Uncertain Days

Today history is being made, our 44th president was elected. I am not going to make much mention about our new leaders. But what I am going to say is that we are living in uncertain times. But God is still at work. I was thinking today about how good we've had it as a nation and especially as believers. If we were in another country, daily life would be a struggle for survival. Okay so we have a few problems here and there, but we also have opportunity. Opportunity to at least "try" to change that which we do not like. Many people in other nations can't even afford to put food on the table and watch their families starve in utter helplessness to change the situation. Yet here, remembering to thank God for our food is a struggle. I was wondering the other day as I stopped to pray for a meal "am I truly thankful or am I just mumbling some words?" Truth is, here in America, we've never been without. Yeah, maybe we've had to wait for the new piece of clothing, or the new "toy", but I don't think that many of us, if any, can say we've ever had to worry about where we were going to sleep at night and where our next meal was coming from. Now with the not so stable economy, I find myself wondering if it will make us rely on Christ more. I believe that God is allowing hard times (if you can call them that in comparison with other nations) to come to teach us not to trust in out wealth, jobs, or even our own abilities to provide for all our needs; but to turn our attention and focuses to Him. To wake us up in the areas of our life where we forget to realize that everything we have comes from His hands, to realize that God is just as in control in the bad times, as He is in the good ones. He can be trusted. No one knows what the future holds, but for us who believe, though "some trust in chariots and some in horses"…let us "trust in the name of the Lord our God" Psalm 20:7

Using Our Liberty

"Everything bad they (the ungodly) can seize hold of in our life is twisted against Christ and His teaching. The result is that by our fault God's sacred name is exposed to insult. The more closely we see ourselves being watched by our enemies, the more intent we should be to avoid their slander, so that their ill-will strengthens us in the desire to do well." ~John Calvin

This can be so true, and it doesn't necessarily just apply to our "enemies". Most of us probably don't have anyone we consider an "enemy", and to be honest I don't think that's what Calvin is talking about here. I think his point is that we are surrounded by people who don't know Christ, and are watching every move we make, wondering what makes us different from the next so called "religious" person. We have the ability, by our words and actions, to either bring glory to Christ, or to live in such a way that we give our real enemy, Satan, ammunition to use against us in non-believer's lives. This has been a real challenge to me on how I use my liberty. Based on the above quote from Calvin, Jerry Bridges writes:

"Therefore as believers, we should seek to be exemplary in every aspect of our lives, doing our best for the sake of Christ and His gospel. Our work, our play, our driving, our shopping should all be done with a view that not only will unbelievers have nothing bad to say, but on the contrary, they will be attracted to the gospel they see at work in our lives."

"All things (that are not sinful) are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor."
1 Corinthians 10:23 & 24

"...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh..." Galatians 5:13

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

"Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." 1 Peter 2:12

Truth

A friend sent this to me via email, and I loved it, so I thought I'd share it. Something to always keep in mind...

“Truth that is not spoken in love ceases to be truth because it is twisted by other human agendas. Love that is not guided by truth ceases to be love because it is divorced from God’s agenda.” ~Davis Paul Tripp

God Grant Us...

"...the wisdom to discover what's right, the will to chose it, and the strength to make it endure."
~ Unknown Author

Ashamed At His Coming?

A friend recently told me about a website called One Place.com where you can go to hear hundreds of different messages from all different radio programs. So I decided to check it out. I came across a preacher named Dr. John Barnett. I had never heard of him before but the title of his message intrigued my interest. With all the turbulent times we are in for with the incoming president, I think most of us believe we are living in the end. No one knows when Christ will come back, but the one thing I know for sure is that I wanta be ready to face Him. This message was entitled "Ashamed at His Coming? Part 1" (you can listen to it here). These are my notes from the message.

Ashamed at His coming... Part 1 - John Barnett

1 Samuel 13 – Saul (man after mans own heart, the mistakes Saul made)


If you want to be sure you’re life will amount to nothing then:

• Neglect the Lords leadership in your life, vv1-7.Saul neglected to let the Lord lead. And He underestimated the power of His enemies. Positive side - Galatians 5, Ephesians 4-5 and Colossians 3.

• Get impatience and use your impatience as a justification to do your own thing, v8. We excuse our wrong behavior. Positive side – The fruit of the spirit, yielding to the Holy Spirit in my life. I should have an immeasurable amount of growing patience.

• Neglect your primary responsibility, v22. Positive side. In every responsibility were entrusted with we have the option to embrace it and fulfill it or to neglect it and be irresponsible and self centered.

• Get out of touch with what God is doing around you, 14:2-3. Saul was out of touch with what God was doing in His surrounding.

• Get your anger and pride to rule, vv24. James 1 & 3 (tongue). If you want to waste your life allow your anger and pride to rule your life so that you say and do things that disable, hurt and harm those around you. The Lord tells us, we’re gonna give an account for every idle word. Our worlds can either come from a fountain prompted by the Holy Spirit, or from a heart of bitterness. It’s our choice.

• Be unacquainted with the way God wants us to life our lives, 15:1-3. Saul ignored clear and direct statements about what God wanted Him to do. Positive side: Stop always worry about what God did reveal to us yet, and get busy with what we know He’s already called us to do. Psalm 119:18 “Open my eyes God that I many understand.”

• Pick and choose what God clearly tells you to do so that you offer God selective and partial obedience, v8. Anything less than full obedience, God considers disobedience.

• Hold on to the best and nicest parts of what God hates and has asked you to destroy and keep them for yourself, v9. James 4:4, friendship with the world, leads to being an enemy of God. Galatians 5, Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3.

• Only give God what you don’t want anyways and is worthless to you, v9. It’s easy to obey God when we don’t like those things anyways. But are we willing to obey God even when it means sacrificing something we enjoy? Positive side: Matt.16:24-27 (whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but if you give your life to God you will gain it, and not shrink away from Him at His coming).

• Honor yourself before others, v12. Matt. 23, Jesus hardest criticisms were towards the religious leaders who thought they were above everyone else. Positives side: James 4:10, Colossians 3:12 (if we humble ourselves it is than that God can use us).

• Be deceptive about the true condition of our spiritual life by making false claims about your dedication, v13. How many of us stand in church on Sundays and sing hymns, just mouthing the words, yet not being willing to live them out in our personal lives. Be aware wear you stand in your relationship with Christ.

• Blame others for your own personal failures, v15. Whoever confesses his sins and forsakes them will find mercy and prosper.

Ending Note:
Avoid what Saul did...but more than that.... I need to be active in my pursuit of obedience to Christ so that my relationship with Him will grow and I will not be ashamed at His coming. 1 John 2:28 – "Abide in Him so that we will not shrink away at His coming".

Truth from Mexico

This is such a powerful video on the Christian life and what happened when Christ set us free from the bondage of our sin.

What Will You Do?

This video is based on the Great Commission to preach the word of God. While living in a society full of entertainment right at our fingertips, what are we doing with the time we have left?