A question we should all ask ourselves is: Are you hungry for Christ? Almost every believer that is asked that question would say YES, of course I am hungry for Christ. But, let me ask the question again while you look at your heart, Are YOU hungry for CHRIST? Is it him who you seek daily? Is it him who you truly desire in your life? Or, is your hunger for what Christ can give you? There is a difference you know. Are you hungry from him or for the gifts that he gives? If the Lord were to visit you this moment and he brought no gifts; if he came to you empty handed having no miracle of healing for your sick body, or money for your finical burdens; if he came having no answer for your failing relationships; If he were to visit you this moment having NOTHING to offer you except his unfailing love, would you be ready to receive it? Or would you walk away in disappointment because your expectations were for something other than just His love. Throughout the Word of God there are countless promises of such that as many as would believe, they would receive, but what if there were NO promises other than the promise of His love? What if there were no promises of extra blessings, of healing, of help with our finical burdens, of blessing to fulfill our hearts desires, honestly ask your self would His love be sufficient? Would it be enough to sustain you? For you, would you choose his love OVER the things you seek from him? Is HE greater than your hearts desires? In fact, is He a part of your hearts desires? When you seek him, ARE YOU SEEKING HIM or something else?
During the time of Jesus ministry here on the earth, large numbers of people followed him everywhere (Mark Ch. 3). Thousands upon thousands came to only get a glimpse of him, to hear him, to just touch his clothes. What gave him such the popularity? Was it his great words of wisdom and teaching ability? Was it that they knew he was Christ the son of God? Was it because He was and is the way, the truth, and the life and just being with him brought peace and happiness to people? Was it their hunger and thirst for righteousness, or their desire to learn and know the things God had for them? It should have been all these reasons they followed Jesus, but sadly for most of them their desire for him was based upon what he could give them. They had heard of his miracles of healing people, they had heard of him bringing people back from the dead, they had heard of him feeding thousands of people, and they had heard of all the things they could benefit from him if they could only be in his presences. The people were hungry for the things that they could see, and not for the things that they couldn’t see, for what they could receive outwardly and not the benefits of the blessing received inwardly.
The song Standing on the Promises of God is true and there is nothing wrong with a believer standing on the promises of God for his/her life. The area of concern is when we get stuck on the promises of gifts and miss the Lord. To seek not the Lord, but the power of which he possess.
Yes, there are many promises and many blessing the Lord desires to give His Children, but you must seek him first. Don’t just see his hand with the gifts nestled in it, but see his heart consumed with LOVE for you. He will fulfill every promise he made in his word, but “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you…”
Love you all,
Joe
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Old Timer
Do you carry a pocketknife? Security concerns have made it a little more difficult to carry even a small pocketknife. I always carry one when and where I can because I've always loved the usefulness of knives. They can be very handy.
I once knew a great guy named Bobby Bramlett. Bobby was single, in his early forties, and he was left completely blind following a tragic accident. He was also quite a character. One year our church had a Fall Festival. Bobby wanted to sit in the dunking booth. He sat on the platform above a large container of water and waited for our festival-goers to toss baseballs at the target. When hit, the target would throw a switch and Bobby would fall into the water. In order to prevent disorientation, Bobby tied a thin rope from his waist to the side of the tank. All seemed well till the first dunk. Bobby flailed to the surface gasping and choking! His rope had become tangled round his neck, and disaster seemed imminent. Fortunately, I remembered my trusty pocketknife. With shaking hands I opened it, cut the taut rope, and Bobby was free. I'm glad I had it with me! The knife was a Schrade "Oldtimer."
Since that episode, I've acquired several knives by different makers, but they all have two things in common. First, they must serve a purpose or they are useless. Second, they all have an "edge." I keep them sharp.
After many years in ministry, I realize something: I'm an Old Timer. You may be one, too. And the same two principles of usefulness apply to us if we are going to effectively serve God.
First, we must serve God's Purpose for us. How are you useful to God? We can know His will for us. Here are a few things He wants of us:
• Do all things to His Glory (1 Corinthians 10:31)
• Bring others to Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20)
• Build one another up (Ephesians 4:13)
• Help others in Jesus' name (Matthew 10:42)
Second, God also has special and specific plans for each of us. (Psalm 139:13-16) He wants to use us in His service with our own special gifts, talents, personalities, culture, and relationships. Each day is an adventure of discovery as He reveals His special plans for us as we live through the struggles, challenges, opportunities, joys, and sorrows of our lives.
Finally, we need to keep our edge or we become dull and can't really serve His purpose. We stay sharp by letting His Word sharpen us each day (Hebrews 4:12), by the sharpening of others through genuine relationship (Proverbs 27:17), and by devoting ourselves to prayer and service to Him each day.
Take it from me, it's THE way to live! There's nothing better. No matter what age you are, make it your goal to become an Old Timer in His Service.
I once knew a great guy named Bobby Bramlett. Bobby was single, in his early forties, and he was left completely blind following a tragic accident. He was also quite a character. One year our church had a Fall Festival. Bobby wanted to sit in the dunking booth. He sat on the platform above a large container of water and waited for our festival-goers to toss baseballs at the target. When hit, the target would throw a switch and Bobby would fall into the water. In order to prevent disorientation, Bobby tied a thin rope from his waist to the side of the tank. All seemed well till the first dunk. Bobby flailed to the surface gasping and choking! His rope had become tangled round his neck, and disaster seemed imminent. Fortunately, I remembered my trusty pocketknife. With shaking hands I opened it, cut the taut rope, and Bobby was free. I'm glad I had it with me! The knife was a Schrade "Oldtimer."
Since that episode, I've acquired several knives by different makers, but they all have two things in common. First, they must serve a purpose or they are useless. Second, they all have an "edge." I keep them sharp.
After many years in ministry, I realize something: I'm an Old Timer. You may be one, too. And the same two principles of usefulness apply to us if we are going to effectively serve God.
First, we must serve God's Purpose for us. How are you useful to God? We can know His will for us. Here are a few things He wants of us:
• Do all things to His Glory (1 Corinthians 10:31)
• Bring others to Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20)
• Build one another up (Ephesians 4:13)
• Help others in Jesus' name (Matthew 10:42)
Second, God also has special and specific plans for each of us. (Psalm 139:13-16) He wants to use us in His service with our own special gifts, talents, personalities, culture, and relationships. Each day is an adventure of discovery as He reveals His special plans for us as we live through the struggles, challenges, opportunities, joys, and sorrows of our lives.
Finally, we need to keep our edge or we become dull and can't really serve His purpose. We stay sharp by letting His Word sharpen us each day (Hebrews 4:12), by the sharpening of others through genuine relationship (Proverbs 27:17), and by devoting ourselves to prayer and service to Him each day.
Take it from me, it's THE way to live! There's nothing better. No matter what age you are, make it your goal to become an Old Timer in His Service.
Discipline
Discipline is normally not an action that any of us like. Most of the time we think of being punished during discipline, things taken away from us to teach us a lesson. Parent’s use discipline to mold their children and the bible teaches Parent’s to use discipline. But the people who hate discipline the most are not children but those who are older. One of the main reason children are so ready to leave the nest is for all the freedom of choice and no discipline. Well if you think you are going to grow old enough to not be disciplined then you are completely wrong.
Look at it this way
As a person you are either a thermometer or you’re a thermostat. Thermometer people tend to reflect temperature of the people around them. If you’re hot, I’m hot. If you’re cool then I’m cool. If you’re nice then I’m nice. If you yell then I will yell to. If you are mean to people then I will be mean as well. What most of us would like to be is thermostat person – Someone who controls the temperature in our situation.
Your family, friends, and church need you to be a thermostat. Look at your friends, family, and people in this church and you know that they need someone in their life that has it all under control. There are not a lot of us that are willing to be thermostat people. Although we are all capable of it many of us are not willing to put forth the discipline.
How Jesus teaches us to be disciplined “Stressful Situation”
John 14:27 Jesus is talking to His closest friends on the most stressful night of his life, just before His arrest and execution. It’s on the edge of what is about to be the most stressful chapter in their lives. If stressful is a fair description of your life right now, these words from Jesus are for you, too.
His words exactly were: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Another Time
Luke 5:16 Before any change in your life take time to stop and pray. Why is it that we don’t make praying a priority especially when faced with challenges in our lives? It was once said that when you think nothing is going to happen to you, you start thinking that nothing can touch you, and that’s when everything goes wrong. Make prayer part of you.
I think the key to being a disciplined person is knowing Jesus and knowing that you belong to him.
When you know you belong to Him, you can be a thermostat instead of a thermometer because you know you have an identity and a security that is rooted in something you can't lose. It is the freedom of knowing that whatever is at stake in this situation isn't all there is; you're anchored to Jesus Christ, His unconditional love, and His unstoppable plans.
It's the relationship you were made for, but you've been missing because your sin has cut you off from your Creator. It's the relationship that Jesus died to give you by paying for your sin on His cross. If you're ready to let Jesus bring peace to that storm inside you, tell Him you are trusting Him to be your Savior from your sin. Jesus can turn any thermometer person into a thermostat. He gives them inner power to be in control of all situations that they face.
Look at it this way
As a person you are either a thermometer or you’re a thermostat. Thermometer people tend to reflect temperature of the people around them. If you’re hot, I’m hot. If you’re cool then I’m cool. If you’re nice then I’m nice. If you yell then I will yell to. If you are mean to people then I will be mean as well. What most of us would like to be is thermostat person – Someone who controls the temperature in our situation.
Your family, friends, and church need you to be a thermostat. Look at your friends, family, and people in this church and you know that they need someone in their life that has it all under control. There are not a lot of us that are willing to be thermostat people. Although we are all capable of it many of us are not willing to put forth the discipline.
How Jesus teaches us to be disciplined “Stressful Situation”
John 14:27 Jesus is talking to His closest friends on the most stressful night of his life, just before His arrest and execution. It’s on the edge of what is about to be the most stressful chapter in their lives. If stressful is a fair description of your life right now, these words from Jesus are for you, too.
His words exactly were: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Another Time
Luke 5:16 Before any change in your life take time to stop and pray. Why is it that we don’t make praying a priority especially when faced with challenges in our lives? It was once said that when you think nothing is going to happen to you, you start thinking that nothing can touch you, and that’s when everything goes wrong. Make prayer part of you.
I think the key to being a disciplined person is knowing Jesus and knowing that you belong to him.
When you know you belong to Him, you can be a thermostat instead of a thermometer because you know you have an identity and a security that is rooted in something you can't lose. It is the freedom of knowing that whatever is at stake in this situation isn't all there is; you're anchored to Jesus Christ, His unconditional love, and His unstoppable plans.
It's the relationship you were made for, but you've been missing because your sin has cut you off from your Creator. It's the relationship that Jesus died to give you by paying for your sin on His cross. If you're ready to let Jesus bring peace to that storm inside you, tell Him you are trusting Him to be your Savior from your sin. Jesus can turn any thermometer person into a thermostat. He gives them inner power to be in control of all situations that they face.
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