You are not worshiping God as you should if some areas of your life worship Him and others do not.
Source: twitter.com
Sick of it.
Hypocrisy.
It’s all over and always has been, but I’ve noticed that today’s Christians are prone to a new kind of hypocrisy. It’s eating me alive. What is it. The “love the gays” rhetoric that’s started, especially as of late.
Now don’t get me wrong, I think this is a great concept… at times. What kills me is the word “love”.
Love in many Christian circles has become another word for tolerate.
People say they’re loving on people, specifically the homosexual community, when love is actually an investment. Love is caring. Love is instigating thoughtful conversations.
Love is becoming a part of that person’s life, not saying hello and just being “courteous” and “kind”.
- John Palmer
O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
Quick thought
I’m at Starbucks to do homework but I wanted, real fast, to share what has been on my heart of late.
As a Christian, my life must model the life that Jesus lived in every way. There is kind of an ongoing discussion between me and several friends as to whether or not God has one distinct characteristic that everything falls under or all of his characteristics are equal. It just now hit me that maybe it is impossible for us to describe the one thing that God is. Sure, he is perfect. But I don’t know that my mind can comprehend that sort of perfection because I do live and walk on an imperfect earth with fallen people on it.
Just something I’ve been working on in my head. Thoughts?
Source: mousahh
Worship is giving God the best that He has given you. Be careful what you do with the best you have. Whenever you get a blessing from God, give it back to Him as a love gift. Take time to meditate before God and offer the blessing back to Him in a deliberate act of worship. If you hoard a thing for yourself, it will turn into spiritual dry rot, as the manna did when it was hoarded. God will never let you hold a spiritual thing for yourself; it has to be given back to Him that He may make it a blessing to others.
Source: fellowshipnwa
Be Bold
Friends, I have had a revelation that I am so excited about. Just read this passage from Acts 4 real fast.
And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?”8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders,9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well.11 This Jesus[a] is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.[b]12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men[c] by which we must be saved.”
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another,16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.”18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
The Believers Pray for Boldness
23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,[d] said by the Holy Spirit,
“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’[e]—27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants[f] to continue to speak your word with all boldness,30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
I heard this passage preached on last night and God really worked in me and convicted me. I looked at my life and compared it to the lives that John and Peter are living in this time in the early church and saw close to nothing in common except a desire to live for God and spread the Gospel.
And yet I’m not living like I’d like to spread the Gospel. I have to live a bold fearless life. A life that stops at no costs to tell unbelievers about Jesus. Even when the world looks down on me, I must press on for the Glory of the Holy One.
But this isn’t just for me. This encouragement to boldness is for every person that falls under the title, Christian. Let’s make this a battle cry. The good news of Christ is a worthy cause to be bold!
Searching for true love
I have struggled so much of late with the idea that we tell a holy, all-powerful God that we love Him. I do this so often, and yet I really fear that my actions don’t really reflect this “love” that I claim.
Any advice or suggestions? How do we actually show love to someone who is the author of ALL love that mankind has ever known?
Source: mousahh
The church that can’t worship must be entertained. And leaders who can’t lead a church to worship must provide the entertainment.
Do you love me?
I was reading in John 21 where Jesus is meeting with the disciples, and dining with them. Jesus asks Simon a question that was very moving when I read it. He said in verse 15-17
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
The interesting fact is that Jesus gets straight to the depth of Peter’s soul with his question. A lot of things in this world can seem like they get to our deepest place in our spirit, but the truth of the matter is, is that the Lord is the only one being that can truly get to our absolute deepest spot of our soul. The reason is because God is the only one that knows our heart that well. If you read this question, Jesus asks it three different times. He says “Do you love me”? Of course, Peter replies with a screaming YES. Then the command occurs and Jesus makes this a 3 part command. Most people when they hear this passage quoted they automatically think that Jesus just says feed my sheep and meaning to disciple other Christians. Which is true, he did want Peter to do that. However, the first part of the command says “feed my lambs.” This does mean to minister to those Christians who need it. But also he says “Tend my sheep.” In the English Dictionary tend means to lead or conduce a group to do as they are doing. Then the last part of this command, he repeats himself and says “feed my sheep.” Once again we see the command to minster to people.
I read this passage and it really took me back to questioning my own life and how good of a job I do at feeding and tending to God’s people. Especially as a ministry major, I need to do a better job of keeping myself accountable to that. However, it isn’t just for ministry majors to think about. This is a command from Jesus for ALL Christians. As Christians, we need to have a yearning and a burden to care for each other. The Bible even says in Galatians 6:2,
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
This is no accident that these passages go hand in hand with each other. It is a beautiful thing to sit down and tend to God’s people and have them do the same for you. If you have never been a part of such an event, I encourage you to do so. It is one awesome event that takes place and a very humbling experience. I encourage you to try to feed and tend to other Christians more and see if God does not do something radical in your life.
Just something to think about
Ben
Every temptation is an attempt by the devil to get us to live our lives independently of God.
Victory Over The Darkness (via thecommoncup)
Source: thecommoncup
