Devotions - Prayer
Jesus chose to lay down His Life so God’s Love could be poured forth from Him to us.
* “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His Life for the sheep…No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative.” John 10:11, 18
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GLORY OF GOD!
*Glory: The manifestation of God’s Presence in the believer.(Splendor, brightness, excellence, pre-eminence).
*The Glory of God is beyond definition.
One human way to try define it is: “The Glory of God, as encompassing ALL of the Attributes of God” (His Characteristics, Holiness, Love, Grace, …..).
John 17:4 I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
*Person Goal : wouldn’t we all like to work towards that stage in our lives where we can go to the Lord’s throne fearlessly, confidently and boldly declare that we aspired and succeeded in bringing Glory to the Lord on this earth by the humble and holy followers we chose to be, through making a change in our lives and the lives of others with the grace of our living God.
Luke 2:9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.
*The only way other people are going to experience the reality of our Christianity is by our love.
*Not everyone sees our devotion to God, but the Love we Show Others is the visible evidence of our faith.
A Pastor Job Description
Colossians 2:1 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.
***This seems to be an echo of Jesus’ ministry where he wanted to show the love of the Father.
“But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”
1 John 3:17
“And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert [shelter] from storm and from rain” (Isaiah 4:6).
*The glory of God’s presence will be our shelter from the heat.
*The Hebrew word for heat means “drought, desolation, barrenness” and here it is used as a type of God’s judgment on an evil society.
In Revelation 16, the fourth angel of judgment is given power “. . . to scorch
men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God” (Revelation 16:8-9).
*The Spirit of God is real, He is alive and has all of the authority and power.
*God has the power to bless you, bless your house, bless your marriage.
*Jesus died for our sins.
*Keep the message of the gospel.
*He so loved me, God gave his only son so I would not parish.
*The glory of God is our defense, our covering—”. . . a place of refuge . . .from storm and from rain”— and we will rest in the cool shadow of Jesus’ wings.
*Already we are seeing the rain of Holy Spirit outpourings as well as
God’s judgments.
*The storm clouds are gathering but, thank God, there will be a
covering over His holy remnant church.
You may say, “I have no glory church I can attend. All I can find are man-centered churches. Where is my covering from the heat and storm?”
*Your dwelling place is the glory of God in your own heart.
* If Jesus is present in you, manifesting Himself to you, then you are covered in full.
* If you turn your heart and eyes toward Him, allowing His Word to reprove, convict and correct you, He will reveal Himself to you. He has promised it!
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21).
God says, “I will be there with you. It doesn’t matter how bad it gets, I will
see you through. I will never leave you nor forsake you!”
Revelation 21:23 And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.
2 Corinthians 3:18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.
*To receive wisdom, we must allow God to remove our “veils“. These are the things we hide behind and use to try to give ourselves a sense of security or value apart from God. They include controlling behavior, pride, perfectionism, and a desire to glorify our kids or ourselves.
What are your “veils”? Have you arranged your life so you have become too comfortable with these blind spots? Has your parenting suffered as a result? It takes courage to ask the Holy Spirit to lift the veil that covers areas we need to change.
But to experience new life and Christ-like growth, we must be willing to let God remove the veils and let our sinful habits die.
*Allow God to remove your “veils” and invite Him to contend with your heart.
“Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
Thank you Lord for your Holy Spirit who comforts us always.
” For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.(Colossians 1:26).
May those who see the gospel of Jesus Christ as a mystery today have their minds and hearts opened to experience the presence and saving power of Christ!
Lord , a special Thank you for my wife and soul-mate, Laura this day, her Birthday! Bless her and show her more of Your love! Thank you for the years we have had together in sharing Your Love and Truth with others. It is such a blessing to be blessed to grow together IN You-JESUS! Amen
*If your not experiencing a growing life and awe in Christ, go pray and pray and weep to God until Jesus Christ is the greatest thing you have heard, and know, and ever will know! YOU ARE HIS MASTERPIECE! (Eph. 2:10)
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Talking to God is considered Prayer.
* So take time out of everyday AND all through out the day to talk toYour Father in Heaven.
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
4 ways that prayer will help you:
1. It will help you not fall into temptation.
2. It will keep you humble.
3. It will help you have Determination, Strength, Willpower, and Character.
4. It will help you discover Gods Will/Purpose for your life.
If I asked you the purpose for which God made you, what might you say?
*You might give a lot of answers that required some action on your part.
**However, the simplest answer to that question relates to one primary thing: FELLOWSHIP!
The most important thing God desires from us today is to have a deep and intimate fellowship with each of us.
The apostle Paul said he wanted to know Christ, and by knowing Christ he could experience the power of His resurrection.
*”I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection….” – Philippians 3:10
**So often it is much easier to be busy with the urgent (or even Christian) activity than spending quiet moments before the Lord. Think about it–Jesus is with us 24/7. What would it take to give Him a few minutes of Every awaken hour we have?
Now to me, that would be a True Healthy Relationship rather than taking Only a 15 minute time in AM or PM(which is great)—BUT –to Know and Acknowledge Him and Communicate in and about ALLthings–ALLDAY! This would be FELLOWSHIP! Amen
Sometimes, before we realize it, days have passed since our last quiet time with Jesus. This is the First step to backsliding!
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Jesus understood how important quiet moments were with the Father. “After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone” (Mt. 14:23).
The more mature I become in my relationship with the Lord, the more precious this time becomes to me.
* It is a time I look forward to almost daily.
* It offers me a time to reflect, to share my concerns with my Lord, and to hear Him speak.
** In the last few years I have begun to communicate in prayer during my work, during activities, mowing the lawn, driving etc. which accomplish two things: Fellowship and Prayer. It has changed my prayer life. It has taken loneliness out. It has taken temptations and worldly thinking out, it has……It has….. because Jesus Lives IN me 24/7!
*I have come to understand that Jesus views us as His friend and He wants to spend time with us- 24/7.
*We are depriving Him of His time when we put Him aside for the urgent or just wait till our quit time at home.
*An interesting thing happens when we make prayer a priority: Urgent things seem to wane as we focus on Him. He makes all these other things fall into place.
* ” This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. ” (Psalm 91:2-3, 14-15).
*Are you taking the time to get to know Him today?
Psalms 34: 6 In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.
We need a Vision as Joel:
*The Ability to see beyond the natural realm. This Produces Passion.
* If you want to see your Visions come true put a PLAN to it.
Four Components of Vision 1. Think Big—Jeremiah
*Our Vision is limited by our thinking. We have to see God Big.
*Knowing God through the Word> (Book of John).
*Once you know God through His Word, you’ll know how Big He is.
* Knowing God through Prayer. (Ephesians)- Having Conversations with God. *Knowing God through Praise and Worship, Tithing and Giving– (Psalm)
*Knowing Him through Troubles. (Philippians) God can solve your troubles.
2. Ask Big
You would not intimidate God by asking big. All for His Glory!.
3. Risk Big
If you’re not careful in life you’ll get so complacent.
*Aim for Perfection and you’ll always do great.
* Need to learn how to step out in faith and dream Big.
4. Speak to your vision (Proverbs).
*”Your Vision is only as Big as you think It”
*Speak to the dry bones in your life. “Dry Bones Live Again”
*If you speak faith to your vision it will come to life.
**Vision needs to outlive you, let your vision go from generation to generation it’s one of the most powerful things in your life.
* John 14:13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.
*James 4:3 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
*Ask with the right motive. *God wants us to spend time with Him.
Prayer is essential for life! This Relationship with Jesus, gives us purpose, provision, joy and peace.
Lord Jesus I invite You in and pray You will be in my thoughts hourly and that You show me Your will every hour so that I may fulfill things according to Your word for Your Glory and my Joy of continuous Fellowship with You. Amen
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Without God’s Love flowing from our hearts, good works and sacrificial giving are of no benefit.
* “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love [Agape], it profiteth me nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:3
*We are challenged all the time in life. *God takes us out of our comfort zone. Sometimes we have to be a little uncomfortable to do God’s work.
Mark 1:14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.
*We prepare ourselves for our own ministry in this life through relying on Jesus. Then we will see the results on our lives.
” They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. “(Acts 2:46-47).
These verses are really important for us as believers because they give us a model for what the fellowship of believers should be like.
God blessed the early church and it grew by leaps and bounds. That isn’t happening today, and I think that is partly because we don’t follow this model as well as we could.
Acts 6:2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”
*A body of believers that is to work effectively must find the right people for each ministry. One is not more important than another.
*There are leaders, teachers, those with the gift of hospitality, and many other positions. Nobody should do it all. A pastor should be given time to lead and teach.
It is evident that the early church’s lifestyle worked. God blessed it and the church grew. It is a Model for the church today.
1. Teaching was a big part of what they did.
*People didn’t know a lot about the message of the gospel, but Jesus’ disciples made sure that message got out.
*Jesus not only gave information, but also showed the application behind the information.
*We need 3 major points to lead!
A. Character. B.Competency. C.Passion.
2. Intimate fellowship of believers was important.
*They ate together and spent time together. In this way they had constant encouragement even when things got tough. They weren’t alone.
* Don’t just create ministries except they are Purpose Driven.
3. They were not materialistic.
*They sold their possessions so they could help each other. This one scares me. I like my “stuff”. Sure I give money and time to support the Lord’s work, but I still live pretty well. What if we, as the church, didn’t care about having things for ourselves? How much more would we help advance God’s kingdom?
4. Last, but certainly not least, they prayed.
*They devoted themselves to prayer. They were in constant communication with God.
Recommitting to a relational life…
*Choose connections instead of isolation
– nature is to be isolated.
*Choose acceptance instead of judgement- sin nature is to find what is wrong.
* Choose tolerance instead of offense – engage instead of in rage.
* Choose the unfamiliar instead of the
familiar – open relationships instead of closed circle.
* Choose humility instead of pride – changes the way we look at one another – rich man and Lazarus.
* Choose courage instead of fear – risk instead of known outcomes.
If we approach the Word of God with a Hunger for the Word we will get more from our time in His Word.
*Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the Lord, Hear the word of the Lord, You children of Israel, For the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land.
*Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
*Hosea 6:1 “Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. 2 In just a short time he will restore us, so that we may live in his presence.
Verse 6: I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.
*God wants you to fellowship as you worship.
*True fellowship is based upon a knowledge of God.
*God desires that we know Him.
*God’s word gives us an understanding of Him.
*Fellowship unites us in praising God.
God adds to the church for His glory and for our benefit. When God puts us together we are able to accomplish things for Him we cannot do on our own.
How do we get eternal life?
John 17: 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
* Jesus tells us clearly here-by knowing God the Father himself through his Son, Jesus Christ.
***Eternal life requires entering into a “Personal Relationship” with God in Jesus Christ. When we admit our sin and turn away from it, Christ’s love lives in us by the Holy Spirit.
*Our goal and purpose is to glorify God. In John 17: 3 “this is eternal life” comes only to those who “KNOW GOD”.
The word “know” here refers to the intimacy of us with God like a man and wife.
More than a “head” knowledge. Nothing is to be compared to knowing God nothing we have and nothing we will do can compare to knowing God. Eternal life is not something that we get from character or conduct but from receiving God by admitting that we are sinners.
*Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
*Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Father God, thank you for forgiveness of my sins and redemption. Thank you for standing at the finish line waiting to rejoice with me when I arrive. I love you! “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Philippians 4:19-20.
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Read MoreFORGIVENESS verses UNFORGIVENESS!
Forgiveness is probably the most difficult act we do, as humans–it is a God-like trait to be forgiving. It takes faith to forgive those who have offended us. Remember, among Jesus’ last words on the cross–“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”.
This morning, in prayer I was reminded of the last two weeks of communication with so many people in so many different situations and the one most common conversation we all had was: FORGIVENESS verses UNFORGIVENESS!
*So here goes a short thought on what I believe is one of the major problems we ALL phase in one area or another!
FORGIVENESS verses UNFORGIVENESS!
What are some Biblical verses to see what Jesus says:
* Matthew 6:13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. (From the Lord’s Prayer).
*Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
* Hebrews 12:15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
*Colossians 3:13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
*Romans 12:19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD.
Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
*Christ sets is free!
My favorite Two verses and most convicting to me is:
1. Mark 11:25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
*Forgiveness – God loves us so much that He sent Christ to surrender his life so we might be free from sin. He also promised us grace to see us through; but as mortals we fall short of His glory and He is quick to forgive when we repent. As sons of God, we should learn to forgive, though the hurt is hard to forget.
*Just because I can’t forget the hurt someone posed on me doesn’t mean I don’t forgive them. I forgive, move on with my life and wait for God to bless and heal me. Not forgetting keeps you from getting hurt the same way again and makes you grow spiritually. Amen
2. Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
*What this verse is trying to explain is that we as humans need to be KIND, TENDER and FORGIVING to each other SO we can be more like Christ Because Christ is kind and forgiving to ALL of us. We cannot be hateful and unforgiving and be with Christ the one and only Lord. GOD GAVE ALL-HIS SON JESUS!
*Our body is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:24-26
** FORGIVENESS: Giving of the resentment against someone and our right to get even, no matter what has been done to us.
*Forgiveness is the “Surrendering of MY Right” to hurt you back if you hurt me.
** UNFORGIVENESS: The deliberate willful refusal to give up one’s resentment an right to get the wrong done.
The Nature of Unforgiveness is like a match that can be lit at any time.
* Nothing good can come from unforgiveness.
* Unforgiveness leads to bitterness, bitterness will eat away at our soul like acid in a paper cup.
The Scripture is Clear Concerning God’s View of Unforgiveness.
** The Terrible Consequences of Unforgiveness: (As humans we All try to come up with reasons to try to justify bitterness and unforgiveness).
* Develop a spirit of bitterness. (Hebrews 12:15)
** Unforgiveness has a harmful effect upon every aspect of your spiritual life.
* Prayer life is affected. (MATT 6:14-15)
* By praying and not forgiving we develop a callousness to the spirit of God, deceiving ourselves (1 JOHN 1:8)
** Unforgiveness has a detrimental effect upon one’s physical health.
*Heart problems, high blood pressure, etc. all documented.
* I would say through years of listening to people that 90% of people that seek counseling have an unforgiving spirit.
**Unforgiveness affects all other relationships.
* A child that sees unforgiveness and anger in their parents goes through life and sees that exhibited in their own life later in life.
*Unforgiveness begets bitterness; the things just like itself: hurt, pain, more deep-seated unforgiveness.
**Unforgiveness gives Satan a foothold in our lives.
*Each time we do not forgive Satan’s foothold gets a little deeper.
THE KEY IS: HOW DO WE DEAL WITH UNFORGIVENESS!
*Paul said, lay aside the things that pull you down. (HEB 12:1) He would not have said that if it was not possible through Christ.
Unforgiveness– IT. IS. A. DECISION. YOU MUST LAY IT DOWN.
1. Treat it as a serious offense in the eyes of God.
2. Assume full responsibility for your unforgiving spirit.
3. Confess your resentment
*Don’t just confess “Unforgiveness”. Be Honest with God about what you really FEEL(He knows your thoughts. And heart and motives anyway): do you want vengeance? Do you want to get even? Do you want to harm someone?
4. Acknowledge it is un-Christ-like, violation of the Word!!
5. Ask God to enable you to forgive.
6. Ask God to forgive you.
7. Begin praying for the other person. (LUKE 6:28)
8. If they are aware may have to ask them to forgive you.
* if the Holy Spirit leads you–go to them and tell them, this is what happened and I nurtured a heart of bitterness. I want to ask you to forgive me for my heart of bitterness. Will you forgive me?
9. Ask God if He would have you do something specific on behalf of the other person. Act of kindness.
10. Suppose reminded of hurt, don’t give in; Satanic trap. Thank God for his forgiveness.
11. If the other person is not alive address with God.
Prayer is that master key that unlocks all the blessings promised us by our Father. Though the vision may tarry, wait for it. So many of us want instant answers to prayers, but Gods time is the best. Whenever we pray, believe that God is able to keep His promises; and that promise is ‘God will supply all your needs according to His riches through Christ Jesus.
*Miracles happen every second. Some people are just blind to see. I don’t know what you are going through, but I know who will see you through. JESUS!
** How will you know you have truly forgiven the other person?
1. Feelings about the other person.
2. Feelings of concern, caring.
3. Willing to accept them as they are.
4. Seek the Lord to understand why they acted the way they did.
The Lord is always near to the broken and contrite heart.
* “He gathers the outcasts…He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:2-3
*God really does heal our broken hearts, and make us clean again.
” This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.”1 John 4:10-11
Lord, we NEED YOU!!! COME and take over my life!! I surrender ALL to YOU JESUS! REVEAL my True HURTS! I want to be HEALED! RELEASE the people involved, the ones I know and don’t Know. Lord, REFOCUS me on Your plan for MY life with no more unforgiveness in my heart. Set me FREE Lord, knowing You are in Control and have our Best interests in mind for your Glory and our Joy. Thank You For Guiding Us Through This Darkness To YOUR Light.
Thank you for Your promise of Psalms 32:8 The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
In Jesus’ Name We Pray, Amen.
OTHER VERSES:
Romans 12:20
Luke 6:35-38
Proverbs 20:22
John 13:34-4:8
Do we need a Foot Washing?
*We are to help people come to
salvation by sharing the correcting, healing, washing, comforting Word of God.
God’s Love is as necessary to human life as the air we breathe or the water we drink.
* “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.”Psalm 42:1
God’s Love eternally embraces the poor, the afflicted, the broken and the unlovely.
* “…the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners…”Isaiah 61:1
We are to take up the towel of God’s mercy and go to that hurting one.
* In the special love of Jesus we are not to judge him, expose him, lecture or find fault.
* Instead we are to commit to being his friend. We are to help him come to
salvation by sharing the correcting, healing, washing, comforting Word of God.
“And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
If you want to be kindhearted—to take up the towel to restore a brother or
sister—you do not need to know the details of how that person got dirty.
*Jesus did not ask His disciples, “How did you get such filthy feet?” He wanted
only to get the dust off of them. His love for them was unconditional.
Likewise, those who walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ must have this
Attitude of love toward those with dirty feet. We are not to ask for details.
Instead, we are to say, “Let me wash your feet.”
Too often Christians want to dive into all the gory details of a situation.
They come to a believer who has dirty feet, saying, “I want to wash your feet.
BUT tell me, what happened? How’d you get so dirty?”
At some point in the story of failure, the curious comforter realizes, “Oh, my,
this is worse than I thought. I can’t get involved in this.” And after a few
more details, he comes to the end of his puny human mercy.
** He judges the person as too evil, beyond help, and he drops his towel and goes his way.
***We cannot wash feet in a judge’s robes. *We have to take off our self-righteous garments before we can do any cleansing.
Paul says we are to be gentle and patient with all people:
“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25).
Paul is saying, “You must be tenderhearted with everyone, willing to wash their feet. God will have mercy on them and deliver them from their sin.”
In a famous passage in John 13, Jesus took a towel and a basin and washed the feet of His disciples. He told them “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:14-15).
The disciples were twelve men beloved of God—precious in His eyes, full of
love for His Son, pure of heart, in full communion with Jesus. Yet they had
dirt on their feet!
Jesus, in essence, was saying to these men, “Your hearts and hands are clean,
but your feet are not. They have become dirty in your daily walk with Me. You do not need your whole body to be washed—only your feet.”
**The dirt Jesus mentions here has nothing to do with natural dirt. It is about SIN—our faults and failures, our giving in to temptations.
I wonder how many of us this past week fell into a temptation or failed God in some way?
It is not that we have turned our
back on the Lord. On the contrary, we love the Savior more passionately than
ever, BUT we fell and now we are grieving—because our feet are dirty.
Scripture tells us: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who
are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself
lest you also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).
The Greek word for trespass here
means “a fall, a sin.” We are to restore every Christian who falls into sin
if there is a repentant heart.
Foot washing, in its deepest meaning, has to do with our Attitude about the
dirt we see on our brother or sister. So I ask you: What do you do when you are
face to face with someone who has fallen into a sin or transgression?
As Jesus served His disciples, He calls us to serve others. He is calling us to see people through the eyes of God and with His love meet their needs.
But how?
(John 13: 3) Jesus was profoundly anchored in the love of the Father. His identity was secure.
We need a radical receiving of His love!
** We need to be Filled with God’s love (our cup overflowing) in order to give others our richness of love.
Jesus was teaching us how important it is to Humble ourselves before one another and also that we are all equal in Gods eyes. He said that we are to love one another unconditionally– this is how we will know the ones who are called and annointed of God. They will be Love.
1 John 2:9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.
The Lord is always near to the broken and contrite heart.
* “He gathers the outcasts…He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:2-3
Jesus, You showed true humility by washing the disciples feet. Jesus, Help each one of us to be more humble this day and follow Your example of Truth and Love so others may be set FREE for Your Glory. Amen
Mark 9:41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded.
John 8:31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
To Bless God simply means to bow in reverence. We can’t bless the Lord with stuff.. but we can bless him with US.
Life is all a beautiful continual of lessons and blessings. No bad, horrible days and events are any reason for regret.
God’s plan is perfect! And his lessons are full of love and nothing else.
His lessons and teaching not only prepare us for the joyous life he wants for us– they also continue to strengthen our faith bringing US closer to JESUS where we belong!
* In our Weakness is the stage that God demonstrates His strength.
” Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1–5
David, here, is speaking to his own soul. In effect, he’s saying to his soul, “Don’t be sluggish, don’t be unthankful, don’t be unresponsive. Bless the Lord for all His benefits,” and then he lists in succession six specific benefits.
*Number one, the Lord forgiveth all thine iniquities. Regardless if I hurt him, displease him, or ignore him, he forgives all my sins.
* Number two, He healeth all thy diseases. All the scars on my skin and the sickness within my body, and even the sickness mentally and emotionally, he’ll patch right up for me.
* Number three, He redeemeth thy life from destruction. From the traps I have fell into, he’s reached out his hand.
*Number four, He crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.
He’s been my only true friend with an undying affection for me.
*Number five, He satisfieth thy mouth with good things. I may not seem to have much to flaunt, but what I do have has certainly been an awesome blessing, even the things I never even asked for. I’m grateful.
*Number six, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Much of all these benefits He’s blessing me with is really all for my spiritual well being. So that it’s “renewed like the eagle’s”.
Surely if we understand these six unchanging benefits and mercies of the Lord, then we need to do as David did to his own soul.
* It Must Be Personal–We need to say to our soul, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name.”
*If we don’t do that, it’s surely evidence that we’re forgetting His benefits.
* We can’t give god measured praise. We’ve got to give him our all. He wants it all.
*One good way never to forget those benefits is to stir up our soul and bless the Lord at all times.
*By serving God and following his commandments, we shall receive his mercy and amazing grace.
** Enjoyment does not reside in increased possessions; it is a gift that God must give. If He withholds it, no amount of effort is going to extract enjoyment from things. That is a difficult lesson for some to learn. Enjoyment is a gift of God.
**Gratitude only comes when we feel we do not deserve something, but we get it anyway.
This book of wisdom exhorts us to receive everything with a grateful heart, realizing that we do not have it coming; it is a gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
*Even if it is painful for the moment, there is a wise Father who has chosen it for you, and it will yield to you great and rich benefits. You can be grateful for the pain as well as the pleasure; that is the lesson of this book.
* Whatever you have in life, remember it was given to you by God.
* Count your blessings and name them one by one! The good times are FROM GOD, so when good times are here enjoy them as best as you can. They are gifts from God, don’t waste them.
* At least everyday say thank you to the Lord.
* God is a miracle worker!!
* Goodness and mercies shall follow me all the days of my life!
All through the Scriptures we are told that the proper relationship of a believer to God, and that which pleases Him, is to give thanks for everything:
*“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
The loving forgiveness of our Heavenly Father is like no other:
* He takes our sins and cast them into the sea. He Gives us yet another chance .
*God is also a God of redemption… He paid the price for sins we haven’t even committed yet.
**How can We Not Bless a God who has done these things for US.
**Even if I wanted to just go on, I HAVE to praise Him. I HAVE to bless Him. There is no other way. Bless the Lord O MY soul!
Galatians 3:13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
*All of these benefits came at the expense of Jesus Christ sacrifice on the cross.
*The finish work of the cross allows us to have these benefits that we don’t deserve. FREE GIFT!
******THIS IS GRACE!!!!!!
Lord. I have tasted the frustration of living for things that in the end do not fill me with joy but deprive me of it. Teach me to live gratefully, even when life is painful, knowing that You are still in charge and working and working out Your purpose in my life for Your Glory.
Thank you Lord Jesus for blessing me! Amen
Worship that is fresh, leads to a witness that is faithful.
Psalm 96:1-2 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
God is righteous, and we are born sinners. He gave us an opportunity to be saved, and we need to grab a hold of the opportunity. We must share this salvation. We can’t build friendships just to share the Gospel. We can’t wait, as it needs to happen now.
God calls us to be fresh in our worship. * “Song” speaks of worship.
* Our mind is in AWE of God
* Our heart is in LOVE with God
* Our will is SUBMITTED to God
*** “New”= Fresh
**** God wants a FRESH WORSHIP!
God commands us to be faithful in our witness.
*Worship 1st/Witness Second
*If we praise Him, we will proclaim Him
* Believers are commanded to witness by:
*Verbally speaking
*Visually showing
*Generously sharing.
God exhorts us there to express our praise to Him in various ways. In particular, He says that we are to “sing to the LORD a new song.” God never wants His praise to become old, to become stale, to become just a matter of ritual and routine.
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul writes to Christians in the epistle to the Ephesians. He speaks about three different ways in which we can bring praise and worship to God.
He speaks about psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
1. Psalms, I understand to mean, are those which are recorded for us in the inspired words of Scripture.
2. Hymns are the great traditional songs of the Christian church which have been consecrated by age and usage and which express our faith and our worship.
3. But there are also spiritual songs. I believe that’s what the psalmist speaks about when he speaks about a “new song.” That’s not something that’s written down in advance. That’s something that’s Given to us spontaneously by the Holy Spirit just as we enter God’s Holy Spirit and begin to worship Him, just as we recognize some new facet of His salvation. So the Holy Spirit gives us a new song. It’s a spontaneous response to a fresh revelation of God’s ongoing salvation.
How does the Psalmist say to represent Him among the nations? By telling two things.
1). His Splendor
2). His amazing deeds
So what does this mean for us? It means two things.
1). It means we need to corporately be worshipping God together, experiencing Him, knowing Him,
2). and it means we need to be telling the “nations” (the unbelieving) about how great He is and what He has done. Scripture says “His amazing deeds”–during the Psalmists time, those deeds are recorded in Scripture: the plagues in Egypt, the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, miraculous wins in battle, enemies being swallowed up, people being healed, people being killed, fire falling from heaven and consuming sacrifices…the list goes one.
But for us, His most amazing deed would in fact be the death and resurrection of Christ, that God’s own Son, through whom all things were created, should die in our place, and then rise again, and THEN bestow within us the Holy Spirit that we might be indwelt by God’s Spirit. Those are pretty amazing deeds. I wonder what the Psalmist would have said to that?
We are so Blessed!!
Lord help me to live my life in a constant awareness of God and who he is and what he has done.
God, help me to lie totally for you, aware of you and thankful for all you are and all you do. Thank You LORD for saving my soul and for revealing in me your glory! I will decare You among the nations! Amen
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