We never grow out of being God's child. We all crave freedom, you know what I mean? But listen to what Romans has to say.
Romans 6:1-4, 13 (New Living Translation)
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
...
13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
So in your freedom, remember, we need to obey God.
411God.net
g-ram
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
EXPERIENCE: Overcoming
When things look beyond your reach, don't give up.
Take a moment, focus, pray and try to look at the situation from another perspective. Uncommon answers may just appear as if out of nowhere.
Overcome.
They might even make you look cute. :)
g-ram
THOUGHT: Giving & Keeping
"Giving is better than getting." Little cliché? Well, let me ask you this: at the end of the day, if you had only enough money for one special thing--like an XBOX--but only one, would you rather keep it, or give it to a friend?
Giving is not always easy. Yet God asks us to give cheerfully, and He promises blessing to those who give.
Acts 20:32-35 (New Living Translation)
32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
So give--your time, your money, your stuff, your approval, your attention, your help, your XBOX! Give something, today, expecting nothing in return.
411God.net
g-ram
Giving is not always easy. Yet God asks us to give cheerfully, and He promises blessing to those who give.
Acts 20:32-35 (New Living Translation)
32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
So give--your time, your money, your stuff, your approval, your attention, your help, your XBOX! Give something, today, expecting nothing in return.
411God.net
g-ram
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
THOUGHT: Zombies
Dead people coming back to life? That's pretty much the central theme of any zombie movie. Zombies are gross, stupid, love eating brains, and absolutely love shopping malls. And non-zombies have to be very careful, because, as a general rule, there are a lot of hungry zombies!
Paul writes about dead people coming back to life that aren't zombies. Take a listen:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (New Living Translation)
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
Ok, think of it as Dawn of the Living. A moment in the future when all those who believe in Jesus will be reunited with him in the air. If you believe in Jesus, maybe you'll be flying up that way with Paul himself! Or Timothy, or even with the Sons of Thunder, James and John. You just never know, but it's going to be sweet!
411God.net
g-ram
Paul writes about dead people coming back to life that aren't zombies. Take a listen:
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (New Living Translation)
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
Ok, think of it as Dawn of the Living. A moment in the future when all those who believe in Jesus will be reunited with him in the air. If you believe in Jesus, maybe you'll be flying up that way with Paul himself! Or Timothy, or even with the Sons of Thunder, James and John. You just never know, but it's going to be sweet!
411God.net
g-ram
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
THOUGHT: Money...It's Not Everything
You ever find yourself thinking that God only loves rich people?
Zephaniah 1:14-18 (New Living Translation)
14 “That terrible day of the LORD is near.
Swiftly it comes—
a day of bitter tears,
a day when even strong men will cry out.
15 It will be a day when the LORD’s anger is poured out—
a day of terrible distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and desolation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness,
16 a day of trumpet calls and battle cries.
Down go the walled cities
and the strongest battlements!
17 “Because you have sinned against the LORD,
I will make you grope around like the blind.
Your blood will be poured into the dust,
and your bodies will lie rotting on the ground.”
18 Your silver and gold will not save you
on that day of the LORD’s anger.
For the whole land will be devoured
by the fire of his jealousy.
Woah. Are you putting a little too much trust in money? OK, maybe you're not making a lot of money right now, but is that your goal in life? Give it some thought.
411God.net
g-ram
Zephaniah 1:14-18 (New Living Translation)
14 “That terrible day of the LORD is near.
Swiftly it comes—
a day of bitter tears,
a day when even strong men will cry out.
15 It will be a day when the LORD’s anger is poured out—
a day of terrible distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and desolation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness,
16 a day of trumpet calls and battle cries.
Down go the walled cities
and the strongest battlements!
17 “Because you have sinned against the LORD,
I will make you grope around like the blind.
Your blood will be poured into the dust,
and your bodies will lie rotting on the ground.”
18 Your silver and gold will not save you
on that day of the LORD’s anger.
For the whole land will be devoured
by the fire of his jealousy.
Woah. Are you putting a little too much trust in money? OK, maybe you're not making a lot of money right now, but is that your goal in life? Give it some thought.
411God.net
g-ram
Monday, November 2, 2009
THOUGHT: Feeling Like Singing?
Praising God is something we're supposed to do. But why?
Psalm 95:1-7 (New Living Translation)
1 Come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
3 For the LORD is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the mightiest mountains.
5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
His hands formed the dry land, too.
6 Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,
7 for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
the flock under his care.
If only you would listen to his voice today!
Whether you feel like singing, or feel a little depressed, God wants to hear about it. He's bigger than all of it.
411God.net
g-ram
Psalm 95:1-7 (New Living Translation)
1 Come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
3 For the LORD is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
and the mightiest mountains.
5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
His hands formed the dry land, too.
6 Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,
7 for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
the flock under his care.
If only you would listen to his voice today!
Whether you feel like singing, or feel a little depressed, God wants to hear about it. He's bigger than all of it.
411God.net
g-ram
Sunday, November 1, 2009
THOUGHT: Elevate
All right, two religious professionals pass up a hurt man on the road. But another man, the more unlikely hero of the three, stops to help. Jesus tells this story to illustrate the concept of "neighbor." In short, who are the people we are supposed to love?
Luke 10:29-37 (New Living Translation)
29 "And who is my neighbor?"
30 Jesus replied with a story: "A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
31 "By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
33 "Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, 'Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I'll pay you the next time I'm here.'
36 "Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?" Jesus asked.
37 The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy."
Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same."
Jesus made a guy that Jews thought of as a lesser person--the Samaritan--the hero of the story. The Samaritan was the man's neighbor, the Samaritan showed the man love. Is there anyone you think of as "lesser"? Elevate them in your life, and show them love today.
411God.net
g-ram
Luke 10:29-37 (New Living Translation)
29 "And who is my neighbor?"
30 Jesus replied with a story: "A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
31 "By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
33 "Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, 'Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I'll pay you the next time I'm here.'
36 "Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?" Jesus asked.
37 The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy."
Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same."
Jesus made a guy that Jews thought of as a lesser person--the Samaritan--the hero of the story. The Samaritan was the man's neighbor, the Samaritan showed the man love. Is there anyone you think of as "lesser"? Elevate them in your life, and show them love today.
411God.net
g-ram
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)