I Thessalonians 4:7 says, "For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." This scripture reminds me that I can't live my life, and it be pleasing to God, without living it with Him.
The Message Bible reads this way - "God hasn't invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful-as beautiful on the inside as the outside." The word unkempt used in the Message paraphrase of this scripture is intriguing to me. There are several definitions of this word such as: (1) not combed: example:unkempt hair, (2) uncared-for or neglected; disheveled; messy: example:unkempt clothes; an unkempt lawn. (3) unpolished; rough; crude.
When I look at these definitions and compare them to how I'm supposed to be living for the Lord, holy and beautiful, I find some areas in my walk with the Lord that are "not combed", "uncared-for", "neglected", "unpolished", and "rough". Every day of our lives we are to be pleasing to the Lord in our walk, talk, thoughts, actions, etc... How can I live a holy life if I'm leaving some things uncared for in my life. If my prayer life isn't where it needs to be, then I've neglected the talks with God that's going to be needed to polish the rough edges in my life.
Lord help me today to live holy and accepted to you! Help me not to neglect the things in my life that will bring glory and honor to You. Cause me to be polished and ready for Your work today so that someone else may see the fruit of Your Spirit and want to live a life that's holy and beautiful to You.
God Bless you today!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
God's Glory
"If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:11
I'm reminded today of the daughter-in-law of Eli found in 1 Samuel chapter 4. Eli's daughter-in-law had given birth to a son, Ichabod. The name Ichabod has a meaning of "The glory has departed, or left" and he was named this because the Ark of the Covenant of God had been taken from the people of Israel. So often in our lives, we put ourselves into situations to where we're not walking in the glory of God. Sometimes, we allow ourselves to be mislead by what we subject our thoughts and actions to, that we don't give room for the glory of God to be welcomed into our lives.
We don't have to walk in "yesterdays" achievements. We don't have to continue on the same beaten path because it's always been the thing to do. I believe God is calling us to a greater standard than what we've been living and it's time to pray for a replacement of the spirit of Ichabod and accept the spirit of Immanuel, "God with us!" We have, for so long, let men's opinions and sinful ways dictate our blessings and outcomes of our situations instead of desiring "more God" in our lives. I believe, in my own spiritual walk, that I need to pray for the spirit of Immanuel in my life, everyday! It's when we put our total trust in God for our lives, that He truly blesses us with His glory!
What an awesome "revival" the church will experience when we start letting God work in our services, our lives, our work, our homes, etc... I pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that we can experience the Glory of God in our churches like they did in the early church in the book of Acts. Why aren't we "adding to the church daily"? Maybe because we've been walking in the wrong spirit for too long. Let's expect the glory of God to be a refreshing breath of energy in our church services and subsequently revival will happen!
I'm reminded today of the daughter-in-law of Eli found in 1 Samuel chapter 4. Eli's daughter-in-law had given birth to a son, Ichabod. The name Ichabod has a meaning of "The glory has departed, or left" and he was named this because the Ark of the Covenant of God had been taken from the people of Israel. So often in our lives, we put ourselves into situations to where we're not walking in the glory of God. Sometimes, we allow ourselves to be mislead by what we subject our thoughts and actions to, that we don't give room for the glory of God to be welcomed into our lives.
We don't have to walk in "yesterdays" achievements. We don't have to continue on the same beaten path because it's always been the thing to do. I believe God is calling us to a greater standard than what we've been living and it's time to pray for a replacement of the spirit of Ichabod and accept the spirit of Immanuel, "God with us!" We have, for so long, let men's opinions and sinful ways dictate our blessings and outcomes of our situations instead of desiring "more God" in our lives. I believe, in my own spiritual walk, that I need to pray for the spirit of Immanuel in my life, everyday! It's when we put our total trust in God for our lives, that He truly blesses us with His glory!
What an awesome "revival" the church will experience when we start letting God work in our services, our lives, our work, our homes, etc... I pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that we can experience the Glory of God in our churches like they did in the early church in the book of Acts. Why aren't we "adding to the church daily"? Maybe because we've been walking in the wrong spirit for too long. Let's expect the glory of God to be a refreshing breath of energy in our church services and subsequently revival will happen!
Consistent Christians
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:15,16 NIV)
I was sharing at church yesterday about being empowered to live a consistent Christian life. As I was preaching the Lord reminded me of a baseball game I'd attended last week my son played in. You've all been there. The umpire behind the plate calls a pitch that definitely is NOT within the strike zone, a "strike". Then just a few pitches later, a pitch that's thrown in the same area of the, NOT within the strike zone, the umpire calls a "ball" this time. Goodness, at least be consistently bad! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize the respect level for this umpire has diminished for not being consistent.
I began to use this illustration to refer to our lives. Sometimes we're on a spiritual high and nothing can penetrate us. Then the next moment, we've been flattened like a nail pierced tire on the side of the interstate. Or maybe there's the one that knows to do good but doesn't. Or maybe there's the one that lives for the Lord today but knows they have full intentions of not living for Him tomorrow. No wonder Christians have lost the respect of others just like the inconsistent umpire behind the plate. At least be consistently bad behind the plate or consistently good behind the plate.
We need to have consistency in our relationship with Christ. We must learn to start each day with prayer and devotion to the Lord. Maybe if we get into the habit of prayer and devotion each day, our walk with Christ may start to be consistent. We may start seeing a pattern of consistency in our prayers being answered, our attitude being joyful, our relationships with others being fruitful. Let's start trying to live consistent Christian lives so that when people speak of Christians today, the respect factor for what we believe in will be upheld instead of diminished.
I was sharing at church yesterday about being empowered to live a consistent Christian life. As I was preaching the Lord reminded me of a baseball game I'd attended last week my son played in. You've all been there. The umpire behind the plate calls a pitch that definitely is NOT within the strike zone, a "strike". Then just a few pitches later, a pitch that's thrown in the same area of the, NOT within the strike zone, the umpire calls a "ball" this time. Goodness, at least be consistently bad! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize the respect level for this umpire has diminished for not being consistent.
I began to use this illustration to refer to our lives. Sometimes we're on a spiritual high and nothing can penetrate us. Then the next moment, we've been flattened like a nail pierced tire on the side of the interstate. Or maybe there's the one that knows to do good but doesn't. Or maybe there's the one that lives for the Lord today but knows they have full intentions of not living for Him tomorrow. No wonder Christians have lost the respect of others just like the inconsistent umpire behind the plate. At least be consistently bad behind the plate or consistently good behind the plate.
We need to have consistency in our relationship with Christ. We must learn to start each day with prayer and devotion to the Lord. Maybe if we get into the habit of prayer and devotion each day, our walk with Christ may start to be consistent. We may start seeing a pattern of consistency in our prayers being answered, our attitude being joyful, our relationships with others being fruitful. Let's start trying to live consistent Christian lives so that when people speak of Christians today, the respect factor for what we believe in will be upheld instead of diminished.
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