Did you know we all have a job? Your job is in your home, where you live, to keep order and to serve. After all, isn’t that all of our jobs? So what is expected of you? What are some of your chores? Do you get paid for your chores?
Growing up I had to clean my room, help put away the dishes, I didn’t have to do my own laundry but I did have to put it away. And then I had to cut the grass.
In Ephesians 6:1-3 it says, "Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”
It says that if you honor your parents (and what they say and obey) then things will go well for you. I’m not gonna ask because we all want things to go well for us. Nobody likes to have bad days.
Notice that it also says to obey "because you belong to the Lord." You don't belong to yourself anymore.
Luke 9:23-24
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Take up your cross and get rid of selfishness. Selfishness has no place in the Kingdom, and in your heart. This is something I have been convicted of lately. When you have selfish motives and selfish ways, the Lord really can’t use you.
Take some time to meditate on these scriptures and if this has been an area where you mess up then ask the Lord for forgiveness. Think about the commitment you made to Him when you got saved and give up your selfishness to Him. Die to your own selfish desires and as it says, carry your cross not just today, but everyday.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Art Work
I have 2 young children and they love to create "art work" for me and my wife. Sometimes it's really cool and sometimes it's just scribbles. But we are all very proud of it and I am especially proud to get the art that is made specifically for me. It will probably never bring millions of dollars and not be appreciated by anyone else other than me and their mom.
Did you know that you are the art work of God? Did you know that as your father in heaven (Matt 6:26) God is the one that appreciates you the most?
Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Yes, God sees you as wonderful and beautiful! After all, He made you in His image! God's image! You are a work of art fashioned after God.
Genesis 1:26a, 27
26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.
27 So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Today, stop believing any lie that says you are ugly or that God made a mistake when He made you. He knew exactly what He was doing when He created and fashioned you. Maybe others can't appreciate your beauty, but He is amazed by you and is so proud of you. Spend time thinking about these scriptures and asking God what He loves most about you today.
Did you know that you are the art work of God? Did you know that as your father in heaven (Matt 6:26) God is the one that appreciates you the most?
Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Yes, God sees you as wonderful and beautiful! After all, He made you in His image! God's image! You are a work of art fashioned after God.
Genesis 1:26a, 27
26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.
27 So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Today, stop believing any lie that says you are ugly or that God made a mistake when He made you. He knew exactly what He was doing when He created and fashioned you. Maybe others can't appreciate your beauty, but He is amazed by you and is so proud of you. Spend time thinking about these scriptures and asking God what He loves most about you today.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Selfish
Confession time: I am a selfish person. Now, if you know me, depending on how well you know me, you might be saying "Well duh, I could'a told ya that!". Some that think they know me very well might be saying, "No. Now come on you're just being hard on yourself." Truth is, if you were inside my head, you'd be shaking yours. Why? Because as I said, I'm a selfish person. I asked the Lord tonight why I'm so selfish and He gave a quick and honest reply; "You need to die to self. You're saved, but you need to die to your self, daily." That means every day. That also means that there are days, seasons even when I've died to my 'self', but it does not seem to me that this is one of those seasons. Galatians puts it bluntly and beautifully:
"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:16, 17, 19-23 NLT)
Wow. Convicting. Ask yourself the hard question right now (it slapped me in the face!), on the inside of you, which nature is predominant? Which one needs to be?
Lord, I choose today, right now to die to my 'self' and to live unselfishly, to live according to your Spirit. I ask that the fruit of the Spirit would grow more and more each day in my life so that it is so evident as I serve others for the sake of your kingdom. Christ Jesus I belong to you so I crucify the sinful nature in my life, and choose to live by your Spirit. Amen.
"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:16, 17, 19-23 NLT)
Wow. Convicting. Ask yourself the hard question right now (it slapped me in the face!), on the inside of you, which nature is predominant? Which one needs to be?
Lord, I choose today, right now to die to my 'self' and to live unselfishly, to live according to your Spirit. I ask that the fruit of the Spirit would grow more and more each day in my life so that it is so evident as I serve others for the sake of your kingdom. Christ Jesus I belong to you so I crucify the sinful nature in my life, and choose to live by your Spirit. Amen.
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