can be thankful that God saved you by His grace. You can also depend on God each day for the grace you need to live for Him. Because God shows His grace to you, you should show His grace to others. Have you ever thanked God for His grace in your life?
We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sometimes we tend to let the shame of our sin get in the way of repenting of our sin. We get the idea in our heads that we can't be forgiven because we have committed that certain sin time and time again. But we can. God's grace is amazing. Grace is God showing His love to you even though you don't deserve it. You can't earn God's grace. You do not deserve to be saved from sin and to have eternal life. But God showed His grace by saving you from sin's punishment when you trusted in Jesus as your Savior. God also shows His grace by giving you strength and guidance, and by taking care of you each day. God, by His grace, gives you strength to handle difficult problems in your life. If you know Jesus as your Savior, you can be thankful that God saved you by His grace. You can also depend on God each day for the grace you need to live for Him. Because God shows His grace to you, you should show His grace to others. Have you ever thanked God for His grace in your life?
Slave to Sin
"Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin." - (John 8:34 ESV)
We know the consequences of sin, and we all know the beginning of Romans 6:23. The wages of sin is death, duh we know that. But what is the other half of the verse? Many times we just brush off the rest, but the truth is, the rest of that verse is our answer to sin. The second half of that verse is our hope. For the wages of sin is death, but the FREE gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." -John 8:36
Even though we sin and do not deserve eternal life, God sent his Son to free us from sin. He paid our debt. He suffered on the cross for each and every one of us. For God SO loved the world. That includes me and that includes you. For God loved you so much that he sent his only Son to save you and give you the gift of eternal life.
Have you attempted to live a life worthy of His sacrifice?
We know the consequences of sin, and we all know the beginning of Romans 6:23. The wages of sin is death, duh we know that. But what is the other half of the verse? Many times we just brush off the rest, but the truth is, the rest of that verse is our answer to sin. The second half of that verse is our hope. For the wages of sin is death, but the FREE gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." -John 8:36
Even though we sin and do not deserve eternal life, God sent his Son to free us from sin. He paid our debt. He suffered on the cross for each and every one of us. For God SO loved the world. That includes me and that includes you. For God loved you so much that he sent his only Son to save you and give you the gift of eternal life.
Have you attempted to live a life worthy of His sacrifice?
Addiction
Are you addicted to something? It is a problem that we repeat over and over even though we know it is not good for us. Many times when we think of addiction, we think of drugs or alcohol or gambling. But addictions that are much more common, and often over looked, for example are: boyfriends/girlfriends, food, video games, social media and even pornography. All of which are detrimental to our body's health and most importantly our spiritual health. In Romans 7:13-20, Apostle Paul is talking about sin, and how he continues to do the very thing he hates, and he talks about how it is the sin that dwells within that does what he does not want. Like Paul, many of us have became a slave to sin. So, let me ask this again, are you addicted to something?
Friday, July 26, 2013
Parable of the Lowest Seat
I remember that i had once read a story about a fourth grade class in which the teacher introduced a game called "balloon stomp." A balloon was tied to every child's leg, and the object of the game was to pop everyone else's balloon while protecting one's own. The last person with an intact balloon would win.
The fourth graders in this story entered into the spirit of the game with vigor. Balloons were relentlessly targeted and destroyed. A few of the children clung to the sidelines like wallflowers at a middle school dance, but their balloons were doomed just the same. The entire battle was over in a matter of seconds, leaving only one balloon inflated. Its owner was, of course, the most disliked kid in the class. It's hard to really win at a game like balloon stomp. In order to complete your mission, you have to be pushy, rude and offensive.
A second class was introduced to the same game. Only this time it was a class of mentally handicapped children. They were given the same explanation as the first class, and the signal to begin was given. But the game proceeded very differently. Perhaps the instructions were given too quickly for children with learning disabilities to grasp them. The one idea that got through was that the balloons were supposed to be popped. So it was the balloons, not the other players, that were viewed as enemies. Instead of fighting each other, they began helping each other pop balloons. One little girl knelt down and held her balloon carefully in place, like a holder for a field goal kicker. A little boy stomped it flat. Then he knelt down and held his balloon for her. It went on like this for several minutes until all the balloons were vanquished, and everybody cheered. Everybody won.
Who got the game right, and who got the game wrong? In our world, we tend to think of another person's success as one less opportunity for us to succeed. There can only be one winner in most people's minds, and life is just one big game. If we ever find ourselves in that position, we will fight like madmen to stay in the lead. Many people fail to enjoy prolonged success because they have this "balloon stomp" mentality. In the church, the rules change. Jesus Christ gets top billing. We're just here to serve his purposes, and we do that most effectively by elevating others and humbling ourselves.
But eventually being selfish and egotistical will catch up to us , ending up costing us much more than we won living that life. And i will admit, i am usually one of the first to think of myself being better than someone else. But what this will cost me is heaven. Eternal life with our savior. To overcome this, we must learn to be humble.
The parable of the lowest seat is found in Luke 14:7-11.
Now Jesus told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,
8 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him,
9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.
10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.
11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
We don't realize how often we tend to take the seat of honor in our lives. We don't realize by gloating about our grades or new car, or making fun of someone less fortunate than ourselves whether it be by pointing out their weight or how making jokes about peculiar they might be, we take the seat of honor that we definitely don't deserve. And even though, as Christians we believe that saying "bless-their-hearts" makes it okay to point out others insecurities, it doesn't.
Philippians 2:3-4 says
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
We all know our imperfections, what makes you think that the person you are laughing about doesn't know theirs? We must look towards the interests of others and count them more significant than ourselves.
Secondly, As Christians we must not think of ourselves as higher than anyone else in this world. We all can cite John 3:16.. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." .. But many times we only think about this verse when we are painting banners for football games or putting a verse on a tshirt.
For God so loved the world. It doesn't say God loved faithful Christians and only kinda sorta liked the Luke warm Christians, and that he hated all prostitutes, drunkards and thieves. God so loved the world, that he sent his son, to die on the cross for each and everyone of us. We were all purchased at the same price, one no more than another. We need to start living as equals, and bring glory to he kingdom of God.
So to become humble we must first give up the seat of honor. Secondly we must not get a "holier than thou" attitude, we must. And lastly we must learn from the ultimate example. Christ.
We all know of the story told in Matthew 9 about Jesus reclined at his table with tax collectors sitting and eating with him. When the Pharisees heard of this, they immediately asked why the Son of God was dining with sinners. Jesus said to them "For I came not to call the righteous, but the sinners."
What we can learn from this, is that even the man without sin will think of others more significant than himself even though he was perfect.
Philippians 2:5-8 says
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Christ came to this earth, not only to save us from sin, but to set an example for how we must live. He shows us to be selfless rather than being selfish, and most importantly to be humble. Jesus Christ deserved the seat of honor, yet he let that seat be given to someone else, for he knew one day he will be exalted. My challenge for you is that next time that seat of honor is available, instead of taking it, pass it up counting someone else more significant than yourself.
I would like to leave you with this. For the past 8 years of my life I've attended Quartz Mountain Christian camp. For the last 8 years, every night at camp, before we dismissed for bed we would sing this song whose title is God Bless You, Go With God. These are some of the lyrics:
This is my daily prayer, God Bless you, go with God. Hold fast his mighty hand throughout the day. His grace your heart sustains, his power relieves your pain. Your prayer be not in vain, as you travel his way.
We must love the people around us. Like in this hymn we must pray that others will stay with God. When we put others above us, not only physically, but when we are praying to God, we will truly become humble.
The fourth graders in this story entered into the spirit of the game with vigor. Balloons were relentlessly targeted and destroyed. A few of the children clung to the sidelines like wallflowers at a middle school dance, but their balloons were doomed just the same. The entire battle was over in a matter of seconds, leaving only one balloon inflated. Its owner was, of course, the most disliked kid in the class. It's hard to really win at a game like balloon stomp. In order to complete your mission, you have to be pushy, rude and offensive.
A second class was introduced to the same game. Only this time it was a class of mentally handicapped children. They were given the same explanation as the first class, and the signal to begin was given. But the game proceeded very differently. Perhaps the instructions were given too quickly for children with learning disabilities to grasp them. The one idea that got through was that the balloons were supposed to be popped. So it was the balloons, not the other players, that were viewed as enemies. Instead of fighting each other, they began helping each other pop balloons. One little girl knelt down and held her balloon carefully in place, like a holder for a field goal kicker. A little boy stomped it flat. Then he knelt down and held his balloon for her. It went on like this for several minutes until all the balloons were vanquished, and everybody cheered. Everybody won.
Who got the game right, and who got the game wrong? In our world, we tend to think of another person's success as one less opportunity for us to succeed. There can only be one winner in most people's minds, and life is just one big game. If we ever find ourselves in that position, we will fight like madmen to stay in the lead. Many people fail to enjoy prolonged success because they have this "balloon stomp" mentality. In the church, the rules change. Jesus Christ gets top billing. We're just here to serve his purposes, and we do that most effectively by elevating others and humbling ourselves.
But eventually being selfish and egotistical will catch up to us , ending up costing us much more than we won living that life. And i will admit, i am usually one of the first to think of myself being better than someone else. But what this will cost me is heaven. Eternal life with our savior. To overcome this, we must learn to be humble.
The parable of the lowest seat is found in Luke 14:7-11.
Now Jesus told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,
8 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him,
9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.
10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.
11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
We don't realize how often we tend to take the seat of honor in our lives. We don't realize by gloating about our grades or new car, or making fun of someone less fortunate than ourselves whether it be by pointing out their weight or how making jokes about peculiar they might be, we take the seat of honor that we definitely don't deserve. And even though, as Christians we believe that saying "bless-their-hearts" makes it okay to point out others insecurities, it doesn't.
Philippians 2:3-4 says
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
We all know our imperfections, what makes you think that the person you are laughing about doesn't know theirs? We must look towards the interests of others and count them more significant than ourselves.
Secondly, As Christians we must not think of ourselves as higher than anyone else in this world. We all can cite John 3:16.. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." .. But many times we only think about this verse when we are painting banners for football games or putting a verse on a tshirt.
For God so loved the world. It doesn't say God loved faithful Christians and only kinda sorta liked the Luke warm Christians, and that he hated all prostitutes, drunkards and thieves. God so loved the world, that he sent his son, to die on the cross for each and everyone of us. We were all purchased at the same price, one no more than another. We need to start living as equals, and bring glory to he kingdom of God.
So to become humble we must first give up the seat of honor. Secondly we must not get a "holier than thou" attitude, we must. And lastly we must learn from the ultimate example. Christ.
We all know of the story told in Matthew 9 about Jesus reclined at his table with tax collectors sitting and eating with him. When the Pharisees heard of this, they immediately asked why the Son of God was dining with sinners. Jesus said to them "For I came not to call the righteous, but the sinners."
What we can learn from this, is that even the man without sin will think of others more significant than himself even though he was perfect.
Philippians 2:5-8 says
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Christ came to this earth, not only to save us from sin, but to set an example for how we must live. He shows us to be selfless rather than being selfish, and most importantly to be humble. Jesus Christ deserved the seat of honor, yet he let that seat be given to someone else, for he knew one day he will be exalted. My challenge for you is that next time that seat of honor is available, instead of taking it, pass it up counting someone else more significant than yourself.
I would like to leave you with this. For the past 8 years of my life I've attended Quartz Mountain Christian camp. For the last 8 years, every night at camp, before we dismissed for bed we would sing this song whose title is God Bless You, Go With God. These are some of the lyrics:
This is my daily prayer, God Bless you, go with God. Hold fast his mighty hand throughout the day. His grace your heart sustains, his power relieves your pain. Your prayer be not in vain, as you travel his way.
We must love the people around us. Like in this hymn we must pray that others will stay with God. When we put others above us, not only physically, but when we are praying to God, we will truly become humble.
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