So my wife got me one of the greatest Christmas presents ever! Yes, I know it's early. And I'm not going to tell you what it is. Good luck! I already opened it. She let me. I just figured out some things about it that will be even more helpful in the future. Can you guess? Probably can. Still not going to tell you.
Is that going to drive you crazy? I mean, don't people normally boast about one of the greatest gifts they received for Christmas?
Why do we treat grace like that? We have been given THE greatest gift ever; grace, God's unfailing grace. Instead of telling everyone we know about the most awesome gift we've ever received and ever will receive, we're quiet about it. Why? Because of His grace we have been saved! The promise of eternal life is awesome! So what's the deal?
And I know that this will throw some of you for a loop. Do we really believe that people can simply figure it out just by observing our actions? How are they going to know if we don't tell them? Our actions should prove what we say. We can't have one without the other. Charades is fun, but without the ability to use words sometimes the guessing game can get pretty tough. It's definitely easier to figure out the right answer when words are allowed. We need to understand that people can see the gift without realizing what it is or what it does. People can hear about the gift without seeing its affect on our lives. That's why we want to do both when we receive anything. We tell them and show them.
As we come into the Christmas season and the day gets closer, let's make it a point to realize what the greatest gift is and Who it came from. When people ask us, "What did you get for Christmas?" our answer should be, "A Savior."
Leave me a comment!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Friday, December 04, 2009
Thankfulness
Just this week I went to a local area minister's breakfast. This happens on the first Thursdays of the month. It's been awhile since I've gone, but I came away with something that I have to share with you.
After the meal, while we were all sitting at our tables, we finished our "get-together" with a prayer time. They told us to share what we are thankful for with the rest of the group at our tables. For some reason I thought about it.
Do you ever do that? Shouldn't our response to a question like, "What are you thankful for?" be very immediate and resolute? I actually had to think about it for a little while before I had an answer. I felt ashamed. God has given me so much, but there's nothing that quickly comes to mind to be thankful for? Am I serious?!
I apologized to God in my prayer. I realized something that morning that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. If I don't take time to be thankful every day for what God has given me, I won't be content or satisfied. My eyes will lust for more and my fleshly nature will come to life. I don't want to be a person who requires material to satisfy my wants. I want to be content with what God provides for my needs. Paul says in Philippians 3:7-11 that everything has become a loss for the gain for knowing Christ. When we're not thankful for what God has already done for us those things which were counted loss suddenly become a gain again and the value of Christ falls in our hearts.
Please join me in purposing to be thankful daily for what God has and is giving us so He will always remain the most valuable to us.
Leave me a comment!
After the meal, while we were all sitting at our tables, we finished our "get-together" with a prayer time. They told us to share what we are thankful for with the rest of the group at our tables. For some reason I thought about it.
Do you ever do that? Shouldn't our response to a question like, "What are you thankful for?" be very immediate and resolute? I actually had to think about it for a little while before I had an answer. I felt ashamed. God has given me so much, but there's nothing that quickly comes to mind to be thankful for? Am I serious?!
I apologized to God in my prayer. I realized something that morning that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. If I don't take time to be thankful every day for what God has given me, I won't be content or satisfied. My eyes will lust for more and my fleshly nature will come to life. I don't want to be a person who requires material to satisfy my wants. I want to be content with what God provides for my needs. Paul says in Philippians 3:7-11 that everything has become a loss for the gain for knowing Christ. When we're not thankful for what God has already done for us those things which were counted loss suddenly become a gain again and the value of Christ falls in our hearts.
Please join me in purposing to be thankful daily for what God has and is giving us so He will always remain the most valuable to us.
Leave me a comment!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Competitive Shopping
When I shop I look for the lowest price with the greatest value. Right now I'm looking for a good camera. Our video camera is beginning to slack in it's purpose. It won't automatically adjust it's focus as efficiently as it used to which can create problems when I want to see what I'm filming. So it's time for replacement. I've been looking around for a good, small, HD camcorder with an internal hard drive. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I just want something current and overflowing with quality so I won't have to replace it for at least another 8-10 years. But the better the quality the more I'm going to have to spend. Let's face it, you get what you pay for. I'm looking in the ads, going to stand in line all night for Black Friday all to make sure I can get exactly what I want for a really good deal. And when I find the greatest deal on earth, I'm going to brag about it. I'll tell you for sure what I find.
It's funny how much effort we put into things like this. Either we save up or charge a card for exactly what we want when we want it. We want the best. We can live without it for a short while but it keeps nagging at us until we satisfy that "craving".
Think of people who shop for that fix, the fix that only God can settle for us. We put a heavy price tag on grace, but God gives it to us freely. Romans says in 6:23 that if we want to earn something we can earn death because we naturally want to do the wrong thing until Christ steps in the picture. We work hard at being a good person all on our own without giving God a chance to work through us or for us. Redemption is not something earned and doesn't have a price tag that's completely out of reach. God says all we have to do is believe (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9). That's the price. God does the work. He's paid the price once for all on the cross. Now all we have to do is accept it. He gives it to us freely. It's a free gift! It's FREE!!!
Now the big question for me is, "Why am I not boasting about a free gift that's completely out of this world, AWESOME?!" So here I go: I've found the greatest thing ever and it's forgiveness. It's grace. It's completely taken away all the things that weigh me down. I've been promised an eternal life if I believe and God never breaks His promise. I believe. It's a done deal. God paid my price and I don't have to worry about it. Jesus paid the price for my mistakes. The only thing I owe God now is my love and it's totally worth it.
Leave me a comment!
It's funny how much effort we put into things like this. Either we save up or charge a card for exactly what we want when we want it. We want the best. We can live without it for a short while but it keeps nagging at us until we satisfy that "craving".
Think of people who shop for that fix, the fix that only God can settle for us. We put a heavy price tag on grace, but God gives it to us freely. Romans says in 6:23 that if we want to earn something we can earn death because we naturally want to do the wrong thing until Christ steps in the picture. We work hard at being a good person all on our own without giving God a chance to work through us or for us. Redemption is not something earned and doesn't have a price tag that's completely out of reach. God says all we have to do is believe (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9). That's the price. God does the work. He's paid the price once for all on the cross. Now all we have to do is accept it. He gives it to us freely. It's a free gift! It's FREE!!!
Now the big question for me is, "Why am I not boasting about a free gift that's completely out of this world, AWESOME?!" So here I go: I've found the greatest thing ever and it's forgiveness. It's grace. It's completely taken away all the things that weigh me down. I've been promised an eternal life if I believe and God never breaks His promise. I believe. It's a done deal. God paid my price and I don't have to worry about it. Jesus paid the price for my mistakes. The only thing I owe God now is my love and it's totally worth it.
Leave me a comment!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Beginning Again
Well, it seems as though over a year has passed since I've paid any attention to this blog. And it has been over a year. Now I'm merging my blog with Meridian Point Church. Hopefully this will help me stay on top of things for a while in getting my thoughts published more regularly.
My goal in continuing this blog in this new format is to encourage us to grow in God, to pursue Him, and to strive together to live a life of worship. May this blog challenge you in your faith. And as always, please leave comments! Proverbs says that as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. If you see something from a different angle or have something else you'd like to say about what gets posted, don't hesitate to share with me!
In the meantime, take a look at some of the other insights and lessons God has taught me in the past. Some of these things I've even forgotten so I'll be reading them too.
Looking forward to beginning again!
My goal in continuing this blog in this new format is to encourage us to grow in God, to pursue Him, and to strive together to live a life of worship. May this blog challenge you in your faith. And as always, please leave comments! Proverbs says that as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. If you see something from a different angle or have something else you'd like to say about what gets posted, don't hesitate to share with me!
In the meantime, take a look at some of the other insights and lessons God has taught me in the past. Some of these things I've even forgotten so I'll be reading them too.
Looking forward to beginning again!
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