God makes sure that the Word of God is made available to a multitude of people. He seeks to have disciples in all the nations. "God likes diversity," said Bishop Derek Grier in his 1/13/2013 mid-morning sermon to Grace Church in Dumfries, Virginia. The parable of the sower reveals four sets of people who respond to the Word of God.
1) "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it." -- Luke 8:5 New King James Version Bible
2) "Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture." -- Luke 8:6 New King James Version Bible
3) "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it." -- Luke 8:7 New King James Version Bible
4) "But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop of a hundredfold." -- Luke 8:8 New King James Version Bible
In the first group, they hear the Word of God, but the devil comes and takes the Word out of their hearts. The first and second group seem to believe in God intellectually, but don't actually have God living on the inside. Some of the ways the devil takes the Word out of the heart are through distraction, confusion and subversion.
In the second group, the people receive the Word of God joyfully, but they too don't seem to receive the Spirit of God and grow into spiritual maturity. John 7:38 New Living Translation Bible says, "Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare "Rivers of living water will flow from his heart."" Living water wears down the rocky places of temptation. Lacking the Spirit of God, they lack the power, ability, efficiency and might to stand up to temptation. So when the temptation comes, their faith goes.
In the third group, they have the Spirit of God, but they remain undeveloped spiritually, and do not become deeply rooted in the Word of God. They allow the cares, riches and pleasures of life to block spiritual maturity. Many Christians have traded status-symbol cars, houses and spouses for a close and committed relationship with God whom they ardently chase.
It is easy to be distracted and absorbed in the work of managing a household, pursuing wealth and/or enjoying entertainment. Becoming deeply rooted in the Word of God takes a certain amount of time -- reading the Bible, studying it, applying it daily and then perfecting the application.
If we are not in the Word regularly, we cannot produce fruit. Our human nature is not loving, kind, gentle, peaceful, faithful, patient, self-controlled, joyful or good in ways that please God.
In the fourth group, these people have the Spirit of God and cooperate with God to grow in their relationship with God. As a consequence they bear much fruit over a period of time and in a positive manner.
While God is always stimulating us to connect with Him, the fourth group understands that God likes to be chased. We should not take our relationship with God for granted. Hebrews 11:6 New Living Translation Bible says, "And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him."
God's Word in our life is meant to be active, living. The Bible is not just for reading pleasure. God wants us to first see ourselves. and others clearly and then to cooperate with God to be transformed into the image of Christ. Hebrews 4:12 New Living Translation Bible says, "For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." Once we see, then secondly we can cooperate with God to an ever-increasingly accurate reflection of Jesus Christ..
God is most concerned with our inner life. When we first enter relationship with Him our Spirit is reborn, but our mind has an unchanged part. The Word of God is designed to magnify the mind of Christ in us and minimize the mind of human nature. The more the mind of Christ rules, the more the fruit of the Spirit will show through us.
Pray that many will receive a relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and that those who already have a relationship with God will not be deceived by Satan become lazy and lose interest in their First Love. Pastor and author Francis Chan says in his book multiply disciples making disciples, "Following Jesus is not about diligently keeping a set of rules or conjuring up the moral fortitude to lead good lives. It's about loving God and enjoying Him."
Please share a message about how you love God and people and enjoy them.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Reciprocity
"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets," says Matthew 7:12 New Living Translation Bible. Treating people well involves the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5).
Let's look at a few good deeds. Many examples of doing good are found in the Bible. In Genesis 18 Abraham interceded with God to rescue Lot and his family from Sodom, a city filled with wicked behavior.
When Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses in Numbers 12 for marrying a Cushite woman, God gave Miriam leprosy. Instead of retaliating, Moses prayed for Miriam to be healed. Sometimes people do things that we do not like. Instead of escalating the situation, pray for proper behavior.
In Judges 1 Caleb gave his daughter, Acsah, land and springs of water. This helped her and her husband, Othniel to have the resources they need for living.
Different people and different situations, but all reflecting the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12).
Goodness is one part of what is commonly known as the Golden Rule. We cannot be good on our own. God in us helps us to do what we need to do. God helps us to see ways to have good relationships. God gives us spiritual eyes and ears to see and understand what people in our sphere of influence need and want.
Is there something you could do today to help someone?
Let's look at a few good deeds. Many examples of doing good are found in the Bible. In Genesis 18 Abraham interceded with God to rescue Lot and his family from Sodom, a city filled with wicked behavior.
When Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses in Numbers 12 for marrying a Cushite woman, God gave Miriam leprosy. Instead of retaliating, Moses prayed for Miriam to be healed. Sometimes people do things that we do not like. Instead of escalating the situation, pray for proper behavior.
In Judges 1 Caleb gave his daughter, Acsah, land and springs of water. This helped her and her husband, Othniel to have the resources they need for living.
Different people and different situations, but all reflecting the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12).
Goodness is one part of what is commonly known as the Golden Rule. We cannot be good on our own. God in us helps us to do what we need to do. God helps us to see ways to have good relationships. God gives us spiritual eyes and ears to see and understand what people in our sphere of influence need and want.
Is there something you could do today to help someone?
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Speak Up
Believers are kings and queens. One of the qualities of kings and queens is recorded in Proverbs 31; they speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Everyone will not have the same ability to achieve success in life. Some people need more supports. Some need less. We are not to harm, look down on or be indifferent to those who need more support to be successful.
Guard your heart. When someone needs more help, we are not to have a bad view of them, or to try to cause them trouble.
Help the people God has put in your sphere of influence, especially help the poor and needy because they are lacking things needed to excel in life.
Don't take advantage of someone's weakness, but find a way to help them soar in life.
Sometimes we say we don't have time to help someone else because we are consumed with our own life. In various life situations, we will need to zero in on our personal lives, but seek God for a way to live by the principle of helping those who cannot speak for themselves. Sometimes we need to cut something out of our life in order to have time to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Kings and queens are not to meddle in the lives of others, but rather they are to consult God as to how to make things better.
Stay alert. If you fall asleep, wake up. We will be attacked with things like confusion hindering us from helping people. We can easily forget that our purpose is to fellowship with God and with other believers in a way that brings glory to God. Jesus Christ was born into this world to forgive sins and to restore a relationship with God.
Don't expect to be perfect in speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves. Kings and queens will not be perfect. When we are made a new creation in Jesus Christ, God gives us the nature of God. However, we have not received the full inheritance God intends to give us from salvation and an eternal relationship with Him.
Speaking up for those who can't doesn't mean that we have to be famous or doing high profile things. We all have areas where we are not able to speak up for ourselves properly and need someone's help. John 5 records that Jesus Christ healed a man who was paralyzed. We may not heal a paralyzed man, but we could provide something to someone to help them get through a particular problem.
Use the gifts God gave you to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Everyone will not have the same ability to achieve success in life. Some people need more supports. Some need less. We are not to harm, look down on or be indifferent to those who need more support to be successful.
Guard your heart. When someone needs more help, we are not to have a bad view of them, or to try to cause them trouble.
Help the people God has put in your sphere of influence, especially help the poor and needy because they are lacking things needed to excel in life.
Don't take advantage of someone's weakness, but find a way to help them soar in life.
Sometimes we say we don't have time to help someone else because we are consumed with our own life. In various life situations, we will need to zero in on our personal lives, but seek God for a way to live by the principle of helping those who cannot speak for themselves. Sometimes we need to cut something out of our life in order to have time to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Kings and queens are not to meddle in the lives of others, but rather they are to consult God as to how to make things better.
Stay alert. If you fall asleep, wake up. We will be attacked with things like confusion hindering us from helping people. We can easily forget that our purpose is to fellowship with God and with other believers in a way that brings glory to God. Jesus Christ was born into this world to forgive sins and to restore a relationship with God.
Don't expect to be perfect in speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves. Kings and queens will not be perfect. When we are made a new creation in Jesus Christ, God gives us the nature of God. However, we have not received the full inheritance God intends to give us from salvation and an eternal relationship with Him.
Speaking up for those who can't doesn't mean that we have to be famous or doing high profile things. We all have areas where we are not able to speak up for ourselves properly and need someone's help. John 5 records that Jesus Christ healed a man who was paralyzed. We may not heal a paralyzed man, but we could provide something to someone to help them get through a particular problem.
Use the gifts God gave you to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Lifestyle/Works
1 Corinthians 3 says that Jesus Christ is the foundation of our faith. God saves us by the work He has done. He forgives our sins, and also offers us eternal life. We receive these good gifts by believing God. This is the basic structure upon which our faith is built.
After saving us and granting us eternal life, God wants us to please Him. We can please Him by the works we do. Good work is described as gold, silver, costly stones. Worthless work is described as hay or straw.
Some work will stand the test. Other work will not.
If God is satisfied with our work, it will stand approved. If God is not satisfied, it will be burned up. The believer will be saved, but his or her work will be burned up.
Our work is done through the body God has given us. Our body is the temple of God. God protects His temple carefully.
God wants us to grow in all areas of life. Our works are our lifestyle, our relationships, hobbies, education, careers, etc.
Our lifestyle is our worship. Worship is not just singing songs.
Romans 12 New Living Translation Bible says, "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you."
Sometimes we have fertile environments to grow in and other times we don't. Paul was in the province of Asia in 2 Corinthians 1 New Living Translation Bible and was in a situation where, "We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it."
But God got them through it.
Life is often not smooth. Sometimes we are up. Sometimes we are down. Keep getting up. Proverbs 24:16 New Living Translation Bible says, "The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked."
We all need others to help us live well. Ask God for help in choosing the right relationships. May your works be prosperous.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Faith
We all have faith. We have confidence that certain things will happen. The Biblical kind of faith is in God's ability to accomplish various things.
In Mark 7:24 a woman from Syrian Phoencia had a daughter who was possessed by an evil spirit. Jesus at first did not want to heal her because she was not a Jew. But her faith was a persistent kind. Even though Jesus said, "It isn't right to take food from the children and trow it to the dogs," this woman kept on asking for a healing.
Sometimes we ask for something the first time, and we don't get it. With God that is not always a no. It could mean that He wants to see how committed we are to getting the things we want.
In Mark 7:24 a woman from Syrian Phoencia had a daughter who was possessed by an evil spirit. Jesus at first did not want to heal her because she was not a Jew. But her faith was a persistent kind. Even though Jesus said, "It isn't right to take food from the children and trow it to the dogs," this woman kept on asking for a healing.
Sometimes we ask for something the first time, and we don't get it. With God that is not always a no. It could mean that He wants to see how committed we are to getting the things we want.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Gifted
Thank God believers are gifted with various abilities. God has given believers various spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12 notes that one of the spiritual gifts is prophecy. Prophecy is the ability to interpret God's Word and may also include the prediction of future events under the inspiration of God.
All the spiritual gifts are valuable. The ability to interpret God's Word is especially useful for sharing His message with people. Sometimes miracles can be done without people coming into a relationship with God or having their relationship with God strengthened. For example, in Luke 17, 10 lepers were healed by Jesus Christ of their leprosy, but only one went back and thanked God for his healing, and Jesus noted his faith. The benefit of healing for the other nine was temporary instead of eternal. The faith of the one who worshiped God was useful for this earthly life and the next life.
While our spiritual gifts can help us lead a better life today, ultimately we are here for being a means for God to introduce people to Himself or to strengthen a person's relationship with God.
The Apostle Paul encourages us to ask God for gifts like prophecy because they more clearly help with growing in a relationship with God.
However, everyone will not have the same spiritual gift(s). God likes diversity. Just like God did not intend for us all to have the same qualities or to do the same things, neither did He give us the same gifts.
Each believer is valuable and has a role to play in God's kingdom. Don't neglect to use the spiritual gifts that you have.
All the spiritual gifts are valuable. The ability to interpret God's Word is especially useful for sharing His message with people. Sometimes miracles can be done without people coming into a relationship with God or having their relationship with God strengthened. For example, in Luke 17, 10 lepers were healed by Jesus Christ of their leprosy, but only one went back and thanked God for his healing, and Jesus noted his faith. The benefit of healing for the other nine was temporary instead of eternal. The faith of the one who worshiped God was useful for this earthly life and the next life.
While our spiritual gifts can help us lead a better life today, ultimately we are here for being a means for God to introduce people to Himself or to strengthen a person's relationship with God.
The Apostle Paul encourages us to ask God for gifts like prophecy because they more clearly help with growing in a relationship with God.
However, everyone will not have the same spiritual gift(s). God likes diversity. Just like God did not intend for us all to have the same qualities or to do the same things, neither did He give us the same gifts.
Each believer is valuable and has a role to play in God's kingdom. Don't neglect to use the spiritual gifts that you have.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
God Chose Us
God chose each believer to be in relationship with Him before He created the universe. He did this because He loves us and has a good plan for us.
The individual plan He has for us is part of a larger plan He has whereby all things except God the Father are to be brought into the leadership of Jesus Christ.
Believers have been redeemed from the ultimate effect of sin. When Jesus Christ died and rose again from the dead 2,000 years ago in Calvary, Israel, He took care of the penalty for all sins we ever did, are doing or will do in the future.
God is for us. He has set us apart to grow increasingly like Him.
When we first come into relationship with God He has a lot to change in us to make us like Him. Before God revealed Himself to us, we could not recognize Him or be transformed into His likeness. We had a veil over our mind and spirit. But when we receive the Lord, the Spirit of the Lord removes the covering (veil).
We become free in Christ to do many things, but not to sin.
The individual plan He has for us is part of a larger plan He has whereby all things except God the Father are to be brought into the leadership of Jesus Christ.
Believers have been redeemed from the ultimate effect of sin. When Jesus Christ died and rose again from the dead 2,000 years ago in Calvary, Israel, He took care of the penalty for all sins we ever did, are doing or will do in the future.
God is for us. He has set us apart to grow increasingly like Him.
When we first come into relationship with God He has a lot to change in us to make us like Him. Before God revealed Himself to us, we could not recognize Him or be transformed into His likeness. We had a veil over our mind and spirit. But when we receive the Lord, the Spirit of the Lord removes the covering (veil).
We become free in Christ to do many things, but not to sin.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Some Things to Pray
What are some things to pray for? Jesus says in Matthew 21:22 New International Version Bible, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." In John 17 Jesus prayed that He will be revealed to believers. God has to give life to our spirit in order for us to recognize who Jesus is. We can pray that Jesus will be revealed to people.
Unity is also something good to pray for. Psalm 133:4 New King James Version Bible says, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Unity makes it easier to accomplish our purpose in life because we are cooperating with each other.
Living in unity does not mean that we are all the same. Pray to know your God-given purpose. This way we will fulfill all that He has called us to fulfill.
Don't try to fulfill purpose without consulting God. By ourselves we go into areas that are not productive.
When we live in purpose we also live with truth. We can pray for truth to be revealed. Truth may seem to be revealed by facts, but this is not always the case. Truth has a dimension that is both spiritual and natural. For example, in the natural the Apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh, some type of problem in his life. In the Spirit of God, God turned the weakness this thorn caused into strength.
We can pray for intimacy with God. Jesus notes in John 17 that He is so close to God the Father that He is one with God the Father. Jesus is the manifestation of God that we can see. He had a physical body in His earthly ministry 2,000 years ago. Even before Mary was pregnant with baby Jesus, Jesus had a body. For example, in the Old Testament Jesus was the commander of the Lord's army in Joshua 5 that Joshua worshiped.
We can pray that God will not lead us into temptation. Temptation can bring out weakness that does not lead to giving honor to God. Avoid temptation. It can be enticing. Some can be passed, but not all.
We can pray for protection. Our ultimate enemy is the devil and his demons who have been around a lot longer than we have. God can take care of problems we have no idea about. For example, we live in a world where there is enough food for everyone, but political obstacles stand in the way. Respect authority. Pray for governmental leaders. May leaders let go of pre-destined failure and embrace win-win solutions today and every day. Anything is possible.
Unity is also something good to pray for. Psalm 133:4 New King James Version Bible says, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Unity makes it easier to accomplish our purpose in life because we are cooperating with each other.
Living in unity does not mean that we are all the same. Pray to know your God-given purpose. This way we will fulfill all that He has called us to fulfill.
Don't try to fulfill purpose without consulting God. By ourselves we go into areas that are not productive.
When we live in purpose we also live with truth. We can pray for truth to be revealed. Truth may seem to be revealed by facts, but this is not always the case. Truth has a dimension that is both spiritual and natural. For example, in the natural the Apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh, some type of problem in his life. In the Spirit of God, God turned the weakness this thorn caused into strength.
We can pray for intimacy with God. Jesus notes in John 17 that He is so close to God the Father that He is one with God the Father. Jesus is the manifestation of God that we can see. He had a physical body in His earthly ministry 2,000 years ago. Even before Mary was pregnant with baby Jesus, Jesus had a body. For example, in the Old Testament Jesus was the commander of the Lord's army in Joshua 5 that Joshua worshiped.
We can pray that God will not lead us into temptation. Temptation can bring out weakness that does not lead to giving honor to God. Avoid temptation. It can be enticing. Some can be passed, but not all.
We can pray for protection. Our ultimate enemy is the devil and his demons who have been around a lot longer than we have. God can take care of problems we have no idea about. For example, we live in a world where there is enough food for everyone, but political obstacles stand in the way. Respect authority. Pray for governmental leaders. May leaders let go of pre-destined failure and embrace win-win solutions today and every day. Anything is possible.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Grey Areas
Sometimes issues arise in life that the Bible appears to not have discussed. In Romans 14 the Apostle Paul says about these areas believers want to live in a freedom that is balanced by care for the conscience of believers who may live in less freedom than we do and an attitude lacking judgement toward those who live in greater freedom than we do.
One of the things Paul said in Romans 14 is that some consider every day a holiday (holy day set apart to God) whereas others celebrate particular days as holidays to God. Paul said we should be mindful that first we are faithful to God and do not doubt the way we are celebrating. Then we consult God to see if those in our sphere of influence are being harmed by the way we are living and then we need to not be judgmental of those who celebrate holidays to God differently.
When we consider the conscience of others and lacking judgement these are not meant to put us in bondage. For example, Paul was a Jew. Before he became a Christian, he believed it was wrong to have friendships with non-Jews (Gentiles). Some Jewish Christians continued not to associate with non-Jews. Paul did not. He formed friendships with non-Jews like Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia. Some considered his friendships with Gentiles a stumbling block (something that hinders the faith of others) but it wasn't.
Paul wanted those who had weaker consciences to be welcomed and respected and ultimately raised to a higher level of faith motivated by love. Philippians 1:9 New International Version Bible says, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ -- to the glory and praise of God."
One of the things Paul said in Romans 14 is that some consider every day a holiday (holy day set apart to God) whereas others celebrate particular days as holidays to God. Paul said we should be mindful that first we are faithful to God and do not doubt the way we are celebrating. Then we consult God to see if those in our sphere of influence are being harmed by the way we are living and then we need to not be judgmental of those who celebrate holidays to God differently.
When we consider the conscience of others and lacking judgement these are not meant to put us in bondage. For example, Paul was a Jew. Before he became a Christian, he believed it was wrong to have friendships with non-Jews (Gentiles). Some Jewish Christians continued not to associate with non-Jews. Paul did not. He formed friendships with non-Jews like Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia. Some considered his friendships with Gentiles a stumbling block (something that hinders the faith of others) but it wasn't.
Paul wanted those who had weaker consciences to be welcomed and respected and ultimately raised to a higher level of faith motivated by love. Philippians 1:9 New International Version Bible says, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ -- to the glory and praise of God."
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Friends and Prayer
In prayer and in other parts of life two or more are better than one. Ecclesiastes 4:10 New International Version Bible says, "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"
One way we can help each other up in through prayer. Friends should pray for each other. Psalm 28 indicates that when we pray we should show respect to God and not take for granted that He is able to hear us. Often we are in trouble. We can talk to God about trouble and triumph. He has the ability to keep us or bring us out of the pit (bad places in life).
God can also extend mercy in our situations. Friends are designed to extend mercy to each other. We are to build each other up.
God helps us through life. God is a shepherd. He desires to lead and to direct us in this earthly life and in the next lie if we are chosen for eternal life. God leads us and directs us in the way we should go.
We are at the forefront of God's mind. God wants to make sure that we live the good, abundant, enjoyable life He promised. Friends should want this too for each other.
One way we can help each other up in through prayer. Friends should pray for each other. Psalm 28 indicates that when we pray we should show respect to God and not take for granted that He is able to hear us. Often we are in trouble. We can talk to God about trouble and triumph. He has the ability to keep us or bring us out of the pit (bad places in life).
God can also extend mercy in our situations. Friends are designed to extend mercy to each other. We are to build each other up.
God helps us through life. God is a shepherd. He desires to lead and to direct us in this earthly life and in the next lie if we are chosen for eternal life. God leads us and directs us in the way we should go.
We are at the forefront of God's mind. God wants to make sure that we live the good, abundant, enjoyable life He promised. Friends should want this too for each other.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Being Human and God
The same person who formed the stars, the planets, the oceans, our known universe is the same person who chose to become like us. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took on a body of flesh and blood, so that He might die and rise again to reconcile us with God and to destroy the devil who was given the power of death.
God didn't save believers from their sins and give them eternal life from a distance. He desires close fellowship. John 17:3 New International Version Bible says, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." Believers are part of the family of God. God calls us things like friends, brothers, children and His bride.
God wants to talk with us about our lives. Hebrews 2 tells us that He is also a priest, so we can go to Him when we are tempted to do evil, and He is able to strengthen us. Scriptures like Psalm 100 say that God also likes for us to thank Him for His character and His deeds. We can also make requests of Him. When we talk with Jesus we are not talking with someone who does not know what it is to be human. Jesus Christ went through a variety of life experiences in His earthly ministry more than 2,000 years ago. Although He is fully God, Jesus Christ suffered the constraints of being human. God used this suffering/experience to bring to perfection His plan of being our high priest. There isn't any problem or issue in our life that He isn't able to help.
Jesus Christ became human for the sake of the spiritual descendants of Abraham -- some biologically related to Abraham, others not, but both God's chosen people who have received an eternal relationship with Him.
God likes us. Not only does He want to be in relationship with believers, He wants us to be rulers. All believers are joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We are kings and queens. He desires for us to take authority over our area of influence in ways that please Him.
One of the best things to please God is simply to talk to our brother, friend, husband Jesus often. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 New Living Translation Bible says, "Never stop praying."
God didn't save believers from their sins and give them eternal life from a distance. He desires close fellowship. John 17:3 New International Version Bible says, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." Believers are part of the family of God. God calls us things like friends, brothers, children and His bride.
God wants to talk with us about our lives. Hebrews 2 tells us that He is also a priest, so we can go to Him when we are tempted to do evil, and He is able to strengthen us. Scriptures like Psalm 100 say that God also likes for us to thank Him for His character and His deeds. We can also make requests of Him. When we talk with Jesus we are not talking with someone who does not know what it is to be human. Jesus Christ went through a variety of life experiences in His earthly ministry more than 2,000 years ago. Although He is fully God, Jesus Christ suffered the constraints of being human. God used this suffering/experience to bring to perfection His plan of being our high priest. There isn't any problem or issue in our life that He isn't able to help.
Jesus Christ became human for the sake of the spiritual descendants of Abraham -- some biologically related to Abraham, others not, but both God's chosen people who have received an eternal relationship with Him.
God likes us. Not only does He want to be in relationship with believers, He wants us to be rulers. All believers are joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We are kings and queens. He desires for us to take authority over our area of influence in ways that please Him.
One of the best things to please God is simply to talk to our brother, friend, husband Jesus often. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 New Living Translation Bible says, "Never stop praying."
Monday, December 3, 2012
Grace is Available
1 Timothy 1:15 says that Jesus Christ came to forgive us of our sins and to give us eternal life. He wants us to have good relationships with Him and people.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the poor, middle class and rich -- that's the true American and Christian way.
Our government has immense power to manipulate the behavior of people making them fit into a certain agenda. A godly agenda is to preserve and promote the family.
1 Timothy records that the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to hold on to faith and a good conscience. Sometimes we can experience fear, stress and other negativity, but that does not mean we are not in the Christian faith.
We will be persecuted for our faith. Pray for those who persecute that they may see the error of their ways. Jesus Christ came that we might live a good, abundant, enjoyable life.
God's grace is available to a wide variety of people. The Apostle Paul was once a blasphemer and persecutor of the church. God changed him, and he became a church leader who sometimes had to discipline church members.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the poor, middle class and rich -- that's the true American and Christian way.
Our government has immense power to manipulate the behavior of people making them fit into a certain agenda. A godly agenda is to preserve and promote the family.
1 Timothy records that the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to hold on to faith and a good conscience. Sometimes we can experience fear, stress and other negativity, but that does not mean we are not in the Christian faith.
We will be persecuted for our faith. Pray for those who persecute that they may see the error of their ways. Jesus Christ came that we might live a good, abundant, enjoyable life.
God's grace is available to a wide variety of people. The Apostle Paul was once a blasphemer and persecutor of the church. God changed him, and he became a church leader who sometimes had to discipline church members.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Something to Overcome
God is good. He is worthy to be praised. God is for us. He is more for us than we are for ourselves.
God wants our lifestyle to reflect Him, but often it does not because His standard is high.
We all need fresh mercy from God daily for the many areas we are not like Him. We also need God to protect believers individually and as groups.
We will have many difficulties in this life, but they can be overcome.
God wants our lifestyle to reflect Him, but often it does not because His standard is high.
We all need fresh mercy from God daily for the many areas we are not like Him. We also need God to protect believers individually and as groups.
We will have many difficulties in this life, but they can be overcome.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Time and Purpose
In Genesis 1 God organized time into days, years and seasons. He could have established a different order, but He didn't. Days, years and seasons can help us to organize our time purposefully and to be mindful that we don't live forever.
Use time well. Pray a lot. Stay alert. Nurture positive relationships. Don't just let time pass.
Use time well. Pray a lot. Stay alert. Nurture positive relationships. Don't just let time pass.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Multiplication and Believing
The beginning of the heavens and earth described in Genesis 1 shows one thing God likes is multiplication. On the third day of creation God created seed-bearing plants and trees. On the fifth day God created birds and fish and told them to multiply. On the sixth day He created various animals and people and asked then to multiply.
This does not mean that everybody will multiply the same way. Jacob had 12 children. The Apostle Paul had even more spiritual children. Our influence over people is also a way of multiplying.
Sometimes we are confronted with ideas and obstacles that seek to stop multiplication. Sometimes it make take us a while to figure out that an argument may be designed to fool us rather than be factual. Talk to God to get clear about life. Christians are ambassadors for God believing God will make a way for multiplication.
This does not mean that everybody will multiply the same way. Jacob had 12 children. The Apostle Paul had even more spiritual children. Our influence over people is also a way of multiplying.
Sometimes we are confronted with ideas and obstacles that seek to stop multiplication. Sometimes it make take us a while to figure out that an argument may be designed to fool us rather than be factual. Talk to God to get clear about life. Christians are ambassadors for God believing God will make a way for multiplication.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Sin Can Be Forgiven
In Luke 7 it talks about a woman in sin. She had many sins. God was able to forgive her sins.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Keep, Keeping On
Sometimes we have conflicts of interest in our life that may not seem to be resolvable, but a way can be worked out favorably. Sometimes our enemies seem like a multitude and try to get us focused on narrow ways of thinking, but God is our advocate to help us advance in life. He doesn't want us to trip over trivia.
Psalm 3:1-3 Amplified Bible says, "Lord, How they are increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are saying of me, There is no help for him in God. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head."
Psalm 3:1-3 Amplified Bible says, "Lord, How they are increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are saying of me, There is no help for him in God. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter of my head."
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The Word and Disciples
Looking at John 1 we learn that the Word which is Jesus Christ has always existed. God always was, is and will be, and He wants people to have a relationship with Him.
More than 2,000 years ago God sent John the Baptist to tell people about God.
John the Baptist came to announce the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is not always recognizable. He is revealed. God gave His people the ability to receive revelation of Him.
John the Baptist testified that he was not the Christ but after him comes the Christ. As believers we are not God, but we are here to testify of Him. Matthew 28:18 indicates that Jesus uses us to bring more people into His kingdom. When Jesus first had His earthly ministry He called disciples into His kingdom. Jesus in John 1 called disciples such as Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanael. God uses us also to bring in disciples.
More than 2,000 years ago God sent John the Baptist to tell people about God.
John the Baptist came to announce the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is not always recognizable. He is revealed. God gave His people the ability to receive revelation of Him.
John the Baptist testified that he was not the Christ but after him comes the Christ. As believers we are not God, but we are here to testify of Him. Matthew 28:18 indicates that Jesus uses us to bring more people into His kingdom. When Jesus first had His earthly ministry He called disciples into His kingdom. Jesus in John 1 called disciples such as Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathanael. God uses us also to bring in disciples.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Connection Between Reading and Studying the Bible and Love
Matthew 22:37-40 Amplified Bible says, "And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets."
Each day is a day to walk in love. The main thing is the love of God.
Love seems simple but it is not always. God living on the inside of believers gives us the ability to love. The Bible helps us to learn about God living on the inside of believers.
Spend regular time reading and studying the Word of God. Spiritual forces of wickedness do not want us to read and study the Bible, so that they can get in the way of love.
Each day is a day to walk in love. The main thing is the love of God.
Love seems simple but it is not always. God living on the inside of believers gives us the ability to love. The Bible helps us to learn about God living on the inside of believers.
Spend regular time reading and studying the Word of God. Spiritual forces of wickedness do not want us to read and study the Bible, so that they can get in the way of love.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Relationship Building
In the Bible book of Philippians Paul was in prison. He faced opposition in sharing the the reality that God wants to forgive believers of our sins and share an eternal, loving relationship with Him. A relationship with God comes with His love. God uses His love in believers to draw other people into relationship with Him and us. In the midst of the strife that Paul was experiencing, he did not promote strife, but rather relationship building.
One of the things Paul did in Philippians chapter 2 was show appreciation for his friends in ministry, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Take regular time to show appreciation for your friends. This pleases God and encourages others to appreciate them.
One of the things Paul did in Philippians chapter 2 was show appreciation for his friends in ministry, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Take regular time to show appreciation for your friends. This pleases God and encourages others to appreciate them.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Vote Today
"May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]," says Ephesians 3:17-18 Amplified Bible.
God wants a relationship with His people that is deeply rooted in His love. While God's people are in all kinds of societies His love can be more visible in a free society. In America we have enjoyed many freedoms that are compatible with the love of God, but religious freedom is being attacked.
Be sure to vote today for religious freedom. Love and freedom equal better relationships.
God wants a relationship with His people that is deeply rooted in His love. While God's people are in all kinds of societies His love can be more visible in a free society. In America we have enjoyed many freedoms that are compatible with the love of God, but religious freedom is being attacked.
Be sure to vote today for religious freedom. Love and freedom equal better relationships.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Vote Tomorrow
Galatians 5:13 tells us that we are free in Jesus Christ, not free to do anything we want, but free to pursue good relationships. Good relationships are strengthened by good governmental leaders and policies. Please vote tomorrow in the American elections for governmental leaders who strengthen the family, friendships and other relationships. Leaders and policies that promote life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness from fertilization, through youth and old age are a blessing to us.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Vote Tuesday, November 6
"First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way. For such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior," writes the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1-3 Amplified Bible.
Casting our vote Tuesday, November 6, for president of the United States and other governmental offices and political issues is a form of prayer; we will be making a request of God on how to lead America.
Good leaders implement good policies. Proverbs 16:12 Amplified Bible says, "It is an abomination [to God and men] for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established and made secure by righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation)."
Casting our vote Tuesday, November 6, for president of the United States and other governmental offices and political issues is a form of prayer; we will be making a request of God on how to lead America.
Good leaders implement good policies. Proverbs 16:12 Amplified Bible says, "It is an abomination [to God and men] for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established and made secure by righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation)."
Friday, November 2, 2012
Choose Principle Over Presentation
Nick Vujicic is married to Kanae, expecting his first child with his wife, an evangelist and a motivational speaker who was born without arms or legs and also heads the nonprofit organization Life Without Limbs. Vujicic wanted to star in a movie, but ended up turning down his first movie offer. He says in his book Life Without Limits, "How do you want to be remembered? I didn't want my grandchildren to one day discover a DVD of a movie in which Grandpa Nick curses, drools tobacco juice down his chin, and lives like a degenerate. So I said thanks but no thanks to that first movie offer."
Money, fame and power obtained from evil behavior can be tempting. The Apostles Paul and Barnabas said thanks but no thanks to a tempting, but bad offer. God used Paul to heal a man who had been born unable to walk (Acts 14). Instead of praising God for the miracle the Lycaonian people called Paul and Barnabas gods and wanted to make a sacrifice to worship them. Paul and Barnabas could have gone along with this situation since it presented that Paul and Barnabas were visible whereas God was not. Yet Paul and Barnabas chose principle over presentation. Paul said in response to the false worship in Acts 14:15 Amplified Bible, "Men, why are you doing this? We also are [only] human beings, of nature like your own, and we bring you the good news (Gospel) that you should turn away from these foolish and vain things to the living God, Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that they contain."
Choosing principle over presentation is not always popular. Even though Paul did a good deed and also told the truth, the Lycaonians stoned him. Vujicic sometimes suffers persecution for living a life that pleases God. So does Charlene Cothran. Today there is a push to legalize the sin of homosexuality and lesbianism through gay marriage and to present the gay life as positive even Biblical in contradiction to Scriptures like Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 22. There are also those fighting for principle over presentation in this area. One such person is Charlene Cothran, who lived the gay lifestyle for almost 30 years, but today is a Christian minister and heads The EVIDENCE Ministry, Inc. Cothran says, in her article Redeemed! 10 Ways to Get Out of the Gay Life, If You Want Out, "Many argue that each individual should determine for themselves what God intends for him or her. This would indicate that we each have a separate set of biblical rules to live by. This is untrue. If you are ready for change and willing to open yourself to the truth, God’s love can bring your current belief system in line with His Word. Jesus will cleanse and forgive all confessed sin from a willing heart. Homosexuality is only one of them. It is no greater sin than any of the others, but it is sin."
Please share about instances where principle was chosen over presentation.
Money, fame and power obtained from evil behavior can be tempting. The Apostles Paul and Barnabas said thanks but no thanks to a tempting, but bad offer. God used Paul to heal a man who had been born unable to walk (Acts 14). Instead of praising God for the miracle the Lycaonian people called Paul and Barnabas gods and wanted to make a sacrifice to worship them. Paul and Barnabas could have gone along with this situation since it presented that Paul and Barnabas were visible whereas God was not. Yet Paul and Barnabas chose principle over presentation. Paul said in response to the false worship in Acts 14:15 Amplified Bible, "Men, why are you doing this? We also are [only] human beings, of nature like your own, and we bring you the good news (Gospel) that you should turn away from these foolish and vain things to the living God, Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that they contain."
Choosing principle over presentation is not always popular. Even though Paul did a good deed and also told the truth, the Lycaonians stoned him. Vujicic sometimes suffers persecution for living a life that pleases God. So does Charlene Cothran. Today there is a push to legalize the sin of homosexuality and lesbianism through gay marriage and to present the gay life as positive even Biblical in contradiction to Scriptures like Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 22. There are also those fighting for principle over presentation in this area. One such person is Charlene Cothran, who lived the gay lifestyle for almost 30 years, but today is a Christian minister and heads The EVIDENCE Ministry, Inc. Cothran says, in her article Redeemed! 10 Ways to Get Out of the Gay Life, If You Want Out, "Many argue that each individual should determine for themselves what God intends for him or her. This would indicate that we each have a separate set of biblical rules to live by. This is untrue. If you are ready for change and willing to open yourself to the truth, God’s love can bring your current belief system in line with His Word. Jesus will cleanse and forgive all confessed sin from a willing heart. Homosexuality is only one of them. It is no greater sin than any of the others, but it is sin."
Please share about instances where principle was chosen over presentation.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Living On Purpose
Prema Dhanraj's mom, Ruthie, like Hannah, the mom of Samuel, prayed for her first child. These moms dedicated Prema and Samuel to God. Prema became a doctor. Samuel became a prophet.
God gives us children for multiple reasons. Ask God to reveal the reasons, and then nurture them and the child. Proverbs 22:6 Amplified Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Prayers are meant to be put into action. Eli trained Samuel in ministry. Prema completed medical school. Samuel became a premier prophet of the Hebrews. Prema became Head of the Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery department of Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore, India, and in 1999 she founded Agni Raksha to provide medical treatment to burn victims and to provide career training. Many of the hospital's burn patients are victims of bride burning which can happen when the groom's family is not satisfied with the dowry from the bride's family. Demanding a dowry is suppose to be illegal as of 1961, but it is still practiced.
Samuel and Prema did not forget the investment their God and their parents made in them. They returned it to their family, society and even the world. Samuel's testimony is available to readers of the Bible, the most-read book in history. In addition to her work in India, Prema speaks and trains people internationally to help burn victims. Both Samuel and Prema are committed believers with clear purpose in life. An African proverb says, "If you don't know who you are, anyone can name you; and if anyone can name you, you will answer to anything."
Please share some prayers for your children that were answered in a life lived with godly purpose.
God gives us children for multiple reasons. Ask God to reveal the reasons, and then nurture them and the child. Proverbs 22:6 Amplified Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Prayers are meant to be put into action. Eli trained Samuel in ministry. Prema completed medical school. Samuel became a premier prophet of the Hebrews. Prema became Head of the Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery department of Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore, India, and in 1999 she founded Agni Raksha to provide medical treatment to burn victims and to provide career training. Many of the hospital's burn patients are victims of bride burning which can happen when the groom's family is not satisfied with the dowry from the bride's family. Demanding a dowry is suppose to be illegal as of 1961, but it is still practiced.
Samuel and Prema did not forget the investment their God and their parents made in them. They returned it to their family, society and even the world. Samuel's testimony is available to readers of the Bible, the most-read book in history. In addition to her work in India, Prema speaks and trains people internationally to help burn victims. Both Samuel and Prema are committed believers with clear purpose in life. An African proverb says, "If you don't know who you are, anyone can name you; and if anyone can name you, you will answer to anything."
Please share some prayers for your children that were answered in a life lived with godly purpose.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Celebrate Life
Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian employee of the Hebrew King Zedekiah, didn't have to help the prophet Jeremiah, but he did (Jeremiah 38-39). Enemies of Jeremiah spoke to Zedekiah, so that Zedekiah had Jeremiah placed in a prison filled with mud. The Hebrew people were at war with Babylon, and little food and no water was available to Jeremiah in prison. Ebed-melech spoke to Zedekiah, and Zedekiah released Jeremiah from prison.
People like Ebed-melech and Chuck Wall speak up when others are wronged. One day in the spring of 1993 an anchorman commented on a bad situation, "Another random act of senseless violence." Chuck Wall, who is blind and a human relations instructor at a college in Bakersfield, California, heard the comment and was inspired to commit random acts of senseless kindness. Wall shared his idea with his students asking them to do something out of the ordinary to help someone and then to write an essay about it. He also decided to print bumper stickers that said: "Today, I will commit one random act of senseless kindness...Will you?" The idea caught on in Wall's community and spread internationally, so that today many are familiar with the phrase "random acts of kindness."
Kindness celebrates and reproduces life. Chuck Wall's kindness has helped other people. When Ebed-melech was kind to Jeremiah, God was kind to Ebed-melech. Jeremiah 39:15-18 Amplified Bible says, "Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was [still] shut up in the court of the guard, saying, Go and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring to pass My words against this city for evil and not for good; and they will be accomplished before you on that day. But I will deliver you [Ebed-melech] on that day, says the Lord, and you will not be given into the hands of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely deliver you; and you will not fall by the sword, but your life will be [as your only booty and] as a reward of battle to you, because you have put your trust in Me, says the Lord."
Perhaps Ebed-melech is one of the early believers who shared the news of an eternal, loving relationship with God with others in his native Ethiopia. Today Ethiopia is an African nation never conquered by a European nation in modern times and is a Christian-majority country that has been filled with Christians for centuries.
Please share ways you celebrated life today.
People like Ebed-melech and Chuck Wall speak up when others are wronged. One day in the spring of 1993 an anchorman commented on a bad situation, "Another random act of senseless violence." Chuck Wall, who is blind and a human relations instructor at a college in Bakersfield, California, heard the comment and was inspired to commit random acts of senseless kindness. Wall shared his idea with his students asking them to do something out of the ordinary to help someone and then to write an essay about it. He also decided to print bumper stickers that said: "Today, I will commit one random act of senseless kindness...Will you?" The idea caught on in Wall's community and spread internationally, so that today many are familiar with the phrase "random acts of kindness."
Kindness celebrates and reproduces life. Chuck Wall's kindness has helped other people. When Ebed-melech was kind to Jeremiah, God was kind to Ebed-melech. Jeremiah 39:15-18 Amplified Bible says, "Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was [still] shut up in the court of the guard, saying, Go and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring to pass My words against this city for evil and not for good; and they will be accomplished before you on that day. But I will deliver you [Ebed-melech] on that day, says the Lord, and you will not be given into the hands of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely deliver you; and you will not fall by the sword, but your life will be [as your only booty and] as a reward of battle to you, because you have put your trust in Me, says the Lord."
Perhaps Ebed-melech is one of the early believers who shared the news of an eternal, loving relationship with God with others in his native Ethiopia. Today Ethiopia is an African nation never conquered by a European nation in modern times and is a Christian-majority country that has been filled with Christians for centuries.
Please share ways you celebrated life today.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
You Are Never Too Old
Sexual love doesn't have to end when we reach a certain age. Jack, a character in the romantic comedy Don Juan DeMarco, says to Marilyn, his wife of more than 30 years, "You have very, very beautiful eyes." Marilyn comments, "Come on. You know I have to go upstairs, and um I'm going to take my calcium so my bones don't break into little pieces, my aspirin so my heart doesn't clog up, my Metamucil so I don't get colon cancer, and of course my estrogen to convince my body that I'm still 23." Jack responds, "Come here." They kiss, and marital, senior sex ensues.
Abraham also enjoyed marital, senior sex. Abraham had his first child at 86 and seven more stretching well into his 100s.
In God's eyes age is just a number not a reason to stop living a full, enjoyable life advancing God's Kingdom through relationship building.
If you are not making frequent delicious with your spouse, contact a Bible teacher, Bible counselor, Christian sex therapist and/or Christian marriage counselor. God designed sexual relations for spouses to give and to receive enjoyment from each other while strengthening their marriage. Whether one screams out in passion, silently savors sex or is somewhere in between, marital sex is made for merriment. Solomon writes in Proverbs 5 The Message Bible, "Enjoy the wife you married as a young man! Lovely as an angel, beautiful as a rose—don’t ever quit taking delight in her body."
Sex at 60 and beyond may not be the same as sex at 25, but then again it may be even better. Moses was married, and he was also in his right mind and healthy body up to death at 120. Imagine the sexual expertise and possibilities!
Please share something sweet about senior sexuality. Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher of North Carolina have been married 85 years (86 in May 2013) and hold the Guinness World Record for the longest marriage of a living couple. Zelmyra is 101 years old. Herbert is 104 years old. They have 5 children, 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.
How did the Fishers stay married so long? They are Christians who are good lovers and good friends. Solomon's Shulammite wife says about Solomon in Song of Solomon 5:16 New Living Translation Bible, "His mouth is sweetness itself, he is desirable in every way. Such, O women of Jerusalem, is my lover, my friend."
Abraham also enjoyed marital, senior sex. Abraham had his first child at 86 and seven more stretching well into his 100s.
In God's eyes age is just a number not a reason to stop living a full, enjoyable life advancing God's Kingdom through relationship building.
If you are not making frequent delicious with your spouse, contact a Bible teacher, Bible counselor, Christian sex therapist and/or Christian marriage counselor. God designed sexual relations for spouses to give and to receive enjoyment from each other while strengthening their marriage. Whether one screams out in passion, silently savors sex or is somewhere in between, marital sex is made for merriment. Solomon writes in Proverbs 5 The Message Bible, "Enjoy the wife you married as a young man! Lovely as an angel, beautiful as a rose—don’t ever quit taking delight in her body."
Sex at 60 and beyond may not be the same as sex at 25, but then again it may be even better. Moses was married, and he was also in his right mind and healthy body up to death at 120. Imagine the sexual expertise and possibilities!
Please share something sweet about senior sexuality. Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher of North Carolina have been married 85 years (86 in May 2013) and hold the Guinness World Record for the longest marriage of a living couple. Zelmyra is 101 years old. Herbert is 104 years old. They have 5 children, 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.
How did the Fishers stay married so long? They are Christians who are good lovers and good friends. Solomon's Shulammite wife says about Solomon in Song of Solomon 5:16 New Living Translation Bible, "His mouth is sweetness itself, he is desirable in every way. Such, O women of Jerusalem, is my lover, my friend."
Monday, October 29, 2012
A Good Chuckle Connects Us to Others
"May those who love us love us; and those who do not love us, may God turn their hearts, and if He cannot turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles that we may know them by their limping." -- Irish prayer
A little lightheartedness not taken too literally may produce laughter and lead to more connectedness with people in our circles of intimacy, friendship, participation and exchange. A lot of things in life can get us down especially on-going disagreements with family, friends and others. Staying down is the devil's playground. Believers build relationships in various ways through God. Nehemiah 8:10 New Living Translation Bible says, " . . . Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!"
A laugh or a chuckle can be a part of expressing the joy of the Lord. Genuine laughter has many benefits for our relationship with God, self and others. The following are nine benefits of a laugh or chuckle:
1) reduces stress
2) lowers blood pressure
3) elevates mood
4) boosts the immune system
5) improves brain functioning
6) protects the heart
7) connects us to God and people
8) fosters instant relaxation
9) makes us feel good.
Try to introduce laughter into your relationships several times a day. Helpful and healing laughter doesn't make people feel bad about themselves.
God created each person unique. No two people have the same laugh. Laughter is not elicited from everyone in the same way. Sometimes we bomb sharing jokes, witticisms and other attempts at humor because we haven't thoroughly studied and appreciated the audience. Also "nunca llueve a gusto de todos" (it never rains to everyone's taste/you can't please everybody). But don't give up or get stuck. A Japanese proverbs says, "Fall down seven times, get up eight times." Keep on asking God to help you to inspire people to laugh or chuckle.
Please share an uplifting joke, witticism or other form of humor. Romans 14:17 Amplified Bible says, "[After all] the kingdom of God is . . . righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
A little lightheartedness not taken too literally may produce laughter and lead to more connectedness with people in our circles of intimacy, friendship, participation and exchange. A lot of things in life can get us down especially on-going disagreements with family, friends and others. Staying down is the devil's playground. Believers build relationships in various ways through God. Nehemiah 8:10 New Living Translation Bible says, " . . . Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!"
A laugh or a chuckle can be a part of expressing the joy of the Lord. Genuine laughter has many benefits for our relationship with God, self and others. The following are nine benefits of a laugh or chuckle:
1) reduces stress
2) lowers blood pressure
3) elevates mood
4) boosts the immune system
5) improves brain functioning
6) protects the heart
7) connects us to God and people
8) fosters instant relaxation
9) makes us feel good.
Try to introduce laughter into your relationships several times a day. Helpful and healing laughter doesn't make people feel bad about themselves.
God created each person unique. No two people have the same laugh. Laughter is not elicited from everyone in the same way. Sometimes we bomb sharing jokes, witticisms and other attempts at humor because we haven't thoroughly studied and appreciated the audience. Also "nunca llueve a gusto de todos" (it never rains to everyone's taste/you can't please everybody). But don't give up or get stuck. A Japanese proverbs says, "Fall down seven times, get up eight times." Keep on asking God to help you to inspire people to laugh or chuckle.
Please share an uplifting joke, witticism or other form of humor. Romans 14:17 Amplified Bible says, "[After all] the kingdom of God is . . . righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Sexually Free
Religious leaders wanted to stone to death a woman caught in adultery (John 8). In response to the leaders Jesus Christ said, ". . . Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her," and to the woman He said, ". . . I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more."
Sexual freedom is found when we are free of condemnation and incorrect living, being led in a daily relationship with God. The religious leaders where trying to stone the woman based on texts such as Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 22 which discuss various sexual sins including the gay lifestyle. John 8 does not mention the man or woman who the woman was having sex with.
When Jesus implemented His earthly ministry more than 2,000 years ago He revealed the loving way to use the law. God loves us and tells us the way to live that will bring goodness and an enjoyable life for ourselves and others. Charlene Cothran is an African-American who was involved in gay-rights activism and lesbian relationships for nearly 30 years. God has been loving Cothran since way before she was born and was not content to allow her to live in darkness. God revealed Himself in a compelling way in 2006, and Cothran received a relationship with God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost. The magazine, Venus, that she used to publish for gay rights is still being published but now is showing people how to come out of the homosexual and lesbian lifestyle and live a fulfilling and thrilling life in relationship with God. In addition to her magazine, Venus, Cothran is also a licensed and ordained international minister and has founded a ministry called The EVIDENCE Ministry, Inc. Cothran says about EVIDENCE, "God has shown me that people who no longer want homosexuality and other sexual brokenness in their lives need to see the EVIDENCE of change in those who are now made free by simply believing and applying the Word of God to daily life."
Love and courage are needed to confront people who choose to harm themselves and others. Jesus showed in John 8 that confrontation need not be violent or disrespectful or unloving.
God created our skin with delicate nerve endings that release into our bodies endorphins and oxytocin -- "feel good" chemicals. When a man and a man or a woman and a woman have sexual relations it feels good and is bonding.
Yet everything that feels good is not good. It also feels good to some to eat themselves into obesity. Obesity is a health hazard linked to multiple diseases including heart disease, diabetes and cancers. Homosexuality and lesbianism disfigure the beautiful sexuality that God created and in a marriage and family context denies the couple and the children the learning and appreciation of differences in a father and mother.
Many have come out of the gay life in a similar way that many heterosexuals have come out of a lifestyle of practicing partner sex outside of marriage. Coming out of sexual sin is not simple and is often not a short-term process. Muchas personas han tenido que tragar sapos para estar saludables (Many people had to swallow toads (to go through hell) to be healthy."
Please share testimonies of coming out of the homosexual or lesbian lifestyle and into a vibrant relationship with God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost.
Cothran says as a lesbian there were times of joy and also times of intense loneliness, but today freed from a gay life and found in relationship with God, she says, "The peace and joy that I have I wouldn't trade for anything."
Sexual freedom is found when we are free of condemnation and incorrect living, being led in a daily relationship with God. The religious leaders where trying to stone the woman based on texts such as Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 22 which discuss various sexual sins including the gay lifestyle. John 8 does not mention the man or woman who the woman was having sex with.
When Jesus implemented His earthly ministry more than 2,000 years ago He revealed the loving way to use the law. God loves us and tells us the way to live that will bring goodness and an enjoyable life for ourselves and others. Charlene Cothran is an African-American who was involved in gay-rights activism and lesbian relationships for nearly 30 years. God has been loving Cothran since way before she was born and was not content to allow her to live in darkness. God revealed Himself in a compelling way in 2006, and Cothran received a relationship with God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost. The magazine, Venus, that she used to publish for gay rights is still being published but now is showing people how to come out of the homosexual and lesbian lifestyle and live a fulfilling and thrilling life in relationship with God. In addition to her magazine, Venus, Cothran is also a licensed and ordained international minister and has founded a ministry called The EVIDENCE Ministry, Inc. Cothran says about EVIDENCE, "God has shown me that people who no longer want homosexuality and other sexual brokenness in their lives need to see the EVIDENCE of change in those who are now made free by simply believing and applying the Word of God to daily life."
Love and courage are needed to confront people who choose to harm themselves and others. Jesus showed in John 8 that confrontation need not be violent or disrespectful or unloving.
God created our skin with delicate nerve endings that release into our bodies endorphins and oxytocin -- "feel good" chemicals. When a man and a man or a woman and a woman have sexual relations it feels good and is bonding.
Yet everything that feels good is not good. It also feels good to some to eat themselves into obesity. Obesity is a health hazard linked to multiple diseases including heart disease, diabetes and cancers. Homosexuality and lesbianism disfigure the beautiful sexuality that God created and in a marriage and family context denies the couple and the children the learning and appreciation of differences in a father and mother.
Many have come out of the gay life in a similar way that many heterosexuals have come out of a lifestyle of practicing partner sex outside of marriage. Coming out of sexual sin is not simple and is often not a short-term process. Muchas personas han tenido que tragar sapos para estar saludables (Many people had to swallow toads (to go through hell) to be healthy."
Please share testimonies of coming out of the homosexual or lesbian lifestyle and into a vibrant relationship with God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost.
Cothran says as a lesbian there were times of joy and also times of intense loneliness, but today freed from a gay life and found in relationship with God, she says, "The peace and joy that I have I wouldn't trade for anything."
Friday, October 26, 2012
Something Horrible Happened?
Psychologists say we are born with two instinctive fears: the fear of loud noises and the fear of being dropped. God is so good that even if our fear of hearing loud noises and of being dropped comes true we can still have an awesome life.
Mephibosheth was dropped as a five-year-old and became crippled in both feet as a result (2 Samuel 4). He was also crippled in his mind holding a "dead dog" self-image (2 Samuel 9).
But God arranged for Mephibosheth to eat at the king's table, live on royal land being served by Ziba, Ziba's 15 sons and 20 servants from adulthood to death.
If something horrible happens to you like being crippled in both feet or in your mind or something else, press through the fear, shock, disappointment, anger, unforgiveness, depression and other negative emotions and go frequently and boldly to God asking Him for way more than you deserve or seems reasonable to live an awesome life in spite of misfortunes, challenges and differences.
Believers don't serve a miserly God who metes out cold justice. Our God loves extravagantly.
Sometimes in American culture we forget about loving people extravagantly and go to war over our misfortunes, challenges and differences. One example is the mommy wars. Whether we are mothers whose full-time work is to raise children like Pauletta Washington (wife of actor Denzel Washington) or mothers who are also employees, business owners, non-profit employees and non-profit owners like Naomi Zacharias of Wellspring International, Joyce Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries or Cookie Lee of Cookie Lee Jewelry, we all have God-given purpose and roles in life. And this is also true for women who are complete and successful as singles without children like the first African-American female U.S. secretary of state, Condolezza Rice.
Many seem to have fear that if someone lives differently it is a threat to their lifestyle. Yet God created each one of us as unique. Even twins do not have the same fingerprint.
God didn't create us to be isolated and hostile but integrated and friendly. Mothers who raise their children full-time and mothers who are also employees, business owners, non-profit employees and non-profit owners all need help raising their children. Sometimes we need the participation of more than fathers and other family members. Sheila Lirio Marcelo gave birth to her first son while in college. A few years later her parents emigrated to the United States from the Philippines and were helping with childcare when her father had a heart attack, suddenly switching from a childcare provider to one who needed care. Marcelo did not allow the fear, shock, pain and difficulty of the situation to keep her down indefinitely. She turned evil into good. Out of this horrible experience Marcelo created Care.com which provides services to find caregivers for typical and different children, seniors and pets. Care.com also helps with selecting tutors and housekeepers among other things.
Vive mas (live more). What ridiculous request have you asked of God in the face of fear and other negativity and found the path to awesome living?
Mephibosheth was dropped as a five-year-old and became crippled in both feet as a result (2 Samuel 4). He was also crippled in his mind holding a "dead dog" self-image (2 Samuel 9).
But God arranged for Mephibosheth to eat at the king's table, live on royal land being served by Ziba, Ziba's 15 sons and 20 servants from adulthood to death.
If something horrible happens to you like being crippled in both feet or in your mind or something else, press through the fear, shock, disappointment, anger, unforgiveness, depression and other negative emotions and go frequently and boldly to God asking Him for way more than you deserve or seems reasonable to live an awesome life in spite of misfortunes, challenges and differences.
Believers don't serve a miserly God who metes out cold justice. Our God loves extravagantly.
Sometimes in American culture we forget about loving people extravagantly and go to war over our misfortunes, challenges and differences. One example is the mommy wars. Whether we are mothers whose full-time work is to raise children like Pauletta Washington (wife of actor Denzel Washington) or mothers who are also employees, business owners, non-profit employees and non-profit owners like Naomi Zacharias of Wellspring International, Joyce Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries or Cookie Lee of Cookie Lee Jewelry, we all have God-given purpose and roles in life. And this is also true for women who are complete and successful as singles without children like the first African-American female U.S. secretary of state, Condolezza Rice.
Many seem to have fear that if someone lives differently it is a threat to their lifestyle. Yet God created each one of us as unique. Even twins do not have the same fingerprint.
God didn't create us to be isolated and hostile but integrated and friendly. Mothers who raise their children full-time and mothers who are also employees, business owners, non-profit employees and non-profit owners all need help raising their children. Sometimes we need the participation of more than fathers and other family members. Sheila Lirio Marcelo gave birth to her first son while in college. A few years later her parents emigrated to the United States from the Philippines and were helping with childcare when her father had a heart attack, suddenly switching from a childcare provider to one who needed care. Marcelo did not allow the fear, shock, pain and difficulty of the situation to keep her down indefinitely. She turned evil into good. Out of this horrible experience Marcelo created Care.com which provides services to find caregivers for typical and different children, seniors and pets. Care.com also helps with selecting tutors and housekeepers among other things.
Vive mas (live more). What ridiculous request have you asked of God in the face of fear and other negativity and found the path to awesome living?
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Wealth and Relationships
When we are in love we move obstacles to learn everything we can about our loved one. God likes to be chased and loved in a certain, intense way. God likes for us to communicate with Him constantly and to read, study, mediate and live His Word, the Bible. Living the Bible includes loving God and people using and enjoying the material world God created without being consumed by it.
To be materially rich can be used for good, but many can't handle it and still keep a red-hot love affair going with God and people. Being poor is a problem because life can become consumed in survival leaving little time to nurture relationships with God and people. Middle class may be the balance most thrive in love of God and people while having material needs and many wants met. Agur writes in Proverbs 30:8-9 Amplified Bible, "Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, Lest I be full and deny You and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and so profane the name of my God."
Wealth is not wicked. Make sure that God has developed you to handle wealth. Nice things need a lot of attention. Denzel Washington is a rich man who works very, very hard and can handle his wealth in a way that permits his relationship with God and people to thrive. In addition to an Oscar-laden acting career spanning three decades Washington is also a Christian who has been married to Pauletta Washington for nearly 30 years. This couple has four children, John David, Katia, Malcolm and Olivia, who they taught to say their prayers every night and who they encouraged to discover their-God-given purpose by annually writing down five things they might want to do or be when they grow up.
If you can be rich in a vibrant relationship with God and people and in material wealth like Washington, praise God and keep on being a good and faithful servant. If not, praise God and keep on being a good and faithful servant in the way God has empowered you to be.
What impact has material things had on your relationship with God and people?
To be materially rich can be used for good, but many can't handle it and still keep a red-hot love affair going with God and people. Being poor is a problem because life can become consumed in survival leaving little time to nurture relationships with God and people. Middle class may be the balance most thrive in love of God and people while having material needs and many wants met. Agur writes in Proverbs 30:8-9 Amplified Bible, "Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, Lest I be full and deny You and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and so profane the name of my God."
Wealth is not wicked. Make sure that God has developed you to handle wealth. Nice things need a lot of attention. Denzel Washington is a rich man who works very, very hard and can handle his wealth in a way that permits his relationship with God and people to thrive. In addition to an Oscar-laden acting career spanning three decades Washington is also a Christian who has been married to Pauletta Washington for nearly 30 years. This couple has four children, John David, Katia, Malcolm and Olivia, who they taught to say their prayers every night and who they encouraged to discover their-God-given purpose by annually writing down five things they might want to do or be when they grow up.
If you can be rich in a vibrant relationship with God and people and in material wealth like Washington, praise God and keep on being a good and faithful servant. If not, praise God and keep on being a good and faithful servant in the way God has empowered you to be.
What impact has material things had on your relationship with God and people?
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
One Is Not Enough
"Then Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why do you cry? And why do you not eat? And why are you grieving? Am I not more to you than ten sons? (1 Samuel 1:8 Amplified Bible). Hannah loved her husband, Elkanah, and like all of us she was created for family and community. Consequently, a relationship with only one person would not meet her God-given relational needs and purpose. Hannah wanted to add a child to her family and community.
We are created with a desire and purpose for relationships with God and people whether we want to add a baby to our family like Hannah and/or add a spiritual baby to our spiritual family like the Apostle Paul who frequently went out preaching to people who had never heard about God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost and God's desire for an eternal relationship with believers.
Believers seek relationships with new people and to make strangers friends. 1 Peter 4:9 Amplified Bible says, "Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ’s body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him)."
Some spouses and singles suck the life out of their relationships and fail to seek new relationships by trying to be and demanding that one person be the all-in-all to him or her for much of the 1,440 minutes in a day. God created us to need multiple friendships and relationships in varying degrees of intimacy. Chantal Sicile-Kira categorizes relationships in her article, "The Transition To Adulthood: Planning Ahead," for the magazine, Autism File, that is applicable to all people. She describes four circles of relationships:
1) The Circle of Intimacy includes those with whom we share our secrets, dreams and values. These are our best friends and are usually family members, but can and should also include others. We know and share a lot about what is going on in each others lives, our thoughts and feelings. We feel safe enough in these relationships to support each other spiritually and emotionally. Jesus encouraged intimate relationships beyond biology. Mark 3:33-35 New Living Translation Bible says, "Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
2) The Circle of Friendship includes friends or relatives whom we see for occasional social activities, such as for a movie or to eat a meal, but who are not our closest friends. The Bible records that Epaphras and Paul shared some time in jail and time spreading the Gospel, but not with the intensity and intimacy of the relationship between Timothy and Paul.
3) The Circle of Participation includes people who we participate with in our life, such as on the job, business or ministry, our place of worship, schools, sports teams, social clubs and other organizations. This circle contains people who may eventually be in the Circle of Friendship or even the Circle of Intimacy. We can socialize with members of our church, other churches and other groups. Luke 9:49-50 New Living Translation Bible says, "John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.” But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”"
4) The Circle of Exchange includes people who are paid to be in our lives, such as medical professionals, counselors, governmental employees, sales associates, etc. These people can also be cultivated to move into the Circle of Participation, Circle of Friendship and even the Circle of Intimacy. Everyone is a potential friend. Matthew 28:18-20 the Message Bible says, "Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.""
The circles of exchange and participation are casual relationships. The circle of friendship are comfortable relationships with people who are not involved in the intimate details of our lives. The circle of intimacy contains our confidants.
All of us need to receive a relationship with God for eternal life and security that God offers to us for free. John 17:3 Amplified Bible says, "And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent."
We also need human friends. Jesus says in John 13:34-35 New Living Translation Bible, "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." Bishop Noel Jones and T.D. Jakes are believers in God and best friends. Jones is single. Jakes is married. They both also have other friends and children. The Holy Ghost living on the inside gives us the self-control to overcome the pride, insecurity and self-centeredness that demands excessive attention from someone and hinders us from expanding our relationships with God and people in the circles of exchange, participation, friendship and intimacy.
What are some ways you practice friendliness?
We are created with a desire and purpose for relationships with God and people whether we want to add a baby to our family like Hannah and/or add a spiritual baby to our spiritual family like the Apostle Paul who frequently went out preaching to people who had never heard about God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost and God's desire for an eternal relationship with believers.
Believers seek relationships with new people and to make strangers friends. 1 Peter 4:9 Amplified Bible says, "Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ’s body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him)."
Some spouses and singles suck the life out of their relationships and fail to seek new relationships by trying to be and demanding that one person be the all-in-all to him or her for much of the 1,440 minutes in a day. God created us to need multiple friendships and relationships in varying degrees of intimacy. Chantal Sicile-Kira categorizes relationships in her article, "The Transition To Adulthood: Planning Ahead," for the magazine, Autism File, that is applicable to all people. She describes four circles of relationships:
1) The Circle of Intimacy includes those with whom we share our secrets, dreams and values. These are our best friends and are usually family members, but can and should also include others. We know and share a lot about what is going on in each others lives, our thoughts and feelings. We feel safe enough in these relationships to support each other spiritually and emotionally. Jesus encouraged intimate relationships beyond biology. Mark 3:33-35 New Living Translation Bible says, "Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
2) The Circle of Friendship includes friends or relatives whom we see for occasional social activities, such as for a movie or to eat a meal, but who are not our closest friends. The Bible records that Epaphras and Paul shared some time in jail and time spreading the Gospel, but not with the intensity and intimacy of the relationship between Timothy and Paul.
3) The Circle of Participation includes people who we participate with in our life, such as on the job, business or ministry, our place of worship, schools, sports teams, social clubs and other organizations. This circle contains people who may eventually be in the Circle of Friendship or even the Circle of Intimacy. We can socialize with members of our church, other churches and other groups. Luke 9:49-50 New Living Translation Bible says, "John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.” But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”"
4) The Circle of Exchange includes people who are paid to be in our lives, such as medical professionals, counselors, governmental employees, sales associates, etc. These people can also be cultivated to move into the Circle of Participation, Circle of Friendship and even the Circle of Intimacy. Everyone is a potential friend. Matthew 28:18-20 the Message Bible says, "Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.""
The circles of exchange and participation are casual relationships. The circle of friendship are comfortable relationships with people who are not involved in the intimate details of our lives. The circle of intimacy contains our confidants.
All of us need to receive a relationship with God for eternal life and security that God offers to us for free. John 17:3 Amplified Bible says, "And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent."
We also need human friends. Jesus says in John 13:34-35 New Living Translation Bible, "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." Bishop Noel Jones and T.D. Jakes are believers in God and best friends. Jones is single. Jakes is married. They both also have other friends and children. The Holy Ghost living on the inside gives us the self-control to overcome the pride, insecurity and self-centeredness that demands excessive attention from someone and hinders us from expanding our relationships with God and people in the circles of exchange, participation, friendship and intimacy.
What are some ways you practice friendliness?
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Sick and Strong
The prophet Elisha, who had a double portion of the prophet's Elijah's anointing, became sick as recorded in 2 Kings 13. Earlier in his life Elisha had laid on a dead boy, and God used Elisha to return life to the boy. But this time Elisha couldn't lay hands on himself and be healed of his sickness. Why? Autism, cerebral palsy, diabetes, clinical depression and other disabilities and sicknesses are a part of the will of God. God heals us from some disabilities and sicknesses, but not all of them because God loves us.
Joni Eareckson Tada is paralyzed from the neck down, married and in full-time Christian ministry. She and Steve Estes write in their book When God Weeps: Why Our Suffering Matters to the Almighty, "God uses affliction like a hammer and chisel, chipping and cutting to reveal his image in you. . . . God uses suffering to purge sin from our lives, strengthen our commitment to him, force us to depend on grace, bind us together with other believers, produce discernment, foster sensitivity, discipline our minds, spend our time wisely, stretch our hope, cause us to know Christ better, make us long for truth, lead us to repentance of sin, teach us to give thanks in times of sorrow, increase faith, and strengthen character. It is a beautiful image!"
Elisha is a beautiful image. Elisha lived consistently in a golden state of mind, in the mind of the Messiah which is the mind of God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost. Even when be became sick Elisha was strong; He didn't hide himself and give up his ministry just because he had a big problem. Elisha didn't segregate himself into a special, separate ministry for the sick and disabled that was rarely included, involved and integrated with the larger society. Elisha interacted with all kinds of people. Elisha used his time wisely to know and to do what God asked him to; he was not shaken and swayed by popular opinion. Elisha prophesied to Jehoash king of Israel a victory over the Syrians. Instead of self-hatred, self-pity, shame and guilt about his sickness Elisha trusted in His God. Sickness did not spoil his relationships with God, himself or other people.
Elisha was so close and committed to God that even after he died of his sickness 2 Kings 13:21 says, "As a man was being buried [on an open bier], such a band was seen coming; and the man was cast into Elisha’s grave. And when the man being let down touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet."
Instead of focusing on our imperfections and inadequacies focus on the will of God and His ability to make a way at all times. Seek to leave a legacy beyond this life. Elisha did. Ephesians 5:17 Amplified Bible says, "Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is." No time is a good time to wonder around aimlessly a bit blank regarding God's will for you.
Los creyentes son el ojo derecho de Dios (Believers are the right eye (the apple) of God's eye). Since God thinks the highest of us, loves us passionately and fills us with His wonderful love, we have what it takes to allow the love of God to pour out profusely perfecting us into people able to please God. Christian rapper Lecrae sings in his song "Don't Waste Your Life," "Magnify the Father." We cannot magnify the Father unless the Father lives in us. If you have the Father, you have the Son and Spirit. Like the Spirit lived in Joshua (Numbers 27:18), He also lived in Elisha empowering Elisha to magnify the Father right though sickness and death. Instead of wasting his life, Elisha has an eternal witness for God, and you can too.
What are some ways to avoid wasting your life living outside the will of God irregardless of the disabilities and abilities you possesses?
Joni Eareckson Tada is paralyzed from the neck down, married and in full-time Christian ministry. She and Steve Estes write in their book When God Weeps: Why Our Suffering Matters to the Almighty, "God uses affliction like a hammer and chisel, chipping and cutting to reveal his image in you. . . . God uses suffering to purge sin from our lives, strengthen our commitment to him, force us to depend on grace, bind us together with other believers, produce discernment, foster sensitivity, discipline our minds, spend our time wisely, stretch our hope, cause us to know Christ better, make us long for truth, lead us to repentance of sin, teach us to give thanks in times of sorrow, increase faith, and strengthen character. It is a beautiful image!"
Elisha is a beautiful image. Elisha lived consistently in a golden state of mind, in the mind of the Messiah which is the mind of God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost. Even when be became sick Elisha was strong; He didn't hide himself and give up his ministry just because he had a big problem. Elisha didn't segregate himself into a special, separate ministry for the sick and disabled that was rarely included, involved and integrated with the larger society. Elisha interacted with all kinds of people. Elisha used his time wisely to know and to do what God asked him to; he was not shaken and swayed by popular opinion. Elisha prophesied to Jehoash king of Israel a victory over the Syrians. Instead of self-hatred, self-pity, shame and guilt about his sickness Elisha trusted in His God. Sickness did not spoil his relationships with God, himself or other people.
Elisha was so close and committed to God that even after he died of his sickness 2 Kings 13:21 says, "As a man was being buried [on an open bier], such a band was seen coming; and the man was cast into Elisha’s grave. And when the man being let down touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet."
Instead of focusing on our imperfections and inadequacies focus on the will of God and His ability to make a way at all times. Seek to leave a legacy beyond this life. Elisha did. Ephesians 5:17 Amplified Bible says, "Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is." No time is a good time to wonder around aimlessly a bit blank regarding God's will for you.
Los creyentes son el ojo derecho de Dios (Believers are the right eye (the apple) of God's eye). Since God thinks the highest of us, loves us passionately and fills us with His wonderful love, we have what it takes to allow the love of God to pour out profusely perfecting us into people able to please God. Christian rapper Lecrae sings in his song "Don't Waste Your Life," "Magnify the Father." We cannot magnify the Father unless the Father lives in us. If you have the Father, you have the Son and Spirit. Like the Spirit lived in Joshua (Numbers 27:18), He also lived in Elisha empowering Elisha to magnify the Father right though sickness and death. Instead of wasting his life, Elisha has an eternal witness for God, and you can too.
What are some ways to avoid wasting your life living outside the will of God irregardless of the disabilities and abilities you possesses?
Monday, October 22, 2012
Fearless Sex
God designed spousal lovemaking to be un-self-conscious, unintimidated, fun and an essential part of forming a strong marital bond. Yet fearful sex is a big problem today among Christians and non-Christians despite the counsel of 2 Timothy 1:7 Amplified Bible: "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control."
In Song of Solomon neither Solomon nor his Shulammite wife express a fear of marital lovemaking. They do not express a fear of dry vaginas, limp penises, premature ejaculation, the possibility of a bad or disappointing sexual experience, body inadequacy, looking bad, comparisons to other sexual experiences or new sexual experiences. Solomon's and his wife's conversation about fruit and gardens is abrir la puerta (opening the door) to the idea that marital lovemaking is making delicious. They have stripped off all of the reproach of Egypt (slavery to sin) an upbringing that taught sex is nasty and shameful.
Fear focuses us in on our self and our limits instead of focusing on giving a joyful experience to our lover. Believers are givers.
Fear focuses in on a negative and irrational mindset. Being naked and close with someone is a very vulnerable position easily squashed by a lover who points out areas of our body where we need to lose weight or describes them in unflattering ways. Confidence is encouraged by a lover who expresses craving instead of cringing to taste, touch, look, smell and hear a favorable response to making delicious. Instead of worrying about the size of your behind for downward rear entry why not think my husband is getting a glorious view of curves as he enters your vaginal portal to paradise? Many men prefer buttocks over breasts, and many women are not concerned with the size of their lover's penis. God made our bodies fearfully and wonderfully. Think of sex sweat as the dew of love and arousal scents as the aroma of love. Neither Solomon nor his wife criticize their own body or their spouse's body. Solomon says to his wife in Song of Solomon 4:7 New Living Translation Bible, "You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way." The wife says to Solomon in Song of Solomon 1:16 New Living Translation Bible, "You are so handsome, my love, pleasing beyond words! . . ." What words could you use to specifically describe your spouse's spectacular body?
Fast sex can be hot, but sometimes it's fear and a lack of self-control. Slowing down and savoring the experience is often better particularly for wives. No sense of rushing exists in Song of Solomon. These lovers seem to have all the time in the world to please each other.
Spouses, enjoy the whole experience of lovemaking in its many varieties of expression. No matter how much friction an orgasm doesn't always result from marital making delicious, and this can be wonderful too. Sex is more than an orgasm. Solomon says to his wife in Song of Solomon 4:11 New Living Translation Bible, "Your lips are as sweet as nectar, my bride. Honey and milk are under your tongue. . ." His wife says in Song of Solomon 2:3 New Living Translation Bible, "Like the finest apple tree in the orchard is my lover among other young men. I sit in his delightful shade and taste his delicious fruit."
If you are having partner sex and not married, being afraid is logical because you are sharing the most intimate part of you with someone who isn't committed to you. Singles, celebrate your body with God your Ishi (Husband).
What other fears threaten holy lovemaking?
In Song of Solomon neither Solomon nor his Shulammite wife express a fear of marital lovemaking. They do not express a fear of dry vaginas, limp penises, premature ejaculation, the possibility of a bad or disappointing sexual experience, body inadequacy, looking bad, comparisons to other sexual experiences or new sexual experiences. Solomon's and his wife's conversation about fruit and gardens is abrir la puerta (opening the door) to the idea that marital lovemaking is making delicious. They have stripped off all of the reproach of Egypt (slavery to sin) an upbringing that taught sex is nasty and shameful.
Fear focuses us in on our self and our limits instead of focusing on giving a joyful experience to our lover. Believers are givers.
Fear focuses in on a negative and irrational mindset. Being naked and close with someone is a very vulnerable position easily squashed by a lover who points out areas of our body where we need to lose weight or describes them in unflattering ways. Confidence is encouraged by a lover who expresses craving instead of cringing to taste, touch, look, smell and hear a favorable response to making delicious. Instead of worrying about the size of your behind for downward rear entry why not think my husband is getting a glorious view of curves as he enters your vaginal portal to paradise? Many men prefer buttocks over breasts, and many women are not concerned with the size of their lover's penis. God made our bodies fearfully and wonderfully. Think of sex sweat as the dew of love and arousal scents as the aroma of love. Neither Solomon nor his wife criticize their own body or their spouse's body. Solomon says to his wife in Song of Solomon 4:7 New Living Translation Bible, "You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way." The wife says to Solomon in Song of Solomon 1:16 New Living Translation Bible, "You are so handsome, my love, pleasing beyond words! . . ." What words could you use to specifically describe your spouse's spectacular body?
Fast sex can be hot, but sometimes it's fear and a lack of self-control. Slowing down and savoring the experience is often better particularly for wives. No sense of rushing exists in Song of Solomon. These lovers seem to have all the time in the world to please each other.
Spouses, enjoy the whole experience of lovemaking in its many varieties of expression. No matter how much friction an orgasm doesn't always result from marital making delicious, and this can be wonderful too. Sex is more than an orgasm. Solomon says to his wife in Song of Solomon 4:11 New Living Translation Bible, "Your lips are as sweet as nectar, my bride. Honey and milk are under your tongue. . ." His wife says in Song of Solomon 2:3 New Living Translation Bible, "Like the finest apple tree in the orchard is my lover among other young men. I sit in his delightful shade and taste his delicious fruit."
If you are having partner sex and not married, being afraid is logical because you are sharing the most intimate part of you with someone who isn't committed to you. Singles, celebrate your body with God your Ishi (Husband).
What other fears threaten holy lovemaking?
Sunday, October 21, 2012
The Love of Her Life
When you are in love you have to talk about your loved one (if you can talk) and communicate in multiple ways with him or her frequently. Luke 2:38 Amplified Bible says, "And she too came up at that same hour, and she returned thanks to God and talked of [Jesus] to all who were looking for the redemption (deliverance) of Jerusalem."
The prophetess Ann was ecstatic about God. She was a widow for 84 years, and night and day she spent her time in the temple communicating with God. She couldn't get enough of Him.
God likes passionate lovers. He wants us to seek Him out with abundant energy, perpetually excited to find out every possible detail about Him. Ephesians 5:10 Amplified Bible says, "And try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him]."
Working in a church building full-time is not necessarily indicative of a red-hot love affair with God. God wants fiery, sizzling love with all believers. How could we not be turned on by Him, the one who is three in one (God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit)? And if that weren't enough to explore Revelation 1:4 Amplified Bible says, "John to the seven assemblies (churches) that are in Asia: May grace (God’s unmerited favor) be granted to you and spiritual peace (the peace of Christ’s kingdom) from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits [the sevenfold Holy Spirit] before His throne."
Praying and fasting can be intimate. While God knows everything about us He still wants us to voluntarily share ourselves with Him. We don't have to hide anything from God. How freeing and fantastic to be in a relationship with someone who totally understands us and is more for us than we are for our self. How reassuring that there is someone who will never reject us and that finds us so wonderful that He is always willing to communicate with us and about us with the Godhead. God has to talk about us! We need never think that we are alone, alienated and abandoned. God abounds with affection for believers and an ability to keep us in eternal, loving relationship with Him.
What are some of your favorite experiences with God in prayer and fasting?
The prophetess Ann was ecstatic about God. She was a widow for 84 years, and night and day she spent her time in the temple communicating with God. She couldn't get enough of Him.
God likes passionate lovers. He wants us to seek Him out with abundant energy, perpetually excited to find out every possible detail about Him. Ephesians 5:10 Amplified Bible says, "And try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him]."
Working in a church building full-time is not necessarily indicative of a red-hot love affair with God. God wants fiery, sizzling love with all believers. How could we not be turned on by Him, the one who is three in one (God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Spirit)? And if that weren't enough to explore Revelation 1:4 Amplified Bible says, "John to the seven assemblies (churches) that are in Asia: May grace (God’s unmerited favor) be granted to you and spiritual peace (the peace of Christ’s kingdom) from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits [the sevenfold Holy Spirit] before His throne."
Praying and fasting can be intimate. While God knows everything about us He still wants us to voluntarily share ourselves with Him. We don't have to hide anything from God. How freeing and fantastic to be in a relationship with someone who totally understands us and is more for us than we are for our self. How reassuring that there is someone who will never reject us and that finds us so wonderful that He is always willing to communicate with us and about us with the Godhead. God has to talk about us! We need never think that we are alone, alienated and abandoned. God abounds with affection for believers and an ability to keep us in eternal, loving relationship with Him.
What are some of your favorite experiences with God in prayer and fasting?
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Goodness Comes Back to Us
Mordecai discovered a plot to kill King Ahasuerus/Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia (Esther 2). He informed Queen Esther (who was his uncle's daughter), who informed King Ahasuerus, and the would-be assassins, Bigthana and Teresh, were brought to justice and hanged.
Then Mordecai's good deed was forgotten, but not forever.
Meanwhile Mordecai kept on doing good. He also didn't swell up with a superior-than-others attitude or shrink into self-pity because he was not receiving the recognition due him.
God is just. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Timothy 5:25 Amplified Bible, "So also, good deeds are evident and conspicuous, and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden [indefinitely]." Mordecai's good deed had been written down in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia. One night King Ahasuerus couldn't sleep (Esther 6). So he got up and read the book and was reminded about Mordecai's good deed. Later he honored Mordecai.
Mordecai was a man of God. "When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Proverbs 16:7 Amplified Bible).
King Ahaserus made Mordecai's enemy, Haman, to honor Mordecai for reporting the king's would-be assassins to the authorities in the splashy way that Haman thought he should be honored.
Maybe you are putting more effort into a relationship than you are receiving? Don't worry if you are doing good, but honor doesn't seem to be coming to you. Mordecai protected his king, his queen, his nation and his family through the reporting of the would-be assassins of the king and other good deeds. God knew how to please and honor Mordecai in the perfect timing and way for Mordecai's good deeds. Mordecai also became manager of Haman's estate and a leading ruler of the empire. Likewise in God's perfect timing and way He knows how to please and to honor you.
Please share an on-line comment about a good deed that was honored.
Then Mordecai's good deed was forgotten, but not forever.
Meanwhile Mordecai kept on doing good. He also didn't swell up with a superior-than-others attitude or shrink into self-pity because he was not receiving the recognition due him.
God is just. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Timothy 5:25 Amplified Bible, "So also, good deeds are evident and conspicuous, and even when they are not, they cannot remain hidden [indefinitely]." Mordecai's good deed had been written down in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia. One night King Ahasuerus couldn't sleep (Esther 6). So he got up and read the book and was reminded about Mordecai's good deed. Later he honored Mordecai.
Mordecai was a man of God. "When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Proverbs 16:7 Amplified Bible).
King Ahaserus made Mordecai's enemy, Haman, to honor Mordecai for reporting the king's would-be assassins to the authorities in the splashy way that Haman thought he should be honored.
Maybe you are putting more effort into a relationship than you are receiving? Don't worry if you are doing good, but honor doesn't seem to be coming to you. Mordecai protected his king, his queen, his nation and his family through the reporting of the would-be assassins of the king and other good deeds. God knew how to please and honor Mordecai in the perfect timing and way for Mordecai's good deeds. Mordecai also became manager of Haman's estate and a leading ruler of the empire. Likewise in God's perfect timing and way He knows how to please and to honor you.
Please share an on-line comment about a good deed that was honored.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Novel Sex
Trying new things can be good. Solomon's Shulammite wife strove to try new types of lovemaking with Solomon. Together they enjoyed the old ways of mating while embracing the new. Novelty can be exciting, edifying and creative.
Our God is the Creator. He created sex and sexuality. We are made in God's image. We are also creators.
Some novelty is destructive; more than one million Americans went to a swingers club in 2011. Instead of swapping sex partners creative marital monogamy involves consistently growing in ways to make a spouse's life better. Figuring out new ways to bring sexual pleasure and other pleasure to a spouse is a ministry, a responsibility and a loving, beautiful joy.
Solomon's wife enjoyed getting naked in nature with Solomon. She says to Solomon in Song of Solomon 7:11-12 New Living Translation Bible, "Come, my love, let us go out to the fields and spend the night among the wildflowers. Let us get up early and go to the vineyards to see if the grapevines have budded, if the blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love. There the mandrakes give off their fragrance, and the finest fruits are at our door, new delights as well as old, which I have saved for you, my lover." God built our beautiful bodies for love. Spouses, have fun customizing the missionary and downward rear entry. Strip off the "No es posible" attitude and the bad body image. Experiment with many of the hundreds of sexual positions.
Of course tender and talented marital lovemaking includes more than a husband going into his wife or a wife mounting her husband. Solomon and his wife enjoyed each others full body. Intimacy is:
Intentional,
Nurturing,
Talking,
Integration,
Mating,
Adoration,
Compassion,
Yearning.
While God designed partner sex for married couples only, God designed both spouses and singles to celebrate their sexuality. Inner beauty is holy, and so is looking good on the outside. Solomon says to his loved one in Song of Solomon 1:10 New Living Translation Bible, "How lovely are your cheeks; your earrings set them afire! How lovely is your neck, enhanced by a string of jewels."
What are some novel, Biblical, beautiful ways to express sex and sexuality?
Our God is the Creator. He created sex and sexuality. We are made in God's image. We are also creators.
Some novelty is destructive; more than one million Americans went to a swingers club in 2011. Instead of swapping sex partners creative marital monogamy involves consistently growing in ways to make a spouse's life better. Figuring out new ways to bring sexual pleasure and other pleasure to a spouse is a ministry, a responsibility and a loving, beautiful joy.
Solomon's wife enjoyed getting naked in nature with Solomon. She says to Solomon in Song of Solomon 7:11-12 New Living Translation Bible, "Come, my love, let us go out to the fields and spend the night among the wildflowers. Let us get up early and go to the vineyards to see if the grapevines have budded, if the blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love. There the mandrakes give off their fragrance, and the finest fruits are at our door, new delights as well as old, which I have saved for you, my lover." God built our beautiful bodies for love. Spouses, have fun customizing the missionary and downward rear entry. Strip off the "No es posible" attitude and the bad body image. Experiment with many of the hundreds of sexual positions.
Of course tender and talented marital lovemaking includes more than a husband going into his wife or a wife mounting her husband. Solomon and his wife enjoyed each others full body. Intimacy is:
Intentional,
Nurturing,
Talking,
Integration,
Mating,
Adoration,
Compassion,
Yearning.
While God designed partner sex for married couples only, God designed both spouses and singles to celebrate their sexuality. Inner beauty is holy, and so is looking good on the outside. Solomon says to his loved one in Song of Solomon 1:10 New Living Translation Bible, "How lovely are your cheeks; your earrings set them afire! How lovely is your neck, enhanced by a string of jewels."
What are some novel, Biblical, beautiful ways to express sex and sexuality?
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Discrimination
Zelophehad died without fathering any sons (Numbers 27). His inheritance was about to pass out of his family, but Tirzah, Milcah, Hoglah, Noah and Mahlah spoke up and said to Moses, Eleazar, other Israelite leaders and other people that's not right; our father's inheritance belongs to us. These daughters loved themselves and their family and friends by recognizing they needed to secure a place and provision of their own to nurture themselves, their families and friends.
Moses went to God to see if the Zelophehad daughters were being discriminated against and were due justice. God said yes; it's not right to let others have Zelophehad's inheritance because his offspring are females.
Our God often does things big. God didn't only correct this case of sexual discrimination. God also granted justice and protection to multiple members of families by saying in Numbers 27:8-11 New Living Translation Bible, "And give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If a man dies and has no son, then give his inheritance to his daughters. And if he has no daughter either, transfer his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. But if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan. This is a legal requirement for the people of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses." That made it impossible for a family to lose its inheritance.
Later on God manifested His plan of making it impossible for all believers to lose their spiritual inheritance. God made believers joint heirs with God the Son Jesus Christ for eternity. Pilate showed Barabbas partiality, and Jesus died. God didn't keep quiet about the wrong. Jesus Christ got up from the dead in three days granting forgiveness of sins and an eternal relationship with believers.
Speaking up is critical to improving relationships and living. Don't keep quiet about discrimination. Speak up. Proverbs 18:21 Amplified Bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]."
Please share an on-line comment about speaking out against discrimination.
Moses went to God to see if the Zelophehad daughters were being discriminated against and were due justice. God said yes; it's not right to let others have Zelophehad's inheritance because his offspring are females.
Our God often does things big. God didn't only correct this case of sexual discrimination. God also granted justice and protection to multiple members of families by saying in Numbers 27:8-11 New Living Translation Bible, "And give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If a man dies and has no son, then give his inheritance to his daughters. And if he has no daughter either, transfer his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. But if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan. This is a legal requirement for the people of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses." That made it impossible for a family to lose its inheritance.
Later on God manifested His plan of making it impossible for all believers to lose their spiritual inheritance. God made believers joint heirs with God the Son Jesus Christ for eternity. Pilate showed Barabbas partiality, and Jesus died. God didn't keep quiet about the wrong. Jesus Christ got up from the dead in three days granting forgiveness of sins and an eternal relationship with believers.
Speaking up is critical to improving relationships and living. Don't keep quiet about discrimination. Speak up. Proverbs 18:21 Amplified Bible says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]."
Please share an on-line comment about speaking out against discrimination.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Friends See Things We Don't
Moses was a great leader for God. God selected Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery to the mighty Egyptian nation and into the wilderness to worship the Lord. Yet even great leaders are not perfect leaders.
We all need friends who have a relationship with God. God reveals, and friends see things that we don't that help us and others to experience better relationships and living. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law and friend, saw that Moses needed to assign some of his work to others, and he advised Moses to do so (Exodus 18).
Moses accepted the advice, and a whole nation experienced better relationships as a consequence. Leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens and the people of Israel lived more like what pleases God because many leaders used the talents God gave them to help people to hear the Word of God, to enter and to grow in relationship with God, to apply the Word of God to their lives and to resolve more disputes than what could be solved by one person thus encouraging more harmonious and intimate relationships with God and people.
What godly revelation has a friend seen in your life that improved a relationship?
We all need friends who have a relationship with God. God reveals, and friends see things that we don't that help us and others to experience better relationships and living. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law and friend, saw that Moses needed to assign some of his work to others, and he advised Moses to do so (Exodus 18).
Moses accepted the advice, and a whole nation experienced better relationships as a consequence. Leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens and the people of Israel lived more like what pleases God because many leaders used the talents God gave them to help people to hear the Word of God, to enter and to grow in relationship with God, to apply the Word of God to their lives and to resolve more disputes than what could be solved by one person thus encouraging more harmonious and intimate relationships with God and people.
What godly revelation has a friend seen in your life that improved a relationship?
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Protect, Nurture, Respect
Love protects, nurtures and respects. Onan could have protected, nurtured and respected himself, Tamar, Judah, Shelah and other family and friends by saying no to marrying Tamar (Genesis 38). Onan didn't love Tamar, and his lack of love was revealed.
Onan's older brother, Er, was first married to Tamar, but Er died without having a child with Tamar. Judah, Onan's father, asked Onan to marry Tamar. Onan said yes to marrying Tamar while his heart said no. After the marriage began Onan refused to become a good husband. Onan denied Tamar satisfying sex, children, love and respect. He was not her best friend and advocate, tender cultivator of creative and compassionate ways to make her life the best life possible. There was a lack of wonder at being married and free to kiss places previously hidden, a lack of yearning to taste and touch Tamar, a lack of excitement to enter her mound of wheat bordered by lilies holding the promise of a portal to paradise. With Onan martial sex was perfunctory instead of pleasing. Genesis 38:9 New Living Translation Bible says, "But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with his brother's wife, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child who would belong to his brother."
Tamar had sex appeal; later Onan's father, Judah, went into her. Onan didn't appreciate Tamar's sexuality because Onan was sexually sinning.
Since Onan decided to say yes to marrying Tamar instead of no he had an obligation to respect her, to love her, to become a good husband to her. Whatever it took to change his heart, to get over Tamar having been his older brother's wife, Onan needed to work with God, and do it. The disgust and hatred he showed Tamar displeased God. God likes joyful, loving, sexually beautiful marriages.
Also God had a bigger plan for Onan's and Tamar's marriage than their personal happiness. The Christ's natural descent was to come through the offspring of Judah of which Onan was one. So Onan's sex practices were getting in God's way. Since Onan refused to change God put Onan out of the way. Tamar became a widow again. Judah lost another son. Shelah lost another brother. Family and friends lost a loved one.
What else could Onan have done toward a good destiny?
Onan's older brother, Er, was first married to Tamar, but Er died without having a child with Tamar. Judah, Onan's father, asked Onan to marry Tamar. Onan said yes to marrying Tamar while his heart said no. After the marriage began Onan refused to become a good husband. Onan denied Tamar satisfying sex, children, love and respect. He was not her best friend and advocate, tender cultivator of creative and compassionate ways to make her life the best life possible. There was a lack of wonder at being married and free to kiss places previously hidden, a lack of yearning to taste and touch Tamar, a lack of excitement to enter her mound of wheat bordered by lilies holding the promise of a portal to paradise. With Onan martial sex was perfunctory instead of pleasing. Genesis 38:9 New Living Translation Bible says, "But Onan was not willing to have a child who would not be his own heir. So whenever he had intercourse with his brother's wife, he spilled the semen on the ground. This prevented her from having a child who would belong to his brother."
Tamar had sex appeal; later Onan's father, Judah, went into her. Onan didn't appreciate Tamar's sexuality because Onan was sexually sinning.
Since Onan decided to say yes to marrying Tamar instead of no he had an obligation to respect her, to love her, to become a good husband to her. Whatever it took to change his heart, to get over Tamar having been his older brother's wife, Onan needed to work with God, and do it. The disgust and hatred he showed Tamar displeased God. God likes joyful, loving, sexually beautiful marriages.
Also God had a bigger plan for Onan's and Tamar's marriage than their personal happiness. The Christ's natural descent was to come through the offspring of Judah of which Onan was one. So Onan's sex practices were getting in God's way. Since Onan refused to change God put Onan out of the way. Tamar became a widow again. Judah lost another son. Shelah lost another brother. Family and friends lost a loved one.
What else could Onan have done toward a good destiny?
Monday, October 15, 2012
Beneficial Connections
Sometimes we may lack something we need and wonder if God really cares about us.
God could have sent the prophet Elijah to anyone in the world, but the Bible book 1 Kings chapter 17 records that God chose to send Elijah to a widow and her son in Zarephath, Sidon, who were in danger of starvation only having enough food for one meal. The widow and her son were not the only ones in Zarephath who needed help. Why did God choose this family?
God sends right people at the right time to the right place to bring about good through those who trust Him. When Elijah showed up, the widow and her son received him. Receiving God's prophets and other leaders is beneficial; it's receiving God who is goodness. God changed the widow's and her son's last meal into a continual source of food.
Do you need a beneficial connection? Talk to God. He is willing and able to provide. He cares about us and everything that concerns us. No detail anywhere escapes His attention. Then tell us about it on-line to strengthen, encourage and comfort people.
God could have sent the prophet Elijah to anyone in the world, but the Bible book 1 Kings chapter 17 records that God chose to send Elijah to a widow and her son in Zarephath, Sidon, who were in danger of starvation only having enough food for one meal. The widow and her son were not the only ones in Zarephath who needed help. Why did God choose this family?
God sends right people at the right time to the right place to bring about good through those who trust Him. When Elijah showed up, the widow and her son received him. Receiving God's prophets and other leaders is beneficial; it's receiving God who is goodness. God changed the widow's and her son's last meal into a continual source of food.
Do you need a beneficial connection? Talk to God. He is willing and able to provide. He cares about us and everything that concerns us. No detail anywhere escapes His attention. Then tell us about it on-line to strengthen, encourage and comfort people.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Bad and Beloved
Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. How sexually impure! Yet God also named him Jedidiah (Beloved of the Lord/2 Samuel 12:25). God knew Solomon's total person and everything he would ever do in his life before he did it, and yet He still named him Beloved of the Lord.
God sees the best in believers. He doesn't want us to get entangled in sexual sin or any other sin, but sin cannot erase His high opinion of us, His passionate love for us.
God is Holy. Whatever comes to your mind when you hear the word "holy" with God it is not harshness, coldness or ugliness. God is immeasurably, totally, ecstatically in love with His people. He doesn't want us to begin or to try to maintain our relationship with Him by attempting to follow a bunch of rules in our own strength. God wants us to continuously receive Him in love, and let His love flow in us motivating and empowering us to behave in ways that please Him. We do things for people we love that we would never do for anyone else.
Loving God is a consuming relationship. The Apostle Paul found his relationship with God so consuming, that he chose not to marry and to recommend singleness for others. Yet he also said that marriage is good and spouses should love each other intensely. It's difficult to love God and to love a spouse properly and passionately, but it can be done with God's leading if He has designed us for marriage.
One spouse is more than enough. Only so many hours in a day exist to cherish a spouse and fulfill all our responsibilities. Solomon attempted marital relations with 1,000 women! Some spouses may not have even received so much as a hello daily, weekly or even for longer stretches of time. This is not the intimacy of marriage that is described in Ephesians 5:33 Amplified Bible which says, "However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]."
God wants the best for us as singles or married people. He has a certain way of meeting our needs and many of our wants in relationships. Practice meditating on the love of God. Enjoy your relationship with God. Real love comes with real satisfaction in Him and others. Solomon is beloved of the Lord as are are all His people. In what ways are you beloved of God?
God sees the best in believers. He doesn't want us to get entangled in sexual sin or any other sin, but sin cannot erase His high opinion of us, His passionate love for us.
God is Holy. Whatever comes to your mind when you hear the word "holy" with God it is not harshness, coldness or ugliness. God is immeasurably, totally, ecstatically in love with His people. He doesn't want us to begin or to try to maintain our relationship with Him by attempting to follow a bunch of rules in our own strength. God wants us to continuously receive Him in love, and let His love flow in us motivating and empowering us to behave in ways that please Him. We do things for people we love that we would never do for anyone else.
Loving God is a consuming relationship. The Apostle Paul found his relationship with God so consuming, that he chose not to marry and to recommend singleness for others. Yet he also said that marriage is good and spouses should love each other intensely. It's difficult to love God and to love a spouse properly and passionately, but it can be done with God's leading if He has designed us for marriage.
One spouse is more than enough. Only so many hours in a day exist to cherish a spouse and fulfill all our responsibilities. Solomon attempted marital relations with 1,000 women! Some spouses may not have even received so much as a hello daily, weekly or even for longer stretches of time. This is not the intimacy of marriage that is described in Ephesians 5:33 Amplified Bible which says, "However, let each man of you [without exception] love his wife as [being in a sense] his very own self; and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]."
God wants the best for us as singles or married people. He has a certain way of meeting our needs and many of our wants in relationships. Practice meditating on the love of God. Enjoy your relationship with God. Real love comes with real satisfaction in Him and others. Solomon is beloved of the Lord as are are all His people. In what ways are you beloved of God?
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Sleeping With the Enemy
Ephesians 5:17 Amplified Bible says, "Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is." God wants us to love Him, ourselves and others. God created sex and sexuality. What God creates is good, very good provided it's used according to His instructions.
When we are thoughtful, alert and sensitive to the leading of God the Holy Ghost we will carefully protect and cherish our whole person. When we are asleep spiritually we get into bed with the enemy. The Bible book of Judges records that Samson was a believer who was sexually confused, sleeping with the enemy. Here are four ways Samson was not thoughtful, alert and sensitive to God.
1. Companionship in the spirit:
God designed for both husband and wife to be believers with an equal relationship with God. Samson was having sex with Deliliah, but he was not married to her. Samson was a worshiper of the one and only true and living God. Delilah probably worshiped Dagon. Samson and Delilah had nothing in common spiritually. They could not have companionship and unity spiritually because the spiritual source upon which their lifestyle was based were in conflict and opposition.
2. Intellectual agreement:
Relationships help us fulfill our God-given purpose in life. Sexuality is designed to reproduce a legacy of life, of multiplication. Samson had a pattern of choosing sexual partners who betrayed him to his enemies. His relationships brought destruction instead of multiplication.
Believers value freedom. Delilah talked repeatedly about bondage.
Believers affirm each other consistently. Delilah attacked Samson relentlessly.
Believers seek to help self and others. Delilah sought money for herself at the expense of Samson.
Believers seek the truth. Delilah lied.
Believers practice love with true affection. Delilah practiced false compassion.
3. Emotional encouragement:
Joy and peace are experienced in good relationships. Samson experienced insults, harassment and other emotional torment in his relationship with Delilah.
4. Healthy physical bodies:
God designed sex inside of marriage to be pleasurable and good for us. While Samson experienced moments of pleasure the end result of sex with Delilah was that he had his strength stripped and his enemies were empowered to bore out his eyes and put him in bondage.
Sometimes we attract enemies because they are persecuting us for right living, but Samson attracted enemies because he was an enemy to himself living sexually according to the ways of evil. He was asleep to the sexual ways of God.
Believers have God on the inside to empower us to stay awake and live well. No time is a good time to be vague and sleepy about our relationship with God and His will for us. The evil enemy is always seeking to seduce you to sleep with him.
When we are thoughtful, alert and sensitive to the leading of God the Holy Ghost we will carefully protect and cherish our whole person. When we are asleep spiritually we get into bed with the enemy. The Bible book of Judges records that Samson was a believer who was sexually confused, sleeping with the enemy. Here are four ways Samson was not thoughtful, alert and sensitive to God.
1. Companionship in the spirit:
God designed for both husband and wife to be believers with an equal relationship with God. Samson was having sex with Deliliah, but he was not married to her. Samson was a worshiper of the one and only true and living God. Delilah probably worshiped Dagon. Samson and Delilah had nothing in common spiritually. They could not have companionship and unity spiritually because the spiritual source upon which their lifestyle was based were in conflict and opposition.
2. Intellectual agreement:
Relationships help us fulfill our God-given purpose in life. Sexuality is designed to reproduce a legacy of life, of multiplication. Samson had a pattern of choosing sexual partners who betrayed him to his enemies. His relationships brought destruction instead of multiplication.
Believers value freedom. Delilah talked repeatedly about bondage.
Believers affirm each other consistently. Delilah attacked Samson relentlessly.
Believers seek to help self and others. Delilah sought money for herself at the expense of Samson.
Believers seek the truth. Delilah lied.
Believers practice love with true affection. Delilah practiced false compassion.
3. Emotional encouragement:
Joy and peace are experienced in good relationships. Samson experienced insults, harassment and other emotional torment in his relationship with Delilah.
4. Healthy physical bodies:
God designed sex inside of marriage to be pleasurable and good for us. While Samson experienced moments of pleasure the end result of sex with Delilah was that he had his strength stripped and his enemies were empowered to bore out his eyes and put him in bondage.
Sometimes we attract enemies because they are persecuting us for right living, but Samson attracted enemies because he was an enemy to himself living sexually according to the ways of evil. He was asleep to the sexual ways of God.
Believers have God on the inside to empower us to stay awake and live well. No time is a good time to be vague and sleepy about our relationship with God and His will for us. The evil enemy is always seeking to seduce you to sleep with him.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Skillful Lover
Jesus doesn't just want authority over your spirit. He also wants authority over your intellect, emotions and physical body -- all of you. Not the authority of domination and subjugation but of love. He is the most skillful lover who desires to bring you to the climax of being the best you -- the you that is filled, overflowing with the love of God confident and capable fully male or female living in thriving relationships. When God's love is flowing in you like this a slice of Scripture in Ephesians chapter 3 the Message Bible says, "God can do anything, you know -- far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Relationship Foundation
God is one of a kind. He lives in harmonious relationship -- God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost. We are each one of a kind. Even twins do not have the same fingerprints. God designed believers to become more like Him and for harmonious relationships.
While believers will not experience becoming fully like God and living in harmony in all our relationships in this life, we will experience more of God's best when we are led by Him instead of being led by formulas, rituals and other means of applying the Bible to relationships and life.
God has always chosen to be in relationship with believers. Believers receive Him. God is the foundation from which we build relationships.
While believers will not experience becoming fully like God and living in harmony in all our relationships in this life, we will experience more of God's best when we are led by Him instead of being led by formulas, rituals and other means of applying the Bible to relationships and life.
God has always chosen to be in relationship with believers. Believers receive Him. God is the foundation from which we build relationships.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
God and Sexuality
Celebrate femininity and masculinity. Genesis 1:27 reveals that God made our sexuality to show something about Him. Sexuality is spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical. Whether we are single or married we have it at all times. Partner sex is for a husband and wife only. God gave us the Holy Spirit to empower believers to manage their sexuality and keep it within the boundaries of the love of God.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Helpful
We cannot do what God called us to do by ourselves. God seeks to be our best friend, and He designed for us to also have human friends. One of the things friends do is they help each other in a wide variety of ways. 2 Timothy 1:16-18 says that Onesiphorus was such a friend to the Apostle Paul helping him to get through an adverse time in his life. Delight in finding out what help your friends need and how you can help, then help.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Thankful
Cooperate with God to allow your heart to overflow with thanksgiving for the relationships in your life. Another person's relationships may seem better, but don't covet them. Happiness isn't found in coveting. Covetousness can take multiple forms. God loves us and says in Exodus 20:17 to stay away from covetousness.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Wonderful
Sometimes it feels so comfortable to lie in bed enfolded in sheets and blankets resting not too hot not too cold talking to God that we don't want to get up. But arising holds something wonderful too -- opportunities to share the love of God. God's love for us is so immense that it seeks to overflow out of believers to others. It even flows back to us from other believers. And it's eternal!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Dreams Come True
Joseph was 17 and a shepherd in Canaan when Genesis 37 records that God gave him dreams of ruling over his brothers and ruling over a large universe. When God spoke to Joseph, Joseph was not in a position to fulfill his dreams.
God often gives dreams that don't match our current reality. One of His desires is that we learn to put our ultimate trust in Him instead of our abilities or other peoples' abilities to fulfill dreams.
Through the changes of life trust God. Joseph did while going through a number of changes to go from shepherd in Canaan to governor of Egypt. Stay in communication and connection with God. God is for believers. Don't worry about Him. He always loves us. When God gives dreams, He is willing and able to make them come to pass.
God often gives dreams that don't match our current reality. One of His desires is that we learn to put our ultimate trust in Him instead of our abilities or other peoples' abilities to fulfill dreams.
Through the changes of life trust God. Joseph did while going through a number of changes to go from shepherd in Canaan to governor of Egypt. Stay in communication and connection with God. God is for believers. Don't worry about Him. He always loves us. When God gives dreams, He is willing and able to make them come to pass.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Got a Past?
Husband and wife Isaac and Rebekah moved to Gerar in Genesis 26. Isaac lied to the men of Gerar by saying that Rebekah was his sister. Isaac lied because he was afraid that Rebekah's beauty would inspire them to kill her husband, so that they could have sexual relations with her.
Everyone has done many things wrong. Lying is wrong, but God forgives and is willing to change us and bless us. Genesis 26 also records that Isaac went on to sow seed and harvest 100 times as much as he planted. Isaac became so rich that people envied him. God is our friend. He's a good friend. God is for believers every day. Stay in communication and connection with Him to get up from bad behavior/situations and move forward.
Don't let your past hold you back from present and future change and blessings. A Japanese proverb says, "Fall down seven times, get up eight times."
Everyone has done many things wrong. Lying is wrong, but God forgives and is willing to change us and bless us. Genesis 26 also records that Isaac went on to sow seed and harvest 100 times as much as he planted. Isaac became so rich that people envied him. God is our friend. He's a good friend. God is for believers every day. Stay in communication and connection with Him to get up from bad behavior/situations and move forward.
Don't let your past hold you back from present and future change and blessings. A Japanese proverb says, "Fall down seven times, get up eight times."
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Favor
Accept that everything is not ideal. We are not perfect yet, neither are the people we are in relationship with. Offer favor instead of faultfinding.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Rejoice
Believers have God the Holy Spirit living on the inside. Talk to God about thought patterns that are negative. Philippians 4:4 Amplified Bible counsels us, "Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!" While everyone will not like us, joyful people have better relationships.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Respect and Value
Romans 12:18 Amplified Bible says, "If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." One aspect of peace is to respect and value people. God created each person in His image whether rich or poor or possessing some other quality. Each person has value and is to be respected. Operating in value and respect will bring more value and respect into our lives.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Goodness
Sometimes it is difficult to discern what is good because of many trials and tribulations. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Amplified Bible says, "But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast."
Good is not always clear in relationships. When clarity does not exist pray and regularly read and study the Bible.
Good is not always clear in relationships. When clarity does not exist pray and regularly read and study the Bible.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Interconnection
Some have a disconnect from who they are on the outside with who they are on the inside. 1 Samuel 16 records that when the prophet and judge Samuel visited Jesse's house in Bethlehem, Israel, he met Jesse's firstborn son, Eliab.
Samuel thought he had met a king. God created kings to be noble speaking and behaving in the noble qualities of Galatians 5:23 New Living Translation Bible: "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"
Samuel was fooled by the external presentation of Eliab. Sometimes people fool others with their external presentation, but the truth always comes out.
People like Eliab often seek to mask the nobility lacking on the inside by attacking the truly noble. Eliab had a brother, David, who was a king inside and out. David spoke and acted like God would overcome the Philistines, who were enemies of God and His people, David was a part of God's plan to overcome the enemies, and God would provide David with benefits for his belief in God. Eliab did not. When David inquired into the benefits 1 Samuel 17:28 the Message Bible says, "Eliab, his older brother, heard David fraternizing with the men and lost his temper: "What are you doing here! Why aren't you minding your own business, tending that scrawny flock of sheep? I know what you're up to. You've come down here to see the sights, hoping for a ringside seat at a bloody battle!"
If you see yourself in Eliab, seek God's forgiveness and transformation. Married, single, Africans, Europeans, Asians, Hispanics, females, males, typical people, different people, all the multiple mixtures of these characteristics and other human characteristics, God is for whosoever will receive Him and His ways.
What ways have you noticed that a lack of interconnection between the inside and outside impacts relationships with God, self and others?
Samuel thought he had met a king. God created kings to be noble speaking and behaving in the noble qualities of Galatians 5:23 New Living Translation Bible: "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"
Samuel was fooled by the external presentation of Eliab. Sometimes people fool others with their external presentation, but the truth always comes out.
People like Eliab often seek to mask the nobility lacking on the inside by attacking the truly noble. Eliab had a brother, David, who was a king inside and out. David spoke and acted like God would overcome the Philistines, who were enemies of God and His people, David was a part of God's plan to overcome the enemies, and God would provide David with benefits for his belief in God. Eliab did not. When David inquired into the benefits 1 Samuel 17:28 the Message Bible says, "Eliab, his older brother, heard David fraternizing with the men and lost his temper: "What are you doing here! Why aren't you minding your own business, tending that scrawny flock of sheep? I know what you're up to. You've come down here to see the sights, hoping for a ringside seat at a bloody battle!"
If you see yourself in Eliab, seek God's forgiveness and transformation. Married, single, Africans, Europeans, Asians, Hispanics, females, males, typical people, different people, all the multiple mixtures of these characteristics and other human characteristics, God is for whosoever will receive Him and His ways.
What ways have you noticed that a lack of interconnection between the inside and outside impacts relationships with God, self and others?
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Hello, In What Way Can I Serve You?
I was thinking back to the concert An Evening of Elegance with Gospel singers Ernest Pugh, DeWayne Woods, Anita Wilson and Carolyn Traylor that Rafael and I enjoyed earlier this month. I was impressed that the more well known singers went out of their way to help promote the other singers by not selling their CDs at the concert while the others sold their CDs during an intermission in the concert.
How many relationships would be improved if we regularly went out of our way to help the other person? Whether we are in conflict or not, Philippians 4:4-5 New Living Translation Bible provides excellent advice in saying, "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon."
Ways of serving each other don't have to always be large. In addition to music Rafael and I love to laugh. Good humor can relive tension and make us feel closer to each other.
Let's share some laughter and discover other things that improve our relationships. Join Rafael's and Michele's relationship group Thursdays from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at 14336 Winewood Lane #11, Woodbridge, Virginia.
How many relationships would be improved if we regularly went out of our way to help the other person? Whether we are in conflict or not, Philippians 4:4-5 New Living Translation Bible provides excellent advice in saying, "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon."
Ways of serving each other don't have to always be large. In addition to music Rafael and I love to laugh. Good humor can relive tension and make us feel closer to each other.
Let's share some laughter and discover other things that improve our relationships. Join Rafael's and Michele's relationship group Thursdays from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at 14336 Winewood Lane #11, Woodbridge, Virginia.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Embracing New Ideas
No es posible. Sometimes we shoot down the ideas and ways of doing things of a spouse, family member, friend or associate because these challenge our beliefs and/or make us uncomfortable. For example some believers think that victory in Jesus Christ means that we will not have long-term problems, and that God cannot use us during the time we have long-term problems.
How challenging it must have been for some when Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry in Israel was healing people, driving out demons, teaching and preaching, yet He allowed John the Baptist, a man who had baptized Jesus and promoted His ministry, to be beheaded in prison. How challenging it must have been for some that 2 Corinthians 12 records that the apostle Paul prayed three times for a thorn (some type of problem maybe even a disability) to be removed from his life, yet God said no to removing the thorn and yes to continuing to use Paul in an apostolic ministry of healing other people, teaching and preaching.
Here are some current-day examples of times when our thoughts may be challenged. Our spouse may want to move to another state even though the family is well established in the current state of residence. Our spouse may want to try a new sexual experience. A friend wants to spend more time with us. Someone of a different political persuasion says they are a Christian. Planners comparing their personality and way of doing things to spontaneous people and vice versa. Some may have tried to stop the marriage of a person without arms and legs because how could he even have sex or take care of himself?
God is sovereign. God created us the way we are on purpose with a plan for our life. God's purpose and plan are good, very good even if it may not be what we or others expect. When people aren't doing what we expect, when their ways are challenging to us, stop efforts to immediately shoot down their ideas and ways of doing things. Instead believe the best of their intentions, pray and observe. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Amplified Bible says, "But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast." It is possible that we are wrong and have been wrong for a long time. African-American Jazz singer Diane Reeves sings in "Mista" from the CD In The Moment Live In Concert, "It ain't too late. No. It ain't too late. Never too late to change your mind because every day is a miracle. Yes. A chance to make it." Changing our mind (a part of repentance) is something that God gives us the responsibility to seek regularly. Humility and repentance work together. Humility is the ability to let go of the wrong, embrace new godly ideas even from unexpected sources without embracing a bad view of self or needing to always be number one.
Even if our spouse, friend, family member or associate has a new idea that cannot be embraced, seek a win-win solution to maintain respect, kindness and strengthen the relationship. Christian, American and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar says, "Many marriages would be better if the husband and the wife clearly understood that they are on the same side." Not only married people but all friends are supposed to understand that they are on the same side. God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost seek to develop individuals and relationships to be on His side. So do we! Join Rafael's and Michele's relationship group Thursdays from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at 14336 Winewood Lane #11, Woodbridge, Virginia.
How challenging it must have been for some when Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry in Israel was healing people, driving out demons, teaching and preaching, yet He allowed John the Baptist, a man who had baptized Jesus and promoted His ministry, to be beheaded in prison. How challenging it must have been for some that 2 Corinthians 12 records that the apostle Paul prayed three times for a thorn (some type of problem maybe even a disability) to be removed from his life, yet God said no to removing the thorn and yes to continuing to use Paul in an apostolic ministry of healing other people, teaching and preaching.
Here are some current-day examples of times when our thoughts may be challenged. Our spouse may want to move to another state even though the family is well established in the current state of residence. Our spouse may want to try a new sexual experience. A friend wants to spend more time with us. Someone of a different political persuasion says they are a Christian. Planners comparing their personality and way of doing things to spontaneous people and vice versa. Some may have tried to stop the marriage of a person without arms and legs because how could he even have sex or take care of himself?
God is sovereign. God created us the way we are on purpose with a plan for our life. God's purpose and plan are good, very good even if it may not be what we or others expect. When people aren't doing what we expect, when their ways are challenging to us, stop efforts to immediately shoot down their ideas and ways of doing things. Instead believe the best of their intentions, pray and observe. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Amplified Bible says, "But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast." It is possible that we are wrong and have been wrong for a long time. African-American Jazz singer Diane Reeves sings in "Mista" from the CD In The Moment Live In Concert, "It ain't too late. No. It ain't too late. Never too late to change your mind because every day is a miracle. Yes. A chance to make it." Changing our mind (a part of repentance) is something that God gives us the responsibility to seek regularly. Humility and repentance work together. Humility is the ability to let go of the wrong, embrace new godly ideas even from unexpected sources without embracing a bad view of self or needing to always be number one.
Even if our spouse, friend, family member or associate has a new idea that cannot be embraced, seek a win-win solution to maintain respect, kindness and strengthen the relationship. Christian, American and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar says, "Many marriages would be better if the husband and the wife clearly understood that they are on the same side." Not only married people but all friends are supposed to understand that they are on the same side. God the Father, God the Son Jesus Christ and God the Holy Ghost seek to develop individuals and relationships to be on His side. So do we! Join Rafael's and Michele's relationship group Thursdays from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at 14336 Winewood Lane #11, Woodbridge, Virginia.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Are Criticism and Contempt Causing A Relationship to Crumble?
"Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes," says Canadian/American comedian Jim Carey. Comedy seeks to find the funny in real-life problems.
John Gottman, Ph.D., a professor and researcher, and Julie Schwartz Gottman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, say in their audio book 10 Lessons to Transform Your Marriage that regularly rolling eyes at a spouse speaking can be an example of contempt, and contempt is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse that destroy marriages. They use the term "the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" to describe criticism, defensiveness, contempt and stonewalling.
The Gottmans also say that their research and professional experience reveals that happily married couples behave like good friends. God desires for both married people and single people to have good friendships. God the Son Jesus Christ says about all believers in John 13:34-35 New Living Translation Bible, "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
Yet sometimes we are in relationships with people for whom we express and/or are receiving a steady stream of criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling. Here's a small sample of these behaviors in relationships: habitually interrupting people when they are speaking with us, often shooting down their ideas, rarely saying anything positive to them, refusing to acknowledge sin brought to our attention, rarely showing affection, frequently trying to punish people with silence, almost always saying or in some way communicating "no" to sex with your spouse, using conversation laced with sarcasm, subscribing to Playboy and other such media and telling a lot of jokes that offend our spouses, friends or associates.
All of these behaviors are out of line with Ephesians 4:31-32 Amplified Bible which says, "Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you." Mariam Wright Edelman, a Christian, African-American, wife and children's activist, says, "Service is what life is all about."
God the Holy Ghost is a teacher who brings things in us to our attention that need transformation. God often uses others to show us where we are operating in criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling and to help us cooperate with God to get these out of our lives. A Chinese proverb says, "If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people." Join Rafael's and Michele's relationship group Thursdays from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at 14336 Winewood Lane #11, Woodbridge, Virginia. (Number 11 is the one with multiple-colored flowers and a trellis covered in a plethora of purple morning glories that humming birds sometimes dip their beaks into.) God may have just what you and someone else needs for change. If you cannot join us, we still would love to hear from you via leaving an on-line comment, chatting with Michele Jackson ("Michelelove30") on Twitter and Google G+.
John Gottman, Ph.D., a professor and researcher, and Julie Schwartz Gottman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist, say in their audio book 10 Lessons to Transform Your Marriage that regularly rolling eyes at a spouse speaking can be an example of contempt, and contempt is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse that destroy marriages. They use the term "the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" to describe criticism, defensiveness, contempt and stonewalling.
The Gottmans also say that their research and professional experience reveals that happily married couples behave like good friends. God desires for both married people and single people to have good friendships. God the Son Jesus Christ says about all believers in John 13:34-35 New Living Translation Bible, "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."
Yet sometimes we are in relationships with people for whom we express and/or are receiving a steady stream of criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling. Here's a small sample of these behaviors in relationships: habitually interrupting people when they are speaking with us, often shooting down their ideas, rarely saying anything positive to them, refusing to acknowledge sin brought to our attention, rarely showing affection, frequently trying to punish people with silence, almost always saying or in some way communicating "no" to sex with your spouse, using conversation laced with sarcasm, subscribing to Playboy and other such media and telling a lot of jokes that offend our spouses, friends or associates.
All of these behaviors are out of line with Ephesians 4:31-32 Amplified Bible which says, "Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you." Mariam Wright Edelman, a Christian, African-American, wife and children's activist, says, "Service is what life is all about."
God the Holy Ghost is a teacher who brings things in us to our attention that need transformation. God often uses others to show us where we are operating in criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling and to help us cooperate with God to get these out of our lives. A Chinese proverb says, "If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people." Join Rafael's and Michele's relationship group Thursdays from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at 14336 Winewood Lane #11, Woodbridge, Virginia. (Number 11 is the one with multiple-colored flowers and a trellis covered in a plethora of purple morning glories that humming birds sometimes dip their beaks into.) God may have just what you and someone else needs for change. If you cannot join us, we still would love to hear from you via leaving an on-line comment, chatting with Michele Jackson ("Michelelove30") on Twitter and Google G+.
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