HOW TO TREAT OTHERS

Matthew 7:12 (TNIV) “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

This is something I believe everyone should adhere to. We shouldn’t treat those unlovely people around us shabbily, for this is not at all what scripture teaches. It is easy to be nice to those who are nice to you, but what of those who grate on your nerves or are just plain mean? Remember this, according to scripture, if WE got what we deserved we would be bound for an everlasting hell. That would be based on the sins from our life that we could never pay for ourselves. We required a sacrificial lamb by the name of Jesus Christ to pay that debt for us. Mean people do not deserve our kindness, patience or love, but neither did we. We are loved unconditionally and without reservation. No matter how difficult it may be at times, and trust me, it can and will be extremely difficult with some folks, we are to strive to treat others the way we would like to be treated. Should they be our enemy, our kindness would heap burning coals upon their head, figuratively speaking of course. (Romans 12:20)

When it states that “this sums up the Law and the Prophets” , that may seem perplexing. Are we still under the Law of Moses? No, we are not as New Testament believers. However, it is my contention that while are do not have to literally follow the 10 Commandments as they did before the coming of Christ, if we live as God commands we will by default be living them out in our lives.

I have had both wonderful people and loathsome people cross my path throughout my life. I have always tried to the best of my ability to follow this scriptures directive. It has not be easy and it even made me an easy target at times, but it is what God requires of us as followers of Christ. If we treat others the way WE feel they deserve to be treated how would that make us any different than the unbelievers who “live and let live” and care not how others feel about anything. The point is it doesn’t make us any different at all. We are to be “salt and light” to a dying world. (Matthew 5:13-16)

We are not called to warm a pew each Sunday morning, nor are we called to be in church each time the doors are open if it doesn’t cause a change in us. As the old saying goes, being in church makes you a Christian like standing in a garage makes you a car … it doesn’t. Just attending and tithing does not cut it in God’s economy. He doesn’t NEED your help, but He is asking for it. He has chosen us to be a difference in this crazy, mixed up, hedonistic world where anything goes and God is considered a myth or some sort of crutch some need to sustain themselves and feel good. We should consider it an honor to be chosen. If you are standing still you are losing ground, because millions have answered the call and are passing you by. God will not leave you dangling out on a limb. You may treat an undesirable individual with kindness and you may receive anger or hatred in return, but your kindness has planted a seed in their hearts that God can cultivate. You do your part and leave the rest to God. Some of us plant, some water and some reap the harvest … but God is truly the One at work here.

WALK WITH THE KING AND BE A BLESSING!!

THERE IS A WAY OUT

1 Corinthians 10:13 (TNIV) “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to us all. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

The enemy of our soul, namely Satan, has placed snares all about to trip us up. If we stay close to God we can avoid them. But we want to have our ears tickled and our senses massaged, so we dabble in things we should not. I know, I was sucked into things that made a mess of things for me. I am here to tell you that God DOES provide a way of escape from whatever you become entangled in. I am also here to tell you that you can turn away from that way of escape and become even more entangled. I lived it. I saw the way of escape yet chose to remain in the sin I was engaged in. That is not the way God wants us to act.

I am living proof that your mistakes do not define you as a person or as a believer. Got still uses those who have fallen to temptation and risen up again. God does the rising. God makes the alterations and God gets all the glory. There is nothing we do that requires any praise whatsoever.

You can could on the fact that if you are in right standing with Almighty God, you WILL face temptations of various sizes and shapes. Especially if you are living for Christ. I am here to tell you that you do NOT have to succumb to them. God enables us to walk away from them. God, and God alone can provide this “way out”, as scripture calls it. Left to our own devices we would fall and fall hard. Only God can rescue us from ourselves.

Even IN our temptation, God is in control and will not allow it to be more than we can bear. Satan desires for us to be totally defeated as Christians; incapable of blessing anyone and discouraged. We can, according to scripture, rebuke* the devil in the name of the Lord (Jude 1:8-10). We can ward off our enemy and all his demons with a word, in Jesus’ name. I believe in a spiritual realm and I believe there are angels and demons at war over the souls of men. I believe angels are messengers from God who can act for Him to save us from calamity. We are protected from evil if we would only accept His assistance. Surrender to His Lordship and receive that which He has for you.

WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!

*re·buke - 1. To criticize or reprove sharply; reprimand. 2. To check or repress. 3. A sharp reproof.
  (definition courtesy of www.thefreedictionary.com)

LOVE OTHERS

Galatians 5:14-15 (TNIV) “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

There is a lot of back biting and anger in society today. Selfishness abounds; a lot of ME first. It has seeped into our culture and it is not a pretty sight. People want to fight over the least little things anymore. Just last week I was at a restaurant and a man apparently made a comment to the man in front of him and they went at it; hands to throats. Threats and shouting. What on earth has come over people? Scripture tells us to live peaceably with others as much as it is within us to do so (Romans 12:18). What is taking place is what happens in a society whose population wants to do things their own way. ME first. What do I get out of this? We will devour one another in the end. The general callousness of some people is shocking to say the least.

God commands us to love our neighbor the way we love ourselves. That is a tall order for some of the folks who simply DO NOT even LIKE themselves and therein lies part of the problem. You can’t love anyone else until you love yourself. Sometimes layer upon layer of self loathing has built up, so I know this devotional isn’t going to cure all ills, but hopefully it may just start some positive thinking toward us.

We are created beings. Our Creator loves us without conditions or reservations. He loved us before the dawn of time. He loved us as we were in our mother’s womb. And He loves us still. He loves us enough to provide an escape hatch from this world of sin and debauchery. This world is the realm of Satan. God has allowed him to have it, but God is in complete control at all times. I don’t know what some folks have lousy, loveless upbringings. I wish I had an answer for that, but I do know the cure. It is surrendering your life to the One who created you to begin with.

Life is hard, no doubt about it. People will try just about anything to get by. Drugs, alcohol, meditation, Satanism and witchcraft … any way to either numb yourself or get an edge. But they will not try God. Other things promise the world but cannot deliver. God promises you what you need and created the world. When God is discussed with some folks, questions abound: Where was God when that Tsunami hit Japan? Why did Katrina have to happen? Why do children die? Why is life so hard? The only answer I have ever heard for most tragedies is that they are a result of the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden. We do not live in heaven. That may seem like a glib answer. I apologize if it comes across that way. Seek God to finds the answers you are looking for. Make it your mission in life to find God. Call out to Him. He is there. He sees you. How do I know? I believe it by faith … believing in the unseen as if it can be seen. I trust Him with my life. Everything doesn’t become perfect if you surrender your life to Him, but He gives you the tools to cope with it so much better. Peace instead of chaos; comfort instead of pain; hope for a better tomorrow instead of misery and disappointment. With God calling the shots, life takes on new meaning. It isn’t a cakewalk, but trust me as a person who has walked with Him for over 30 years, the peace He provides in the face of disappointment is worth it. The operative word for 2012 is SURRENDER!

WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!!

LIVE AS FREE MEN WITHOUT SINNING

Galatians 5:13 (TNIV) “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

Scripture says that all things are permissible; however, all things do not benefit us. We have been given a free will. This is illustrated in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Through Christ we are made free, and Whom Christ makes free is free indeed (John 8:36). Being free allows us to serve Whom we choose, understanding that we are to serve the One Who freed us. We do not have to, but we need to.

Only God can protect us from the enemy of our soul. Only God can enable us to live a life that is pleasing to Him and beneficial to ourselves. Satan seeks to destroy us. It’s what he does. When we indulge in sin, we satisfy our baser instincts; that which provides pleasure at any cost to ourselves.  In the end, we are found wanting, no better off than we were before our indulgence. God knows what is best for us. It is a matter of faith and trust. In whom are we going to place our trust? Ourselves? Hardly. The sooner we realize that we truly know nothing of any consequence and that all the ‘things’ that we engage in are only  temporal endeavors, the better off we will be.

God knows what we are in need of. He knows everything about us. He knew what would benefit Adam and Eve the most in the Garden, but they were tempted to disobey. We are still tempted regularly to this very day. Satan hasn’t changed his methods. They are pretty transparent. We don’t see them because we are blinded by the promise of satisfaction.  It would be like having your favorite food item placed in front of you, an offering in exchange for your very soul and once you made the commitment to serve only him, you tasted the food only to find that it had no flavor at all. Satan’s promises look incredibly on the surface, but are empty and shallow, with no life attached to them at all.

We are free to do as we please however, we must not take our liberties at the expense of our true freedom in Christ. The consequences that are the result of the actions we take at times can cripple our walk with God. God loves us just the same, but the consequences must play out before healing can begin. Why is it that we must stumble through mistake riddled valleys before we realize that God truly is our best option. He watches and waits for us to come to this realization. He guides us towards the light when we ask. He sends angels to assist.  Conversely, Satan sends everything possible our way to trip us up and lead us away from God. But God is everywhere at one time so you can never be far from Him. He is only a prayer away, no matter how far from Him you may feel.

Serve God humbly in love. Don’t succumb to the lies of the enemy. You can avoid some of the pain and heartache by setting out to truly KNOW your God. Get to know Him like you would someone on this earth that you really loved and cared about. It is a little more difficult to stay on task with that because God cannot be seen or felt. But His love is all around us and can be experienced through the hug from a child, a special friend or loved one.  God is light and in Him there is no darkness. Embrace the light this day and follow His path for you.

WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!!

RANDOM RAMBLINGS 13

3 brief snippets

1) Yesterday was Friday the 13th. Oooo, ahhhhh. I suppose bad things are supposed to happen on Friday the 13th. Superstitions abound in our culture; everything from not stepping on a crack for fear of breaking your mothers back to getting up on the same side of the bed each morning. If you talk yourself into believing such things, they have the potential to one day create unnecessary havoc and unwanted stress. They can literally immobilize a person if they let it. These things are solely in one’s mind. They are derived from something the person heard, saw or read at one time. It is nothing but pot shots from the enemy to control you. Shed yourself of it. Do it sooner rather than later. Friday the 13th is just another day. I never give it a second thought. Oh you can conjure it up into something more than it is, but it is nothing.

2) Now that I’ve solved all the problems in the universe, let me say this … God is with us every second of our lives. He is aware of all things and will protect you from harm if you let Him. So many people today refuse His help believing that they can make it on their own. They are mistaken. What can they accomplish in their lives? They can produce material things which are temporal. The only things that are of any true, eternal value come from God. We cannot manufacture them in a factory. We cannot make them out of wood in our workshop. We cannot buy them in bulk at Sam’s Club or Costco. The things that have true eternal value come from the One true God. Material possessions are fine for what they are. We shouldn’t rely on them for anything truly important. They fulfill their purpose in our lives and then go the way of the dinosaur. Only God is eternal. Only God can save from sin. Only God can provide a heavenly home for us when we pass on from this world. Only God can do these things. Satan can’t. We can’t do it. God can.

3) In this world where no one is perfect and even Christians fall flat on their face by virtue of poor judgment or misdeeds, I want you to know this one key fact: no matter who you are or how bad you feel you may have blown it, your mistakes DO NOT define you as a person. God still wants to use you and can use you in a mighty way. Will you let Him? Cancel the pity party, stop feeling like you are a screw up. Even if no one in this world cares, God does. He is waiting with open arms to embrace you and get you back on track. Will you let Him?

WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!

AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (TNIV) “… that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”




RECONCILE (def): To reestablish a close relationship between.

If reestablishment is required then there must have been a separation. The Garden of Eden provided the separation by virtue of Adam and Eve eating of the forbidden fruit. Christ provided the reconciliation by BEING the perfect blood sacrifice Who would give Himself up for our sins. God never counts our sins against us if we confess them and embrace the cleansing flood of Christ’s blood meant to wash those sins completely away. It’s as if they were never committed in the first place. It doesn’t happen automatically though, we have to seek it out and request it. Like any gift that is offered, it must be taken from He Who offers it.

We are now reconciled to God if we have received the gift of salvation. What do we do now? Did you know God now calls you an Ambassador for Christ? He wants to use you and me to proclaim His glorious word. We get so caught up in what we can’t do or at least can’t do well that we miss the point entirely. Moses apparently had a speech impediment (Exodus 4:10), yet God used Him mightily. It is the socially insignificant ones that God can use to do great things. Probably because they don’t have problems with pride and arrogance, which can be seen from time to time in believers. It is as if they feel somehow special because they are being used by God. We are ALL special; unique creatures. One of a kind. There is not another one like us in the whole world. And God has not only chosen to love us unconditionally, without exception, but has also chosen to use us for His glory. Whatever it is that God requires of us He will equip us for. Count on it.

We have an important mission in this life as believers. It can be accomplished through the spoken word or through our actions. They say actions speak louder than words anyway, so BE like Christ rather than speak like Him. Anyone can talk a good game … but as the saying goes, “seeing is believing”.

“WWJD?” was a worn out phrase that Christians embraced for quite a while. It still is in some areas of the country. I think some people were turned off by the commercial aspect of the slogan. It was everywhere … on tee shirts, rubber bracelets, dog tags, ball caps, note cards, bumper stickers and so on. But let’s not throw out the baby with the bath water so to speak. Is it not a valid question? What WOULD Jesus do in this or that situation? First, we must KNOW Jesus. I mean, study Him. If nothing else, read the Gospels. See how He acted and reacted to different situations. If we are to be His Ambassadors we should know who we are to represent. We need to emulate Him is every way. Now this, like sanctification, is a progressive thing. You can’t expect to wake up one morning and “poof” you are just like Jesus. We are faced with trials of many sizes and sorts every day. But if we are serious about BEING like Christ, we must count the cost and then proceed. God made you and loves you and also wants to use you, perhaps in a small way or perhaps in a large way. Be available. God needs to be paramount in your life. He needs to occupy your thoughts so that your actions will be gracious and kind. He needs to consume you to your core. You know what I mean by that. This doesn’t mean you quit your job and join a monastery unless you feel specifically led by God’s Spirit to do that. It means that you give God a portion of your day. It means you focus on Him and what He may be trying to say to you. It means you go to church expecting to hear from Him. It means you have your Spiritual antennae up and functioning at all times. Maybe it means you stop to help fix a flat. Maybe you hold a door open for a struggling mother with 3 children. Maybe its saying something encouraging to a check out person, which may just be the first encouraging word they’ve heard all day. Maybe it’s cooking dinner so your wife can sit and rest for a change. There are many ways you can BE like Christ that don’t necessarily involve evangelism. And then there is ministering the word of God to others. Be prepared. Scripture tells us to be ready in season and out to defend that which we believe. God has the weapons ready and waiting. We just need to pick them up and go forth into the day. We can do this. God has enabled us. Allow your faith and trust to kick in and you might be surprised at what can be accomplished in His name.

WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!

NON-CONFORMITY

Psalm 4:3 (TNIV) “Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.”

Romans 12:2 (TNIV) “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

1 Peter 1:14 (TNIV) “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.”

CONFORM (def): to be in agreement through actions and behavior with socially accepted standards or norms.

Sanctification is a process. It is both a process and is instantaneous at the same time. When you receive Christ for the forgiveness of sins, you are then and forever more seen by God as being totally justified and sanctified; holy in His sight by virtue of the blood of Christ which you are now cleansed with. It is a process because we must live out our lives on this earth, which is an unholy place. We are tainted by it and influenced by it and need God’s help to make it through. To be holy would be to be perfect and sinless and we are not. We sin every day in some way or another.

According to His Word, God has set us apart to do a good work on His behalf. We are to be strangers in a strange land. We are to be non-conformists, flowing upstream against the social norm. We are just passing through on our way to glory. We have a mission, which I fear too many Christians do not realize. Our lives should entail more than just being blessed and living in material opulence, praising God for all His many blessings as we go. We are called to minister His grace and mercy to those around us. We are in a unique position in that each of us has access to people that might otherwise never even consider the importance of a relationship with God. If not for us they might simply think we are born, we live and we die … period.

Let’s get one thing very clear here … I am NOT speaking of becoming religious or even spiritual … I am speaking about a very personal and specific relationship with Almighty God, Creator of the Universe and man’s first breath. Being religious is nothing … it is not even a word in the Bible. Knowing God intimately on a relational basis is going to take a lot more than just attended church. It will take work and time. If we are not going to conform to this world and to the evil desires that once ensnared us, we must truly KNOW God.

Let me ask you, what does God mean to you? Do you know Him well enough to know His plan for you? Do you know Him well enough to tell others about Him? We are to be set apart. We should feel uncomfortable in this world. This world is not what it appears to be. It is all smoke and mirrors. Temptations abound. We can get duped into old habits and fooled into making God less important in our lives by virtue of the “things” we spend our time on. DO NOT be fooled any longer. God loves you and is patient as we learn our lessons. But there will come a day when time will be no more and we shall stand before our King. Will we stand before the Mercy Seat of Christ as a believer or the White Throne of God, where non-believers shall be judged? People don’t like to hear about the judgment of God, but it is a real thing. If you are His child, live like it to the best of your ability. Get up and dust yourself off when you fall; continue seeking His face as you live for Him. You have nothing to fear. If your walk with God is suspect, look deep inside yourself and make a self-evaluation. We must be God’s hand extended to a lost and dying world. If not us, then who?

WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!!