What’s For Dinner?
29 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Joe Stowell Tags: Abraham, Book of Genesis, Christianity, God, Isaac, Jesu, Religion and Spirituality, Sacrifice
“It came to pass . . . that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Genesis 22:1“
I can hardly imagine inviting special friends over for dinner and then throwing a few leftovers into the microwave to serve up to them. But if I were to do that, it would speak volumes about how I really feel about them.
Giving God the leftovers of our lives speaks volumes about His true worth to us. When God asked Abraham to give Isaac back to Him as an act of worship, Genesis 22:1 calls it a test. A test to see if there was anything in his life that he treasured more than God.
It’s no different for us. There are times when God requires something really important to get His work done. He’ll ask us to give up our natural instincts to seek revenge so that we can communicate His forgiving love by forgiving our enemies. He may call us to sacrifice portions of our time or money or comforts to advance His cause. Or He may require us to allow our sons and daughters to go to a far-off land to tell others about His saving love. The way we respond to what He requires says volumes about how we really feel about Him.
Anyone can offer the leftovers. Only those who love God more than anything else will serve up the very best for Him.
“Take up thy cross and follow Me,” I hear the blessed Savior call; How can I make a lesser sacrifice When Jesus gave His all? —Ackley
No sacrifice we make is too great for the One who sacrificed His all.
http://getmorestrength.org/daily/whats-for-dinner/
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Untroubled Relationship
29 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Oswald Chambers Tags: Baptism with the Holy Spirit, God, holyspirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John, Lord, Pentecost
In that day you will ask in My name . . . for the Father Himself loves you . . . —John 16:26-27
“. . . whatever you ask the Father in My name . . .” (John 16:23). “That day” is a day of peace and an untroubled relationship between God and His saint. Just as Jesus stood unblemished and pure in the presence of His Father, we too by the mighty power and effectiveness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit can be lifted into that relationship—”. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22).
“. . . He will give you” (John 16:23). Jesus said that because of His name God will recognize and respond to our prayers. What a great challenge and invitation—to pray in His name! Through the resurrection and ascension power of Jesus, and through the Holy Spirit He has sent, we can be lifted into such a relationship. Once in that wonderful position, having been placed there by Jesus Christ, we can pray to God in Jesus’ name—in His nature. This is a gift granted to us through the Holy Spirit, and Jesus said, “. . . whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” The sovereign character of Jesus Christ is tested and proved by His own statements.
http://utmost.org/untroubled-relationship/
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Eternal Revelation
29 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Holy Land Moments Tags: Bible, Book of Deuteronomy, God, Judaism, Mount Sinai, Pentecost, Shavuot, Torah
“Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the LORD your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the LORD your God has given you.”— Deuteronomy 16:9–10
Isn’t it strange that the Bible gives us the date of every single holiday on the calendar except for one? And it’s the holiday that celebrates one of the most important events in human history! The Festival of Weeks, Shavuot or Pentecost, is associated with the giving of the Torah and the revelation of God at Mount Sinai, and yet neither the date of revelation, nor the precise date of the holiday is written in the Scriptures.
All we are told is that the festival occurs seven weeks from the time that we “put the sickle to the standing grain.” In addition, no one knows for sure where this momentous event occurred. Different theories abound, but God has made it so that no one can point to the precise location of Mount Sinai with complete certainty. All we know is that this great event happened somewhere, in the middle of nowhere, sometime in spring.
Why all the vagueness?
What we don’t know tells us a lot. The details that are absent from the story of the revelation point to a profound truth about the Torah: it is absolutely and unequivocally eternal. There is no date given because the Word of God is beyond time. It was, is, and always will be true. There is no time period, no season, and not even a single day during which the words of the Bible are not binding.
The location of the revelation is unknown because God’s Word is also beyond space. It is not confined to any single location. It holds true in every corner of the earth and is accessible no matter where you may be on the planet. By deliberately leaving us without the exact knowledge of where and when revelation took place, God is telling us that exactly where and when are irrelevant.
We can also learn from the only piece of information that we are given. What we do know is that the Torah was given in the desert. Had the Torah been given in a lush, bountiful land, we could have argued that keeping it was dependent upon easy circumstances. The Torah was given in a desert, a place known for harsh conditions and scarcity, in order to teach us that there are no conditions under which God’s Word does not apply.
No matter where you are or what your circumstances may be, God has a message for you right now. Pick up the Scriptures and study them daily. You will find that in some small way, the great revelation of long ago is still occurring today.
http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/eternal-revelation
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The Root and the Star
29 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in O Christian.com Tags: Africa, Bethlehem, Christ, God, Human, Jesu, Lord, Palestine
I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star–Rev 22:16
Nothing is more notable in Jesus than the union of apparent contradictories. Qualities of the most diverse characters are brought into a perfect harmony in Him. When we set out to copy any brother, we are wrested from our true development. For other lives, even at their finest, are fragmentary and incomplete. But nobody who aims at following Christ can ever be false to his true self, for the character of Christ is universal. He combines the most opposing temperaments and reconciles diversities of being. Everything that all are meant to be, our blessed Savior actually was. That is the truth which lies in the assertion, so often fiercely combated, that our Lord was not a man but man. Speaking evangelically, it is only the redeemed who are in Christ. Not till we are born again are we in Him as the branch is in the vine. Yet in the matter of ideal character, in all its infinite diversity, there is a mystical sense in which our Savior embraces the whole human race. Nobody becomes anybody else when he aims at imitating Jesus. He grows nearer to his highest self when he becomes more like his Lord. For all the partial ideals of life which give to it an infinite variety blend into a perfect unity in the perfect character of Jesus.
The Union of the Diverse
Now, something of that reconcilement is seen in the imagery of our text. Between a root and a star there is a world of difference, and yet Jesus tells us He is both. He takes objects from two different worlds, and in both of them He finds Himself. He selects things that seem to have no unity, and He compares Himself with both of them. He brings together in a single sentence objects that are utterly unlike, and yet He sees in each of them something that is an image of His being. Take these figures separately and they are rich in spiritual significance. Take them together and they are big with hope for all the diversities of character. Men who are as different from each other as a root is different from a star may find all that they seek for in the Savior.
One notes, for instance, how this twofold figure combines the local and the universal. A root is embedded in a single spot; a star rains its influence on the world. If a root is to grow it needs a certain soil, for there and there alone it finds its nutriment. To that environment must come the searcher if he wants to get his hand upon the root. But in the crowded city and the lonely glen and far away on the solitudes of ocean a man may lift his eyes towards the heavens and be comforted by the shining of a star. The root is grounded in one place; the star sheds its light on every place. The root is fixed in a definite locality; the star is the joy of all localities. And then one thinks of Jesus, born in Bethlehem and growing up in Nazareth and yet today the light of the world. Go to Africa, and there you find Him. Travel to India, and He is them. Multitudes who have never been to Bethlehem have experienced the power of His name. Rooted deep in the rich soil of Palestine, the image of a root is not enough. On sinful men a million miles from Palestine He has shone as the bright and morning star.
The Union of the Hidden and the Evident
Another aspect of this twofold figure is the union of the hidden and the evident. A root is something concealed from observation; a star is conspicuous in its shining. There are roots which lie very near the surface, and there are others which run very deep. But one mark of every root is this, that it shuns the light and moves into the darkness. And just there, between root and star, what a world of difference there is, for a star is something that is seen. Nobody in the brightest day can see a root. It lives and moves concealed from human eyes. But in the darkest night the stars are shining in the wonder of the heavens. And does not one feel at once that it takes both, infinitely diverse though they be, to picture for us the mystery of Jesus? The kingdom cometh not with observation, yet Jesus could not be hid. The mighty world knew not when He came, and yet He is the light of every man. He lives in the secret of the heart and in our hidden being has His dwelling, and yet in the outward and habitual life He reveals the shining of His presence.
The Unity of the Earthly and the Heavenly
And then lastly in this twofold figure we have united the earthly and the heavenly. For a root is one of the children of the earth, and a star one of the glories of the sky. You find the root where common feet are treading, where lovers walk and little children play. You find the star beyond all human reaching in the infinite heights of heaven that are above us. And then we think of Him, whom we discover on our Emmaus roads, while He shines on us from the altitude of glory. One cannot explain these things nor understand them. They are mysteries beyond our fathoming. How can one be here, where the green grass is, and yet radiant in a world beyond our reach? And then we remember how these contradictions were reconciled in the consciousness of Him, who called Himself a root, and then–a star.
http://devotionals.ochristian.com/george-h-morrison-devotional-sermons-devotional.shtml
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Pride And Prejudice
29 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Our Daily Bread Tags: Annie, God
Back in the 1930s, my childhood home was loving and happy, but my parents were often away. On those occasions, the center of warmth in our home was the kitchen and our tiny, joyous housekeeper named Annie.
I spent many hours with Annie, sitting at our kitchen table reading books or playing with toys and listening to her sing and hum spirituals and hymns. From her heart sprang a continual flow of wisdom, cheerfulness, and song.
One morning, with childish exuberance, I used a racial slur I had heard. “Oh my, no,” she said, and then proceeded to pour out her heart in a gentle lecture on the harm and hurt in that, accompanied by a terrible sadness in her eyes. I never used that word again.
I learned that we cause unfathomable sorrow when we dishonor and debase others through bigotry. Every human being is created in the image of God—more like God than any other creature and worthy of honor. To demean that image is to wound another human being at the deepest level.
There is but one race: the human race. God “has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). We are of the same family, made to be treasured and cherished by one another.
Tozer Devotional-Daring to be Different
29 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in A. W. Tozer Tags: Christian, Christianity, Evangelism, God, holyspirit, Jesu, Old Testament, Religion & Spirituality
Daring to be Different
The fear of man brings a snare, said the prophet, and this enemy, too, must be defeated. Our whole modern world is geared to destroy individual independence and bring all of us into conformity to all the rest of us. Any deviation from the pattern, whatever that pattern may be at the time, will not be forgiven by society, and since the Christian must deviate radically from the world he naturally comes in for the world’s displeasure. If he surrenders to fear he has been conquered, and he dare not let this happen. Other enemies may be identified, such as love of luxury, secret sympathy with the world, self-confidence, pride and unholy thoughts. These we must resist with every power within us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
The Holy and the Ordinary by Mark D. Roberts
29 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in The High Calling Tags: Christian, Ezekiel, God, Jerusalem, Jesu, Lord, Old Testament, Prayer
On all four sides he measured the wall all the way around. Its length was seven hundred fifty feet, and its width seven hundred fifty feet. So he made a division between the holy and the ordinary.
In Ezekiel 42, the angelic being in Ezekiel’s vision measures various dimensions of the temple in Jerusalem, ending with the large area outside of the temple, which was surrounded by a wall. This outer wall “made a division between the holy and the ordinary” (42:20).
Holiness was central to the temple and its people. The area of the temple was holy in that it was set apart from common use for God’s purposes only. Only special people could enter the holy areas of the temple, according to certain variables. The high priest alone could enter the holiest place in the very center of the temple. The wall signified the impenetrable boundary between that which was set apart for God as holy and the rest of life.
This notion of holiness, so central to the Old Testament, was turned inside out by Jesus. As you may recall, he scandalized the religious leaders of his day by hanging out with known sinners. This was not something Jewish holy men were supposed to do. Yet Jesus did not separate himself from the people he came to serve. Though not joining in their sin, he joined them in life.
Too often, Christians have lived according to the vision of Ezekiel rather than the example of Jesus. As servants of our Master, we are called to be holy people. God has set us apart for himself and for serving him. Yet, this does not mean we hide in the safety of Christian community. Rather, we are to live in the world in a distinctive way. We are to represent God to our coworkers, neighbors, friends, and even enemies. We are to be “in, but not of” the world, living with a contagious holiness that draws people to God’s love, grace, and holiness.
QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: When you hear the word “holy,” what comes to mind? How is it possible to be “in, but not of” the world? What helps you to live in the world in a distinctive way as a follower of Jesus?
PRAYER: Holy God, you are set apart from the fallenness of this world, from its impurity and decay. In you, there is no hint of sin, evil, or death. Yet, in Jesus, you have entered into this world. You are not watching us from a safe distance. Rather, you have come to dwell among us that we might become your holy people.
Help me, Lord, to be set apart for you, a sanctuary for your Spirit. Help me to live according to your ways, not the ways of this world. Yet, may I continue to live in this world, among its people, bearing witness to you through my words and deeds. May people be drawn to you as you are present in my life. Amen.
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How Jesus Taught Us to Pray (4)
29 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in The Encouraging Word Tags: Christ, Gideon, God, Israel, Jesu, Midian, New King James Version, Paul
“Deliver us from the evil one.” Mt 6:13 NKJV
Jesus taught us to pray: “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (v.13 NKJV). Satan knows your areas of weakness and he will exploit them. But there’s good news. It’s your weaknesses, not your strengths, that draw you closer to God and make you lean on Him. Paul wrote: “I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me” (2Co12:9 NLT). At first this verse doesn’t seem to make sense. You want to be freed from your weaknesses, not boast about them. But Paul gives you several reasons: (1) Your weakness prevents pride. Paul writes: “So I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations” (2Co 12:7 TM). You’ll often find a weakness attached to strength, acting as a governor to keep you from becoming boastful or running ahead of God. Gideon chose 32,000 men to fight the Midianites, but God reduced his numbers to 300 (See Jdg 7). Why? So that Israel would know it was God’s power and not their own that saved them. (2) Your weakness creates fellowship. Your struggles show you how much you need the support of others. Vance Havner said, “Christians, like snowflakes, are frail, but when they stick together they can stop traffic.” (3) Your weakness enables you to help others. It’s the broken who become masters at mending. Your most effective ministry can come out of your most painful experiences. The things you’re most reluctant to share are often the very things God will use to help others.
http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/how-jesus-taught-us-to-pray-4/
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Will You Practice Sin or Right Living? Object Lesson for Kids by Tony Kummer
28 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Childrens Corner, Ministry To Children, Tween/Teen Tags: Christ, David, English Standard Version, God, Jesu, Psalm, Righteousness, Sin
One of my biggest frustrations is when kids know right & wrong but choose to do wrong anyway. This drives me crazy, especially when it’s just a small temptation that wins them over. So, I began to brainstorm a way to teach about the practical effects of sin even when they don’t get caught.
Watch the video below to see a demonstration featuring my son David. You can also click here to add your own thoughts or suggestions for this object lesson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TspPDjbSGT8&feature=player_embedded
Supplies Needed: One child to volunteer (preferably a kid who plays basketball) and a basketball.
Gospel Connection: Don’t let this object lesson come down to only behavior. This tenancy for all of us to choose sin shows us the need for Jesus. We are all born sinners and practice doing wrong all our lives. It takes the power of the Gospel to remove our guilt and change our inward desires. Then we can begin to practice right living.
Scripture Connection: This can be used with any Bible lesson about doing right or growing in God’s ways. Here are a few Bible verses that come to mind when I think of these truths.
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (1 John 3:7 ESV)
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:6)
http://ministry-to-children.com/will-you-practice-sin-or-right-living-object-lesson-for-kids/
