…We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God…
2 Thessalonians 1:4-5
Stop Praying?
Well not entirely. I simply want to draw attention to our need to stop asking God to release us from things that He has allowed to happen in the first place. I can think of at least two good reasons why. First, these trials are confirmation from God Himself that we are, a) in His will and, b) being obedient to His directives. If we were not, these things would likely not be occurring. In that very sense, they identify us as godly Christians. Suffering of this type is proof you are in Christ and He is in you.
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12
In that truth alone we should rejoice, but wait, there’s more! As we face these trials, God is with us. In fact, it is in these situations He chooses to mold and refine us. These words in James 1:2-4 give illumination:
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Perfection? Completion? Without Lack?
Why in Heaven’s name would anyone desire to pray against these things? I am not proposing a Christian go looking for trouble (Heaven forbid), but when trouble has found us we need to see it as the refining process (of God) that it is. While all believers delight in mountain-top experiences, obedient Christians know that the real fruit of our faith grows in the valleys.
Blessed For a Reason
I’m stepping out on a limb here, but I’m saying it anyway, “You KNOW you’re blessed.” I defy any Christian to deny that statement (although I’ll entertain your argument if you like). So as always, the question remains, “Why are you so blessed?” The answer of course is that so God may bless others by way of your obedience—you are blessed to be a blessing.
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Compassion dave
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Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Wasting God’s Time
'And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ Matthew 25:25
“I believe that a balanced diet is a chocolate-chip cookie in each hand.”
Can you believe it--that statement actually made me mad yesterday. I’ll explain. The remark was uttered by the host of our local Christian radio station as part of a feature they were calling; “Complete the sentence, ‘I believe…’.”
Listeners phoned in with their responses and the station played back the recording on the air. For the most part people shared comments that were both wonderful and spiritual; but then the host chimed in with…
“I believe that a balanced diet is a chocolate-chip cookie in each hand.”What?Why do I care?
Well, I don’t care…r-e-a-l-l-y. But the event did serve as a reminder to me. When I am in position to share anything that is Godly in character, especially when the Lord has blessed me with both the ‘ability’ and ‘opportunity’ to do so, I must take full advantage. To not do so is akin to burying my blessings in the backyard; to not do so is sinful.
Blessed to Be a Blessing
God blesses us so that He might bless others through us—it really is the only explanation as to why we are so blessed. Oh sure, God loves us, but He doesn’t love us more than anyone one else. Therefore, He must desire to use us as tools in His hands in order that others might know His love as well. Let us be mindful to never waste an occasion to bless another person when we have been given the ability and opportunity to do so
Opportunity.
COMPASSION dave
“I believe that a balanced diet is a chocolate-chip cookie in each hand.”
Can you believe it--that statement actually made me mad yesterday. I’ll explain. The remark was uttered by the host of our local Christian radio station as part of a feature they were calling; “Complete the sentence, ‘I believe…’.”
Listeners phoned in with their responses and the station played back the recording on the air. For the most part people shared comments that were both wonderful and spiritual; but then the host chimed in with…
“I believe that a balanced diet is a chocolate-chip cookie in each hand.”What?Why do I care?
Well, I don’t care…r-e-a-l-l-y. But the event did serve as a reminder to me. When I am in position to share anything that is Godly in character, especially when the Lord has blessed me with both the ‘ability’ and ‘opportunity’ to do so, I must take full advantage. To not do so is akin to burying my blessings in the backyard; to not do so is sinful.
Blessed to Be a Blessing
God blesses us so that He might bless others through us—it really is the only explanation as to why we are so blessed. Oh sure, God loves us, but He doesn’t love us more than anyone one else. Therefore, He must desire to use us as tools in His hands in order that others might know His love as well. Let us be mindful to never waste an occasion to bless another person when we have been given the ability and opportunity to do so
Opportunity.
COMPASSION dave
Monday, April 28, 2008
Walking Responsively
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called... Ephesians 4:1
Therefore
I don’t know about your pastor, but my pastor always says, “Whenever you see the word ‘therefore’ in the Bible, you must always ask yourself, ‘what’s it there for?’” It’s here (this time) because Paul wants to remind us to sit down before we walk. More accurately he is saying that before we can walk-out our faith we need to remember where we are seated and how we came to be there. Two chapters earlier (in Ephesians 2:5-6) Paul writes…
When we were dead in trespasses, (He) made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…
Walking effectively in Christ begins when we understand what He has already done for us, realizing that we had nothing to do with it, and that He finished the work on the cross. When we can appreciate this truth, our walks become a response to the love He has already displayed. When we fail to comprehend these facts, our walks become sidetracked as we search for things which are not missing. I like the summary outlined in 2 Corinthians 5:14a and 1 John 4:19:
For the love of Christ compels us…We love Him because He first loved us.
Therefore
Our Christian walk is a response of gratitude--our reward is not so much what we do as we walk, but the walk itself. I am so thankful that the Lord plucked me from the pig-sty that was my life, gave me a seat in Heavenly places, and now allows me to walk-the-walk. My need to share Him with others is not an obligation, but a reaction to His love.
COMPASSION dave
Therefore
I don’t know about your pastor, but my pastor always says, “Whenever you see the word ‘therefore’ in the Bible, you must always ask yourself, ‘what’s it there for?’” It’s here (this time) because Paul wants to remind us to sit down before we walk. More accurately he is saying that before we can walk-out our faith we need to remember where we are seated and how we came to be there. Two chapters earlier (in Ephesians 2:5-6) Paul writes…
When we were dead in trespasses, (He) made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…
Walking effectively in Christ begins when we understand what He has already done for us, realizing that we had nothing to do with it, and that He finished the work on the cross. When we can appreciate this truth, our walks become a response to the love He has already displayed. When we fail to comprehend these facts, our walks become sidetracked as we search for things which are not missing. I like the summary outlined in 2 Corinthians 5:14a and 1 John 4:19:
For the love of Christ compels us…We love Him because He first loved us.
Therefore
Our Christian walk is a response of gratitude--our reward is not so much what we do as we walk, but the walk itself. I am so thankful that the Lord plucked me from the pig-sty that was my life, gave me a seat in Heavenly places, and now allows me to walk-the-walk. My need to share Him with others is not an obligation, but a reaction to His love.
COMPASSION dave
Monday, April 21, 2008
Your Last Prayer
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers… Ephesians 1:15:16
Your Last Prayer
Reflect upon your last prayer a moment. Did you pray for those in dire need, those who are sick and weary, the poor and the down trodden, the addicted and the unsaved? Praise be to God – you did well. But what about the spiritually fit…Did you pray for them? I submit to you that they need your prayers as well?
Think about it. Who is satan most interested in attacking and bringing down? Your alcoholic brother-in-law who isn’t walking with the Lord or that person you know who is walking according to God’s will? Obviously satan is most interested in destroying the obedient Christian.
Stop Praying For the Needy
That is NOT what I am saying. Of course we should be bringing those requests before the Lord. However let us not fail to remember those who are doing well in God’s sight, for arguably, they are in a hazardous position. And how should we pray for them? The next verse from Ephesians informs us……
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him… Ephesians 1:15:16
Stop Praying For the NeedyI have reconsidered my response to the previous statement. While prayer is always a good course of action, it is not always a necessity. I remember hearing Matt Rindge speak once and he said, “My biggest fear in life is that I’ll be in a horrible car accident and Christians will come to help--instead of administering first aid, they’ll choose to pray over me as I bleed out.” (Paraphrase mine) Let us learn to trust in God’s provision in regards to the prayers we have already prayed.
Let trust in God be evident by our actions...
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Proverbs 3:27
COMPASSION dave
Your Last Prayer
Reflect upon your last prayer a moment. Did you pray for those in dire need, those who are sick and weary, the poor and the down trodden, the addicted and the unsaved? Praise be to God – you did well. But what about the spiritually fit…Did you pray for them? I submit to you that they need your prayers as well?
Think about it. Who is satan most interested in attacking and bringing down? Your alcoholic brother-in-law who isn’t walking with the Lord or that person you know who is walking according to God’s will? Obviously satan is most interested in destroying the obedient Christian.
Stop Praying For the Needy
That is NOT what I am saying. Of course we should be bringing those requests before the Lord. However let us not fail to remember those who are doing well in God’s sight, for arguably, they are in a hazardous position. And how should we pray for them? The next verse from Ephesians informs us……
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him… Ephesians 1:15:16
Stop Praying For the NeedyI have reconsidered my response to the previous statement. While prayer is always a good course of action, it is not always a necessity. I remember hearing Matt Rindge speak once and he said, “My biggest fear in life is that I’ll be in a horrible car accident and Christians will come to help--instead of administering first aid, they’ll choose to pray over me as I bleed out.” (Paraphrase mine) Let us learn to trust in God’s provision in regards to the prayers we have already prayed.
Let trust in God be evident by our actions...
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Proverbs 3:27
COMPASSION dave
Friday, April 18, 2008
God’s Grace and Chuck E Cheese
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace… Ephesians 1:7
One of things I like about Chuck E Cheese’s is that when you (or your child) is finished playing a game, the machines spits out coupons, which can then be exchanged for a prize. In a small way it is symbolic of the redemption process spoken of in the Bible, for like those coupons, we have little or no face value; it could be said we are worthless.
Enter the Redeemer
You might say that the prize you get in exchange for your tickets (at Chuck E Cheese) is also without worth, and that’s of course where the similarity ends. For we see the blessing Christ provides is beyond the value; it’s worth being incalculable. This would not be possible if God were not rich in grace.
Riches of Grace
Imagine for a moment we’re back at Chuck E's. We’ve counted up our tickets and we announce to the prize-giver-outer guy, “We have three hundred and ninety-two tickets. What do we get?”
“Well, it seems you have just enough for the Mercedes convertible, ” he says.
Now imagine the reaction of your friends and family when you pull up in that shiny new car. That’s grace and it’s just a small glimpse of what our redemption, through Christ’s blood, looks like. What we have to offer the Lord is without worth, but what He desires to give us in exchange is beyond worldly explanation. When we show up at Heaven’s gate, surely every jaw will drop and it will be heard from one end of Heaven to the other, “That is one gracious God we serve!”
Might you be so bold as to share some of that grace?
COMPASSION dave
One of things I like about Chuck E Cheese’s is that when you (or your child) is finished playing a game, the machines spits out coupons, which can then be exchanged for a prize. In a small way it is symbolic of the redemption process spoken of in the Bible, for like those coupons, we have little or no face value; it could be said we are worthless.
Enter the Redeemer
You might say that the prize you get in exchange for your tickets (at Chuck E Cheese) is also without worth, and that’s of course where the similarity ends. For we see the blessing Christ provides is beyond the value; it’s worth being incalculable. This would not be possible if God were not rich in grace.
Riches of Grace
Imagine for a moment we’re back at Chuck E's. We’ve counted up our tickets and we announce to the prize-giver-outer guy, “We have three hundred and ninety-two tickets. What do we get?”
“Well, it seems you have just enough for the Mercedes convertible, ” he says.
Now imagine the reaction of your friends and family when you pull up in that shiny new car. That’s grace and it’s just a small glimpse of what our redemption, through Christ’s blood, looks like. What we have to offer the Lord is without worth, but what He desires to give us in exchange is beyond worldly explanation. When we show up at Heaven’s gate, surely every jaw will drop and it will be heard from one end of Heaven to the other, “That is one gracious God we serve!”
Might you be so bold as to share some of that grace?
COMPASSION dave
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Sustaining Praise
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ… Ephesians 1:3
Just Another Salutation
Isn’t it incredible that Paul would start out this letter to the church at Ephesus by praising the Lord? “Not really dave, ” you might say, “it’s not really that incredible; wonderful perhaps, but not incredible.” Ok, ok, I’ll tell you what makes it incredible.
Paul’s in Jail
When Paul writes, ‘Blessed be God the Father who has blessed us, ’ he is sitting in a Roman prison; he breaks out in praise despite the fact he’s in lock-down. Folks, that is incredible. Do want to know how he can do it?
I submit to you there are at least two reasons. First, Paul fully comprehends that blessings do not come from Jesus, but are realized in Jesus. Jesus is not a genie we go to when we have wants, but a Savior we live in who knows our needs.
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
2 Corinthians 1:20
Secondly, Paul has seen the future in Christ, and to say it is ‘bright’ would be a gross understatement. Speaking of himself in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Paul wrote…
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows--how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Reconsider Your PositionTake another look at your problems. Regardless of what they are, if you are in Christ, there is reason to praise the Lord. If for no other reason, others will look at you and say, “That must be some awesome God he (or she) worships!”
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
He IS Awesome!
Have you shared that news—have you shared the blessing? Are you an Acts 1:8 kind of believer? Do those under your roof know Him? Do your neighbors know Him? Do both your friends and enemies know Him? Has your witness reached the ends of the earth?I present to you the ends of the earth…
COMPASSION dave
Just Another Salutation
Isn’t it incredible that Paul would start out this letter to the church at Ephesus by praising the Lord? “Not really dave, ” you might say, “it’s not really that incredible; wonderful perhaps, but not incredible.” Ok, ok, I’ll tell you what makes it incredible.
Paul’s in Jail
When Paul writes, ‘Blessed be God the Father who has blessed us, ’ he is sitting in a Roman prison; he breaks out in praise despite the fact he’s in lock-down. Folks, that is incredible. Do want to know how he can do it?
I submit to you there are at least two reasons. First, Paul fully comprehends that blessings do not come from Jesus, but are realized in Jesus. Jesus is not a genie we go to when we have wants, but a Savior we live in who knows our needs.
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
2 Corinthians 1:20
Secondly, Paul has seen the future in Christ, and to say it is ‘bright’ would be a gross understatement. Speaking of himself in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Paul wrote…
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows--how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Reconsider Your PositionTake another look at your problems. Regardless of what they are, if you are in Christ, there is reason to praise the Lord. If for no other reason, others will look at you and say, “That must be some awesome God he (or she) worships!”
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
He IS Awesome!
Have you shared that news—have you shared the blessing? Are you an Acts 1:8 kind of believer? Do those under your roof know Him? Do your neighbors know Him? Do both your friends and enemies know Him? Has your witness reached the ends of the earth?I present to you the ends of the earth…
COMPASSION dave
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Farming Facts
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Galatians 5:7-8
It’s A Fact
We will reap what we sow. It doesn’t matter if we are saved or unsaved, if we sow the seeds of our flesh, we will garner corruption. Oh, our salvation is still intact (our inadvertent sinful dabblings will not condemn us), but the fruit of those occurrences will still be manifest.
Manifested How?
I am not proud of it, but yes, I have seen X-rated movies (and more than a few adult magazines) in my life. The very good news is that I have been forgiven for all that illicit activity and (I am happy to say) I don’t consider them any longer. However, those seeds were still planted. So guess what images pop-up from time-to-time when my eyes might happen upon an alluring situation? You guessed it! The reality is that those images would not appear if those seeds were never planted in the first place.
Plant Better Seeds
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9
It’s been years since those aforementioned sins of mine and I am pleased to announce that although the ‘images’ are not completely vanished, their appearances are far and few between. Why? Because I have been sowing a new crop of seeds; seeds of faith and seeds of the Spirit, and their fruit is crowding-out the bad fruit—my Spirit crop is overtaking my fleshly one.
Praise Be to God
Be patient. If we are sowing good seed, the yield will be evident in due season and according to God’s perfect timing. So let us not be deceived, we will reap what we sow—God will never be mocked.
COMPASSION dave
It’s A Fact
We will reap what we sow. It doesn’t matter if we are saved or unsaved, if we sow the seeds of our flesh, we will garner corruption. Oh, our salvation is still intact (our inadvertent sinful dabblings will not condemn us), but the fruit of those occurrences will still be manifest.
Manifested How?
I am not proud of it, but yes, I have seen X-rated movies (and more than a few adult magazines) in my life. The very good news is that I have been forgiven for all that illicit activity and (I am happy to say) I don’t consider them any longer. However, those seeds were still planted. So guess what images pop-up from time-to-time when my eyes might happen upon an alluring situation? You guessed it! The reality is that those images would not appear if those seeds were never planted in the first place.
Plant Better Seeds
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9
It’s been years since those aforementioned sins of mine and I am pleased to announce that although the ‘images’ are not completely vanished, their appearances are far and few between. Why? Because I have been sowing a new crop of seeds; seeds of faith and seeds of the Spirit, and their fruit is crowding-out the bad fruit—my Spirit crop is overtaking my fleshly one.
Praise Be to God
Be patient. If we are sowing good seed, the yield will be evident in due season and according to God’s perfect timing. So let us not be deceived, we will reap what we sow—God will never be mocked.
COMPASSION dave
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