Money's great to have, but it's important to remember where it came from.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (New Living Translation)
17 "He did all this so you would never say to yourself, 'I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.' 18 Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath."
God will always provide what you need to accomplish what He's set before you.
Remember, you don't need money in the same way that you need God's provision.
- g-ram
Friday, June 18, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
How Big Is Your World?
It is funny to me how the more I focus on myself, the less I see.
The more it's about me, the less I will be.
To open up and share with others vastly enlarges my understanding and my experiences. Who wants a small life?
Give more.
Share more.
See more.
Be more.
Love more.
Serve more.
"The world of the generous gets larger & larger;
the world of the stingy gets smaller & smaller."
Proverbs 11:24
(The Message)
the world of the stingy gets smaller & smaller."
Proverbs 11:24
(The Message)
I am better when I am not just thinking about me.
Open my eyes that I might see even a glimpse of what I might be if I could just focus on you first Jesus.
g-ram
Open my eyes that I might see even a glimpse of what I might be if I could just focus on you first Jesus.
He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
John 3:30
(New Living Translation)
John 3:30
(New Living Translation)
g-ram
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Unleash Your Superpowers
It's difficult to determine the impact words can make on an individual's life. Some words--good or bad--remain lodged within for an entire life. My guess is that words have both wounded and brought healing to you and you're well aware of the power of the spoken word. Here are some ideas to add more muscle to your conversations:
Choose care over criticism. It's easy to critique and complain—criticism doesn't require much intelligence. It's much more difficult to think about how to verbally care for others. When you care, you soften hearts and open up eyes (and, you'll become better at it too). Go deeper than the surface. If we're being technical, it is encouraging to say something like,
.....| "You don't seem to sweat much for a husky guy."
.....| "You seem smart for a drop out."
.....| "It's really amazing how your pasty white skin shines in the sun."
Don't settle for a superficial word of encouragement when you can dig a little deeper and add meaning to your words. If you need to start by commenting on how someone is dressed… okay, start there but don't stay at the superficial. Keep looking past the surface and you'll move from their clothing to their character—that type of encouragement is memorable and transformational.
A quick aside: Encouragement shouldn't become a substitute for a confrontation that may need to happen. There will be times when you the best thing you can say to a friend may actually sting the recipient. But, when you have a solid relationship that's bathed in encouragement, confrontations are easier and more effective.
Our world is starving for encouragement, what are they hearing from you?
g-ram
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
What Lurks Beneath...
Right now is the time for you to change the way you live. Here's Paul in Colossians.
Colossians 3:5-11 (New Living Translation)
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
So take a second: What's one thing you can work on today? Christ lives in you.
- g-ram
Colossians 3:5-11 (New Living Translation)
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.
So take a second: What's one thing you can work on today? Christ lives in you.
- g-ram
Monday, June 14, 2010
Who's Got Your Back?
Ever wonder if God's really got your back?
Romans 8:31-37 (New Living Translation)
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one--for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one--for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
The next time you're feeling insecure, remember God is on your side. That does not change.
So DON'T GIVE UP!
- g-ram
Romans 8:31-37 (New Living Translation)
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one--for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one--for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
The next time you're feeling insecure, remember God is on your side. That does not change.
So DON'T GIVE UP!
- g-ram
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Just What You Need
Who out there likes to depend on someone or something else? Not me. I like to feel like I am enough, or I have enough all on my own. That's why I think I relate with the Israelites in Exodus 16. I can tell you that God supplies what you and your family need, but I have a little trouble remembering that when I'm panicking over my grocery budget.
Exodus 16:11-12, 17-20 (New Living Translation)
11 Then the LORD said to Moses, 12 "I have heard the Israelites' complaints. Now tell them, 'In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'"
...
17 So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. 18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough.... Each family had just what it needed.
19 Then Moses told them, "Do not keep any of it until morning." 20 But some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell.
God provided exactly what the Israelites needed, and He will do the same for you--in His time and in His way. Our responsibility in the whole ordeal is to remember that He will take care of us and believe it from the bottom of our hearts. Trust. Obey. Ok?
- g-ram
Exodus 16:11-12, 17-20 (New Living Translation)
11 Then the LORD said to Moses, 12 "I have heard the Israelites' complaints. Now tell them, 'In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'"
...
17 So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. 18 But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough.... Each family had just what it needed.
19 Then Moses told them, "Do not keep any of it until morning." 20 But some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell.
God provided exactly what the Israelites needed, and He will do the same for you--in His time and in His way. Our responsibility in the whole ordeal is to remember that He will take care of us and believe it from the bottom of our hearts. Trust. Obey. Ok?
- g-ram
Sunday, June 6, 2010
When Trouble Comes Your Way
If you're anything like me, when I'm lamenting over some great travesty in my life and a friend of mine says in response to my pain, "oh, well, just consider it an opportunity for great joy when your faith is tested!"--I want to punch them. But, mostly because I know they are right. So, don't punch me, but here it is.
James 1:2-5 (New Living Translation)
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
This doesn't mean that what you're going through no longer matters or is diminished. No, the joy comes from the fact that you know this world is not the end. There's your joy! And it's fine to see that joy and still have a good old fashioned weepy breakdown.
- g-ram
James 1:2-5 (New Living Translation)
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
This doesn't mean that what you're going through no longer matters or is diminished. No, the joy comes from the fact that you know this world is not the end. There's your joy! And it's fine to see that joy and still have a good old fashioned weepy breakdown.
- g-ram
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)