Day 26: "My Word Will Teach You What Is True"
Read: 2 Timothy 3:14 - 16
This morning my wife and I are up in Bethel New York which is 2 hours south of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. She was invited by a long time Pastor friend of hers to preach at his churh here. She is preaching from Mark 10:35 - 45 on "Servanthood". So thismorningand tomorrow I am taking the devotion directly from the book titled "Listening to God" by Bruce Bickel.
"What is truth? That's one of the most important questions you could ever ask and answer.
When you find the truth, you've found everything. Truth will never let you down because when you get to the bottom line, truth is anything that corresponds to the way things really are.
As you sort through your life, start with the biggest truth of all -- then work your way down from there. And what is the biggest truth? It is GOD. GOD is the grandest reality of all.
But GOD is not some abstract philisophical equation, such as GOD equals truth. GOD is personal and loving. GOD wants a relationship with you, something GOD has made clear to you in His Word.
When you read GOD's Word, you are encountering GOD'S truth personally. Everything GOD said in GOD's Word -- the stories, poetry, history, prophect, biographies of Jesus, and letters to the churches -- are there to teach you what is 'true'.
Do you long to hear God's voice? Not an audible sound that only a few experience, but God's voice coming into your heart and mind? We all have a longing for something beyond ourselves, so the desire to hear God's voice and feel His presence is quite normal. This connection does not happen unless we are in a position to listen. God in His grace has made it possible for us to hear His voice in a variety of ways. God's already speaking to us. All we need to do is listen, listen, love, love.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Day 25: Trusting God: Walking Through Unknown Doors.
Day 25: Trusting God: Walking Through Unknown Doors.
Read: Acts 16:6 - 12
Someone once tried to explain to me the correct use of a door. It
seemed to be a very unique and special kind of silly to me but I chose
to indulge him anyway. He said that the first thing I must do is to look
everywhere for it. Okay, I knew that. Find the ways in and find the
ways out - pretty obvious. Then when I found these most useful of entry
ways and exits I then needed to know just the right moments to actually
use them. Okay, now this is getting interesting. Knowing the right
moments to use them seems rather obvious too. Next he told me that I
needed to know which door was the correct door to use when I knew I
needed to use it. Because I could enter the closet.
Now, It my
guess that in my own home I am going to know where each of my doors
lead. Although admittedly I do miss the mark and try to enter the door
leading to the opposite direction I want to go. Now from time to time I
enter someone else's home. It seems now there is sometimes a failure of
recognition on my part to identify which doors are the one's that lead
to opportunity and which one's lead into the hall closet. I am not
so familiar with the doors in the stranger's house and now I am feeling a
growing sense of anxiety. I want to respect their homes by not entering
and closing all the wrong doors trying to find the bathroom for example
or to a business office.
It seems doors of opportunity open
and close before us in life. Is it God opening and closing these doors?
For a few years I’ve heard my wife saying, “When God shuts one door, He
opens another!” It sounds similar to a famous quote by Alexander Graham
Bell, the inventor of the telephone. He said: “When one door closes,
another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the
closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” In this
time when many are losing their jobs, their homes and their 401Ks let
us learn why God uses closed doors to open others. Sometimes our
disappointments in life can become God’s appointments.
The
things we think of as failures and problems can often end up being
blessings in disguise. The best example of open and closed doors is
found in Acts 16:6-12. Paul and his friends launched their second
missionary journey from Antioch. Along the way, they encountered some
closed doors and then an open door. Paul wanted to go through one
door, but the Holy Spirit stopped him from entering. He tried another
door, again he was turned back. Paul walked toward a third door and
found the Holy Spirit welcoming him to walk through. The Holy Spirit
opens the right doors at the right time and closes the wrong ones in the
same way. Trust the door marked "God."
Let us Pray: Lord all I
ask is that you show me the right doors to enter and which to close.
There are too many choices to make, too many doors to try that lead to
no where I want to be. Lord, I know that there is a doorway that leads
to you and this is the door I want desperately to enter because there is
the place where Jesus is found.
https://www.youtube.com/
Read: Acts 16:6 - 12
Someone once tried to explain to me the correct use of a door. It seemed to be a very unique and special kind of silly to me but I chose to indulge him anyway. He said that the first thing I must do is to look everywhere for it. Okay, I knew that. Find the ways in and find the ways out - pretty obvious. Then when I found these most useful of entry ways and exits I then needed to know just the right moments to actually use them. Okay, now this is getting interesting. Knowing the right moments to use them seems rather obvious too. Next he told me that I needed to know which door was the correct door to use when I knew I needed to use it. Because I could enter the closet.
Now, It my guess that in my own home I am going to know where each of my doors lead. Although admittedly I do miss the mark and try to enter the door leading to the opposite direction I want to go. Now from time to time I enter someone else's home. It seems now there is sometimes a failure of recognition on my part to identify which doors are the one's that lead to opportunity and which one's lead into the hall closet. I am not so familiar with the doors in the stranger's house and now I am feeling a growing sense of anxiety. I want to respect their homes by not entering and closing all the wrong doors trying to find the bathroom for example or to a business office.
It seems doors of opportunity open and close before us in life. Is it God opening and closing these doors? For a few years I’ve heard my wife saying, “When God shuts one door, He opens another!” It sounds similar to a famous quote by Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. He said: “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” In this time when many are losing their jobs, their homes and their 401Ks let us learn why God uses closed doors to open others. Sometimes our disappointments in life can become God’s appointments.
The things we think of as failures and problems can often end up being blessings in disguise. The best example of open and closed doors is found in Acts 16:6-12. Paul and his friends launched their second missionary journey from Antioch. Along the way, they encountered some closed doors and then an open door. Paul wanted to go through one door, but the Holy Spirit stopped him from entering. He tried another door, again he was turned back. Paul walked toward a third door and found the Holy Spirit welcoming him to walk through. The Holy Spirit opens the right doors at the right time and closes the wrong ones in the same way. Trust the door marked "God."
Let us Pray: Lord all I ask is that you show me the right doors to enter and which to close. There are too many choices to make, too many doors to try that lead to no where I want to be. Lord, I know that there is a doorway that leads to you and this is the door I want desperately to enter because there is the place where Jesus is found.
https://www.youtube.com/
Show Me Your Glory - Kim Walker, Jesus Culture
www.youtube.com
Show Me Your Glory by Jesus Culture..Video by me This song is so anointed.. I ABSOLUTLEY LOVE it! I
Friday, October 19, 2012
Day 24: Today May Be The Day - Be On Guard!
Day 24: Today May Be The Day - Be On Guard!
Read: Mark 13:24 - 37 (NASB)
She'll be here, my Mom would tell me, so stop being all nervous about
it! "Just be patient!" she would exhort me. I would settle down for a
little while, look out of my large living room window again, I would
look both ways several times then go running back into the kitchen
where Mom was fixing lunch or dinner and I would look at her all over
again and one more time I would frantically and ask her "Where's
Grandma?" "She promised she would be here -- Mom, where is she?!?" I always looked forward to the days when my Grandma visited from Florida. She always had something nice. Every year she had special presents. One year I got a coconut which I still treasure.
I remember my three sisters and I would frantically race from one
bathroom to the next to try to be the first one to get all spiffed up
for her. I was at somewhat of a disadvantage because I always had to
wait a little longer to have Mom tie my necktie. It was look and ask and look and ask as we all took turns to watch for Grandma's car. Finally it happened, four young children looked out the living room
window and saw the object of their great desires: Grandma's car pulled
into our driveway. Smiles were plastered all over our faces as we all
rushed the front door and battled to see who would be the first to open
it to run out in a great rush seeing Grandma again.
Many dates have been proposed for the return of Jesus Christ. Many have come and many have gone. I suspect that many more are lingering on the horizon awaiting the same fate as all the others. We simply don’t know when that day will
come. And it may come for you or me before the final day arrives. It may
even be sooner than we all believe. Today may even be that momentous
day. The fact is, Jesus did not know when He was coming back - Just the
Father alone. Since we have no idea when the Lord will return, Jesus
gives us the better plan: “Be on guard! Be alert!” Rather than worrying
about that day, Jesus tells us "Today may be the day - Be on guard be
alert.
There are many tasks that God places before us. In the
church and in life God has appointed first of all apostles, second
prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having
gifts of healing, those able to help others, those who are blessed with
gifts of administration, those blessed with abundance of spiritual
fruits to come along side to be encourager's and exhorter's of the
faith, there are builders and movers to engage in the process of placing
firm foundations beneath our feet. We are called to attend to our
duties, each to his own assignment. We are given a task so that we can
just do it. He calls each of us to participate in His salvation plan.
Let Us Pray: Eternal God, it is not for us to be privy to the moment when Your Son will come back to claim what is rightfully His. Give us the grace to just
move on with our lives, serving Your kingdom, building spiritual
foundations and so very much more. Let us be the one's to keep our eyes
toward the heavens, our hands and feet firmly planted on the ground,
thoroughly rooted in Your sacred Word's of truth. Guide us along the
paths you will have us to tread, asking, seeking, knocking and
transforming many hearts many lives for the sake of Your kingdom on earth as in heaven above.
https://www.youtube.com/
Read: Mark 13:24 - 37 (NASB)
She'll be here, my Mom would tell me, so stop being all nervous about it! "Just be patient!" she would exhort me. I would settle down for a little while, look out of my large living room window again, I would look both ways several times then go running back into the kitchen where Mom was fixing lunch or dinner and I would look at her all over again and one more time I would frantically and ask her "Where's Grandma?" "She promised she would be here -- Mom, where is she?!?" I always looked forward to the days when my Grandma visited from Florida. She always had something nice. Every year she had special presents. One year I got a coconut which I still treasure.
I remember my three sisters and I would frantically race from one bathroom to the next to try to be the first one to get all spiffed up for her. I was at somewhat of a disadvantage because I always had to wait a little longer to have Mom tie my necktie. It was look and ask and look and ask as we all took turns to watch for Grandma's car. Finally it happened, four young children looked out the living room window and saw the object of their great desires: Grandma's car pulled into our driveway. Smiles were plastered all over our faces as we all rushed the front door and battled to see who would be the first to open it to run out in a great rush seeing Grandma again.
Many dates have been proposed for the return of Jesus Christ. Many have come and many have gone. I suspect that many more are lingering on the horizon awaiting the same fate as all the others. We simply don’t know when that day will come. And it may come for you or me before the final day arrives. It may even be sooner than we all believe. Today may even be that momentous day. The fact is, Jesus did not know when He was coming back - Just the Father alone. Since we have no idea when the Lord will return, Jesus gives us the better plan: “Be on guard! Be alert!” Rather than worrying about that day, Jesus tells us "Today may be the day - Be on guard be alert.
There are many tasks that God places before us. In the church and in life God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those who are blessed with gifts of administration, those blessed with abundance of spiritual fruits to come along side to be encourager's and exhorter's of the faith, there are builders and movers to engage in the process of placing firm foundations beneath our feet. We are called to attend to our duties, each to his own assignment. We are given a task so that we can just do it. He calls each of us to participate in His salvation plan.
Let Us Pray: Eternal God, it is not for us to be privy to the moment when Your Son will come back to claim what is rightfully His. Give us the grace to just move on with our lives, serving Your kingdom, building spiritual foundations and so very much more. Let us be the one's to keep our eyes toward the heavens, our hands and feet firmly planted on the ground, thoroughly rooted in Your sacred Word's of truth. Guide us along the paths you will have us to tread, asking, seeking, knocking and transforming many hearts many lives for the sake of Your kingdom on earth as in heaven above.
https://www.youtube.com/
People Get Ready by Misty Edwards Dance
www.youtube.com
Dance
performed at the opening night of the RLCI conference at Resurrection
Life Church in Grandville, MI Check out a different performance of
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Day 23: What Makes God Smile?
Day 23: What Makes God Smile?
Read: Genesis 6:1 - 9:17, Psalm 14
What makes me smile? What makes us smile? What makes God smile? Does
God smile? As a newly minted husband I’ve smiled many times as I’ve
watched my wife do almost anything. I love my wife and I my heart just
leaps into those opportunities to watch her have fun doing something she
enjoys. I’ve smiled as she has done something very pleasing to me, or
has given me a small gift that she either picked out or created with her
arthritic thumbs. I have smiled when I’ve watched her work hard to
accomplish something of great importance in her life and in her
ministry. I like to smile at my wife very much. It brings much happiness
to this foolish heart.
I like to believe that as we smile
about our families or friends, for various reasons, so God smiles over
us and we can learn what can bring more smiles to God’s face. There’s an
ancient Biblical example that helps us in this and points us toward
some of the activities that will cause God’s pleasure to beam forth
toward us. This is not for to get something more from God than what he
is already giving, but is simply for us to be doing and growing and
maturing, in response to God’s grace, so that like a parent watches
their children grow we’re doing more to bring a smile to God's face. We
want to please others, to watch others be happy, we really want to see
smiles.
There was a time when only one man, of all that lived
on earth, pleased God. That man was Noah. We find the beginning of the
story of Noah in Genesis 6, and the background to his story. There were
two groups: One group- mostly made God upset and greatly saddened.
However, Noah brought pleasure to God. This is where we want to be, as
individuals who bring pleasure to God. As we do this, do you know what
will be happening? We’ll be living more in line with God’s desires and,
through that living, we will be living in respectful reverence toward
God who is our Father.
God received pleasure from him and
decided that he would start over with only his family so he brought the
flood. From this we have the rainbow and God's eternal covenant that man
should go on living. I enjoy living and, I believe, you do, too. We’re
alive because Noah pleased God and God made the rainbow that we may
always smile at something beautiful. This is important for each of us to
understand. Our life can make a great difference. Because you live and
please God, there WILL be others who live- inside or outside your
family, there will be others who, through our smile will enter life
through Jesus who will smile too for your pleasing God.
Let Us
Pray: Lord, what one more thing today may I do for You and the sake of
Your kingdom that will bring a smile to Your face?
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Genesis 6:1 - 9:17, Psalm 14
What makes me smile? What makes us smile? What makes God smile? Does God smile? As a newly minted husband I’ve smiled many times as I’ve watched my wife do almost anything. I love my wife and I my heart just leaps into those opportunities to watch her have fun doing something she enjoys. I’ve smiled as she has done something very pleasing to me, or has given me a small gift that she either picked out or created with her arthritic thumbs. I have smiled when I’ve watched her work hard to accomplish something of great importance in her life and in her ministry. I like to smile at my wife very much. It brings much happiness to this foolish heart.
I like to believe that as we smile about our families or friends, for various reasons, so God smiles over us and we can learn what can bring more smiles to God’s face. There’s an ancient Biblical example that helps us in this and points us toward some of the activities that will cause God’s pleasure to beam forth toward us. This is not for to get something more from God than what he is already giving, but is simply for us to be doing and growing and maturing, in response to God’s grace, so that like a parent watches their children grow we’re doing more to bring a smile to God's face. We want to please others, to watch others be happy, we really want to see smiles.
There was a time when only one man, of all that lived on earth, pleased God. That man was Noah. We find the beginning of the story of Noah in Genesis 6, and the background to his story. There were two groups: One group- mostly made God upset and greatly saddened. However, Noah brought pleasure to God. This is where we want to be, as individuals who bring pleasure to God. As we do this, do you know what will be happening? We’ll be living more in line with God’s desires and, through that living, we will be living in respectful reverence toward God who is our Father.
God received pleasure from him and decided that he would start over with only his family so he brought the flood. From this we have the rainbow and God's eternal covenant that man should go on living. I enjoy living and, I believe, you do, too. We’re alive because Noah pleased God and God made the rainbow that we may always smile at something beautiful. This is important for each of us to understand. Our life can make a great difference. Because you live and please God, there WILL be others who live- inside or outside your family, there will be others who, through our smile will enter life through Jesus who will smile too for your pleasing God.
Let Us Pray: Lord, what one more thing today may I do for You and the sake of Your kingdom that will bring a smile to Your face?
http://www.youtube.com/
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Day 22: The Relevance Of Encouragement
Day 22: The Relevance Of Encouragement.
Read: Hebrews 10:19 - 25
"Be of good cheer". "There is strength in numbers." "It is never good
to be alone for too long." "Together, we may accomplish more than we
could by being alone." "We are in this together, or we are not in it
all!" "Through thick or thin, We will always be here for you!" "Let us
stand shoulder to shoulder and together we will try and work things
through." "Please let us help you." "What can we all do for you?" "We
are all family and in this together!" "We have been friends for just too
long, What's up?" "We've been through too much together, you and I, so
what do you need from me?"
Can you sense a pattern here?
Friendship - yes, very much so. Camaraderie? Yes that is very true as
well. Shared and Mutual support - yes I suppose that is true too. Bold, risky relationship building where angels might otherwise fear to
tread? Oh that is absolutely positively true to the core of who we are
as deeply caring human beings. These are all very much essential and
relevant to who we strive hard to be for one another when something is
"not kosher in someone's else's kitchen." While the joy of the Lord
truly sustains and strengthens us, there are times when we all find
ourselves in need, and here is the message I am trying to convey to you .... it's encouragement.
It's not always easy to walk by faith in difficult times. It's not
always easy to obey God as we know we should. It's not always easy to
live according to God’s Will for our lives. Sometimes we need a help... a
little motivation to do what we know is right, to stand up for what we
believe, and to spread His Word throughout the whole world. We each need
to be encouraged. Encouragement is awesome. It can actually change the
course of another person's day, week, or life. You will find, if you
think for a moment, that the people who influence you are the people who
believe in you the most, who have intentionally sacrificed the time
from their lives to build you up.
One of the most beautiful
gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages
you, that person deliberately helps you over a threshold you might
otherwise never have been bold enough or dared yourself to cross on your
own. In fact, Hebrews commands us to “encourage one another daily, as
long as it is called Today” (3:13-14). The word “encourage” is in the
present tense. It indicates a habit or a way of life. It means we don’t
wait for others to encourage us. But we take the initiative. We must
encourage even if others could not, even if others would not.
Let us Pray: Ever merciful Father I come boldly before Your throne of
grace. Your word says that You give strength to the discouraged, so I
humbly ask that You would strengthen me Lord, for I am having a very
tough time of it. Bless me Lord with Your presence, that my heart might
be encouraged. Help me remember Your faithfulness and Your love that I
might stand in faith with Jesus against the issues that face me.
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Hebrews 10:19 - 25
"Be of good cheer". "There is strength in numbers." "It is never good to be alone for too long." "Together, we may accomplish more than we could by being alone." "We are in this together, or we are not in it all!" "Through thick or thin, We will always be here for you!" "Let us stand shoulder to shoulder and together we will try and work things through." "Please let us help you." "What can we all do for you?" "We are all family and in this together!" "We have been friends for just too long, What's up?" "We've been through too much together, you and I, so what do you need from me?"
Can you sense a pattern here? Friendship - yes, very much so. Camaraderie? Yes that is very true as well. Shared and Mutual support - yes I suppose that is true too. Bold, risky relationship building where angels might otherwise fear to tread? Oh that is absolutely positively true to the core of who we are as deeply caring human beings. These are all very much essential and relevant to who we strive hard to be for one another when something is "not kosher in someone's else's kitchen." While the joy of the Lord truly sustains and strengthens us, there are times when we all find ourselves in need, and here is the message I am trying to convey to you .... it's encouragement.
It's not always easy to walk by faith in difficult times. It's not always easy to obey God as we know we should. It's not always easy to live according to God’s Will for our lives. Sometimes we need a help... a little motivation to do what we know is right, to stand up for what we believe, and to spread His Word throughout the whole world. We each need to be encouraged. Encouragement is awesome. It can actually change the course of another person's day, week, or life. You will find, if you think for a moment, that the people who influence you are the people who believe in you the most, who have intentionally sacrificed the time from their lives to build you up.
One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person deliberately helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have been bold enough or dared yourself to cross on your own. In fact, Hebrews commands us to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today” (3:13-14). The word “encourage” is in the present tense. It indicates a habit or a way of life. It means we don’t wait for others to encourage us. But we take the initiative. We must encourage even if others could not, even if others would not.
Let us Pray: Ever merciful Father I come boldly before Your throne of grace. Your word says that You give strength to the discouraged, so I humbly ask that You would strengthen me Lord, for I am having a very tough time of it. Bless me Lord with Your presence, that my heart might be encouraged. Help me remember Your faithfulness and Your love that I might stand in faith with Jesus against the issues that face me.
http://www.youtube.com/
Kutless- Smile
www.youtube.com
one
of my favorite songs by Kutless lyrics: On a plane somewhere again I
take my place in line Just like every other time I slide into my window
seat
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Day 21: Praying For Our Leaders
Day 21: Praying For Our Leaders
Read: Mark 10:35 - 45; 1 Timothy 2:1 - 6;
For a long time there were some things that I simply never would have
considered doing. Being in authority over someone or a group of
someone's is probably at or very near the top of the list. As much as my
own personal experience has told me about such positions -- authority
goes to their heads and the rest of the body gets left behind without so
much as a thank you for being a part of them, they start lying to you
and disrespecting you or they step on your neck when you are down. So
when one day I heard someone tell me that I should pray for such a person - I said NEVER!
Such a request just cuts across too many grains of lumber, the yucky
sounds of chalk boards being scratched runs down my spine. No, a
thousand times No. Praying for someone who seems to place more joy in
walking amongst the clouds looking down at me instead of being along
side of me looking me straight in the eye?!?! Not going to happen. Pray
for someone who I am pretty sure does not care that I even exist? Not in
this lifetime or the next one after that!. It seemed a wee bit too
silly for me. Then something happened to me to reshape my thoughts -
Christ introduced Himself!
A} 42 So Jesus called them and said
to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as
their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over
them. 43 But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great
among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among
you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served
but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42 -
45)
B} 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for
kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God;
there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus,
himself human, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all—this was attested at
the right time. (1Timothy 2:1 - 6)
After reading such passages
and connecting them together with the help of the Holy Spirit it
awakened me: Christ is first in Authority over all including me and you
and anyone and everyone who finds themselves in a position of leadership
- whether it be great or small and all are accountable to Him for
their actions. So that means I do not have to be responsible for judging
them. They have much more to account for than I can ever know.
Another of the
greatest lessons that we can ever learn is that the honor that we have
to bring requests before the Lord was not given to us in order that we
may focus on us. We must first of all remember that: The target of all
our prayers must truly be absolutely inclusive for all our neighbors
even leaders. All must face the Refiner's fire!
Let us Pray:
Lord please help me to overcome my tendency towards judging those You
place in positions of authority and leadership. Help me to pray for them
just as much as You call on us to pray for each other. For we all must
come to You, so let us pray that each of us appears before Your throne
of Judgment blameless, cleansed and loved.
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Mark 10:35 - 45; 1 Timothy 2:1 - 6;
For a long time there were some things that I simply never would have considered doing. Being in authority over someone or a group of someone's is probably at or very near the top of the list. As much as my own personal experience has told me about such positions -- authority goes to their heads and the rest of the body gets left behind without so much as a thank you for being a part of them, they start lying to you and disrespecting you or they step on your neck when you are down. So when one day I heard someone tell me that I should pray for such a person - I said NEVER!
Such a request just cuts across too many grains of lumber, the yucky sounds of chalk boards being scratched runs down my spine. No, a thousand times No. Praying for someone who seems to place more joy in walking amongst the clouds looking down at me instead of being along side of me looking me straight in the eye?!?! Not going to happen. Pray for someone who I am pretty sure does not care that I even exist? Not in this lifetime or the next one after that!. It seemed a wee bit too silly for me. Then something happened to me to reshape my thoughts - Christ introduced Himself!
A} 42 So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43 But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42 - 45)
B} 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all—this was attested at the right time. (1Timothy 2:1 - 6)
After reading such passages and connecting them together with the help of the Holy Spirit it awakened me: Christ is first in Authority over all including me and you and anyone and everyone who finds themselves in a position of leadership - whether it be great or small and all are accountable to Him for their actions. So that means I do not have to be responsible for judging them. They have much more to account for than I can ever know.
Another of the greatest lessons that we can ever learn is that the honor that we have to bring requests before the Lord was not given to us in order that we may focus on us. We must first of all remember that: The target of all our prayers must truly be absolutely inclusive for all our neighbors even leaders. All must face the Refiner's fire!
Let us Pray: Lord please help me to overcome my tendency towards judging those You place in positions of authority and leadership. Help me to pray for them just as much as You call on us to pray for each other. For we all must come to You, so let us pray that each of us appears before Your throne of Judgment blameless, cleansed and loved.
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Bethel Live- For the Sake of the World ft. Brian Johnson
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Monday, October 15, 2012
Day 20: Practicing God's Shalom
Day 20: Practicing God's Shalom
Read: Philippians 4:8 - 9
In the game of life there are certain well known phrases that serve to keep us grounded, that keeps us from taking off into the loftiness
of our egos. 'Practice what you preach' is just such a phrase. I can
remember vividly the times when my Mom would over hear me having a
conversation with my siblings - "If you want this you should be doing
that because I do it that way all the time." My Mom would tap me on the
shoulder, I would look up at her -- she would point her finger in some
direction and tell me to go 'do it' exactly the same way I was telling
my sisters. Uh Um Okay?!?
Shalom is a Hebrew word meaning
peace, completeness, and welfare and can be used a polite greeting
between two or people to mean both hello and goodbye. it can refer to
either peace between two parties especially that between God and
mankind. It may likewise refer to the well-being, welfare or safety of
an individual or a group of individuals. Shalom, is a universally
understood term that draws a large circle around the whole of our lives
to emphatically say there is great joy, there is peace. There is an
absence of conflict. Overall, there's an overwhelming sense of
'complete'.
So, Paul puts out there for His readers those
things for us to ponder as we practice being complete in God. When we
deliberately take the time to separate ourselves from the circle of our
current lives, who we really are in the 'worldly' sense, to draw a new
circle of our life practicing "God's Shalom. Paul writes for his readers
a series of personal reflections that we ought to be praying and
meditating over. Each of these reflections taken individually and then as a 'complete' group serves to draw us inward toward the center of all things Shalom 'complete' where The God of Shalom is found.
Call it God's Shalom of Spiritual Discipline: Recommended By God
Himself for right relationship with Him. The Daily Recommended Practice
of 'God's Shalom: Meditate on these things for a time and a season:
1. "whatever is true"
2. "whatever is honorable"
3. "whatever is right "
4. "whatever is pure"
5. "whatever is lovely"
6. "whatever is commendable, of good repute"
7. If there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise that empowers you .......
Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard
and seen in me, and the God of (SHALOM) peace will be with you.
(Philippians 4:9)
Let us pray: Lord, Bring me now into the deep
silence of your presence. I give you my body and ask that it may become
your dwelling place. This moment may every part of my being be at
peace. Let my heartbeat be in harmony with your heartbeat let every part of my body be filled with your Spirit. Fill me now with your stillness with the Shalom of your living presence. Draw me close to You into that place of Rest.
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Read: Philippians 4:8 - 9
In the game of life there are certain well known phrases that serve to keep us grounded, that keeps us from taking off into the loftiness of our egos. 'Practice what you preach' is just such a phrase. I can remember vividly the times when my Mom would over hear me having a conversation with my siblings - "If you want this you should be doing that because I do it that way all the time." My Mom would tap me on the shoulder, I would look up at her -- she would point her finger in some direction and tell me to go 'do it' exactly the same way I was telling my sisters. Uh Um Okay?!?
Shalom is a Hebrew word meaning peace, completeness, and welfare and can be used a polite greeting between two or people to mean both hello and goodbye. it can refer to either peace between two parties especially that between God and mankind. It may likewise refer to the well-being, welfare or safety of an individual or a group of individuals. Shalom, is a universally understood term that draws a large circle around the whole of our lives to emphatically say there is great joy, there is peace. There is an absence of conflict. Overall, there's an overwhelming sense of 'complete'.
So, Paul puts out there for His readers those things for us to ponder as we practice being complete in God. When we deliberately take the time to separate ourselves from the circle of our current lives, who we really are in the 'worldly' sense, to draw a new circle of our life practicing "God's Shalom. Paul writes for his readers a series of personal reflections that we ought to be praying and meditating over. Each of these reflections taken individually and then as a 'complete' group serves to draw us inward toward the center of all things Shalom 'complete' where The God of Shalom is found.
Call it God's Shalom of Spiritual Discipline: Recommended By God Himself for right relationship with Him. The Daily Recommended Practice of 'God's Shalom: Meditate on these things for a time and a season:
1. "whatever is true"
2. "whatever is honorable"
3. "whatever is right "
4. "whatever is pure"
5. "whatever is lovely"
6. "whatever is commendable, of good repute"
7. If there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise that empowers you .......
Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of (SHALOM) peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)
Let us pray: Lord, Bring me now into the deep silence of your presence. I give you my body and ask that it may become your dwelling place. This moment may every part of my being be at peace. Let my heartbeat be in harmony with your heartbeat let every part of my body be filled with your Spirit. Fill me now with your stillness with the Shalom of your living presence. Draw me close to You into that place of Rest.
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