In Love!
What do you love to do?
What are you passionate about?
A person’s passions will determine their priorities and plans. People live for what they love.
One of the ways to know what someone is passionate about is to pay attention to what they say, what they do, and the commitments they make and keep. Words and actions always reveal what’s in someone’s heart.
As followers of Jesus Christ, our goal is to become more like Him. We not only should learn the lessons Jesus taught, we should also seek to develop a heart like His. We should be passionate about the things He’s passionate about. If our heart is like His heart and our passions are like His passions, our attitudes and actions will be what they ought to be. It’s all about the heart!
One of the passions of God’s heart is giving. God is a Giver. He loves to give. We can truly say that He’s “in love with” giving!
The giving nature of God is seen all through the pages of the Bible. He generously gives provision, wisdom, help, forgiveness, life, healing, restoration, deliverance and answers to prayers. He gave us the greatest gift of all — His very own Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus not only taught about the giving nature of God, He demonstrated it by giving His life for us. He also encouraged and commanded us to develop a giving heart. Take a look at some of His words about giving:
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. — Luke 6:38 (NIV)
… remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” — Acts 20:35 (NIV)
The writer of Proverbs reminded us of God’s passion as a giver and our calling to be passionate about giving:
Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give! — Proverbs 21:26 (NLT)
Here we clearly see that one of the characteristics of God is giving. To be “godly,” we must become “givers” too. Our goal is to “love to give and to live to give!“
What do you love to do? What are you passionate about? Is giving something you are “in love with?“
How do we “fall in love with giving?” Start giving! Stretch your generosity. It’s pleasantly and positively addictive! Jesus said it’s the pathway to a blessed life!
Pastor Dale
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
November 21, 2011
Six Things We Can Learn from the Pilgrims
A Thanksgiving Message from Billy Graham
November 18, 2011 - It is appropriate at this season that we honor "a few stout and earnest" Englishmen—the Pilgrims—who left their native land in search of freedom to worship God.
The Mayflower's voyage to the new world was a "survival test" on a huge scale. The passengers had sold their possessions and had to work for years to pay for their passage. The ship had no heat or plumbing. Storms raged, and a main beam cracked in mid-ocean.
But after more than two months on the Atlantic Ocean, this band of 102 people arrived before Christmas, 1620. William Bradford wrote in his journal, "Being thus arrived at a good harbor, and brought safely to land, they fell on their knees and blessed the God of heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof." What a celebration that must have been!
But just after Christmas a serious sickness broke out, and in the next three months nearly half the Pilgrims died. Hunger and illness stalked them, but they never wavered in their purpose.
Today, if these Pilgrims could observe our troubled world with its disillusioned outlook, its rebelliousness and its erosion of traditional values, they would be not only dismayed but also shocked. However, since their time, certain things have not changed. There is still lust, greed, hatred and prejudice in the human heart. There is still persecution and war in the world.
With all of the world's churches and universities, we would do well to go back to the church and the school of early Plymouth to see what those pioneers can teach us.
(1.) Be Strong in Your Faith
First, the Pilgrims have left us an example of their deep, unwavering religious convictions. What were these convictions? They believed in Christ and in His Kingdom. They found fulfillment in Him. They had purpose in their lives. They had encountered the living Christ and they knew it. They feared neither monarch nor people, only God.
Because they belonged to God, they had a deep faith and confidence in themselves. They believed in their own dignity, were confident that their cause was just, and walked with an uprightness that only fearless and free people can display.
In our day agnosticism, anxiety, emptiness, meaninglessness, have gripped much of our world—and even the Church. People are broad but shallow. Our youth are desperately searching for purpose and meaning and fulfillment in their lives.
By contrast, these Pilgrim forebears stand as shining examples of people who were narrow but deep, certain of what they believed, unswerving in their loyalty, and passionately dedicated to God whom they trusted and for whom they willingly would have died. I sincerely believe that a return to biblical faith and conviction would have a great impact at this hour.
(2.) Practice Discipline
Second, the Pilgrims left us an example of disciplined living. They were Puritans who were ready to order everything—personal life, worship, the church, business affairs, political views, and even recreation—according to the commandments of God. The word "Puritan" itself in the contemporary mind identifies those who followed a strict and closely regulated life.
The ethic of self-mastery and spiritual discipline falls strangely on the ears of today's generation. What a contrast between the conduct of the Pilgrims and the permissiveness and hedonism of today!
(3.) Enjoy Freedom Under the Law
Third, the Pilgrims have left us the example of freedom under law. The Mayflower Compact forged before the Pilgrims left the ship was the wedge that opened the door to a government controlled by the people, a government that has endured in the United States for centuries. Most historians agree that the Mayflower Compact was the forerunner of the Constitution of the United States.
This little band of people searched for an equitable manner of earning a living and for a way of survival. They tried living a communal lifestyle, but, according to Governor Bradford: "This communal system conceived by Plato was found to breed much confusion." When communal living failed, they assigned a parcel of land to every family; with individual enterprise, prosperity came to the colony.
In some parts of the world rebellious young people live, enjoying what they call "absolute freedom." They are free to take narcotics, free to experiment with sex, free to go unwashed, free to dress as they please and do what they like.
They remind me of a man in a hospital who had to be fed through a tube. Having tired of the tube with its discomfort, the man tore the tube from his body and declared that he was free. Free? He was free only to die, because he had removed himself from his hope of life.
The freedom exercised by the Pilgrims didn't degenerate into license. Theirs was a liberty under law. The lawbreakers, malcontents, dissidents and criminals of our day would have been rejected by the Pilgrims. To them freedom under the law meant judgment for the lawless.
(4.) Care about Others
Fourth, the Pilgrims left us an example of a people who had keen social concern. They believed that every person was made in the image of God, that each one was of infinite value and worth in the sight of God. They lived with Native Americans who had a different religion, a different skin color and a different culture.
In March of 1621 Chief Samoset visited the Pilgrims' village and signed a peace treaty that lasted for many years. It was a treaty with high social and ethical content, showing a deep concern for the social, political and spiritual needs of neighbors.
Though the Pilgrims knew that they were citizens of another world, they sought to improve the world they were passing through. The Pilgrims made their new world better, not by tearing down the old, but by constructive toil and fair dealings with their neighbors.
(5.) Share Your Faith
Fifth, the Pilgrims were evangelists who set us an example in sharing their spiritual and material blessings with others. In the Mayflower Compact the Pilgrims committed themselves to the "advancement of the Christian faith."
The Pilgrims at Plymouth were followed by the Puritans at Massachusetts Bay. Together they built churches and schools. In 1636 Harvard College was founded to train men for the ministry. By 1663 the first Bible was printed (the Algonquin Bible) for the Native Americans in their own tongue.
These settlers came to the new world not only to find freedom for themselves but also to tell others of their faith.
(6.) Dream Great Dreams
For "where there is no vision, the people perish," says the Bible. The Pilgrims dreamed great dreams. They dreamed of a haven for themselves and for their children. They dreamed of religious freedom. They dreamed of a world where God would rule the hearts of men.
They lived and died with these hopes. The Pilgrims' strength of spirit was forged by a personal faith in Christ, by tough discipline and by regular habits of devotion.
Today it seems that many of us have neither vision nor hope. But if we so chose, we too could become like the Pilgrims. We could regain hope. We could recover the spiritual and the moral strength that we have lost.
But we would have to be willing to take up the same cross of Christ that they bore. We would have to put our faith in the same Christ that they did. We would have to make the same kind of lifetime commitments that they made. We would have to discipline ourselves as they did.
And, like the Pilgrims, we need to dream great dreams, embrace great principles, renew our hope, and above all, believe in the Christ who alone can give total meaning and an ultimate goal to our lives: "For in him we live, and move, and have our being."
A Thanksgiving Message from Billy Graham
November 18, 2011 - It is appropriate at this season that we honor "a few stout and earnest" Englishmen—the Pilgrims—who left their native land in search of freedom to worship God.
The Mayflower's voyage to the new world was a "survival test" on a huge scale. The passengers had sold their possessions and had to work for years to pay for their passage. The ship had no heat or plumbing. Storms raged, and a main beam cracked in mid-ocean.
But after more than two months on the Atlantic Ocean, this band of 102 people arrived before Christmas, 1620. William Bradford wrote in his journal, "Being thus arrived at a good harbor, and brought safely to land, they fell on their knees and blessed the God of heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof." What a celebration that must have been!
But just after Christmas a serious sickness broke out, and in the next three months nearly half the Pilgrims died. Hunger and illness stalked them, but they never wavered in their purpose.
Today, if these Pilgrims could observe our troubled world with its disillusioned outlook, its rebelliousness and its erosion of traditional values, they would be not only dismayed but also shocked. However, since their time, certain things have not changed. There is still lust, greed, hatred and prejudice in the human heart. There is still persecution and war in the world.
With all of the world's churches and universities, we would do well to go back to the church and the school of early Plymouth to see what those pioneers can teach us.
(1.) Be Strong in Your Faith
First, the Pilgrims have left us an example of their deep, unwavering religious convictions. What were these convictions? They believed in Christ and in His Kingdom. They found fulfillment in Him. They had purpose in their lives. They had encountered the living Christ and they knew it. They feared neither monarch nor people, only God.
Because they belonged to God, they had a deep faith and confidence in themselves. They believed in their own dignity, were confident that their cause was just, and walked with an uprightness that only fearless and free people can display.
In our day agnosticism, anxiety, emptiness, meaninglessness, have gripped much of our world—and even the Church. People are broad but shallow. Our youth are desperately searching for purpose and meaning and fulfillment in their lives.
By contrast, these Pilgrim forebears stand as shining examples of people who were narrow but deep, certain of what they believed, unswerving in their loyalty, and passionately dedicated to God whom they trusted and for whom they willingly would have died. I sincerely believe that a return to biblical faith and conviction would have a great impact at this hour.
(2.) Practice Discipline
Second, the Pilgrims left us an example of disciplined living. They were Puritans who were ready to order everything—personal life, worship, the church, business affairs, political views, and even recreation—according to the commandments of God. The word "Puritan" itself in the contemporary mind identifies those who followed a strict and closely regulated life.
The ethic of self-mastery and spiritual discipline falls strangely on the ears of today's generation. What a contrast between the conduct of the Pilgrims and the permissiveness and hedonism of today!
(3.) Enjoy Freedom Under the Law
Third, the Pilgrims have left us the example of freedom under law. The Mayflower Compact forged before the Pilgrims left the ship was the wedge that opened the door to a government controlled by the people, a government that has endured in the United States for centuries. Most historians agree that the Mayflower Compact was the forerunner of the Constitution of the United States.
This little band of people searched for an equitable manner of earning a living and for a way of survival. They tried living a communal lifestyle, but, according to Governor Bradford: "This communal system conceived by Plato was found to breed much confusion." When communal living failed, they assigned a parcel of land to every family; with individual enterprise, prosperity came to the colony.
In some parts of the world rebellious young people live, enjoying what they call "absolute freedom." They are free to take narcotics, free to experiment with sex, free to go unwashed, free to dress as they please and do what they like.
They remind me of a man in a hospital who had to be fed through a tube. Having tired of the tube with its discomfort, the man tore the tube from his body and declared that he was free. Free? He was free only to die, because he had removed himself from his hope of life.
The freedom exercised by the Pilgrims didn't degenerate into license. Theirs was a liberty under law. The lawbreakers, malcontents, dissidents and criminals of our day would have been rejected by the Pilgrims. To them freedom under the law meant judgment for the lawless.
(4.) Care about Others
Fourth, the Pilgrims left us an example of a people who had keen social concern. They believed that every person was made in the image of God, that each one was of infinite value and worth in the sight of God. They lived with Native Americans who had a different religion, a different skin color and a different culture.
In March of 1621 Chief Samoset visited the Pilgrims' village and signed a peace treaty that lasted for many years. It was a treaty with high social and ethical content, showing a deep concern for the social, political and spiritual needs of neighbors.
Though the Pilgrims knew that they were citizens of another world, they sought to improve the world they were passing through. The Pilgrims made their new world better, not by tearing down the old, but by constructive toil and fair dealings with their neighbors.
(5.) Share Your Faith
Fifth, the Pilgrims were evangelists who set us an example in sharing their spiritual and material blessings with others. In the Mayflower Compact the Pilgrims committed themselves to the "advancement of the Christian faith."
The Pilgrims at Plymouth were followed by the Puritans at Massachusetts Bay. Together they built churches and schools. In 1636 Harvard College was founded to train men for the ministry. By 1663 the first Bible was printed (the Algonquin Bible) for the Native Americans in their own tongue.
These settlers came to the new world not only to find freedom for themselves but also to tell others of their faith.
(6.) Dream Great Dreams
For "where there is no vision, the people perish," says the Bible. The Pilgrims dreamed great dreams. They dreamed of a haven for themselves and for their children. They dreamed of religious freedom. They dreamed of a world where God would rule the hearts of men.
They lived and died with these hopes. The Pilgrims' strength of spirit was forged by a personal faith in Christ, by tough discipline and by regular habits of devotion.
Today it seems that many of us have neither vision nor hope. But if we so chose, we too could become like the Pilgrims. We could regain hope. We could recover the spiritual and the moral strength that we have lost.
But we would have to be willing to take up the same cross of Christ that they bore. We would have to put our faith in the same Christ that they did. We would have to make the same kind of lifetime commitments that they made. We would have to discipline ourselves as they did.
And, like the Pilgrims, we need to dream great dreams, embrace great principles, renew our hope, and above all, believe in the Christ who alone can give total meaning and an ultimate goal to our lives: "For in him we live, and move, and have our being."
Friday, November 18, 2011
November 18, 2011
A Commitment to Truth Means Defending the Oppressed
The story of a man who stood up to intervene for the defenseless. From Barbara Rainey’s new devotional, Growing Together in Truth.
Barbara Rainey
A bully is mean to others for no good reason. Usually the bully is bigger and stronger, or at least likes to think that he is. He acts powerful by saying mean things, pushing and shoving, or even hitting. Typically we think of bullying as something that happens in schools between children, but adults can be bullies too. The hunger for power, seen often in adults through manipulative behavior, is motivated by selfishness. The results are always hurtful.
It was a sad day in 1830 when the United States Congress passed a law forcing the Cherokee Indians and other tribes to move away from the land where they had lived for hundreds of years. The path of their exodus became known as The Trail of Tears.
The Cherokee, and many other tribes—the Creek, the Seminole, the Choctaw, and the Chickasaw—lived in the southeastern portion of the United States. Many of them were farmers and cattle ranchers. They built towns, schools, and churches and published a newspaper. Many of them were Christians. In the early 1800s these Indian communities were not bands of criminals who raided homes and killed innocent people; rather, they were very much like their new white neighbors who were moving south by the thousands to establish their own farms and ranches.
But there were powerful men who wanted the Cherokee land. Some held positions as governors, congressmen, or mayors. They were not content with what God had given them and chose to ignore the Tenth Commandment: “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17) and the Golden Rule: “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you” (Luke 6:31). These leaders manipulated laws in order to force the Indians to give them what they wanted. They were bullies.
Jeremiah Evarts, on the other hand, was the champion of the Cherokee. A godly man, Jeremiah, was troubled that these people, made in God’s image just as he was, were being forced to abandon their ancestral homes. The truth of the Bible was his guide, and the Bible spoke clearly about living in harmony with one another. So how could he be silent when the Cherokee were being threatened?
God has children all over the world, and He has a plan for each one. The Bible tells us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Jeremiah Evarts was created with the gifts and talents to fight for the Cherokee. He was trained as a lawyer, so he understood how to debate using facts and logic. He was a Christian, so he knew God’s truth. And God orchestrated his birth at the right time and in the right place for this work to be accomplished.
Those who live by the truth of the Bible, who do as Jesus would do, will not bully others. They will follow what God has given them to do and find contentment in doing God’s will. They will seek to live in peace with their neighbors, classmates, and family members. That is what Jesus taught.
Sadly, Jeremiah Evarts’ fight to protect the Cherokee failed. The Indian Removal Act, which passed in Congress by only one vote, was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson in 1830, giving him the power to negotiate the Cherokee exodus. The Trail of Tears began in 1838, as the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama gathered militia to force the Indians to move.
Without compassion, without any love for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40 NKJV), soldiers burned homes and destroyed and looted property. The Cherokee people were then forced to begin walking west. And it was winter. Thousands died from the cold and starvation. Some were murdered.
Though this story does not have a happy ending, faith in God calls us to hope again. Jeremiah Evarts wrote near the end of his life, “At times I am exceedingly cast down as to the result. … It seems a most remarkable Providence that the bill should pass, when a majority present showed themselves to be … opposed to it. This strange state of things should make us stand astonished at the ways of Providence. ... My comfort is that God governs the world.”
The truth of the Bible promises that God will make all things right one day. That is what Jeremiah Evarts believed when his battle to defend the oppressed Cherokee ended in failure. Though the truth does not guarantee success every time, there is a God in heaven who sees all and who is pleased when His children intervene for the defenseless.
Questions about truth
Have you ever been bullied or watched someone else suffer from a bully’s behavior? If so, what did you want to do? If you had it to do over again, what would you do differently?
Think about the Golden Rule—“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you” (Luke 6:31). How does this truth change the way you act toward others?
When God doesn’t make things work out the way we think He should, what are some truths that we can still believe?
Truth in action
Consider specific ways that your family can show compassion for “the least of these” in your community. For example, you could volunteer at a soup kitchen, donate items to a food pantry, or sign up to help at a local charity. Talk to your pastor to find out if you can participate in a church-sponsored mission or community outreach.
Praying together for truth
You have made me as I am, Lord. Every detail of size and intellect and talent matters to You. Nothing was by chance. Even my day of birth, my country, my family were chosen by You—all for reasons I will never fully comprehend. But to know that You ordered it all is enough. As the Artist of my life, may You be pleased with how I use the colors You have given me. For the good of Your kingdom, I pray. Amen.
Excerpted from Growing Together in Truth ©2011 by Barbara Rainey.
The story of a man who stood up to intervene for the defenseless. From Barbara Rainey’s new devotional, Growing Together in Truth.
Barbara Rainey
A bully is mean to others for no good reason. Usually the bully is bigger and stronger, or at least likes to think that he is. He acts powerful by saying mean things, pushing and shoving, or even hitting. Typically we think of bullying as something that happens in schools between children, but adults can be bullies too. The hunger for power, seen often in adults through manipulative behavior, is motivated by selfishness. The results are always hurtful.
It was a sad day in 1830 when the United States Congress passed a law forcing the Cherokee Indians and other tribes to move away from the land where they had lived for hundreds of years. The path of their exodus became known as The Trail of Tears.
The Cherokee, and many other tribes—the Creek, the Seminole, the Choctaw, and the Chickasaw—lived in the southeastern portion of the United States. Many of them were farmers and cattle ranchers. They built towns, schools, and churches and published a newspaper. Many of them were Christians. In the early 1800s these Indian communities were not bands of criminals who raided homes and killed innocent people; rather, they were very much like their new white neighbors who were moving south by the thousands to establish their own farms and ranches.
But there were powerful men who wanted the Cherokee land. Some held positions as governors, congressmen, or mayors. They were not content with what God had given them and chose to ignore the Tenth Commandment: “You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17) and the Golden Rule: “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you” (Luke 6:31). These leaders manipulated laws in order to force the Indians to give them what they wanted. They were bullies.
Jeremiah Evarts, on the other hand, was the champion of the Cherokee. A godly man, Jeremiah, was troubled that these people, made in God’s image just as he was, were being forced to abandon their ancestral homes. The truth of the Bible was his guide, and the Bible spoke clearly about living in harmony with one another. So how could he be silent when the Cherokee were being threatened?
God has children all over the world, and He has a plan for each one. The Bible tells us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Jeremiah Evarts was created with the gifts and talents to fight for the Cherokee. He was trained as a lawyer, so he understood how to debate using facts and logic. He was a Christian, so he knew God’s truth. And God orchestrated his birth at the right time and in the right place for this work to be accomplished.
Those who live by the truth of the Bible, who do as Jesus would do, will not bully others. They will follow what God has given them to do and find contentment in doing God’s will. They will seek to live in peace with their neighbors, classmates, and family members. That is what Jesus taught.
Sadly, Jeremiah Evarts’ fight to protect the Cherokee failed. The Indian Removal Act, which passed in Congress by only one vote, was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson in 1830, giving him the power to negotiate the Cherokee exodus. The Trail of Tears began in 1838, as the states of Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama gathered militia to force the Indians to move.
Without compassion, without any love for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40 NKJV), soldiers burned homes and destroyed and looted property. The Cherokee people were then forced to begin walking west. And it was winter. Thousands died from the cold and starvation. Some were murdered.
Though this story does not have a happy ending, faith in God calls us to hope again. Jeremiah Evarts wrote near the end of his life, “At times I am exceedingly cast down as to the result. … It seems a most remarkable Providence that the bill should pass, when a majority present showed themselves to be … opposed to it. This strange state of things should make us stand astonished at the ways of Providence. ... My comfort is that God governs the world.”
The truth of the Bible promises that God will make all things right one day. That is what Jeremiah Evarts believed when his battle to defend the oppressed Cherokee ended in failure. Though the truth does not guarantee success every time, there is a God in heaven who sees all and who is pleased when His children intervene for the defenseless.
Questions about truth
Have you ever been bullied or watched someone else suffer from a bully’s behavior? If so, what did you want to do? If you had it to do over again, what would you do differently?
Think about the Golden Rule—“Treat others the same way you want them to treat you” (Luke 6:31). How does this truth change the way you act toward others?
When God doesn’t make things work out the way we think He should, what are some truths that we can still believe?
Truth in action
Consider specific ways that your family can show compassion for “the least of these” in your community. For example, you could volunteer at a soup kitchen, donate items to a food pantry, or sign up to help at a local charity. Talk to your pastor to find out if you can participate in a church-sponsored mission or community outreach.
Praying together for truth
You have made me as I am, Lord. Every detail of size and intellect and talent matters to You. Nothing was by chance. Even my day of birth, my country, my family were chosen by You—all for reasons I will never fully comprehend. But to know that You ordered it all is enough. As the Artist of my life, may You be pleased with how I use the colors You have given me. For the good of Your kingdom, I pray. Amen.
Excerpted from Growing Together in Truth ©2011 by Barbara Rainey.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
November 17, 2011
THE REGENERATE MAN IS A HOLY MAN
by J. C. Ryle
He endeavors to live according to God's will, to do the things that please God, to avoid the things that God hates. His aim and desire is to love God with heart and soul, and mind and strength, and to love his neighbor as himself. His wish is to be continually looking to Christ as his example as well as his Savior, and to show himself Christ's friend by doing whatever Christ commands. No doubt he is not perfect. None will tell you that sooner than himself. He groans under the burden of indwelling corruption cleaving to him. He finds an evil principle within him constantly warring against grace, and trying to draw him away from God. But he does not consent to it, though he cannot prevent its presence.
In spite of all short-comings, the average bent and bias of his ways is holy-his doings holy-his tastes holy-and his habits holy. In spite of all his swerving and turning aside, like a ship going against a contrary wind, the general course of his life is in one direction-toward God and for God. And though he may sometimes feel so low that he questions whether he is a Christian at all, in his calmer moments he will generally be able to say, with old John Newton, "I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world-but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am."
~ J.C. Ryle
by J. C. Ryle
He endeavors to live according to God's will, to do the things that please God, to avoid the things that God hates. His aim and desire is to love God with heart and soul, and mind and strength, and to love his neighbor as himself. His wish is to be continually looking to Christ as his example as well as his Savior, and to show himself Christ's friend by doing whatever Christ commands. No doubt he is not perfect. None will tell you that sooner than himself. He groans under the burden of indwelling corruption cleaving to him. He finds an evil principle within him constantly warring against grace, and trying to draw him away from God. But he does not consent to it, though he cannot prevent its presence.
In spite of all short-comings, the average bent and bias of his ways is holy-his doings holy-his tastes holy-and his habits holy. In spite of all his swerving and turning aside, like a ship going against a contrary wind, the general course of his life is in one direction-toward God and for God. And though he may sometimes feel so low that he questions whether he is a Christian at all, in his calmer moments he will generally be able to say, with old John Newton, "I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world-but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am."
~ J.C. Ryle
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
November 16, 2011
Junking Your Junk
A few weeks ago, I stopped at a shopping center to pick up a couple of items. When I got out of my vehicle, something immediately caught my attention. I noticed a late model car next to me that was a major mess; not outside, but inside. It looked like the owner had been using his automobile as a combination garbage container and junk closet. A quick glance revealed discarded food wrappers, empty soft drink cans, half-eaten food, old newspapers, books and dirty clothes. I could only imagine the stench inside. Just seeing it made me sad.
One of the sad things about the sight was knowing that the owner had likely become desensitized to the situation. Chances are, this person had lost touch with the environment they had created. They were traveling through life surrounded by filth and junk, and probably didn’t even notice it.
This experience made me think about all of the folks who face a similar reality in their personal lives. Think about your life.
If we could look through a window into our own soul, how many of us would be appalled at what we see inside? How many of us are traveling through life with an accumulation of junk from the past — leftovers of hurt from former relationships, emotional wrappers of resentment and regret from old disappointments, dirty clothes of jealousy, anger, guilt and shame that linger with us?
All of these things limit our life view, crowd out our life potential, restrict growth in our relationships and leave a certain “stench” around us. They hinder us and make us unattractive, spiritually and emotionally.
The Bible speaks to this situation:
… Dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God. — 2 Corinthians 7:1 (Msg)
The psalmist prayed:
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. — Psalm 19:12 (NLT)
These passages remind us that we need to regularly clean out the trash in our hearts. They call us to “junk the junk” we accumulate inside of us.
What does your soul look like? Is it clean, orderly and healthy, or filled with ugly, trashy things you have accumulated over time?
Make a decision today that, with God’s help, you’re going to “junk your junk!”
Pastor Dale
A few weeks ago, I stopped at a shopping center to pick up a couple of items. When I got out of my vehicle, something immediately caught my attention. I noticed a late model car next to me that was a major mess; not outside, but inside. It looked like the owner had been using his automobile as a combination garbage container and junk closet. A quick glance revealed discarded food wrappers, empty soft drink cans, half-eaten food, old newspapers, books and dirty clothes. I could only imagine the stench inside. Just seeing it made me sad.
One of the sad things about the sight was knowing that the owner had likely become desensitized to the situation. Chances are, this person had lost touch with the environment they had created. They were traveling through life surrounded by filth and junk, and probably didn’t even notice it.
This experience made me think about all of the folks who face a similar reality in their personal lives. Think about your life.
If we could look through a window into our own soul, how many of us would be appalled at what we see inside? How many of us are traveling through life with an accumulation of junk from the past — leftovers of hurt from former relationships, emotional wrappers of resentment and regret from old disappointments, dirty clothes of jealousy, anger, guilt and shame that linger with us?
All of these things limit our life view, crowd out our life potential, restrict growth in our relationships and leave a certain “stench” around us. They hinder us and make us unattractive, spiritually and emotionally.
The Bible speaks to this situation:
… Dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God. — 2 Corinthians 7:1 (Msg)
The psalmist prayed:
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. — Psalm 19:12 (NLT)
These passages remind us that we need to regularly clean out the trash in our hearts. They call us to “junk the junk” we accumulate inside of us.
What does your soul look like? Is it clean, orderly and healthy, or filled with ugly, trashy things you have accumulated over time?
Make a decision today that, with God’s help, you’re going to “junk your junk!”
Pastor Dale
Monday, November 14, 2011
November 14, 2011
Passing Your Tests
Tests are a part of education. We don’t know what we’ve learned until we take a test. Great teachers know how to create great tests. A great test reveals a student’s true progress in a skill or real understanding of a subject.
God is a great teacher. He designs certain tests for us that help us see where we really are in our spiritual growth and understanding.
In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, Moses reminded God’s people about some of the tests the Lord had given them in their 40 years of wilderness wandering. He also told them why God had given them these tests:
Remember how the Lord you God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. — Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV)
How God’s people handled their tests told the Lord a lot about them. It showed them something about themselves too.
To pass God’s tests we must be prepared. To prepare well, we need to know as much as we can about the qualities that matter most to Him, and the kind of tests He gives.
Pastor Dale
Tests are a part of education. We don’t know what we’ve learned until we take a test. Great teachers know how to create great tests. A great test reveals a student’s true progress in a skill or real understanding of a subject.
God is a great teacher. He designs certain tests for us that help us see where we really are in our spiritual growth and understanding.
In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, Moses reminded God’s people about some of the tests the Lord had given them in their 40 years of wilderness wandering. He also told them why God had given them these tests:
Remember how the Lord you God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. — Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV)
How God’s people handled their tests told the Lord a lot about them. It showed them something about themselves too.
To pass God’s tests we must be prepared. To prepare well, we need to know as much as we can about the qualities that matter most to Him, and the kind of tests He gives.
Pastor Dale
November 10, 2011
Loose Lips Sink Ships
Loose lips sink ships. This old saying that warns about the destructive power of uncontrolled words remains true in our day. This warning is of particular worth to leaders. We are inundated with news stories of leaders in all spheres in society that have reacted to quickly, shared too much, spoke to harshly, and in doing so did great harm to themselves and their organizations. How should leaders control their tongues? Christian leaders from all generations counsel us that the discipline of silence is pivotal in the quest to tame our loose lips.
The Scriptural witness is clear: Silence is an important part of worship, devotion and prayer. The Psalmist instructs us to “be still, and know” that He is God (Psalm 46, 10, ESV). Jeremiah counsels us to respond to the discipline of the Lord with silence, when he writes “it is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:2, ESV). Even Job, at the end of all his struggles and God’s revealing of Himself, understood that the wisest response to suffering and God is often to lay our hands over our mouths (Job 40:4-5). Jesus warned about the misguided belief that many words make good prayers: “and when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7, ESV) .The Apostle John described a period of appropriate silence in Heaven in response to the final judgment of God on the world (Revelation 8:1).
The Christian witness of the ages gives echo to the Scriptural call to wait for God in silence (see Psalm 62:1). The early Christian Desert Father, Diadochos of Photiki (fifth century AD) gave the following advice concerning prayer and silence: “spiritual knowledge comes through prayer, deep stillness, and complete detachment, while wisdom comes through humble meditation on Holy Scripture and above all, through grace given by God.” The Byzantine Christian Leader, Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022 AD) instructed his followers to “sit down alone and in silence” when they pray. The famous missionary to India, Mother Teresa (1910-1997 AD) valued silence as necessary to hear the voice of God. She wrote: “silence gives us a new outlook on everything. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say but what God says to us and through us. Jesus is always waiting for us in silence. In that silence, He will listen to us; there He will speak to our soul, and there we will hear His voice.“ The wealth of Church History attests to the importance and value of silence in prayer.
There are many reasons why the prayer of silence is of importance to our prayer life. Here are a few Biblical reminders of the purpose of this God-given exercise of stillness:
1. Silence provides us with perspective and balance. When we are silent, we provide God with an opportunity to help us see the bigger picture. One of the best examples of the power of this God-drenched silence is found in the advice that David gives when things do not go our way: “Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.” (Psalm 4:4, ESV).
2. Silence allows us to place our complete trust on God. When the children of Israel faced certain destruction with the uncrossable Red Sea in front of them and the armies of Pharaoh behind them, Moses encouraged them that “the Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:14, ESV). There is nothing more powerful than a firm, silent stand on God’s promise to save.
3. Silence can be a form of intercession. When words fail us, when can stand before God in silence knowing that He knows and that He is intimately involved in the unfolding of this world. The Old Testament prophet Amos, when experiencing the ultimate betrayal of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, declared: “he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time“ (Amos 5:13, ESV).
4. Silence is at times the appropriate response to the presence of God. I have often experienced this kind of “holy silence” when a sacred, hushed presence of the Lord is manifested in a worshipping congregation. This act of standing, kneeling, sitting in silence reminds us of the wonderful exhortation in the Old Testament book of Zephaniah: “Be silent all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling” (Zephaniah 2:13, ESV).
How does one practice the prayer of silence? As always, the sacred Scriptures point the way:
A. Find a secluded place where you will not be disturbed. Like Jesus, you might need to rise early: “and rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35, ESV).
B. Settle in a relaxed posture that will help you stay in silence. For most of us this will simply mean, as Isaiah puts it, to “sit in silence” (Isaiah 47:5, ESV).
C. Place all your cares on Him and rest in His love. It is precisely because of His great concern and love that we can find true peace and calm: “He will quiet you by his love” (Zephaniah 3:17, ESV).
D. Listen for His voice. Like Elijah we will learn that He often speaks with the “sound of a low whisper” (1 Kings 19:12, ESV). Make the firm decision to obey His voice.
E. Offer your silence as worship to Him. As Habakkuk declares; “the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Habakkuk 2:20, ESV).
The prayer of silence does not replace all the other forms of Biblical prayer. But in times of trouble, this form of silent trust is one of the most powerful ways that leaders can find perspectives, control their tongues and regain their strength. May we once again heed the Word of God: “in returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15, ESV).
Leadership Beyond Influence
Dr. Corné Bekker is an associate professor in the Regent University School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship and an ordained minister. He previously served as the Assistant-Dean of Rhema Bible College in Johannesburg , South Africa.
Loose lips sink ships. This old saying that warns about the destructive power of uncontrolled words remains true in our day. This warning is of particular worth to leaders. We are inundated with news stories of leaders in all spheres in society that have reacted to quickly, shared too much, spoke to harshly, and in doing so did great harm to themselves and their organizations. How should leaders control their tongues? Christian leaders from all generations counsel us that the discipline of silence is pivotal in the quest to tame our loose lips.
The Scriptural witness is clear: Silence is an important part of worship, devotion and prayer. The Psalmist instructs us to “be still, and know” that He is God (Psalm 46, 10, ESV). Jeremiah counsels us to respond to the discipline of the Lord with silence, when he writes “it is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:2, ESV). Even Job, at the end of all his struggles and God’s revealing of Himself, understood that the wisest response to suffering and God is often to lay our hands over our mouths (Job 40:4-5). Jesus warned about the misguided belief that many words make good prayers: “and when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7, ESV) .The Apostle John described a period of appropriate silence in Heaven in response to the final judgment of God on the world (Revelation 8:1).
The Christian witness of the ages gives echo to the Scriptural call to wait for God in silence (see Psalm 62:1). The early Christian Desert Father, Diadochos of Photiki (fifth century AD) gave the following advice concerning prayer and silence: “spiritual knowledge comes through prayer, deep stillness, and complete detachment, while wisdom comes through humble meditation on Holy Scripture and above all, through grace given by God.” The Byzantine Christian Leader, Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022 AD) instructed his followers to “sit down alone and in silence” when they pray. The famous missionary to India, Mother Teresa (1910-1997 AD) valued silence as necessary to hear the voice of God. She wrote: “silence gives us a new outlook on everything. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say but what God says to us and through us. Jesus is always waiting for us in silence. In that silence, He will listen to us; there He will speak to our soul, and there we will hear His voice.“ The wealth of Church History attests to the importance and value of silence in prayer.
There are many reasons why the prayer of silence is of importance to our prayer life. Here are a few Biblical reminders of the purpose of this God-given exercise of stillness:
1. Silence provides us with perspective and balance. When we are silent, we provide God with an opportunity to help us see the bigger picture. One of the best examples of the power of this God-drenched silence is found in the advice that David gives when things do not go our way: “Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.” (Psalm 4:4, ESV).
2. Silence allows us to place our complete trust on God. When the children of Israel faced certain destruction with the uncrossable Red Sea in front of them and the armies of Pharaoh behind them, Moses encouraged them that “the Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:14, ESV). There is nothing more powerful than a firm, silent stand on God’s promise to save.
3. Silence can be a form of intercession. When words fail us, when can stand before God in silence knowing that He knows and that He is intimately involved in the unfolding of this world. The Old Testament prophet Amos, when experiencing the ultimate betrayal of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, declared: “he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time“ (Amos 5:13, ESV).
4. Silence is at times the appropriate response to the presence of God. I have often experienced this kind of “holy silence” when a sacred, hushed presence of the Lord is manifested in a worshipping congregation. This act of standing, kneeling, sitting in silence reminds us of the wonderful exhortation in the Old Testament book of Zephaniah: “Be silent all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling” (Zephaniah 2:13, ESV).
How does one practice the prayer of silence? As always, the sacred Scriptures point the way:
A. Find a secluded place where you will not be disturbed. Like Jesus, you might need to rise early: “and rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35, ESV).
B. Settle in a relaxed posture that will help you stay in silence. For most of us this will simply mean, as Isaiah puts it, to “sit in silence” (Isaiah 47:5, ESV).
C. Place all your cares on Him and rest in His love. It is precisely because of His great concern and love that we can find true peace and calm: “He will quiet you by his love” (Zephaniah 3:17, ESV).
D. Listen for His voice. Like Elijah we will learn that He often speaks with the “sound of a low whisper” (1 Kings 19:12, ESV). Make the firm decision to obey His voice.
E. Offer your silence as worship to Him. As Habakkuk declares; “the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him” (Habakkuk 2:20, ESV).
The prayer of silence does not replace all the other forms of Biblical prayer. But in times of trouble, this form of silent trust is one of the most powerful ways that leaders can find perspectives, control their tongues and regain their strength. May we once again heed the Word of God: “in returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15, ESV).
Leadership Beyond Influence
Dr. Corné Bekker is an associate professor in the Regent University School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship and an ordained minister. He previously served as the Assistant-Dean of Rhema Bible College in Johannesburg , South Africa.
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