Trusting in God
What does it mean to trust in God? I think trusting God means believeing he has a plan for your life and you have to have faith in Him to trust him. Recent events in my life have caused that trust to at moments fade away. My family has been dealing with many different and devasting trials at this time. My family was a victim of just one of the many floods that have swept across the midwest this year. If that wasn't enough we have had personal loss of a family member and a serious illness with another family member. All of these events by themselves are devasting but when faced with them all at once it feels overwhelming to say the least. I could never express how difficult our lives have suddenly become.
Its times like these that people look to place blame on someone or anything. I like so many people that experience these types of troubles want to blame God for letting these events happen. But its not a time to place blame its a time to stop and think and examine what God is trying to teach you with these events in your life. I think God is trying to show my family and myself that its ok to be weak, its ok to ask for help and not let pride get in the way. Also I feel like God is trying to speak to people's hearts and show them that stuff is just stuff, stuff can't provide you with the everlasting love and joy you find in God.
When I take a look at what God is doing with my life right now he isn't destroying it, but rather he is renewing it with his knowledge of whats important in this world. First of all the one thing that is of most importance in this world is God and his relationship in your life. Secondly your family, no matter how messed up they may seem. And finally your friends and what they bring into your life. What I find myself learning lately is to appreciate what you have and not worry about what you don't have. Cherish the ones you love and tell them you love them. And most of all I'm learning to love God through even the most difficult times because He can bring you the peace you need in your life.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
STop and Listen To God
I find myself fighting God's trials lately and wondering why so much is happening at once. When my wife reminds me that God will not give us more than we can handle, it brings me back to reality and I then lokk back to try and find out why I have been given the opportunity to grow to fulfill God's on-going purpose for my life.
I also realize that I need to spend more time listening to God's word and growing in my journey with him. I would suggest everyone to "stop" when they think they are about to scream from being ovewhelmed and just listen to what God may be trying to tell you. Listening in an analytical way to what you are experiencing and look for how you might grow from it and then proceed to overcome the challenge. In the end you will be stronger in your walk with God and ready to face future hurdles.
I also realize that I need to spend more time listening to God's word and growing in my journey with him. I would suggest everyone to "stop" when they think they are about to scream from being ovewhelmed and just listen to what God may be trying to tell you. Listening in an analytical way to what you are experiencing and look for how you might grow from it and then proceed to overcome the challenge. In the end you will be stronger in your walk with God and ready to face future hurdles.
Keeping the Faith
1 Peter 4:12-19
Suffering for Being a Christian 12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"[a]
19So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Some days I feel like my faith is on trial and Satan has a grip on my day. This causes me to unfortunately lose my confidence in God’s ability to get me through the situation. But, once I get past the wind being knocked out of my overconfident sails I stop and ask the most important question: “Why am I going through this challenge and am I going to STOP and LISTEN and BELIEVE that God will get me through this????” I just spoke with my son about this question. Right now my family is going through so many trials. I consider myself a positive person in most situations but right now I am struggling to keep my feet on solid ground. I want to run away from all the issues I am facing and just say ENOUGH, I am only one person (and I am extremely human).
Okay, being human is downright a disadvantage. BUT, if we sit back, take a deep breath, and remember that God ALWAYS has a purpose for testing a believer’s faith. He will stretch us so that we will have a greater capacity to serve him. Though at times we my feel we are at our limit, the process actually occurs gently, like stretching a new rubber band a little at a time. With each extension, we grow in our capacity to serve God and bring him glory.
It is so easy to trust God for certain things more than others, but God desires our complete dependence regardless of the situation. That is why He will test us in the same area repeatedly until we can successfully hold up under the pressure.
Just remember we will be both successful and we will fail in the process of growing in our faith. The disciple Peter had his share of both. But, if we look at Peter’s life we will see the Lord stretching him (like a new rubber band) and we see his capacity for serving the Lord grow. In the book of Acts, I is Peter who fearlessly preaches at Pentecost and also heals a lame man without a shred of doubt. (Acts: 2:14-36; 3:1-7).
As we mature as Christians God will continue to test us. And if we remember that he has a purpose for our lives we will gradually see the true plan for our lives emerge. So remember KEEP THE FAITH.
Suffering for Being a Christian 12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"[a]
19So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Some days I feel like my faith is on trial and Satan has a grip on my day. This causes me to unfortunately lose my confidence in God’s ability to get me through the situation. But, once I get past the wind being knocked out of my overconfident sails I stop and ask the most important question: “Why am I going through this challenge and am I going to STOP and LISTEN and BELIEVE that God will get me through this????” I just spoke with my son about this question. Right now my family is going through so many trials. I consider myself a positive person in most situations but right now I am struggling to keep my feet on solid ground. I want to run away from all the issues I am facing and just say ENOUGH, I am only one person (and I am extremely human).
Okay, being human is downright a disadvantage. BUT, if we sit back, take a deep breath, and remember that God ALWAYS has a purpose for testing a believer’s faith. He will stretch us so that we will have a greater capacity to serve him. Though at times we my feel we are at our limit, the process actually occurs gently, like stretching a new rubber band a little at a time. With each extension, we grow in our capacity to serve God and bring him glory.
It is so easy to trust God for certain things more than others, but God desires our complete dependence regardless of the situation. That is why He will test us in the same area repeatedly until we can successfully hold up under the pressure.
Just remember we will be both successful and we will fail in the process of growing in our faith. The disciple Peter had his share of both. But, if we look at Peter’s life we will see the Lord stretching him (like a new rubber band) and we see his capacity for serving the Lord grow. In the book of Acts, I is Peter who fearlessly preaches at Pentecost and also heals a lame man without a shred of doubt. (Acts: 2:14-36; 3:1-7).
As we mature as Christians God will continue to test us. And if we remember that he has a purpose for our lives we will gradually see the true plan for our lives emerge. So remember KEEP THE FAITH.
Friday, May 23, 2008
What Keeps You From Knowing God?
What keeps you from knowing God?
Nobody is perfect and as we go over these different bible study topics, it becomes ever clearer just how imperfect we are and just how important it is for us to always remember. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, because its human nature to fall short of perfection. God created each of us and knows all our hearts, and even though we aren’t perfect he still wants to know us and have an intimate relationship with us. He knows our hearts and believe it or not still wants to know more of us. That relationship doesn’t mean how many good deeds you can do, it doesn’t mean how much money you give to the church but rather its about you and Him. Its about whether you first of all believe in God’s love for you. Secondly whether you believe Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our sin. Through him we can know and experience a personal relationship with God.
"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God" (1Peter 3:18).
"But God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
We must each respond to Jesus Christ by placing our trust in him as our Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God personally.
The response involves two parts.
Firstly, agreeing with God that we have sinned (offended him) and deciding to turn from our sin. (Repentance) Acts 2:36-38
Secondly, trusting Jesus Christ to forgive us completely because he died for our sins. (Faith) Romans 10:9,10
Once these first tasks are complete, then a truly awesome intimate relationship can begin with God. This relationship should be something you seek out everyday, not set aside, and in the same way it shouldn’t just be something you do everyday, it should be something you WANT to do everyday, its not about checking the box, its about growing in your relationship with God. Within the relationship, like many others there is this precious thing called trust. Trusting in God must be something you do without hesitation, its not easy at times, but God will provide you with what you need. He doesn’t place things in your life to watch you fall, but rather he does the opposite, he seeks to watch you grow from what you are dealing with in your life. Trust, in my opinion has a lot to do with our faith. Faith in God and faith in God’s plans for your life are very important to having an intimate relationship with the Lord. Faith needs to be like a solid unyielding rock, but I know that’s far easier said than done. Like many if not most people, I have trouble with faith and trusting in God’s plans for my life. But we must be strong and hold tight to our faith and to God’s plans for our life. I just want to conclude with one final thought about our relationship with God, and that is the importance of prayer. Prayer in my opinion is key to having a successful relationship. Prayer is simply another form of communication, and some people would say its only a one way communication. But I disagree, I’ve felt God speak to my heart not in the same way you and I would speak but rather in a deeper more intimate way. He can lay whole ideas for my life directly to me without hesitation. I know there are people who believe in different ways to communicate to God. But I’ve always known I have a direct line to God. I don’t need anyone to speak to him for me. I know no matter where I’m at or no matter what I’m doing God is always listening to me and loving me. Its amazing to know you can speak to God whenever you want and know he is listening and will answer if you just allow yourself to listening and truly hear the Lord speak to your heart. I would just like to encourage others to pray as often as you can and to open up your hearts to the lord. And for those who don’t have the kind of relationship I’ve described I would like to encourage you to trust, have faith, and pray to the Lord and ask him into your heart and for you to believe in your heart the love and salvation you can have through Jesus Christ. The website below has more information if you want to learn more about having a personal relationship with God.
http://www.everystudent.com/au/features/gettingconnected.html
Nobody is perfect and as we go over these different bible study topics, it becomes ever clearer just how imperfect we are and just how important it is for us to always remember. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, because its human nature to fall short of perfection. God created each of us and knows all our hearts, and even though we aren’t perfect he still wants to know us and have an intimate relationship with us. He knows our hearts and believe it or not still wants to know more of us. That relationship doesn’t mean how many good deeds you can do, it doesn’t mean how much money you give to the church but rather its about you and Him. Its about whether you first of all believe in God’s love for you. Secondly whether you believe Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our sin. Through him we can know and experience a personal relationship with God.
"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God" (1Peter 3:18).
"But God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
We must each respond to Jesus Christ by placing our trust in him as our Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God personally.
The response involves two parts.
Firstly, agreeing with God that we have sinned (offended him) and deciding to turn from our sin. (Repentance) Acts 2:36-38
Secondly, trusting Jesus Christ to forgive us completely because he died for our sins. (Faith) Romans 10:9,10
Once these first tasks are complete, then a truly awesome intimate relationship can begin with God. This relationship should be something you seek out everyday, not set aside, and in the same way it shouldn’t just be something you do everyday, it should be something you WANT to do everyday, its not about checking the box, its about growing in your relationship with God. Within the relationship, like many others there is this precious thing called trust. Trusting in God must be something you do without hesitation, its not easy at times, but God will provide you with what you need. He doesn’t place things in your life to watch you fall, but rather he does the opposite, he seeks to watch you grow from what you are dealing with in your life. Trust, in my opinion has a lot to do with our faith. Faith in God and faith in God’s plans for your life are very important to having an intimate relationship with the Lord. Faith needs to be like a solid unyielding rock, but I know that’s far easier said than done. Like many if not most people, I have trouble with faith and trusting in God’s plans for my life. But we must be strong and hold tight to our faith and to God’s plans for our life. I just want to conclude with one final thought about our relationship with God, and that is the importance of prayer. Prayer in my opinion is key to having a successful relationship. Prayer is simply another form of communication, and some people would say its only a one way communication. But I disagree, I’ve felt God speak to my heart not in the same way you and I would speak but rather in a deeper more intimate way. He can lay whole ideas for my life directly to me without hesitation. I know there are people who believe in different ways to communicate to God. But I’ve always known I have a direct line to God. I don’t need anyone to speak to him for me. I know no matter where I’m at or no matter what I’m doing God is always listening to me and loving me. Its amazing to know you can speak to God whenever you want and know he is listening and will answer if you just allow yourself to listening and truly hear the Lord speak to your heart. I would just like to encourage others to pray as often as you can and to open up your hearts to the lord. And for those who don’t have the kind of relationship I’ve described I would like to encourage you to trust, have faith, and pray to the Lord and ask him into your heart and for you to believe in your heart the love and salvation you can have through Jesus Christ. The website below has more information if you want to learn more about having a personal relationship with God.
http://www.everystudent.com/au/features/gettingconnected.html
Sunday, May 18, 2008
How Do We Build a Personal Relationship with God
Dear Lord, bless all of us. Open our hearts and minds to your words. Help us to build that personal relationship that I know you want with us. Show us your will for our lives and give us the strength and perseverance in living your will. Amen
2 Corinthians 13:4 (New International Version)
4For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you.
I have often said and heard others say, they want to deepen their personal relationship with God. But, what exactly are we seeking? If we look up the word relationship in the dictionary we find the following five characteristics:
1. Connection
2. Friendship
3. Behavior or Feelings toward somebody else
4. Bond/Link
5. Connection By Family
So what I believe we are looking for is a personal connection, that is strong like a friendship, that these feelings we have are returned, that the bond/link is unbreakable, and that we become connected like a family. The Bible tells us over and over that is exactly what God is offering us.
How do we build this type of relationship with God? I believe it is the same way you would build a personal relationship with anyone. But, there is one major difference God will never disappoint us like others will. God is perfection thus, his love for us is perfect. So how does one build a relationship? I believe there are three main ways to build the personal relationship we are looking for.
We must seek presence.
We must trust in God's Love For Us
We need to build our bond with God by learning to live as he did.
1. Seeking God’s Presence.
What does this mean? Think about this in terms of building a friendship with someone you met and really think is fun and interesting. How do we build these relationships? We call them on the phone and talk, go out to eat or a movie (we find their interests, dreams, and desires). We want to know where they are from and where they are going. Well it is the same with God. Okay we can’t go to the movies but we can do a lot of things that will help us Seek His Presence.
We must read the Bible. God has given us the Bible as his spoken word to us. It is stressed over and over but cannot be said enough. When you read the Bible God will use his words to speak directly to your heart. Many complain that when they read the Bible they do not understand what is being said. That is a major cop out – there are many study guides and newer translations that can help us with understanding. God will reveal to us his purpose for us if we ask.
Psalm 119:11 (King James Version)
11Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
That is the Second way we seek God’s presence is through Prayer. We MUST spend time with God. This is how we will develop a true walk with our Lord. When something good or bad or sad happens in your life, if you are like me you cannot wait to get on the phone and talk to someone you love and give them the 4-1-1. Well, God needs to be the first "phone call" we make. I love the fact that I have God's direct phone number and don't need an operator to connect my call. I believe that we should want to rush to the Lord in prayer each day. This needs to be a personal one on one with our Lord. I don't have to wait in line to get his attention. He love me and want wants me to come to him and lay my burdens at his feet. We must talk to him and listen for his answers. We must not just talk to God when we have a problem. How many times have you waited till the end of the day when you are lying in bed to take the time to pray? What happens??? I can assure you that Satan will find his way into that moment. He will give you magic sleeping dust to sleep or through thoughts of the day into your mind and distract you from your time with the Lord. Satan does not want us to find this personal relationship with God. He wants us to loose our focus and not grow into strong Christian examples. Let me give you a little more to think about - if we want our relationship with God to be strong and on a personal level why is it that we often seek his presence at the end of the day? Why do we not find a time, everyday, time set aside just for our walk with the Lord.
Colossians 4:2-4 (New International Version)
2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-23 (New King James Version)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
How else can we seek God’s Presence? For many of us Christian music can bring us closer to God’s presence. Listening to ministers preach, youth leaders, seminars, books, tapes, or any other media that talks about God will help you grow to know God further.
2. Learn to Trust in God's Love for Us.
What does this mean? To me this means that we must have FAITH. Faith is a funny thing. One day I have a lot then the next day I am struggling to let go. Like I said before it sucks to be human. God will not let us down. His love for us should never be in doubt. John 3:16-17 says it all to me:
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
3. Seeking the special bond with God by living a life that will bring us closer to God.
How will I ever be able to follow God's commandments or live the way God wants me to? Will this really help me to feel closer to him? What will help me link or bond my life to him? I believe that the only way to be closer to someone is to spend time with them and to respect and honor their beliefs and needs. I believe if we try to live like Jesus is walking beside us each day (because he really is) imagining that he is watching over everything you do and say (because he is) we will draw closer to him because we will be living more like Jesus and we will be following his examples. Of course we will never achieve perfection, but if we strive to live and love like Christ, I believe he will bless us and we will find ourselves drawing closer to him in all ways. The best part is that once we confess our sins we are apart of God's family immediately and it isn't dependent on us being able to earn this love. Just like building a relationship with someone you need to really put all of yourself into it.
John 14:15 (New King James Version)
15 “If you love Me, keep[a] My commandments.
I am sure that I have missed other ways for us to build our personal relationship with God - so share your feelings about this. Remember God wants this relationship just as much as we do. He is always there waiting for us to draw closer to him.
2 Corinthians 13:4 (New International Version)
4For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you.
I have often said and heard others say, they want to deepen their personal relationship with God. But, what exactly are we seeking? If we look up the word relationship in the dictionary we find the following five characteristics:
1. Connection
2. Friendship
3. Behavior or Feelings toward somebody else
4. Bond/Link
5. Connection By Family
So what I believe we are looking for is a personal connection, that is strong like a friendship, that these feelings we have are returned, that the bond/link is unbreakable, and that we become connected like a family. The Bible tells us over and over that is exactly what God is offering us.
How do we build this type of relationship with God? I believe it is the same way you would build a personal relationship with anyone. But, there is one major difference God will never disappoint us like others will. God is perfection thus, his love for us is perfect. So how does one build a relationship? I believe there are three main ways to build the personal relationship we are looking for.
We must seek presence.
We must trust in God's Love For Us
We need to build our bond with God by learning to live as he did.
1. Seeking God’s Presence.
What does this mean? Think about this in terms of building a friendship with someone you met and really think is fun and interesting. How do we build these relationships? We call them on the phone and talk, go out to eat or a movie (we find their interests, dreams, and desires). We want to know where they are from and where they are going. Well it is the same with God. Okay we can’t go to the movies but we can do a lot of things that will help us Seek His Presence.
We must read the Bible. God has given us the Bible as his spoken word to us. It is stressed over and over but cannot be said enough. When you read the Bible God will use his words to speak directly to your heart. Many complain that when they read the Bible they do not understand what is being said. That is a major cop out – there are many study guides and newer translations that can help us with understanding. God will reveal to us his purpose for us if we ask.
Psalm 119:11 (King James Version)
11Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
That is the Second way we seek God’s presence is through Prayer. We MUST spend time with God. This is how we will develop a true walk with our Lord. When something good or bad or sad happens in your life, if you are like me you cannot wait to get on the phone and talk to someone you love and give them the 4-1-1. Well, God needs to be the first "phone call" we make. I love the fact that I have God's direct phone number and don't need an operator to connect my call. I believe that we should want to rush to the Lord in prayer each day. This needs to be a personal one on one with our Lord. I don't have to wait in line to get his attention. He love me and want wants me to come to him and lay my burdens at his feet. We must talk to him and listen for his answers. We must not just talk to God when we have a problem. How many times have you waited till the end of the day when you are lying in bed to take the time to pray? What happens??? I can assure you that Satan will find his way into that moment. He will give you magic sleeping dust to sleep or through thoughts of the day into your mind and distract you from your time with the Lord. Satan does not want us to find this personal relationship with God. He wants us to loose our focus and not grow into strong Christian examples. Let me give you a little more to think about - if we want our relationship with God to be strong and on a personal level why is it that we often seek his presence at the end of the day? Why do we not find a time, everyday, time set aside just for our walk with the Lord.
Colossians 4:2-4 (New International Version)
2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-23 (New King James Version)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
How else can we seek God’s Presence? For many of us Christian music can bring us closer to God’s presence. Listening to ministers preach, youth leaders, seminars, books, tapes, or any other media that talks about God will help you grow to know God further.
2. Learn to Trust in God's Love for Us.
What does this mean? To me this means that we must have FAITH. Faith is a funny thing. One day I have a lot then the next day I am struggling to let go. Like I said before it sucks to be human. God will not let us down. His love for us should never be in doubt. John 3:16-17 says it all to me:
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
3. Seeking the special bond with God by living a life that will bring us closer to God.
How will I ever be able to follow God's commandments or live the way God wants me to? Will this really help me to feel closer to him? What will help me link or bond my life to him? I believe that the only way to be closer to someone is to spend time with them and to respect and honor their beliefs and needs. I believe if we try to live like Jesus is walking beside us each day (because he really is) imagining that he is watching over everything you do and say (because he is) we will draw closer to him because we will be living more like Jesus and we will be following his examples. Of course we will never achieve perfection, but if we strive to live and love like Christ, I believe he will bless us and we will find ourselves drawing closer to him in all ways. The best part is that once we confess our sins we are apart of God's family immediately and it isn't dependent on us being able to earn this love. Just like building a relationship with someone you need to really put all of yourself into it.
John 14:15 (New King James Version)
15 “If you love Me, keep[a] My commandments.
I am sure that I have missed other ways for us to build our personal relationship with God - so share your feelings about this. Remember God wants this relationship just as much as we do. He is always there waiting for us to draw closer to him.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Believing in God's Blessing On Your Life
Here is my prayer for you today. Dear Lord, bless those who read this Bible study. I pray that these words bring them encouragement and helps them keep moving towards their goals. Amen.
Today I am going to ask you to think about how you feel about God's timing in your lives.
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Have I asked God for something over and over but felt as if He wasn’t listening?
2. Did you settle for something because you didn’t believe God was going to bring you what you really wanted?
I imagine if you are like me you have felt this more than you would like to admit. It is hard to be so human, isn't it? Well, we are not alone in these feelings. God does answer in his own timing for our lives.
But I can assure you that God longs to bless us if we ask and truly believe He will.
Remember the Store of Abraham and Sarah.
Genesis 16:1-16 & 18:1-15.
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me.” 6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. 7 Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 The Angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her: “ Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” 13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi;[a] observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered. 15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 18: 1-15
1 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”They said, “Do as you have said.” 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. 9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.” 10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” 13 And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”
God promises if we ask Him, He will give us not only all we need but also the desires of our hearts. Abraham and Sarah asked God for an heir that would carry on their legacy. After Sarah was passed the childbearing years, she lost her faith that God would provide her a son. Who would believe that a woman 90 years old would be able to have a child. She decided to take matters into her own hands and sent her maidservant Hagar to her husband. This did not bless God plan but created unrest and conflict. Imagine how Hagar felt. Sarah asked her to do something that she didn't want to do. But, God in his timing did bless Abraham and Sarah with their son Isaac. See how God worked in their lives. Unfortunately, Sarah needed to have a little more faith in God. She was rewarded by God but Hagar also paid the price for Sarah's doubt.
James 4:2 says, “You have not because you ask not.” If we never ask God for what we need or want, how can we expect Him to answer us? That reminds me of the story of the old man who was complaining that God never answered his prayers about winning the lottery. When his friend asked him how much money he had wasted on lottery tickets, he answered "Oh I never buy lottery tickets." Crazy old man - God will answer your prayers but you have to be willing to do your part. Of course that is just a silly story but you get the idea. You need to do your part when you ask God for something.
Is there something in your life you need or want but haven’t asked God for it? Ask Him now. But, trust him to do it in his timing. Of course this doesn't mean that we can ask for things that won't bless the Lord. Sometimes, the answer will be "no" or it won't look like what we think it should look like. But, it will be what we need.
God promises us His best, but we have to trust Him to bring it in His time. God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the night sky, but instead of waiting on God’s promise, Abraham took his own steps to insure he would have an heir. Have you ever tried to get your own blessing outside of God’s timing? It doesn't make us happy.
While we are limited to our own resources to fulfill our needs and desires, God holds the entire universe in His hands and promises to bless us from all He has (Phil. 4:19). 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Jesus said in Luke 18:27, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God." Have you ever asked God for something that the world around you thought was impossible? How did He answer your prayer?
What are you currently asking God for that logic and reason say is impossible? It is amazing to me that God loved me so much that he sent Jesus to die on a cross and rose again on the third day that he took away my sin so I could spend eternity with him in glory BUT I doubt that he can supply my needs and desires. Why do I do that? It seems so silly when you put it in to context.
Sometimes our friends and family will feed our doubt about God providing for us. What should we do in those situations? That is why we need to surround ourselves with people who will help feed our spiritual growth not drag us down. Read chapters one and two in the book of Job. Think about how Job reacted to the loss of all he had. Would you have been able to trust that God would heal you and bless you again? I look at my life and realize how incredibly blessed I am. My life is not perfect but it is a beautiful life.
Look at how Job’s wife responds in chapter two, verse nine. Have you ever had family members that “encouraged” you this way?
Later on in Job, we see his friends’ responses to his plight. Are your friends supportive, encouraging you to wait on God’s blessing? What steps can you take to develop friendships with people who are more spiritually-minded?
For God to bless us, we must be obedient to His Word. Disobedience will always be an obstacle to receiving His blessings, no matter how small the offense. We must take great care to correct and repent of any disobedient behavior before we anticipate His blessings.
Is there anything in your life right now that might be hindering you from receiving God’s blessings? If so, write a prayer of confession and choose to turn away from that sin. Disobedience to God may seem profitable at the time, but it will never bring about His blessings.
God promises over and over in the Scriptures to bless us, even beyond what we can imagine. In order for Him to fulfill that promise, however, we have to truly believe that He will. God’s promises may seem illogical and downright impossible at times. But for the Creator of the universe, nothing is impossible.
Today I am going to ask you to think about how you feel about God's timing in your lives.
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Have I asked God for something over and over but felt as if He wasn’t listening?
2. Did you settle for something because you didn’t believe God was going to bring you what you really wanted?
I imagine if you are like me you have felt this more than you would like to admit. It is hard to be so human, isn't it? Well, we are not alone in these feelings. God does answer in his own timing for our lives.
But I can assure you that God longs to bless us if we ask and truly believe He will.
Remember the Store of Abraham and Sarah.
Genesis 16:1-16 & 18:1-15.
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me.” 6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. 7 Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 The Angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her: “ Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” 13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi;[a] observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered. 15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 18: 1-15
1 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”They said, “Do as you have said.” 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 8 So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. 9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.” 10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” 13 And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”
God promises if we ask Him, He will give us not only all we need but also the desires of our hearts. Abraham and Sarah asked God for an heir that would carry on their legacy. After Sarah was passed the childbearing years, she lost her faith that God would provide her a son. Who would believe that a woman 90 years old would be able to have a child. She decided to take matters into her own hands and sent her maidservant Hagar to her husband. This did not bless God plan but created unrest and conflict. Imagine how Hagar felt. Sarah asked her to do something that she didn't want to do. But, God in his timing did bless Abraham and Sarah with their son Isaac. See how God worked in their lives. Unfortunately, Sarah needed to have a little more faith in God. She was rewarded by God but Hagar also paid the price for Sarah's doubt.
James 4:2 says, “You have not because you ask not.” If we never ask God for what we need or want, how can we expect Him to answer us? That reminds me of the story of the old man who was complaining that God never answered his prayers about winning the lottery. When his friend asked him how much money he had wasted on lottery tickets, he answered "Oh I never buy lottery tickets." Crazy old man - God will answer your prayers but you have to be willing to do your part. Of course that is just a silly story but you get the idea. You need to do your part when you ask God for something.
Is there something in your life you need or want but haven’t asked God for it? Ask Him now. But, trust him to do it in his timing. Of course this doesn't mean that we can ask for things that won't bless the Lord. Sometimes, the answer will be "no" or it won't look like what we think it should look like. But, it will be what we need.
God promises us His best, but we have to trust Him to bring it in His time. God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the night sky, but instead of waiting on God’s promise, Abraham took his own steps to insure he would have an heir. Have you ever tried to get your own blessing outside of God’s timing? It doesn't make us happy.
While we are limited to our own resources to fulfill our needs and desires, God holds the entire universe in His hands and promises to bless us from all He has (Phil. 4:19). 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Jesus said in Luke 18:27, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God." Have you ever asked God for something that the world around you thought was impossible? How did He answer your prayer?
What are you currently asking God for that logic and reason say is impossible? It is amazing to me that God loved me so much that he sent Jesus to die on a cross and rose again on the third day that he took away my sin so I could spend eternity with him in glory BUT I doubt that he can supply my needs and desires. Why do I do that? It seems so silly when you put it in to context.
Sometimes our friends and family will feed our doubt about God providing for us. What should we do in those situations? That is why we need to surround ourselves with people who will help feed our spiritual growth not drag us down. Read chapters one and two in the book of Job. Think about how Job reacted to the loss of all he had. Would you have been able to trust that God would heal you and bless you again? I look at my life and realize how incredibly blessed I am. My life is not perfect but it is a beautiful life.
Look at how Job’s wife responds in chapter two, verse nine. Have you ever had family members that “encouraged” you this way?
Later on in Job, we see his friends’ responses to his plight. Are your friends supportive, encouraging you to wait on God’s blessing? What steps can you take to develop friendships with people who are more spiritually-minded?
For God to bless us, we must be obedient to His Word. Disobedience will always be an obstacle to receiving His blessings, no matter how small the offense. We must take great care to correct and repent of any disobedient behavior before we anticipate His blessings.
Is there anything in your life right now that might be hindering you from receiving God’s blessings? If so, write a prayer of confession and choose to turn away from that sin. Disobedience to God may seem profitable at the time, but it will never bring about His blessings.
God promises over and over in the Scriptures to bless us, even beyond what we can imagine. In order for Him to fulfill that promise, however, we have to truly believe that He will. God’s promises may seem illogical and downright impossible at times. But for the Creator of the universe, nothing is impossible.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Additional Food For Thought
Waiting on God
READ Psalm 37:3-8
Psalm 37:3-8 (New King James Version)
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.
Godly waiting requires action. Does that surprise you? God asks us to do our best work right where we are. (1 Corinthians 15:58) (58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.)
He also wants us to get along with others until moving us elsewhere. (Romans 12:18) (18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.)
As we wait, we are to display righteous character, which is... patient. When God doesn’t answer quickly, we may get frustrated and try to manipulate our desired outcome. With the Spirit’s help, we can be patient. I know I am very guilty of not being patient. Right now I am worried about my job and I am looking for a new one. It is difficult to remain steadfast in my faith that God has the plan for my job hunt in his hands.
Righteous character is also trusting. Trust means believing the Lord is in control, has our best interests in mind, and will arrange things for our good and His glory.
Righteous character is quiet. Confidence in God brings believers a calmness of spirit. Worrying about difficult circumstances and people should be replaced by a continual seeking of the Lord’s presence. Again I need to place all my trust and faith in his mighty hands about the job search. It is funny how it is easy to place trust in God to watch over Derek overseas (and my children are so much more important than a job) but when it comes to the everyday things like finding a new job I fail.
Righteous character is also steadfast. We are to stand firm with our focus on Jesus and continue to do the work we have been given to carry out. I do believe we need to find the strength and courage through our faith in God but I also think that we are able to stand firm and focus on Jesus when we surround ourselves with others who are strong in their faith. We can draw from their energy to help us be strong.
Righteous character is discerning. When solutions come to mind, we need to distinguish the source. Are they our own ideas, the world’s suggestions, or the Lord’s direction? With wisdom from God, we will discern where He is at work, what our part is in it, and which action we’re to take. I am bad with this one. Sometimes I want the answer to be - what I want not what God wants.
Finally, righteous character is courageous. Courage is not the absence of fear but calmness and stability in the midst of it. Although we do not see God, we believe He is at work. A resolute spirit is required if we are to wait on God. What a wonderful peace to know that God will stand beside us as we walk through each day. What courage we can draw from his love.
Delays present us with opportunities to show the world what Jesus’ transforming power has accomplished in us. When God says, “Hold still,” how do you react? I hope that I will learn to stop and learn to listen to his plan for me.
READ Psalm 37:3-8
Psalm 37:3-8 (New King James Version)
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.
Godly waiting requires action. Does that surprise you? God asks us to do our best work right where we are. (1 Corinthians 15:58) (58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.)
He also wants us to get along with others until moving us elsewhere. (Romans 12:18) (18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.)
As we wait, we are to display righteous character, which is... patient. When God doesn’t answer quickly, we may get frustrated and try to manipulate our desired outcome. With the Spirit’s help, we can be patient. I know I am very guilty of not being patient. Right now I am worried about my job and I am looking for a new one. It is difficult to remain steadfast in my faith that God has the plan for my job hunt in his hands.
Righteous character is also trusting. Trust means believing the Lord is in control, has our best interests in mind, and will arrange things for our good and His glory.
Righteous character is quiet. Confidence in God brings believers a calmness of spirit. Worrying about difficult circumstances and people should be replaced by a continual seeking of the Lord’s presence. Again I need to place all my trust and faith in his mighty hands about the job search. It is funny how it is easy to place trust in God to watch over Derek overseas (and my children are so much more important than a job) but when it comes to the everyday things like finding a new job I fail.
Righteous character is also steadfast. We are to stand firm with our focus on Jesus and continue to do the work we have been given to carry out. I do believe we need to find the strength and courage through our faith in God but I also think that we are able to stand firm and focus on Jesus when we surround ourselves with others who are strong in their faith. We can draw from their energy to help us be strong.
Righteous character is discerning. When solutions come to mind, we need to distinguish the source. Are they our own ideas, the world’s suggestions, or the Lord’s direction? With wisdom from God, we will discern where He is at work, what our part is in it, and which action we’re to take. I am bad with this one. Sometimes I want the answer to be - what I want not what God wants.
Finally, righteous character is courageous. Courage is not the absence of fear but calmness and stability in the midst of it. Although we do not see God, we believe He is at work. A resolute spirit is required if we are to wait on God. What a wonderful peace to know that God will stand beside us as we walk through each day. What courage we can draw from his love.
Delays present us with opportunities to show the world what Jesus’ transforming power has accomplished in us. When God says, “Hold still,” how do you react? I hope that I will learn to stop and learn to listen to his plan for me.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
For most people their true character comes through immediately when you meet them. Since most people form an opinion of us within 30-45 seconds of meeting us, living by our true character is very important.
For a true dedicated Christian, displaying a character that is God-like on a regular basis will show the world the virtues that Jesus practiced and tried to instill in man during his short time he walked the earth. We cannot be effective advocates of the Christian faith if are actions are not consistent with our words.
For a true dedicated Christian, displaying a character that is God-like on a regular basis will show the world the virtues that Jesus practiced and tried to instill in man during his short time he walked the earth. We cannot be effective advocates of the Christian faith if are actions are not consistent with our words.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Character & Me
We live in such a crazy hectic world that is so focused on the next big thing. And in this world character far too often takes second place. Character in my life can be tricky. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve fallen short of the person God wants me to be. Sometimes I don’t love enough, rejoice enough, be kind enough, gentle enough, patient enough, have enough self control, or find enough peace for my life. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have these same problems. Its inevitable to fall short of having the character that our Lord so desperately wants us to have, we are all imperfect creatures in a imperfect world. However, to be stronger and to be wiser we need to cling tight of our character and nurture it and even in the most difficult times we need to never let it slip by the waist side. When I think about character its not just a word but rather its who you are and when you look at it that way it makes you want (for me at least) to strive to be better, to strive to be more like Jesus Christ.
In conclusion I leave you with a short passage from the bible, found in Galatians 6: 7-10.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore as we have opportunity let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
I find this passage to be an inspiration and a means of encouragement to work hard on your character, to be like God, for if you do you will receive much in return. Use your character as a tool in building more opportunities to share more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
In conclusion I leave you with a short passage from the bible, found in Galatians 6: 7-10.
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore as we have opportunity let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
I find this passage to be an inspiration and a means of encouragement to work hard on your character, to be like God, for if you do you will receive much in return. Use your character as a tool in building more opportunities to share more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
Where Do We Begin?
My thought is to start with topics. They will lead us all through the Bible. You will come up with your thoughts about each subject and what the God tells us through the Bible we should be doing, learning, or teaching.
Let's open in a prayer: Dear Lord while I am praying this prayer alone today I ask that you bless each reader of this blog. We all need your blessings. I pray that you open our hearts, minds, and character to this subject. Guide us to be better friends, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, cousins. You know our hearts bless us as we do your will. Amen.
Let's start with CHARACTER. Why you may ask would I choose this. Well in my office I have a poster hanging on the wall. Each day I look at it and know that I need to work on mine. Here is what the poster says:
Watch your thoughts,
they become words,
Watch your words,
They become your actions,
Watch your actions,
They become habits,
Watch your habits,
They become Character,
Watch your Character,
it becomes your destiny.
(Just food for thought)
Character is God’s love to you, working in and through you! Real, authentic Christian character is formed when you surrender to Christ and allow His piercing work to grow and enrich you, so that the Spirit flows. Building and developing character is not something we just learn from a book or hear from a sermon. It does not come upon us in the night, or sneak up in the day. It does not come automatically, accentually, or suddenly. It is a process that comes from being parented in it. Then it rests in us and in our motives. It is a slow process. You may not realize you have it until others point it out in you. Character is not permanent once it is formed. It requires our continual hold and practice, in His Word, through our prayers and the practice of His Fruit in and through us.
Our spiritual discipline, motives, obedience, and persevering faith will be the keys! All it takes is to be in love with Christ. Seek His presence and be persistent in your prayers. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25
What is Character?
Character is the springboard from which all we do and say in life comes. Developing biblical character in the face of our daily lives and even in adversity is essential and the proof text that we have a growing relationship with Christ! Character is not just having integrity or honesty or doing the right thing; it is not one aspect or even a few. It is a living, growing relationship in Christ which produces a synergistic combination of the fruits of the Spirit.
In 1 Samuel 25, there is a story of a little known OT personality with great character; a woman named Abigail. This was during the time that David was running from Saul. Passionate jealousy and paranoia drove Saul to pursue and kill David, while popularity and integrity followed David who, although he had many opportunities to kill Saul, chose out of character and respect to let him go. Saul lived in a palace of stone and pride, and David in a cave of dampness and humility, hanging out with the outcasts of the land and his mighty men. During this time, David and his men were doing a security service to the sheep ranchers, saving others sheep from poachers and rustlers. David fulfilled way beyond his duty by protecting what was not his. Then, one of the ranchers who was very rich and had power and authority over the others convinced the ranchers not to pay David and his men. His name was Nabal, which means “a fool!”
What parent would give their child such a name? It probably did not mean that then, but over the years, the meaning changed due to Nabal’s actions. What a legacy to leave behind to be so self-willed and prideful that the meaning of your name changes to describe whom you are--in this case, a fool. How sad and ironic that he came from the house of Caleb who was one of the great men of integrity of the Bible, one of two people to survive the Exodus and venture into the Promise land due to his honor and trustworthiness. Nabal came from this house and family lineage, which was founded upon this great integrity and character, faith and strength, which somehow escaped Nabal.
When Nabal decided to cheat David, he ventured upon a dark path of greed that he thought could be lit from his pride. He thought, what could David do, and then decided to cheat him. David, who had just about had it with Nabal’s deceit, saddled up his men and all drew their swords to kill him. Maybe David was not being what he should be, but Nabal “dug his own grave.” David was consumed with anger and was about to kill him (and justly so in the eyes of his culture and times,) when Abigail intervened. She was a woman who had great character and discernment. She was the wife of Nabal, who owed David financial compensation for saving his sheep and servants from harm. She was able to turn the payback of the evil of her husband into good. Abigail was the complete opposite of her husband!
David was going to repay Nabal’s evil for more evil, even though David let Saul go in the previous chapter for a much more grievous sin. Yet, Nabal, for some reason, really pushed David’s buttons and exasperated his anger. Abigail’s intervention soothed that anger. Thus, David was able to grow stronger in his character development by doing good, even in his anger, and even though he was wronged and cheated. David could have murdered Nabal, suffered consequence for it, and perhaps even forsaking his future kingship. The levelheaded action of Abigail saved the day for him and provided a prime example for David, as well as for us today.
We have a choice to act in evil or goodness; to act with our sinful motives or with what God calls us to, which is far better that we can see in the moment. Let us choose being even better. Who we are will determine what we do. The result will be character. Our growth in Him will make us who we are, which will be the character we present to God and others.
This action of Abigail is a prime example for us that character from the Word and the example of our living Lord is the ultimate force we have for good outside of the Spirit Himself. Character lays the foundation of what is right and what is truth in action (Prov. 17:13; 20:22; 24:29).
The Characteristics of a Christian
In the gospel and letters of John, who was directly inspired by God, we are told clearly and without equivocation how we are to behave as a follower of Christ. From the Gospel’s example of Christ Himself to the deep comfort of our relationship in Him in John 15, if a person’s behavior contradicts what the Word says, he is a just a pretender. In his Epistles, John says if we declare Christ as Lord, have a relationship with Him, but still walk in the darkness of disobedience, how can we be Christian? (1 John 1:6; 2:4) A Christian who denies essential doctrine would be an apostate, which means to reject the truth. For example, claiming Jesus as Lord, and then rejecting His deity, would be a direct contradiction (1 John 2:22-23). Inspired by the Spirit, John tells us that we would be liars. If we decide to love our Lord and hate our fellow Christian, this would also be a direct contradiction, a lie. The three “black lies” of John’s Epistle are the moral, doctrinal, and social problems John faced during his ministry. He realized that if they are not followed in truth and obedience, they are in opposition of the Christian faith. Therefore, the Christian would be a liar! We may claim that we are a Christian because we grew up in or go to a church, we made a decision at a crusade, or because our parents are Christian, but when we continue in sin, deny who Christ is, or continue in behavior contrary to Scripture, we are, as John calls it, a liar. Only by what Christ has done for us and by allowing our relationship in Him produce the characters of holiness, faith and love in us, can we prove the claim we have in God and not be liars.
Character comes out from a life that is hurried, stressed, overwhelmed, and yet where promises are made and deadlines are met. It is a computation of who we are in those stressed moments. Character is not just something we put into our lives, but it is what comes out of our lives in those hurried times. It is beyond a system of values or virtue we learn from our parents, or even at church. Character is who you are to God Himself and those around you. It is the real you! The church and parents must teach it, but they cannot insure its function. That is the responsibility of our choice, a determination we make ourselves, a stand in stress that we continue to uphold.
The pastor must preach it, the parents sculpt it, the church encourage and model it through the precepts of the Word!
We as a community of Christians show the world the way of God’s truth by modeling His character. What comes from the Christian and the church will be the image of God the community will see, the model of character they perceive God to be. It shows to a deprived society, one that is confused, and searching for spiritual truth wherever they can find it, that truth in you!
What is Character?
Character is aligning our lives so our behaviors are Christ-like. It is the fruit that the vine of our abiding in Christ will produce. Thus, we look to the life of our Lord as our prime example. We seek not so much what Jesus would do, but what would Jesus have me do! This alignment is what produces “the fruit of the Spirit,” that we find in Paul's letter to the Galatians: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23a)
Obviously, we cannot re-enact His character with any kind of perfection. However, we can try our best by the power He gives us. The fact that our Lord was also fully human and lived a life of perfection should give us hope and encouragement of what is possible. “Be conformed to the image of God's Son." (Romans 8:29) Below is a listing of the most common fruits and characteristics we are to emulate. These all work together to allow us to shine for His glory. Just like the facets of a diamond, with only one or a few you will not see its depth, splendor, and beauty. Let us be diamonds that shine; that are cut to His purpose and call and not rough and hidden.
Is Good Character In You?
Here is how you can find out. Look through each of these character and fruit listings from God’s most precious Word and ask yourself:
1. How can they be exhibited?
2. How can they be developed?
3. How can they function better, stronger, and faster, even in times of uncertainly and stress?
The Galatians Fruits: (Galatians 5:22-23)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
· Love will enable us to appreciate our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and, of course, our family, and others around us. Love is taking the initiative to build up and meet the needs of others without expecting anything in return. (John 13:1; 15:13; 1 Corinthians 13:3)
· Joy will allow us to enjoy His creation, others, and our circumstances with an expression of delight and real, authentic happiness from and with harmony with God and others. (Proverbs 15:13; John 15:11; 17:13)
· Peace is surrendering and yielding to the Lord’s control, for He is our ultimate peace! It is allowing tranquility to be our tone and to control our equanimity. This will be fueled by our harmonious relationship with God so we can hand over control of our heart, will, and mind to Him. Once we make real peace with God, we will be able to make and maintain peace with others. (Matthew 5:9; Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:7)
· Patience is showing tolerance and fortitude to others, and even accepting difficult situations from them and God without making demands and conditions. (Matthew 27:14; Romans 12:12; James 1:3,12)
· Kindness is practicing benevolence and a loving attitude towards others. (Ephesians 4:32)
· Goodness displays integrity, honesty, and compassion to others, and allows us to do the right thing. (Matthew 19:16)
· Faithfulness is the “gluing” fruit that will preserve our faith and the other characters of the Spirit as well as identify God's Will so we can be dependable and trusting to God and others. (Matthew 17:19; 25:21; 1 Cor. 12:9; Hebrews 11:1; 1 Thess. 5:24)
· Gentleness is the character that will show calmness, personal care, and tenderness in meeting the needs of others. (Isa. 40:11; Phil. 4: 5; 2 Timothy 2:24; 1 Thess. 2:7)
· Self-Control will allow us to have discipline, and restraint with obedience to God and others. (1 Thess. 5: 22)
Please add your thoughts and verses and share with the group. By God's word we will grow and challange each other. Even though we are not gathered in the same room we are gathering in his name. The bible says:
Matthew 18:20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and views.
Let's open in a prayer: Dear Lord while I am praying this prayer alone today I ask that you bless each reader of this blog. We all need your blessings. I pray that you open our hearts, minds, and character to this subject. Guide us to be better friends, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, cousins. You know our hearts bless us as we do your will. Amen.
Let's start with CHARACTER. Why you may ask would I choose this. Well in my office I have a poster hanging on the wall. Each day I look at it and know that I need to work on mine. Here is what the poster says:
Watch your thoughts,
they become words,
Watch your words,
They become your actions,
Watch your actions,
They become habits,
Watch your habits,
They become Character,
Watch your Character,
it becomes your destiny.
(Just food for thought)
Character is God’s love to you, working in and through you! Real, authentic Christian character is formed when you surrender to Christ and allow His piercing work to grow and enrich you, so that the Spirit flows. Building and developing character is not something we just learn from a book or hear from a sermon. It does not come upon us in the night, or sneak up in the day. It does not come automatically, accentually, or suddenly. It is a process that comes from being parented in it. Then it rests in us and in our motives. It is a slow process. You may not realize you have it until others point it out in you. Character is not permanent once it is formed. It requires our continual hold and practice, in His Word, through our prayers and the practice of His Fruit in and through us.
Our spiritual discipline, motives, obedience, and persevering faith will be the keys! All it takes is to be in love with Christ. Seek His presence and be persistent in your prayers. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25
What is Character?
Character is the springboard from which all we do and say in life comes. Developing biblical character in the face of our daily lives and even in adversity is essential and the proof text that we have a growing relationship with Christ! Character is not just having integrity or honesty or doing the right thing; it is not one aspect or even a few. It is a living, growing relationship in Christ which produces a synergistic combination of the fruits of the Spirit.
In 1 Samuel 25, there is a story of a little known OT personality with great character; a woman named Abigail. This was during the time that David was running from Saul. Passionate jealousy and paranoia drove Saul to pursue and kill David, while popularity and integrity followed David who, although he had many opportunities to kill Saul, chose out of character and respect to let him go. Saul lived in a palace of stone and pride, and David in a cave of dampness and humility, hanging out with the outcasts of the land and his mighty men. During this time, David and his men were doing a security service to the sheep ranchers, saving others sheep from poachers and rustlers. David fulfilled way beyond his duty by protecting what was not his. Then, one of the ranchers who was very rich and had power and authority over the others convinced the ranchers not to pay David and his men. His name was Nabal, which means “a fool!”
What parent would give their child such a name? It probably did not mean that then, but over the years, the meaning changed due to Nabal’s actions. What a legacy to leave behind to be so self-willed and prideful that the meaning of your name changes to describe whom you are--in this case, a fool. How sad and ironic that he came from the house of Caleb who was one of the great men of integrity of the Bible, one of two people to survive the Exodus and venture into the Promise land due to his honor and trustworthiness. Nabal came from this house and family lineage, which was founded upon this great integrity and character, faith and strength, which somehow escaped Nabal.
When Nabal decided to cheat David, he ventured upon a dark path of greed that he thought could be lit from his pride. He thought, what could David do, and then decided to cheat him. David, who had just about had it with Nabal’s deceit, saddled up his men and all drew their swords to kill him. Maybe David was not being what he should be, but Nabal “dug his own grave.” David was consumed with anger and was about to kill him (and justly so in the eyes of his culture and times,) when Abigail intervened. She was a woman who had great character and discernment. She was the wife of Nabal, who owed David financial compensation for saving his sheep and servants from harm. She was able to turn the payback of the evil of her husband into good. Abigail was the complete opposite of her husband!
David was going to repay Nabal’s evil for more evil, even though David let Saul go in the previous chapter for a much more grievous sin. Yet, Nabal, for some reason, really pushed David’s buttons and exasperated his anger. Abigail’s intervention soothed that anger. Thus, David was able to grow stronger in his character development by doing good, even in his anger, and even though he was wronged and cheated. David could have murdered Nabal, suffered consequence for it, and perhaps even forsaking his future kingship. The levelheaded action of Abigail saved the day for him and provided a prime example for David, as well as for us today.
We have a choice to act in evil or goodness; to act with our sinful motives or with what God calls us to, which is far better that we can see in the moment. Let us choose being even better. Who we are will determine what we do. The result will be character. Our growth in Him will make us who we are, which will be the character we present to God and others.
This action of Abigail is a prime example for us that character from the Word and the example of our living Lord is the ultimate force we have for good outside of the Spirit Himself. Character lays the foundation of what is right and what is truth in action (Prov. 17:13; 20:22; 24:29).
The Characteristics of a Christian
In the gospel and letters of John, who was directly inspired by God, we are told clearly and without equivocation how we are to behave as a follower of Christ. From the Gospel’s example of Christ Himself to the deep comfort of our relationship in Him in John 15, if a person’s behavior contradicts what the Word says, he is a just a pretender. In his Epistles, John says if we declare Christ as Lord, have a relationship with Him, but still walk in the darkness of disobedience, how can we be Christian? (1 John 1:6; 2:4) A Christian who denies essential doctrine would be an apostate, which means to reject the truth. For example, claiming Jesus as Lord, and then rejecting His deity, would be a direct contradiction (1 John 2:22-23). Inspired by the Spirit, John tells us that we would be liars. If we decide to love our Lord and hate our fellow Christian, this would also be a direct contradiction, a lie. The three “black lies” of John’s Epistle are the moral, doctrinal, and social problems John faced during his ministry. He realized that if they are not followed in truth and obedience, they are in opposition of the Christian faith. Therefore, the Christian would be a liar! We may claim that we are a Christian because we grew up in or go to a church, we made a decision at a crusade, or because our parents are Christian, but when we continue in sin, deny who Christ is, or continue in behavior contrary to Scripture, we are, as John calls it, a liar. Only by what Christ has done for us and by allowing our relationship in Him produce the characters of holiness, faith and love in us, can we prove the claim we have in God and not be liars.
Character comes out from a life that is hurried, stressed, overwhelmed, and yet where promises are made and deadlines are met. It is a computation of who we are in those stressed moments. Character is not just something we put into our lives, but it is what comes out of our lives in those hurried times. It is beyond a system of values or virtue we learn from our parents, or even at church. Character is who you are to God Himself and those around you. It is the real you! The church and parents must teach it, but they cannot insure its function. That is the responsibility of our choice, a determination we make ourselves, a stand in stress that we continue to uphold.
The pastor must preach it, the parents sculpt it, the church encourage and model it through the precepts of the Word!
We as a community of Christians show the world the way of God’s truth by modeling His character. What comes from the Christian and the church will be the image of God the community will see, the model of character they perceive God to be. It shows to a deprived society, one that is confused, and searching for spiritual truth wherever they can find it, that truth in you!
What is Character?
Character is aligning our lives so our behaviors are Christ-like. It is the fruit that the vine of our abiding in Christ will produce. Thus, we look to the life of our Lord as our prime example. We seek not so much what Jesus would do, but what would Jesus have me do! This alignment is what produces “the fruit of the Spirit,” that we find in Paul's letter to the Galatians: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23a)
Obviously, we cannot re-enact His character with any kind of perfection. However, we can try our best by the power He gives us. The fact that our Lord was also fully human and lived a life of perfection should give us hope and encouragement of what is possible. “Be conformed to the image of God's Son." (Romans 8:29) Below is a listing of the most common fruits and characteristics we are to emulate. These all work together to allow us to shine for His glory. Just like the facets of a diamond, with only one or a few you will not see its depth, splendor, and beauty. Let us be diamonds that shine; that are cut to His purpose and call and not rough and hidden.
Is Good Character In You?
Here is how you can find out. Look through each of these character and fruit listings from God’s most precious Word and ask yourself:
1. How can they be exhibited?
2. How can they be developed?
3. How can they function better, stronger, and faster, even in times of uncertainly and stress?
The Galatians Fruits: (Galatians 5:22-23)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
· Love will enable us to appreciate our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and, of course, our family, and others around us. Love is taking the initiative to build up and meet the needs of others without expecting anything in return. (John 13:1; 15:13; 1 Corinthians 13:3)
· Joy will allow us to enjoy His creation, others, and our circumstances with an expression of delight and real, authentic happiness from and with harmony with God and others. (Proverbs 15:13; John 15:11; 17:13)
· Peace is surrendering and yielding to the Lord’s control, for He is our ultimate peace! It is allowing tranquility to be our tone and to control our equanimity. This will be fueled by our harmonious relationship with God so we can hand over control of our heart, will, and mind to Him. Once we make real peace with God, we will be able to make and maintain peace with others. (Matthew 5:9; Colossians 3:15; Philippians 4:7)
· Patience is showing tolerance and fortitude to others, and even accepting difficult situations from them and God without making demands and conditions. (Matthew 27:14; Romans 12:12; James 1:3,12)
· Kindness is practicing benevolence and a loving attitude towards others. (Ephesians 4:32)
· Goodness displays integrity, honesty, and compassion to others, and allows us to do the right thing. (Matthew 19:16)
· Faithfulness is the “gluing” fruit that will preserve our faith and the other characters of the Spirit as well as identify God's Will so we can be dependable and trusting to God and others. (Matthew 17:19; 25:21; 1 Cor. 12:9; Hebrews 11:1; 1 Thess. 5:24)
· Gentleness is the character that will show calmness, personal care, and tenderness in meeting the needs of others. (Isa. 40:11; Phil. 4: 5; 2 Timothy 2:24; 1 Thess. 2:7)
· Self-Control will allow us to have discipline, and restraint with obedience to God and others. (1 Thess. 5: 22)
Please add your thoughts and verses and share with the group. By God's word we will grow and challange each other. Even though we are not gathered in the same room we are gathering in his name. The bible says:
Matthew 18:20For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and views.
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