v1. Paul called himself and Timothy 'bondservants'. meaning individuals that demonstrate the same servant like attitude of Christ. my pastor told me that you cannot lead if you cannot serve... many times we want to be leaders without being willing to be servants... we might feel we are above those we lead... but obviously Jesus did not see this as the case as He was a servant first...
v3. He thanks God every time he remembers or is brought to his mind this church... wouldn't it be wonderful if we prayed and thanked God for those we love every time we think of them? Can you imagine the changes in the world behind this much thankfulness for the people in our lives... (it might help our churches out too...)
v5. fellowship in the gospel is considered intimacy with Christ... when was the last time we were really intimate with God? really spent QUALITY alone time with Him... hopefully it was recent...
v6. he is confident that the work the Christ started in them, He will not stop working on them, until He comes back for them... what a blessing that is... that God does not give up on us every single day as we continue to sin in some manner... whether it be pride or anger or gossip or lying... whatever your particular sin might be... and we faithfully try to do better, but cannot without God's help...
v8. he longs for the with the affection of Jesus... this is true christian love... I pray I can come to the place where I show true agape love to all at all times... regardless of the circumstance... he says they are in the center of his deepest feelings... usually the only one in the center of our deepest feelings is ourselves... not fellow christians...
v9. he is saying that he prays their love may abound in knowledge and discernment so that they can have an intimate understand of someone and be able to show them love in spite of their actions maybe... able to discern spiritual truth of someone...
can we imagine the change in the world if the people of God would treat one another like this... can we see how people would then be drawn to the church... isn't this the calling on each one of our lives? Father change me... that I can be a person to show love to all people... not just love of man, but love of God... love that does not fade, is not tarnished... change me that I am able to love my fellow man in the manner that you are loving me... so I can see them through the blood that Christ shed for them.. same as He shed it for me... they are no different than I am... we are all sinners... I am just saved by grace... maybe if I can change.. others will desire to know the God that I love... in the name of Jesus Christ... my Lord and Savior I ask these things... amen.
Let there be love on earth and let it begin with me....
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Jonah 4
I am thinking that Jonah was embarrassed. He would go and tell the Ninevites that God was going to kill/judge them. Then God turns around and spares them, which made him FEEL like everyone thought he was making it all up. And maybe they did. What difference does that really make? Why are we so concerned about what others think of our walk with God?
So Jonah gets angry because he felt the Ninevites were supposed to die because they were gentiles. They were not the favored of God. They were not Israelites. And they were not worthy of God's love. In Jonah's eyes. Who have you looked at lately and felt they were less than you or worthy of less than you. Yet God shows compassion and love on them and you are angry. God states there are more than 120,000 Ninevites and they cannot tell their left hand from the right, meaning they have no knowledge of God. How could He condemn them so quickly without giving them opportunity to turn from sin? Truth told, because they had no real knowledge of God and they were not true to God, in 612 b.c, the city of Ninevah really was completely destroyed, but God had saved THESE people.
Isn't it also amazing that just days before, Jonah was the one seeking God's compassion on him while he is in the belly of the fish, but does not give compassion to the multitude. And we aren't talking about someone who had personally wronged this man, we are talking about 120,000 strangers... What is it about us that does not care if people are saved. Why do we not care if people know the love of God? I hate to inform us all... but that is why we were created. To bring glory to God. To worship God. Our entire lives should be devoted to advancing the kingdom of God. Instead we are constantly looking to advance ourselves. Father change me so that You are all that really matters to me.
So Jonah gets angry because he felt the Ninevites were supposed to die because they were gentiles. They were not the favored of God. They were not Israelites. And they were not worthy of God's love. In Jonah's eyes. Who have you looked at lately and felt they were less than you or worthy of less than you. Yet God shows compassion and love on them and you are angry. God states there are more than 120,000 Ninevites and they cannot tell their left hand from the right, meaning they have no knowledge of God. How could He condemn them so quickly without giving them opportunity to turn from sin? Truth told, because they had no real knowledge of God and they were not true to God, in 612 b.c, the city of Ninevah really was completely destroyed, but God had saved THESE people.
Isn't it also amazing that just days before, Jonah was the one seeking God's compassion on him while he is in the belly of the fish, but does not give compassion to the multitude. And we aren't talking about someone who had personally wronged this man, we are talking about 120,000 strangers... What is it about us that does not care if people are saved. Why do we not care if people know the love of God? I hate to inform us all... but that is why we were created. To bring glory to God. To worship God. Our entire lives should be devoted to advancing the kingdom of God. Instead we are constantly looking to advance ourselves. Father change me so that You are all that really matters to me.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Jonah 3
many times we seem to think that God will change His mind if we don't want to do something... if God has made His mind up and you are the one chosen, then He will change you, not His will... God says something to us, we wait, or ignore it and keep thinking then that God will say something else... we are the ones on the time constraint... not God... He has been here since eternity and will continue for eternity... we are the ones who die... not Him... so He waits... and while we are thinking He is silent, really... He is just waiting for you to get up and do the last thing that He told you to do...
Jonah was vomited up by the fish... God again said the exact same thing to him... He didn't change it up... He didn't give any short cuts to make it more attractive... He said the same thing over again... this time Jonah listened...
the Ninevites believed God, declared a fast and all of them were mourning and lamenting... asking God for forgiveness.... even the king... and their hope was in God... hoping that God would relent, show compassion, and turn from His anger and let them live...
and He did... God is full of mercy at all times... always looking for us to turn it around and listen to Him, to act according to His statutes... our God really only wants to save us... why do we seem to have such a hard time allowing it and turning from sin and from the ways of the world??
Jonah was vomited up by the fish... God again said the exact same thing to him... He didn't change it up... He didn't give any short cuts to make it more attractive... He said the same thing over again... this time Jonah listened...
the Ninevites believed God, declared a fast and all of them were mourning and lamenting... asking God for forgiveness.... even the king... and their hope was in God... hoping that God would relent, show compassion, and turn from His anger and let them live...
and He did... God is full of mercy at all times... always looking for us to turn it around and listen to Him, to act according to His statutes... our God really only wants to save us... why do we seem to have such a hard time allowing it and turning from sin and from the ways of the world??
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Jonah 2
in the belly of the fish... at the bottom of the ocean.. we don't even have the ability to imagine the feeling of this... as he was sinking to the depths of the ocean and unable to breathe, surely he is realizing that he was oh so stupid to not agree to just go to Ninevah... thinking anything would be better than what he is going through right now... then a big fish comes and swallows him up... and can you imagine the smell inside a fish... uuuugggghhhh.... no understanding of that one!!
and as he is in this fish, thinking he is on the verge of sure death... then God pulled him up and saved him... he is in the fish, praising God for saving him... thankful to be alive, even inside a big fish.. as his life is slipping away.. he remembers God... when will we begin to remember God daily... no matter what is going on around us, good or bad... when will we really come to the realization that no matter what it looks like, our entire reason for being created is to bring glory to God... and whatever it is that is supposed to do that... then that is what we are to do... we are all too concerned about bringing glory to ourselves... the spotlight on us... the pity, the honor, the adoration... we want all eyes on us... when they are supposed to be on God...
Father never let me need to go in the belly of a fish to realize who You are.... and after Jonah gives God all the praise and honor and glory... then the fish vomits him up onto shore...
funny thing about that... first it is sickening to imagine being thrown up... but... notice he didn't even have to swim to shore... God provided the housing while needed, then the transportation to get up on shore... our God is an awesome God...
and as he is in this fish, thinking he is on the verge of sure death... then God pulled him up and saved him... he is in the fish, praising God for saving him... thankful to be alive, even inside a big fish.. as his life is slipping away.. he remembers God... when will we begin to remember God daily... no matter what is going on around us, good or bad... when will we really come to the realization that no matter what it looks like, our entire reason for being created is to bring glory to God... and whatever it is that is supposed to do that... then that is what we are to do... we are all too concerned about bringing glory to ourselves... the spotlight on us... the pity, the honor, the adoration... we want all eyes on us... when they are supposed to be on God...
Father never let me need to go in the belly of a fish to realize who You are.... and after Jonah gives God all the praise and honor and glory... then the fish vomits him up onto shore...
funny thing about that... first it is sickening to imagine being thrown up... but... notice he didn't even have to swim to shore... God provided the housing while needed, then the transportation to get up on shore... our God is an awesome God...
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Jonah 1
and the word of the Lord came to Jonah... how many times has God spoken to you? and how many times have you ran in the opposite direction? isn't it amazing how we want God to be a 'gimme God' who we can receive from but maybe not have to ever give anything back... how many relationships work if only one person is the one that is giving? none.... relationships work if all parties are giving and receiving... what would make us think it would be any different between us and God?
God does not leave us alone, just because we didn't want to do what He called us to do. He will come after you... I would pray that it would not be a storm used to come after me... (I would so prefer the still small voice...) but it usually is some sort of storm... financial crisis, marital crisis, death of a loved one... and how many times do we try to sleep through it... and do you ever notice... it doesn't only affect you... it affects everyone else in your world too...
and Jonah tells them to throw him overboard... now that is a little different than most of us... most of us would hold on for dear life... and if we realize this... God is sending Jonah to Ninevah to warn of God's judgement.... instead... the sailors will die if they do not throw Jonah over... which they of course think will kill him... so... if we do not do the will of God, we die anyways... sheesh... that was a rough one... right?? originally, these sailors were calling out to their gods, but in the end, they call out to the Living God... so even our running from God can be used to bring people to God if He sees fit to do so... and God sends a great fish to swallow up Jonah... and he is inside the belly of the fish three days and three nights... (like the Son of man was in the depths of the earth three days and three nights...)
God does not leave us alone, just because we didn't want to do what He called us to do. He will come after you... I would pray that it would not be a storm used to come after me... (I would so prefer the still small voice...) but it usually is some sort of storm... financial crisis, marital crisis, death of a loved one... and how many times do we try to sleep through it... and do you ever notice... it doesn't only affect you... it affects everyone else in your world too...
and Jonah tells them to throw him overboard... now that is a little different than most of us... most of us would hold on for dear life... and if we realize this... God is sending Jonah to Ninevah to warn of God's judgement.... instead... the sailors will die if they do not throw Jonah over... which they of course think will kill him... so... if we do not do the will of God, we die anyways... sheesh... that was a rough one... right?? originally, these sailors were calling out to their gods, but in the end, they call out to the Living God... so even our running from God can be used to bring people to God if He sees fit to do so... and God sends a great fish to swallow up Jonah... and he is inside the belly of the fish three days and three nights... (like the Son of man was in the depths of the earth three days and three nights...)
Friday, September 18, 2009
listening...
I have a co-worker that has been married for 22 years and recently finds her husband in a compromising position with another woman... she is divorcing him...
she is a person who talks constantly (even worse than me...) and she knows something about everything (again, even worse than me...) we joke here at the office that if we said we know someone with prostate cancer, she would say that she had that before... it is very annoying to say the least...
I keep to myself at my job... stay in my office much of the time... don't really talk personally with anyone... so this morning as I am making my hot tea, the boss comes to me and tells me this person had said yesterday that she told her husband he never talked to her...
sirens go off... lights flashing...
this man talked to her... or at least he tried to some time... and she didn't hear him... she was always thinking of what her answer would be while he was telling her his side... and I could see that I could easily have this same issue... I wonder how many divorces are caused by women who never listen... or at least this is a contributing factor...
most men really don't usually talk all that much anyway... so I am thinking that when they do, it is VERY important for a woman to know how to be a listener... not always a talker...
she is a person who talks constantly (even worse than me...) and she knows something about everything (again, even worse than me...) we joke here at the office that if we said we know someone with prostate cancer, she would say that she had that before... it is very annoying to say the least...
I keep to myself at my job... stay in my office much of the time... don't really talk personally with anyone... so this morning as I am making my hot tea, the boss comes to me and tells me this person had said yesterday that she told her husband he never talked to her...
sirens go off... lights flashing...
this man talked to her... or at least he tried to some time... and she didn't hear him... she was always thinking of what her answer would be while he was telling her his side... and I could see that I could easily have this same issue... I wonder how many divorces are caused by women who never listen... or at least this is a contributing factor...
most men really don't usually talk all that much anyway... so I am thinking that when they do, it is VERY important for a woman to know how to be a listener... not always a talker...
Thursday, September 17, 2009
who are you, really?
people tend to think that they know someone that they talk to on a regular basis... sometimes we are not at all what we look like or even what we sound like...
most of us wear a mask... whether it is a mask of self confidence or a mask of beauty, maybe a mask of quietness.. we all wear some sort of mask hiding who we really are on the inside... many people who appear to be very outgoing are really very quiet when out of a crowd... many people who appear to have self confidence really are very insecure about themselves... sometimes we dress to cover our weakness.. sometimes we talk to cover it...
before we think we know what someone would do, or who someone really is... think about yourself... what is your mask? what is it you are hiding from the world? what weakness are you covering? then realize maybe they are not what they appear to be either...
most of us wear a mask... whether it is a mask of self confidence or a mask of beauty, maybe a mask of quietness.. we all wear some sort of mask hiding who we really are on the inside... many people who appear to be very outgoing are really very quiet when out of a crowd... many people who appear to have self confidence really are very insecure about themselves... sometimes we dress to cover our weakness.. sometimes we talk to cover it...
before we think we know what someone would do, or who someone really is... think about yourself... what is your mask? what is it you are hiding from the world? what weakness are you covering? then realize maybe they are not what they appear to be either...
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