ALL for the Glory of God

1 Corinthians 10: 31

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

 

Friends, do you know that best case for Christianity, and the best case against Christianity, is how we live our lives?

Not only are we supposed to be a living example of Jesus, but we are to be a witness of His very existence.

 

Did you ever stop to wonder what might happen, if every believer walked and talked and acted as Jesus did?

How about if we all loved as Jesus loved? Jesus most certainly loved the Father—and He loved the Word of the Father.

 

I think the church would look so much different than it does today.

I have a feeling that the world would take notice for sure.

Do you do EVERYTHING, for the glory of God?

 

I have  been preaching on the subject of revival lately, and will continue throughout all of December.

The signs are obvious that the church needs revival—forget about what’s going on in the world.

 

When no more than 10 people show up for Bible study, you know that something’s just not right.

I think this quote about revival, says it all……..

If revival depended on you—your prayers, your faith, your obedience—would your church ever experience revival? G. Campbell Morgan

 

So it beg's the question again, do we do ALL…..for the glory of God?

Never Let go!

Hebrews 11: 40

God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

There are times when Jake & Ashley’s dog Moses, has a toy in his mouth, and he’s reluctant to give it up.

You can try and trick him all you want, but in most cases he isn’t going to let go of what he has.

That is until you come up with something better—like a dog treat of some kind.

The writer of Hebrews was trying to encourage the Jewish Christians to give up their Old Testament customs.

This writer knew that there was something better for them—or someone better in this case—JESUS!

Some of us are holding on to things that we should probably let go of.

There are even things we might love, more than Christ.

There is nothing in the world that compares with Jesus.

In your prayer time today, ask God to show you the extreme delights and benefits of loving Jesus.

You’ll soon learn, that you can never love anything better, than Jesus....and when you do, plan to NEVER let Him go………

The Crowning Achievement

1 John 3: 2

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

If Jesus is really the Lord of your life, then your entire life has been ordered, and so is every single step you take.

God has a tremendous plan for the security guard—electrician—mechanic—custodian—the stay at home mom, and the missionary.

To find God’s will for your life, is the crowning achievement for your life.

Success is never spelled, RETIREMENT or STATUS, it’s finding God’s will for YOU, and then actively being a part of it.

Success is this continuous realization of the will of God, and what God desires your life to become, and then doing it.

God is not in the business of creating a work force, He’s in the business of making children.

The ultimate purpose God has for your life as a child, is to be like Jesus.

That’s His will for you.

How would you say you’re doing these days, at becoming like the Son of God?

Would you say that you’re in the center of His will?

Are you Compensation worthy?

Isaiah 40: 10

See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.

 

Most of us get it, that the Lord will one day come with great power.

The prophet Isaiah says that His reward will be with Him.

But who’s the reward for, you ask?

 

Some of you might even wonder what’s  a “recompense”?

Recompense means; to award compensation for victims who suffer injury or loss.

 

Then there must be something to what Jesus called us to. He said that we should be a “living sacrifice”.

Anyone who has sacrificed anything at all, knows that loss might be suffered in the midst of the sacrifice.

It sure was true for Jesus, or for any willing sacrificial saint for that matter.

 

It sounds to me, that anyone willing to give sacrificially, will receive compensation from the great compensator.

So what does the person get, who doesn’t sacrifice anything?

Probably not much in the way of any true compensation.

But the person who sacrifices much, will be handsomely compensated and rewarded one day……….

The Giver of Living Water

Genesis 1: 6

And God said, "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water."

On this eve of Thanksgiving, when’s the last time you thanked God for the water you drink?

If you’re at all like me, I take it for granted every time I turn on the tap—or take a shower or flush the toilet.

In countries like India, people bathe in public places because of the lack of water.

People actually share pools of water together, and the result is wide spread sickness and disease.

People in some foreign countries, walk literal miles to fetch their daily water supply.

When you go to rinse off your turkey before you put it in the oven, think about what some people would give, to have that same water.

How about when you go to stir the Kool-Aid or juice for that younger crowd, think of the people in the world who truly thirst.

We have much to be thankful for. Take time today, to give God great thanks for the many things He’s allowed us to possess.

Don’t forget, that He’s the giver of living water too………….

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turn Offenses into Convictions

1 Thessalonians 1: 4 – 5

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

 

How do you respond, when you hear the power of God’s Word?

It’s amazing how many people become offended and even become angry when the simple Gospel words of truth are spoken.

“I’m offended!!!”

 

Conviction actually means….. “things for which you would be willing to die for”.

Conviction is not, wanting someone else to die, for what was said.

 

Conviction is actually good, but not when the emotion of angers enters in.

People actually leave churches over deep conviction, when in fact they should make changes.

 

Conviction is also tied to two other Biblical words……… “convict” & “convince”

True conviction, is a convinced conscience.

 

When fed a steady diet of the Word of God and submitted to God in a pure heart, it can help to guide us in a right direction.

Anger should never be a result of conviction—because it’s not tied to the fruits of the spirit, or the Word of God.

If anger rises up, it is the very spirit that accompanies it, and that spirit is not of God at all.

 

Our opinions or emotions in most cases, do not often carry the authority of scripture, and may in fact be totally faulty.

As long as our convictions do not directly oppose God's word—like anger for example, we’ll probably travel down the right path………..

Devote yourself

Acts 2: 42

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

 

Devotion and commitment are true signs of a “died in the wool”, follower of Jesus.

What would you say that you’re devoted to these days?

 

The early church had no concern for their own well being, but they were devoted to the teaching and the spreading of the Gospel.

Many people in the church today, are devoted to having things go their way.

Some people think the institution of the church, is for getting and not giving.

Once we take our focus off of self, it becomes easier to devote ourselves to the cause of Christ.

 

There are opportunities for fellowship, teaching, learning and prayer in the church.

The numbers of folks who respond consistently to these areas, shows what the modern church is really devoted to.

 

Maybe our devotion should change?

Maybe before we consider if we’re bringing any glory to God, we should consider our true devotion?

 

The world in which we live, shows the content of its heart.

We are devoted to so many causes, that have nothing to do with edifying our Savior.

 

In the end, what we’re devoted to, will be measured.

The one or ones devoted to things other than total surrender to the plan of God, will most definitely suffer loss.

 

Some people who will read this, will not be willing to make any changes to their course, and that decision, will have indentified their true devotion……….

The Path of Life

Daniel Gibson

Psalm 16: 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. The path to life has been declared by God Himself. Have you ever really enjoyed being in the presence of someone?

3:06 AM

Psalm 16: 11

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

 

The path to life has been declared by God Himself.

Have you ever really enjoyed being in the presence of someone?

I can think of a lot of people that fit this profile.

I constantly long to be where Christians meet, but not everyone feels that way.

 

In the presence of God, there is fullness of Joy.

Do you ever wonder why we delay, or even why we’re deliberate in staying away from God?

Maybe that’s why our Joy is not as full as it could be?

 

When I come to prayer meeting on Sunday mornings, I sense God is there.

When there’s a Bible study discussion/meeting, I sense God is there.

When I enter a place of worship, I long to feel the presence of God.

Maybe we should practice God’s presence, more than we do?

 

I can have the path of life made known to me—I can be filled with Joy in His presence, and I can expect to receive eternal pleasures.

I can have all those things now, and I will have access to all those things forever more.

 

Maybe today, we need to take the liberty, of entering God’s presence.

Maybe then we’ll find the path to life—and be filled with Joy unspeakable—and have great pleasure.

Once we receive these things from the hand of God, we won’t want to go anywhere else, to find true satisfaction………..  

True Desires

Habakkuk 2: 4

See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness.

As you start this new week, what do you truly desire?

Each of us will choose to walk down the path of the upright, or not.

If we live by faithfulness, God will honor and indeed He will bless the steps of that upright person.

He knows our most inward desires, and we have so many areas of our Christian faith walk, that measure our faithfulness.

Will your prayer life be faithful? How about your giving and serving?

Let’s take the study of God’s Word. How faithful will you be in learning, and then applying what you learn from the “Good Book”?

And if the book is truly good, why then don’t we always desire to live by it?

It would be better if we starved for food, than to fail to grasp and even desire, the things of God……..

Finding Rest

Jeremiah 6: 16

This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.

This verse seems pretty cut and dry.

Look for the good path, walk in it, and you will find rest for your soul.

Is your soul at rest this morning?

According to God, when we walk in the good paths, that’s where we find rest.

People today are restless. It’s probably because they could care less about what God has to say.

The election results on Tuesday evening proved that.

Maybe we need to get off the path we’re on, and head for the path that brings rest?

We’re at a critical cross road as a nation, no one can deny that.

Our national voice spoke loudly;

We obviously want same sex marriage—we want to continue killing babies by the millions—we want more debt—and we desire lower moral standards.

At least that’s what we said at the polls. I assure you—these kinds of standards will never bring about rest.

I’m going to look for, and travel the sure path.

That’s where I’m going to look, to find rest for my soul.

How about you?

No Act is Meaningless

Hebrews 12: 1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,

and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Did you know that the elect Angels are watching over us?

There’s some motivation toward righteous living!

I wonder how much the Angels are satisfied, as they peer down from Heaven?

How different we would act, if we kept this thought in mind?

If it isn’t bad enough, to realize, that God knows everything too.

“Such a great cloud of witnesses”, is also translated….. “spectators in Heaven”.

The great American Baptist Preacher, Vance Hafner would spend hours preparing for a sermon.

His church in the early years, numbered less than 20 people.

His wife would often ask…. “Why do you spend so much time preparing, to preach to so few?”

Hafner’s reply…… “You forget my dear, how large my audience will be from above!”

No act is meaningless, if the witnesses of Heaven are looking on.

How different should we act today, knowing that the Heavenly grandstands are full today, and looking down with great interest?

Maybe we should throw off, everything that would entangle us…………

Chosen

James 2: 5

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

 

God chose us, because nobody would be saved if it were left to man’s decision.

God has called the chosen and elect.

When’s the last time you thanked God for that awesome blessing?

 

While we were unbelieving sinners, Christ died for us.

He drew is to Himself for forgiveness, salvation and redemption.

Have you recently considered, how God chose you and saved you?

 

Aren’t you glad, that Jesus did not say you needed a mountain of faith, to move a mustard seed?

What’s your faith like today?

 

This week will be a week of selection, but that’s already happened to the millions of people, who have been handpicked by God…………

 

 

"Gracious Lord, bless us and help us to see You as You are. Thank you for being worthy of our praise and devotion.

There is no other like You. Thank you for choosing us. Thank you for loving us more than we understand.

We will have more faith in You because of what You have done, who You are, and how You have kept your promises.

In Jesus' name, Amen."

Middle of the road

Revelation 3: 15 – 16

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.

These words out of Revelation chapter 3, are words from Jesus to the church.

A “cold” person is obvious. They’re the one who do not believe or even attend church—they are not one bit interested in God.

It appears though, that Jesus addresses the “lukewarm” person in this passage, more than the hot or cold.

This is the person who is in the middle of the road—the one without true commitment.

I wonder if it’s possible to be on fire for God one day, but then have the fire go out the next?

Jesus wishes that we were one or the other—hot or cold—it appears He detests lukewarm people.

Maybe it’s the person who used to come to Bible study—or the person who used to attend prayer meeting?

Maybe it’s the person who could not get enough of God on Sunday morning, but then found something else to occupy their time on Sunday’s?

Jesus said this would happen to the church, and the person found to be lukewarm, would be spit out.

I think it would be a good exercise, if we checked our temperature.

What category do you fit into?

This middle of the road commitment with Jesus, does not work in His way of thinking.

Just remember this, and this we can be quite sure of—He knows our deeds, and He knows our temperature………..