John 11:25
Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live; - (Amplified Bible)
Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes on me, though he have died, shall live - (Darby Translation)
How many of you ever promised someone so huge that it made even you doubt the outcome? Has someone promised you something that it seemed it was impossible for them to keep? I can't help but think about yesterday's topic of faith. Consider Jesus' resurrection … key takeaway ... faith.
Jesus' resurrection is the key to the Christian faith. Why? He promised us a multitude of things, and it's up to us to believe Him and have faith. One of those multitude of things is Jesus rose from the dead. He kept His promise; thus, you can be confident God will keep all of His other promises as well. You can also be certain of your own resurrection because God has power over death. Hallelujah! His resurrection is the basis of your faith because by it He proved to be more than just a good human leader. Jesus demonstrated these things through His promise:
1. Showed that He is the Son of God
2. Brings eternal life to all who believe in Him
My friends let His resurrection inspire you to lead not just with human abilities but with the spiritual qualities that come from your living Lord (Personal Savior).
Song: Resurrection Power
The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
F D7
There's a feeling in the air that God is ev'rywhere
Gm7 C7 Gm7 C7
And His resurrection power is moving in this hour
Gm7 C7 Bb/C F
That Jesus might be glori--fied
F Bb F
I will glorify the name of the Lord
F Bb C7
I will glorify His name
Gm7 C7 Gm7 C7
And His resurrection power is moving in this hour
Gm7 C7 Bb/C F
That Jesus might be glori---fied
How does Jesus' resurrection affect your perspective on this life and your leadership?
10 June 2009
Greatness Is All God And More
Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else. - Mark 9:35 (NLT)
And He sat down and called the Twelve [apostles], and He said to them, If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all. - Mark 9:35 (Amplified Bible)
After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, "If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!" - Mark 9:35 (Contemporary English Version)
Many of us try to become successful and want our children to achieve even greater success, and who wouldn't. But to what extent? What are your limits, your boundaries? How do you define success, better yet, how do you define greatness? How do you measure greatness? And those around you seeking your approval, how do they measure up to you?
I have four children and one granddaughter. Only one daughter (Autumn) remains at home with me. She looks up to me and possess some traits of mine, but I stress to her constantly that she has to be her own person in this world. Of course I tell her that I want her to be the best she can. And I also tell her as long as she does her best at whatever she chooses I am proud of her, and to take responsibility for the choices she made good, bad or indifferent. To me, that is greatness.
Greatness as defined by Webster's Dictionary: markedly superior in character or quality; remarkably skilled; used as a generalized term of approval; chief or preeminent over others
Through spiritual eyes, true greatness comes from finding your real value in God's eyes. Can you imagine being great in God's eyes? What an impossible task! Not really. An eight letter word says it all. The essence of true greatness is HUMILITY. Through humility it takes great power, restraint, compassion, love, forgiveness, and mercy. So, don’t be fooled into striving to gain everything you desire in this world at the cost of eternal rewards in heaven. Nothing in this life is worth losing your soul if it means spending the rest of it in total hell and damnation. Look it at this way, if the greatest benefactor of your achievement is yourself, then you are trying to find meaning in the wrong way.
Song: How Great Is Our God (by Chris Tomlin)
VERSE(1):
The splendor of a King,
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice,
All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light,
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at his voice,
And trembles at his voice
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
VERSE(2):
Age to age he stands
And time is in His Hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End
The Godhead, Three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb,
The Lion and the Lamb
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
CHORUS(2)
Name above all names
You are Worthy of all praise
and My heart will sing how great
Is our God
(x2)
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
Are you living as if what you do is more important than who you are before God?
And He sat down and called the Twelve [apostles], and He said to them, If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all. - Mark 9:35 (Amplified Bible)
After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, "If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!" - Mark 9:35 (Contemporary English Version)
Many of us try to become successful and want our children to achieve even greater success, and who wouldn't. But to what extent? What are your limits, your boundaries? How do you define success, better yet, how do you define greatness? How do you measure greatness? And those around you seeking your approval, how do they measure up to you?
I have four children and one granddaughter. Only one daughter (Autumn) remains at home with me. She looks up to me and possess some traits of mine, but I stress to her constantly that she has to be her own person in this world. Of course I tell her that I want her to be the best she can. And I also tell her as long as she does her best at whatever she chooses I am proud of her, and to take responsibility for the choices she made good, bad or indifferent. To me, that is greatness.
Greatness as defined by Webster's Dictionary: markedly superior in character or quality; remarkably skilled; used as a generalized term of approval; chief or preeminent over others
Through spiritual eyes, true greatness comes from finding your real value in God's eyes. Can you imagine being great in God's eyes? What an impossible task! Not really. An eight letter word says it all. The essence of true greatness is HUMILITY. Through humility it takes great power, restraint, compassion, love, forgiveness, and mercy. So, don’t be fooled into striving to gain everything you desire in this world at the cost of eternal rewards in heaven. Nothing in this life is worth losing your soul if it means spending the rest of it in total hell and damnation. Look it at this way, if the greatest benefactor of your achievement is yourself, then you are trying to find meaning in the wrong way.
Song: How Great Is Our God (by Chris Tomlin)
VERSE(1):
The splendor of a King,
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice,
All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light,
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at his voice,
And trembles at his voice
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
VERSE(2):
Age to age he stands
And time is in His Hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End
The Godhead, Three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb,
The Lion and the Lamb
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
CHORUS(2)
Name above all names
You are Worthy of all praise
and My heart will sing how great
Is our God
(x2)
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
Are you living as if what you do is more important than who you are before God?
09 June 2009
Risks Are Only Dangerous When Not Taken With God
Anyone who moves boulders might be hurt by them; and anyone who cuts
logs might be harmed by them. - Ecclesiastes 10:9 (NCV)
You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has perished. - Psalm 9:5-6 (KJV)
Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get
discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take. - Joshua
1:9 (The Message Bible)
The Lord your God is with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9 (NLT)
At what point and time have you NOT taken risks? As military personnel we take risks all the time. In fact, we take them so often that we must do risk assessments. As parents, we take risks everyday especially when it comes to our children. You see, life in general is a risk. Why? Life is filled with risks and to not take a single risk is quite questionable to me. Let's go further, the person who never takes anyrisks falls short of many things.
1. Never succeeds (full potential/ability/capability is not met)
2. Never enjoys everything life has to offer (what if syndrome)
3. Never fully experiences God's plan (hindering your blessings from
God)
What it boils down to is YOU are too cautious. By being too cautious you allow fear to control you to the point where any risk seems too great. That's like saying God is not that great. In fact, fear keeps you from taking risks at all. And how can you trust God if you don't leap out on faith? Caution keeps you from risking too much; however, true obedience to God balances the two. Try it and see. I risked writing and sending out these inspirational vitamins to you in hopes it would encourage you to trust God, and seek Him first even in the midst
of trials and tribulations. Your risk ... you tell me.
Quotes:
The most important thing to remember is this: To be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become. - W.E.B. Du Bois
You've got to go out on a limb sometimes because that's where the fruit is. - Will Rogers
Do you need to take more risks to obey God?
logs might be harmed by them. - Ecclesiastes 10:9 (NCV)
You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has perished. - Psalm 9:5-6 (KJV)
Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get
discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take. - Joshua
1:9 (The Message Bible)
The Lord your God is with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9 (NLT)
At what point and time have you NOT taken risks? As military personnel we take risks all the time. In fact, we take them so often that we must do risk assessments. As parents, we take risks everyday especially when it comes to our children. You see, life in general is a risk. Why? Life is filled with risks and to not take a single risk is quite questionable to me. Let's go further, the person who never takes anyrisks falls short of many things.
1. Never succeeds (full potential/ability/capability is not met)
2. Never enjoys everything life has to offer (what if syndrome)
3. Never fully experiences God's plan (hindering your blessings from
God)
What it boils down to is YOU are too cautious. By being too cautious you allow fear to control you to the point where any risk seems too great. That's like saying God is not that great. In fact, fear keeps you from taking risks at all. And how can you trust God if you don't leap out on faith? Caution keeps you from risking too much; however, true obedience to God balances the two. Try it and see. I risked writing and sending out these inspirational vitamins to you in hopes it would encourage you to trust God, and seek Him first even in the midst
of trials and tribulations. Your risk ... you tell me.
Quotes:
The most important thing to remember is this: To be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become. - W.E.B. Du Bois
You've got to go out on a limb sometimes because that's where the fruit is. - Will Rogers
Do you need to take more risks to obey God?
08 June 2009
Faith In God Great Or Small Can Move Mountains
(The passage comes from JOHN 5:24)
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (NIV)
Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth My Word and believeth in Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. (21st Century KJV)
What is faith? Faith is the confident belief in the truth of or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. It is also used for a , belief without proof. Informal usage of the word "faith" can be quite broad, and may be used standardly in place of, "trust" "belief", or "hope". For example, the word "faith" can refer to a religion itself or to religion in general. As with "trust", faith involves a concept of future events or outcomes. Interesting isn't it?
Faith is more than just believing it is entrusting your very life to what you believe. For example you may believe that someone can cross a deep gorge on a tightrope. But would you trust that person to carry you across? Another example is trusting the person in the foxhole with you has your back when it comes down to it. Will he/she be there when all heck breaks loose? If you truly had faith, you would say yes. And so faith in God means that you are willing to trust Him with your whole life. You are willing to follow His guidelines for living, as outlined in the Bible, because you have the conviction that His will is best for you. That is much faith in a living God we cannot see, but know He is there. Let me ask. Are you even willing to endure ridicule and persecution for your faith because you are sure that God is who He says He is and He will keep His promises about salvation and eternal life in heaven?
Song: Great Is Thy Faithfulness (by Thomas O Chisholm & William Runyan)
"Great is They faithfulness"; O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not, As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
"Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy Faithfulness!" Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided, "Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord unto me!
How can you strengthen your faith today?
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (NIV)
Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth My Word and believeth in Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. (21st Century KJV)
What is faith? Faith is the confident belief in the truth of or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing. It is also used for a , belief without proof. Informal usage of the word "faith" can be quite broad, and may be used standardly in place of, "trust" "belief", or "hope". For example, the word "faith" can refer to a religion itself or to religion in general. As with "trust", faith involves a concept of future events or outcomes. Interesting isn't it?
Faith is more than just believing it is entrusting your very life to what you believe. For example you may believe that someone can cross a deep gorge on a tightrope. But would you trust that person to carry you across? Another example is trusting the person in the foxhole with you has your back when it comes down to it. Will he/she be there when all heck breaks loose? If you truly had faith, you would say yes. And so faith in God means that you are willing to trust Him with your whole life. You are willing to follow His guidelines for living, as outlined in the Bible, because you have the conviction that His will is best for you. That is much faith in a living God we cannot see, but know He is there. Let me ask. Are you even willing to endure ridicule and persecution for your faith because you are sure that God is who He says He is and He will keep His promises about salvation and eternal life in heaven?
Song: Great Is Thy Faithfulness (by Thomas O Chisholm & William Runyan)
"Great is They faithfulness"; O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not, As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
"Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy Faithfulness!" Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided, "Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord unto me!
How can you strengthen your faith today?
07 June 2009
Avoiding God's Blessings Doesn't Make Sense
2 Corinthians 6:2
For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." - (NIV)
For He says, In the time of favor (of an assured welcome) I have listened to and heeded your call, and I have helped you on the day of deliverance (the day of salvation). Behold, now is truly the time for a gracious welcome and acceptance [of you from God]; behold, now is the day of salvation! - (Amplified Bible)
Hebrews 3:15
Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” (NLT)
while it is said:“ Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (NKJV)
Let's consider honesty, loyalty, and faithfulness in our thoughts today. Of course, we should be doing that daily. Humor me for a bit. You have this idea you've been toying with all week or month. And you have put much time and effort into the whole thought process. Now comes the decision making process or perhaps for some of you … the final decision making process. You have your reservations. You even question your motives behind it all. Why the hesitation? Or is it safe to ask, why the procrastination? This past Sunday, the guest pastor said procrastination is our answer to not do what God has asked or to act upon the answer He provided us. I have to agree whether whole heartedly or half heartedly. It makes sense, and it's funny how some of us will say, "I'm waiting for God to answer me." In fact, I remember telling a dear friend of mine not so long ago that the answer was within him/her because God is ever present and always answering prayer.
What am I saying? Do you ever think that your plan is better than God's? Do you think His plan is just too inconvenient for you? That's not a difficult question to answer; however, the truth in your answer may be. One must realize that God's call deserves and requires an immediate response. Key word: immediate. If you can recall the disciples, each one gave an immediate response to follow Jesus. Ahh! Wait a minute. Yes, He does give us a choice, yet even the choice cannot wait forever. Remember the parable about the ten bridesmaids? (Read Matthew 25:1-15)
Friends, He does not ask you to do anything without giving you the resources and power to accomplish it. Moses, Sampson, Esther, and Jabez are ones that come to my mind quickly. If you avoid the opportunities God gives you, you will miss His blessings as well. If you accept His call, you will be living according to His will, which will bring you great blessing and joy.
Song: Sing (I'm Gonna Sing When The Spirit Says Sing (by: William Farley Smith 1947- )
I'm gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, I'm gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, I'm gonna sing when the Sprit says sing, and obey the Spirit of the Lord.
I'm gonna pray when the Spirit says pray, …
I'm gonna cry when the Spirit says cry, …
I'm gonna shout when the Spirit says shout, ...
Have you received a clear call from God? Will you avoid it or accept it?
For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." - (NIV)
For He says, In the time of favor (of an assured welcome) I have listened to and heeded your call, and I have helped you on the day of deliverance (the day of salvation). Behold, now is truly the time for a gracious welcome and acceptance [of you from God]; behold, now is the day of salvation! - (Amplified Bible)
Hebrews 3:15
Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” (NLT)
while it is said:“ Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (NKJV)
Let's consider honesty, loyalty, and faithfulness in our thoughts today. Of course, we should be doing that daily. Humor me for a bit. You have this idea you've been toying with all week or month. And you have put much time and effort into the whole thought process. Now comes the decision making process or perhaps for some of you … the final decision making process. You have your reservations. You even question your motives behind it all. Why the hesitation? Or is it safe to ask, why the procrastination? This past Sunday, the guest pastor said procrastination is our answer to not do what God has asked or to act upon the answer He provided us. I have to agree whether whole heartedly or half heartedly. It makes sense, and it's funny how some of us will say, "I'm waiting for God to answer me." In fact, I remember telling a dear friend of mine not so long ago that the answer was within him/her because God is ever present and always answering prayer.
What am I saying? Do you ever think that your plan is better than God's? Do you think His plan is just too inconvenient for you? That's not a difficult question to answer; however, the truth in your answer may be. One must realize that God's call deserves and requires an immediate response. Key word: immediate. If you can recall the disciples, each one gave an immediate response to follow Jesus. Ahh! Wait a minute. Yes, He does give us a choice, yet even the choice cannot wait forever. Remember the parable about the ten bridesmaids? (Read Matthew 25:1-15)
Friends, He does not ask you to do anything without giving you the resources and power to accomplish it. Moses, Sampson, Esther, and Jabez are ones that come to my mind quickly. If you avoid the opportunities God gives you, you will miss His blessings as well. If you accept His call, you will be living according to His will, which will bring you great blessing and joy.
Song: Sing (I'm Gonna Sing When The Spirit Says Sing (by: William Farley Smith 1947- )
I'm gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, I'm gonna sing when the Spirit says sing, I'm gonna sing when the Sprit says sing, and obey the Spirit of the Lord.
I'm gonna pray when the Spirit says pray, …
I'm gonna cry when the Spirit says cry, …
I'm gonna shout when the Spirit says shout, ...
Have you received a clear call from God? Will you avoid it or accept it?
06 June 2009
Hope Resurrects Our Faith In God
Hope: 1 Peter 1: 3-6
Because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead…we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay…There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. - (NLT)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials - (NKJV)
My husband, Troy, rides a motorcycle (street bike/crotch rocket). While I was in Iraq 2004-2005, Troy taught Autumn (my daughter) how to ride. He kept telling her, "If you look straight, you will go straight. Once you look another direction, the bike will go in that direction." It took a few times, but she learned how to ride a bike. In fact, she wanted to race them. Like most young children, she changed her mind and has aspired to be something else. LOL. Anyway, my point is … just as focusing on a fixed point in the distance helps you go in a straight line, followers of Jesus should fix their eyes on the eternal horizon in order to move straight toward their ultimate goal. That goal being heaven.
You see, Heaven is the ultimate place you will live with God forever without pain or sorrow or suffering. I don't know about you, that sounds fantabulous! I have a hope as all of you should have that same hope. This hope for eternity enables you to endure the challenges and discomforts of daily life here on earth. It gives you the motivation and energy to press on in your daily tasks of being a husband, wife, father, mother, pastor, supervisor, friend, teacher, student, and Christian. Your hope offers an eternal perspective on life to those you lead, and also in your development as a follower.
Song: Only Hope (by Switchfoot)
There's a song that's inside of my soul
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold
But You sing to me over and over again
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now You're my only hope
Sing to me the song of the stars
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again
And I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now You're my only hope
I give You my apathy
I'm giving You all of me
I want Your symphony
Singing in all that I am
At the top of my lungs
I'm giving it back
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now You're my only hope
How does your hope for eternity change the way you lead today?
Because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead…we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance-an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay…There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. - (NLT)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials - (NKJV)
My husband, Troy, rides a motorcycle (street bike/crotch rocket). While I was in Iraq 2004-2005, Troy taught Autumn (my daughter) how to ride. He kept telling her, "If you look straight, you will go straight. Once you look another direction, the bike will go in that direction." It took a few times, but she learned how to ride a bike. In fact, she wanted to race them. Like most young children, she changed her mind and has aspired to be something else. LOL. Anyway, my point is … just as focusing on a fixed point in the distance helps you go in a straight line, followers of Jesus should fix their eyes on the eternal horizon in order to move straight toward their ultimate goal. That goal being heaven.
You see, Heaven is the ultimate place you will live with God forever without pain or sorrow or suffering. I don't know about you, that sounds fantabulous! I have a hope as all of you should have that same hope. This hope for eternity enables you to endure the challenges and discomforts of daily life here on earth. It gives you the motivation and energy to press on in your daily tasks of being a husband, wife, father, mother, pastor, supervisor, friend, teacher, student, and Christian. Your hope offers an eternal perspective on life to those you lead, and also in your development as a follower.
Song: Only Hope (by Switchfoot)
There's a song that's inside of my soul
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold
But You sing to me over and over again
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now You're my only hope
Sing to me the song of the stars
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again
And I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now You're my only hope
I give You my apathy
I'm giving You all of me
I want Your symphony
Singing in all that I am
At the top of my lungs
I'm giving it back
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I pray to be only Yours
I know now You're my only hope
How does your hope for eternity change the way you lead today?
04 June 2009
Joy In God Brings Joy In You and Others
The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey His voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. - Deuteronomy 30:10 (NLT)
if you obey the LORD your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. - Deuteronomy 30:10 (NIV)
Take time to think about giving this answer in your quiet, devotional time with God today. Can finite, sinful human beings truly bring joy and delight to the Lord, the Creator of the universe? God says yes.
How can this be? Simple. He created you because He wants to have a relationship with you. He really wants to delight in being with you as well. Is that so hard to believe? I think for many of us it is because we find it difficult to be with Him mind, body and soul. Now, that's not an effective or productive relationship in today's terms. However, a good relationship works in both directions, especially when God is the dominating force in our lives. You see, a relationship that brings joy to God is built on several things. Let me provide a few for you.
1. Trust
2. Regular communication
3. Honesty
4. Humility
5. Service
6. Unconditional love
Although each one is just as important, I like unconditional love the best. We as humans define our feelings, who we are, and our success based upon conditions. Praise God, He threw those conditions away so I can be saved. I am more accepting of His love because of His unconditional love.
And you know what? These are the traits that will make your leadership effective and productive as well.
Song: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, Hail Thee as the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!
Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living, Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou the Father, Christ our Brother-All who live in love are Thine:
Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine.
Do you think you are bringing God joy today?
if you obey the LORD your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. - Deuteronomy 30:10 (NIV)
Take time to think about giving this answer in your quiet, devotional time with God today. Can finite, sinful human beings truly bring joy and delight to the Lord, the Creator of the universe? God says yes.
How can this be? Simple. He created you because He wants to have a relationship with you. He really wants to delight in being with you as well. Is that so hard to believe? I think for many of us it is because we find it difficult to be with Him mind, body and soul. Now, that's not an effective or productive relationship in today's terms. However, a good relationship works in both directions, especially when God is the dominating force in our lives. You see, a relationship that brings joy to God is built on several things. Let me provide a few for you.
1. Trust
2. Regular communication
3. Honesty
4. Humility
5. Service
6. Unconditional love
Although each one is just as important, I like unconditional love the best. We as humans define our feelings, who we are, and our success based upon conditions. Praise God, He threw those conditions away so I can be saved. I am more accepting of His love because of His unconditional love.
And you know what? These are the traits that will make your leadership effective and productive as well.
Song: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, Hail Thee as the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day!
Thou art giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living, Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou the Father, Christ our Brother-All who live in love are Thine:
Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine.
Do you think you are bringing God joy today?
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