Stomp it out!

2 Timothy 2: 16 – 17 – NLT

Avoid godless, foolish discussions that lead to more and more ungodliness. This kind of talk spreads like cancer.

 

Do you know anyone with a critical spirit?

They’re the kind of people, that no matter how hard you try to please them, it’s never enough and they’re never satisfied.

 

A critical spirit is also pretty easy to catch.

It’s kind of like a good case of poison ivy. It only takes a little contact, to make it spread.

 

Major divisions in churches and families and in society, almost never begin with large disagreements.

Most critical spirits begin with something small, and then they escalate into something big.

 

A little hurtful word, can be the beginning of the end, in churches and in marriages.

Maybe people with critical spirits, have to be dealt with, before a raging fire begins to burn.

 

If you heard someone being critical, would you stomp out the brush fire, or let it burn out of control?

Is it easy to find fault with everyone around you? Then maybe it’s time to take a look in the mirror.

 

If you know of someone with this kind of spirit, their spiritual life might be in danger.

A critical attitude can hinder our walk with God, and distract us from fulfilling God’s purposes in our life.

 

So would we be thankful for the person who came to us, to tell us that we’re critical—or would we on the other hand, be critical of them too?

Is it worth the fight?

Mark 3: 25

“If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

Jesus was confronted by the religious elite one day, and they accused Him of being the devil.

I guess you could say, this was the kettle calling the pot black.

Did you know this same spirit exists in some churches?

People who are outwardly “religious”, are often totally against the movement of God’s Kingdom, without even knowing it.

God forbid, that we could get that ignorant, but then again, anything is possible.

In the church house, there should be more that unites us, than divides us.

Is that the way it is in your church?

Do you even know?

D. L. Moody once said… “I have never known the Spirit of God to work, where the Lord’s people were divided.”

Is it possible, that the Spirit of the living God, is void from being present in some churches?

Wouldn’t that be a total waste of time?

The only way to repair a situation like that, is total submission and humility toward one another, and toward God.

I believe on the other side of Heaven, we’re going to feel pretty foolish, for the thing or things  we fought for, that weren’t worth the fight.

Maybe it’s time some people get over themselves.

Maybe it’s time we picked up our towels, and became the slaves for Christ’s Kingdom, that Jesus called us to be…

Unnecessary Assumptions!

Acts 4: 13

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Do you ever assume, that just by the way people look, there might be something wrong with them?

Take the leather jacketed biker, who looks a little unclean, rough and unshaven.

Don’t tell me you’ve never grouped this kind of person, in a disheveled category.

Sometimes just the way people look, or the places where they hang, people can make unnecessary assumptions.

Assumptions will always get us into trouble, without knowing all of the facts.

Did you know, that there are some biker groups, that are some of the best evangelists out there, anywhere?

One group calls themselves…. “Bikers for Jesus”. So you can’t really judge a book by its cover, can you?

The difference with Peter and John, was that they had spent a lot of time with Jesus. Being with Jesus levels the playing field some.

Even if they looked a little rough around the edges, and uncivilized/unschooled, they turned some heads, and were effective in ministry.

I had a Pastor tell me a long time ago… “God always uses the ordinary, to do the extraordinary.”

What marked these men of God, was their courage, and not their outward appearance.

Before we judge a person’s motives, we had better know all the facts.

Don’t just assume you know it all about a person’s character, unless you’ve taken time to get to know the person…

True Intentions!

Proverbs 16: 2

All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

In our service for the Kingdom of God, are we more focused on our reputation, than we are on God’s?

Our greatest intentions, should be motivated by our desire to bring pleasure to God, and not to us.

What are your true intentions in your service to God?

Would you want God to expose your true intentions?

That might be a dangerous prayer.

If we are motivated by holiness and compassion, then our desires probably match His motives.

What God really desires, is that His motives, become ours.

Jesus had a very direct visit with the Pharisees and Sadducees one day.

He knew their hearts, even when they didn’t know their own hearts.

These religious leaders seemed right on the outside, but Jesus saw what was on the inside.

White washed tombs, expressed a beautiful exterior, which masked the deep death within.

Does it frighten you at all in knowing, that Jesus knows what you’re thinking at this very moment?

All our ways seem innocent to us, but the final assessment of our motives, comes directly from God.

Are we acting out our faith, with self interests in mind, or a passion for God and His righteous Kingdom?

Just be sure of this, God weighs our true motives

Ancient Paths!

Jeremiah 6: 16

"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.”

Every morning I get up, it seems I always have something planned for my day.

It is very unusual, to have nothing planned ahead of time.

When I’m relaxed and resting in God’s Spirit, my day seems to go much better than planned.

When I allow my days to be interrupted by chaos and circumstances, things don’t go so well.

Can you relate?

Honestly, when God is directing my thoughts and my activities, I even think I get more accomplished.

Maybe we need to tread more on the ancient paths?

Maybe it would be best to seek out the old fashioned, and things might end up being better than they are.

Could God’s commandments and honoring them, really bring us rest?

I’m pretty sure that when we follow God’s directives, we’ll have more peace and joy and contentment.

I really think this verse means, that when we really walk in His ways, we’ll have constant rest.

Man, could I use some of that rest today.

By our own power, we can never have rest.

With Jesus though, we can stand firmly in His righteousness, and find true rest.

It’s really not all that hard, when we see things God’s way, and then live in them…

Life time Favor!

Psalm 30: 5

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Do you think God ever gets angry?

We know that He does, but we also know that His anger is righteous.

Some of us in the morning, all we have to do is step out onto our deck or patio at first light, and we see God’s rejoicing come alive with new life.

Then we get to work or to the office, or our first account, and we observe the people of the world.

It’s no wonder why God gets angry!

There are times I must admit, that I feel just like crying when I see the news of the new day.

The reason I feel sad, is because many don’t understand God’s holiness, and that He knows, no sin.

But just remember, that things of this world might look a bit messy, but there is hope for those who are immersed in sin.

Jesus purchased people by His death on a cross.

Just with that knowing, it should bring a mouthful of rejoicing.

There’s a good chance, that yesterday for you, was a bad day.

Well get ready for some rejoicing, because His favor lasts a lifetime…

Care for the needs of others

Hebrews 10: 25

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Most people think this verse speaks only about church attendance, and it does, but it also speaks about friendship in the Body of Christ.

I mean, who couldn’t use another friend, and who couldn’t use another word of encouragement?

I found that out yesterday, and it sure felt good to know, that when things go south, we have caring people in our corner.

I need friends who will show me Christ, especially as they grow in Him.

The first ones that come to mind, are my own family.

Family steps up, when you can’t step up on your own, for whatever the reason.

Through the Spirits enabling, we are to grow in the likeness of Christ.

God has not called us to run this race alone, and I felt people running with me yesterday.

I am forever thankful, for the friends that God has given me, who point me to His Son.

We can be encouraged by them, with the glorious hope they have found in Christ Jesus.

When we feel poorly and sick, we all need a hand to hold during those times, and not someone just to tell us to rub some dirt on the wound.

I am grateful for the friends who truly care, especially when they’re really needed.

Generally, they are the kind of people who care for the needs of others, more than they care for their own needs.

That’s real friendship, and that’s the kind of encouragement, that only the doctor can order.

When all you do for a living, is give blessings out…it sure feels good, to get a few in return for a change….

Expect the Unexpected!

Luke 24: 13 – 15

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.

They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them…

Two followers of Jesus, were on their way home from Jerusalem.

It was a 7 mile walk, and this walk was a long one, because of what had happened.

They were probably depressed—despondent—and discouraged.

These men had put all of their hope in Jesus, and they had seen Him crucified, and now dead and buried.

For some reason, these two did not even recognize Jesus, despite hearing the rumor that He had risen from the dead.

The devil uses precise tools sometimes, to cloud our vision.

Sometimes our focus can be on us, when in fact, it should be on the Lord.

Talk about expecting the unexpected. In their minds, Jesus was still dead.

Did you know that God is the God of the unexpected?

He does not seem to fit in the box we’d like to place Him in.

It’s easy to miss Jesus all together, especially when we’re not expecting Him.

God is still the God of the unexpected, and He shows up in the most unlikely places.

Where will you find Him this week? Will you be looking for Him?

He’ll probably show up in a place, you never expected to find Him…

It will cost you!

John 13: 16 – 17

“I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

How has God been speaking to you, about the ways He wishes you to serve Him?

If you’re drawing a blank to that question, it might be a good idea to open your heart and your mind and your ears, to what He’s telling you.

Our great God is the Master of all, and He deserves to be praised and He deserves to be served.

What other Master do you know, who would lay down his own life for the servants?

And yet we know that Jesus did that for us.

When we serve His needs, we are filled with His image.

When we serve His needs instead of our own, we become more of whom He created us to be.

Being a lifetime servant, for the cause of Christ, is the most important lesson a Christian could ever learn.

As hard as this fact is to accept, most don’t accept the call of following Jesus.

So many listen to what God says about service, but the sad reality is that very few do, what He says we should do.

How is that going to change for you today. Will it change for you today?

Has God been talking to you, about the ways He wants you to serve?

Have you been ignoring that still small voice?

Either way, there is a great cost of serving God—and there is also a great cost, for not being motivated to serve

Jesus in the Flesh!

Acts 26: 16

I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you.

A couple of prominent people, have said some thought provoking things, about being a servant;

·         Mother Theresa… “You can serve without love, but you cannot love without serving.”

·         Charles Spurgeon… “The world has a great need for Christ, and we have a great Christ for our needs.”

I’d love to tell you that I’m a great surrendered servant for the cause of Christ, but that wouldn’t necessarily be true.

I do, whenever given the opportunity,  let the people I meet, know about the Jesus I love.

I met a man yesterday in Black Creek, and it didn’t take long to notice, that he needed to be served a word of love.

He has spent the last 40 years in a wheel chair. He’s been paralyzed from the waist down, since a terrible industrial accident.

I came to his house, on the anniversary of his accident. Think that was a coincidence? Not hardly.

I’d like to say, that it was the reason I went to meet him, but I had a need to have fulfilled.

I told him about a man named Jesus, who died in his place. I told him that despite all the problems going on in the world, that God still cared very much, and then we prayed.

It was obviously what he needed to hear, because the e-mail below, was waiting for me the very next morning;

From: Rene’ Grode
Sent: Monday, August 05, 2013 9:40 PM
To: gibbie316@charter.net
Subject: Remember Jesus Loves You

Jesus came to my shop today. He bought 3-15 gallon barrels and over paid for them.  He told me he loves me and I should count my blessings. 

He tried fooling me by telling me his name was Dan Gibson but after he left I caught on. He didn't really look like I have pictured Jesus, but I know it was Him.

Thanks,  Rene' & Lois Grode

May God be truly glorified by our acts of service, and by our collective everyday witness….

Doing what matters most!

Philippians 2: 20 – 21 NLT

I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.

To be a servant of the most high God, you actually have to think like a servant.

Naturally, we’re all intricately wired to think only of ourselves.

Timothy stood out in the crowd to Paul.

He cared about other people, just like Jesus did.

Learning to give attention to the needs of other people, can only come through the supernatural.

The Holy Spirit is the only One, who can give us that kind of desire.

To take upon the mind of a servant, it must always start with Jesus.

Once we fall head over heels in love with Jesus, becoming a servant, becomes a part of our normal thought process.

The reason that is, is because Jesus was a self proclaimed servant, and He not only proclaimed it, He took it to action and was a servant example.

The needs of other people, mattered so much more, than Him (Jesus) satisfying His own needs.

We can think about being a servant all we want to, but until we actually become one, we won’t be able to think like a servant.

A servant sees the extreme needs of the people around them, and then they go into immediate action.

The more we notice the needs of others, as opposed to seeing/meeting our own needs—the journey towards being a true godly servant, has begun…

It is not about you!

Mark 9: 35

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

The theme of this week’s devotions, will be servant hood.

Would you say you have a servants heart, that is set on serving the needs of others?

Or do you on the other hand, have a desire to only serve yourself?

Most people when mentioning the name, Louis Pasteur, would know immediately who he was, by looking at a carton of milk.

Louis Pasteur developed the process of pasteurization, which saved countless people, from certain death and sickness.

What most people don’t know, is that Pasteur was also a devote Christian.

He was a humble man, and was totally unwilling to accept credit, for the research work he did.

He looked no further than the example of Christ as a servant, and he would often push himself into experiments well into the night, just so that he could help serve the needs of others.

Pasteur was known for this saying… “A man is not known by how many servants he owns, but by the number of men he serves.”

Jesus said that if we wanted to be first, we must be last, and the servant of all.

I’ll bet the world we live in today, would look so much different than it does, if we modeled ourselves after Louis Pasteur, who modeled himself after Jesus….

Live up!

Isaiah 40: 31

…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

How high have you been spiritually flying lately?

Did you know that it was God’s intent, for us to fly as high as the clouds, but sadly, many believers hardly ever get very far off the ground.

There’s a story of an Indian, who one day found an eagle’s egg in the desert sand.

He brought the egg home, and placed it under one of the brooding hen chickens.

Not long after, the eagle egg hatched with all the other chickens.

All it ever knew, was to scratch the ground for bugs, and it never ever, left the ground.

That’s what is happening to so many Christians in the church today.

The have been uniquely designed by our great God, to soar above the highest of heights of Heaven.

Sadly, many of them never get very far from their own church pew.

We don’t have to have the mentality of a farm chicken.

Our created purpose is to go up—to live upward lives, and be a part of God’s upward plan for humanity.

For some of you, it’s time to look up.

Actually, it’s time for you to live up, because of the blood of Christ, the deception can be over.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to be flying high today—how about you?

It’s where we were created to be….