I had a reminder this week from a friend on how powerful our words are. Proverbs 18:21 tells us “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Our words are containers of power that give life or bring death to others and to ourselves. We are asked to think on these types of things in Philippians 4:8 – “…whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”, When we speak words of life such as these, we are planting good seeds into the life of others. And if we gossip and complain, and speak badly to or about someone else, we’re planting seeds of death and destruction.
Can you remember something that someone said to you, whether it was this past week, or back when you were a child that was critical or demeaning? Those words spoken to you were powerful. If they weren’t you wouldn’t still remember them. When negative words are spoken to us and over us, we begin to believe them and act them out. Thankfully, the opposite is true as well. When words of encouragement and life are spoken to us, we begin to believe them and act them out. Don’t let negative words that someone else spoke to you hold power over you. Know who you are as a believer in Christ, and speak these words and others that you find in God’s word out loud to yourself:
I am a child of God. (John 1:12)
I am the righteousness of God in Christ. (Romans 3:22)
I am God’s workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)
I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7)
I am a member of Christ’s body. (1 Cor 12:27)
Not only do we impact others with our words, we also impact ourselves. What we say, whether encouraging or discouraging, will come back to us. Are you feeling the death or the life of the words you have sown? Here are a couple of scriptural prayers that you can pray and ask the Holy Spirit to let you know when you are speaking words of death to someone else and yourself:
Ps 19:14 – “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Ps 141:3 – “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the doors of my lips.”
When you pray in this way, you are asking the Holy Spirit to convict you when you talk in a way that is unpleasing to God. And when He shows you, that’s when you should turn away from that sin. If you’ve said something you shouldn’t have said to someone, then go to them and ask for forgiveness, and ask God for forgiveness as well. Let’s use our words to build others up instead of tearing them down. And let’s ask the Holy Spirit to convict us when we fall short.
Dear Heavenly Father,
You know that what I speak comes from the overflow of my heart. So I ask that You change me so that I would have a heart like Yours. I want the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart to be pleasing in Your sight, Lord. I ask that you set a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the doors of my lips. Help me to be an encourager, and bring life through my words. And show me when I go astray, that I may turn from this sin and follow hard after You.
In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Do It Afraid!
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” – Hebrews 13:6
Have you ever noticed how you can be paralyzed by fear? It can get such a grip on you that it can keep you from moving forward with what God has for you to do. This reminds me of how Moses acted when God had called Moses to deliver His people out of Egypt. When God called Moses, he responded in fear, just like we sometimes do. Here’s a paraphrase of what happened in Exodus 3…
God: So now, go. I am sending you…
Moses: Who am I that I should go…?
God: I will be with you.
Moses: What if they ask who You are?
God: I AM WHO I AM.
Moses: What if they don’t believe…?
God: This is so that they may believe…
Moses: I can’t even talk well. I don’t know what to say.
God: I gave you your mouth. I will help you speak and teach you what to say.
Moses: Lord, please send someone else…
God: I said I will help you and teach you. Take what I’ve given to you and go!
Does this sound familiar? What has God called you to do, and how have you responded? Are you like Moses, trying to get God to send someone else? The thing I like about Moses is that, try as he might to get out of what God called him to do, once he decided to do it, he went for it! Can you imagine how he must have felt to stand before Pharaoh and command that he let God’s people go? It had to be terrifying. But Moses was more concerned with what God wanted than what other people thought. Do you suppose his hands and voice trembled as he stood before Pharaoh, who could have had him killed? Even though he must have been scared, he did it anyway. And that’s what God calls us to do – do it afraid. Why do we fear people and what they think, when God is the one who judges where we will spend eternity? (Luke 12:5) Many times, our actions show that we value the acceptance we receive from other people more than we value what God thinks. Are we so focused on what’s right before us that we don’t look at what’s really important – God and the advancement of His kingdom? And don’t forget that we have an enemy who wants to keep us paralyzed in fear. Are we going to let him win the battle? No! Instead, let’s be like Moses and go for it! When we know that God has called us to a task, He will give us the conviction burning within our hearts so that no one can stop us. When we do, we’ll find that we stretch ourselves and grow in ways that we could never imagine! We’ll also see God work in ways that we never thought He would. And don’t feel like you are all alone in what He calls you to do. Moses didn’t have to go alone. In addition to Aaron being there, God was with him. And He doesn’t expect us to go alone either. Moses learned firsthand that God was with him because he was the one who encouraged his successor, Joshua, in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes before you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” When you are a believer in Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit with you always. We can go in confidence knowing that God is with us, teaching us and giving us the words to say. You may be shaking in your boots, but with God’s power, you can and will do it, even if you have to do it afraid!
Have you ever noticed how you can be paralyzed by fear? It can get such a grip on you that it can keep you from moving forward with what God has for you to do. This reminds me of how Moses acted when God had called Moses to deliver His people out of Egypt. When God called Moses, he responded in fear, just like we sometimes do. Here’s a paraphrase of what happened in Exodus 3…
God: So now, go. I am sending you…
Moses: Who am I that I should go…?
God: I will be with you.
Moses: What if they ask who You are?
God: I AM WHO I AM.
Moses: What if they don’t believe…?
God: This is so that they may believe…
Moses: I can’t even talk well. I don’t know what to say.
God: I gave you your mouth. I will help you speak and teach you what to say.
Moses: Lord, please send someone else…
God: I said I will help you and teach you. Take what I’ve given to you and go!
Does this sound familiar? What has God called you to do, and how have you responded? Are you like Moses, trying to get God to send someone else? The thing I like about Moses is that, try as he might to get out of what God called him to do, once he decided to do it, he went for it! Can you imagine how he must have felt to stand before Pharaoh and command that he let God’s people go? It had to be terrifying. But Moses was more concerned with what God wanted than what other people thought. Do you suppose his hands and voice trembled as he stood before Pharaoh, who could have had him killed? Even though he must have been scared, he did it anyway. And that’s what God calls us to do – do it afraid. Why do we fear people and what they think, when God is the one who judges where we will spend eternity? (Luke 12:5) Many times, our actions show that we value the acceptance we receive from other people more than we value what God thinks. Are we so focused on what’s right before us that we don’t look at what’s really important – God and the advancement of His kingdom? And don’t forget that we have an enemy who wants to keep us paralyzed in fear. Are we going to let him win the battle? No! Instead, let’s be like Moses and go for it! When we know that God has called us to a task, He will give us the conviction burning within our hearts so that no one can stop us. When we do, we’ll find that we stretch ourselves and grow in ways that we could never imagine! We’ll also see God work in ways that we never thought He would. And don’t feel like you are all alone in what He calls you to do. Moses didn’t have to go alone. In addition to Aaron being there, God was with him. And He doesn’t expect us to go alone either. Moses learned firsthand that God was with him because he was the one who encouraged his successor, Joshua, in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes before you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” When you are a believer in Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit with you always. We can go in confidence knowing that God is with us, teaching us and giving us the words to say. You may be shaking in your boots, but with God’s power, you can and will do it, even if you have to do it afraid!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Questions on Suicide
How could someone who is a Christian commit suicide?
It’s hard to understand what’s going on in the mind of someone who is feeling so depressed and hopeless that they believe the only way out of their painful situation would be to take their own life. We expect Christians to know that they are to rely on God to help them through life’s struggles. But the truth is that everyone is in a different place in their walk with God. They may appear to be strong in some areas, but there are generally places of weakness that we all go through in our journey with God. We are continually growing as a Christian in some way, shape or form. And we will never be completed until we go to be with the Lord in heaven, or until He returns.
You might also question if this person will even go to heaven. God tells us through His word that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:38-39) You need to know that suicide is a sin against God. It’s taking a life, and that is wrong. God is the one who gives life, and He should be the one who takes it away in His timing. But we know that the blood of Jesus covers all of our sins for those who believe in Him.
If you are ever in the situation where you feel hopeless about your life, remember that God has a purpose for you. There is a reason God created you. And part of life is coming to understand what the purpose is that He has for you. Don’t cut your life short and miss out on the plans that God has for you.
The question for you is, “Who are you relying on to help you with your struggles?” Are you relying on a friend, on yourself or on Jesus? Because Jesus is the answer. He is the Way and the Truth and the Life. He is the one to cry out to in your struggles. Nothing is too hard for Him. He gives you the ability to do all things through Him. That means we have to rely on Him to guide us through those hard times. It’s good to have Christian friends to support you through difficult times and a Christian counselor is invaluable in situations like this. But your friends and counselors should be pointing you to Jesus, because He is the true source of your strength.
If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can do it now. It’s very easy. Just pray this prayer from your heart:
“Jesus, I know I am a sinner who needs a savior. Please forgive me for my sins. I ask you to come into my life, wash me clean and be my source of strength. I ask you to be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you to guide me in all my ways. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, or if you have questions about Jesus, please let us know. It’s important to share your good news with other believers. It’s also important to find a bible-based church that can help you grow in Christ. This is not a journey you should go through alone. You need the Church - a family of believers to be there with you and for you as you journey through your Christian walk with Christ.
It’s hard to understand what’s going on in the mind of someone who is feeling so depressed and hopeless that they believe the only way out of their painful situation would be to take their own life. We expect Christians to know that they are to rely on God to help them through life’s struggles. But the truth is that everyone is in a different place in their walk with God. They may appear to be strong in some areas, but there are generally places of weakness that we all go through in our journey with God. We are continually growing as a Christian in some way, shape or form. And we will never be completed until we go to be with the Lord in heaven, or until He returns.
You might also question if this person will even go to heaven. God tells us through His word that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:38-39) You need to know that suicide is a sin against God. It’s taking a life, and that is wrong. God is the one who gives life, and He should be the one who takes it away in His timing. But we know that the blood of Jesus covers all of our sins for those who believe in Him.
If you are ever in the situation where you feel hopeless about your life, remember that God has a purpose for you. There is a reason God created you. And part of life is coming to understand what the purpose is that He has for you. Don’t cut your life short and miss out on the plans that God has for you.
The question for you is, “Who are you relying on to help you with your struggles?” Are you relying on a friend, on yourself or on Jesus? Because Jesus is the answer. He is the Way and the Truth and the Life. He is the one to cry out to in your struggles. Nothing is too hard for Him. He gives you the ability to do all things through Him. That means we have to rely on Him to guide us through those hard times. It’s good to have Christian friends to support you through difficult times and a Christian counselor is invaluable in situations like this. But your friends and counselors should be pointing you to Jesus, because He is the true source of your strength.
If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can do it now. It’s very easy. Just pray this prayer from your heart:
“Jesus, I know I am a sinner who needs a savior. Please forgive me for my sins. I ask you to come into my life, wash me clean and be my source of strength. I ask you to be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you to guide me in all my ways. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, or if you have questions about Jesus, please let us know. It’s important to share your good news with other believers. It’s also important to find a bible-based church that can help you grow in Christ. This is not a journey you should go through alone. You need the Church - a family of believers to be there with you and for you as you journey through your Christian walk with Christ.
Monday, February 8, 2010
CHOICES, CHOICES, CHOICES!
Everyday we make choices. We choose what to eat for breakfast, what clothes to wear to work and what priority on our priority list to tackle first. Everyday, from the moment we wake up until we go to bed at night. Choices, choices, endless choices! Did you know that you also get to choose where you spend eternity? Have you ever thought about eternity? You know, what happens to you after this life ends. I’ve heard people ask the question “how can a loving God send someone to Hell”? Well, God does not send people to Hell, people send themselves to Hell.
When God created us He gave us a thing called free will and we were not created as robots. If we were created as robots and never allowed to make our own choices, where would the glory to God be in that? In fact, Hell was never intended for people, it was created only for Satan and his fallen angels Matthew 25:41 tells us "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." But, because God loves us so much and He wants us to be with Him in Heaven John 3:16 tells us "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God has given you free will to choose your own destiny. You can choose eternity in heaven which is described in 1 Corinthians 2:9 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" or you can choose the eternal fire that was prepared only for the devil and his angels. Sin was brought into the world by Satan and he would love more than anything to have you spend eternity in Hell with him, but because God loves us so much He has given us a way out, John 3:17-18 continues “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”
You only have two choices and the choices are yours and yours alone. You are accountable for your choice. You can choose the gift of eternal life or you can choose death which is the place prepared for Satan and his angels. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
All verses taken from the New International Version
When God created us He gave us a thing called free will and we were not created as robots. If we were created as robots and never allowed to make our own choices, where would the glory to God be in that? In fact, Hell was never intended for people, it was created only for Satan and his fallen angels Matthew 25:41 tells us "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." But, because God loves us so much and He wants us to be with Him in Heaven John 3:16 tells us "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God has given you free will to choose your own destiny. You can choose eternity in heaven which is described in 1 Corinthians 2:9 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" or you can choose the eternal fire that was prepared only for the devil and his angels. Sin was brought into the world by Satan and he would love more than anything to have you spend eternity in Hell with him, but because God loves us so much He has given us a way out, John 3:17-18 continues “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.”
You only have two choices and the choices are yours and yours alone. You are accountable for your choice. You can choose the gift of eternal life or you can choose death which is the place prepared for Satan and his angels. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
All verses taken from the New International Version
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Don't Worry, Be Happy
Many of you probably remember the Bobby McFerrin song called, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”. It was the first a cappella song to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1988. I think this song struck such a chord in people’s hearts because we always seem to be worried about something. I’ve even noticed that we sometimes wear worry like it’s a badge of honor, as if it’s our duty to worry about others. We worry about our children and whether they will be safe. We worry that we’re going to lose our job. We worry that we won’t find that special someone to share our life with. We worry about our health. And the list goes on… But as Christians, that’s not what we are called to. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us not to worry. How do you know that you’re worrying? When you find yourself thinking about something over and over, and you are afraid of a bad outcome, then you are worrying. Have you really ever sat down to consider that worrying is a sin? Why would it be a sin? Because you’re not trusting God to take care of the situation. You want to handle it on your own because you want to be in control. You can even get into pride when, whether you are consciously thinking about it or not, your actions show that you think you can do a better job controlling the situation than God. One thing I’ve realized is that when I think I’m in control of the things that go on around me, I’m just fooling myself. The only thing I can control is myself – my thoughts and my actions. And even then, I still need God’s help. What we need to do is give our anxiety and worries over to God. Lay them as a sacrifice on God’s altar. And when that worry tries to crawl off the altar -- and it will, you need to put it right back up there and give it to God again. The more you do this, the easier it will become. The side effects of worry cause stress on your body, which can even lead to illness. Jesus warned us about this in Matthew 6:27, when he said, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” So let’s ask God to remind us when we are worrying so that we can give it up to Him. He knows what’s going on in your life, and He’s already working behind the scenes in that situation. You just need to put your trust in Him, and thank Him, knowing that He is in control. Remember, we have the choice of whether we are going to worry, or be happy. So choose wisely. Don't worry, be happy!
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are the all-knowing, all-powerful God. I thank You that You are already working behind the scenes in the situations that are causing me to worry. Please forgive me for the sin of worrying. Help me to turn from my sin and lay my worries at your feet. Lord, I ask that when worry comes into my mind, that You would remind me to turn it over to you. Please help me not to pick it back up again. Lord, I trust You to take care of me and my loved ones. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Dear Heavenly Father,
You are the all-knowing, all-powerful God. I thank You that You are already working behind the scenes in the situations that are causing me to worry. Please forgive me for the sin of worrying. Help me to turn from my sin and lay my worries at your feet. Lord, I ask that when worry comes into my mind, that You would remind me to turn it over to you. Please help me not to pick it back up again. Lord, I trust You to take care of me and my loved ones. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Monday, February 1, 2010
YOUR FAITH HAS HEALED YOU
Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." 22 Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. Matt 9:20-22 (NIV)
This was a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for twelve years and she had gone to several doctors, but no one could heal her. Because of her hemorrhaging she was excluded from social and religious relations. Jesus the healer had come to her town and a great crowd of people surrounded Him wherever He went. Because of the crowd, she knew that it was impossible for her to get close enough to Him to ask for help, but, in her mind she thought, if I can just touch His robe, I know that I will be healed. The crowd was pressed in closely around Jesus and everyone was touching Him from all sides, but when the woman got close enough to touch the edge of His cloak, immediately her bleeding stopped. Jesus asked "Who touched me?" When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Luke 8:45-47 (NIV).
I was saved when I was a young teenager and spent many years in the church, but a few years after I got married and moved away from my home state, I quit going to church and completely turned my back on God. After 18 years, God began to call me back to Him and the words of the hemorrhaging woman became my words “Oh, Jesus, if I could just touch the hem of your cloak....never mind seeing you.....but, just touch the edge of your robe....I know that I will be healed!" Since I had been saved early in life, I knew that my sins were forgiven already....but I needed to be healed....healed from a broken heart, a broken heart because I knew that I was the one that turned away from God and severed our relationship!
That was my battle cry and that can be yours too. Oh, there is nothing magical about His robe....that wasn’t the point with her, nor me....nor you. The point is FAITH! If you’ve strayed like I did, or you don’t know Jesus as your savior, just believe, confess and take heart (be strong) your faith will heal you!
This was a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for twelve years and she had gone to several doctors, but no one could heal her. Because of her hemorrhaging she was excluded from social and religious relations. Jesus the healer had come to her town and a great crowd of people surrounded Him wherever He went. Because of the crowd, she knew that it was impossible for her to get close enough to Him to ask for help, but, in her mind she thought, if I can just touch His robe, I know that I will be healed. The crowd was pressed in closely around Jesus and everyone was touching Him from all sides, but when the woman got close enough to touch the edge of His cloak, immediately her bleeding stopped. Jesus asked "Who touched me?" When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Luke 8:45-47 (NIV).
I was saved when I was a young teenager and spent many years in the church, but a few years after I got married and moved away from my home state, I quit going to church and completely turned my back on God. After 18 years, God began to call me back to Him and the words of the hemorrhaging woman became my words “Oh, Jesus, if I could just touch the hem of your cloak....never mind seeing you.....but, just touch the edge of your robe....I know that I will be healed!" Since I had been saved early in life, I knew that my sins were forgiven already....but I needed to be healed....healed from a broken heart, a broken heart because I knew that I was the one that turned away from God and severed our relationship!
That was my battle cry and that can be yours too. Oh, there is nothing magical about His robe....that wasn’t the point with her, nor me....nor you. The point is FAITH! If you’ve strayed like I did, or you don’t know Jesus as your savior, just believe, confess and take heart (be strong) your faith will heal you!
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