After Job experienced a series of great catastrophes,his wife told him to"curse God
and die" (Job 2:9).Indeed,the perversity of life,the unfairness we see and experience
,can make us want to throw up our hands in despair. Few persons had a better right
to feel that way than Jesus.When his disciples were with him on their last night together,oblivious to his agony,they got into a dispute about which of them should be considered the greatest (Luke C-22:v24 ).One disciple betrayed him.Another denied
him.Then he was arrested,unjustly accused,tried,flogged,and condemned to die. A person in his situation might easily feel great bitterness not only toward his "friends" and persecutors but also toward God.However ,in the direst and most trying of circumstances,Jesus remained the master over his own attitudes and actions.
While he was being crucified,he said,"Father,forgive them;for they do not know what
they are doing"( Luke C-23:v34).Jesus,absorbed the verbal abuse of the leaders and
of the soldiers,apparently without saying a word.He did not defend himself against
the derision of one of the criminals being crucified along with him.Instead he offered comfort to the other man being crucified.Finally,after experiencing all the
pain and abuse humankind could dish out,he entrusted his life,destiny,and the justness of his cause to God,saying,"Father,into your hands I commend my spirit"
( Luke C-23:v46).
Jesus' victory was complete.Nothing the world could do to him could make him bitter
toward God,make him less than he intended to be ,or make him lose confidence in the
power of God to achieve justice.Jesus did not grow rich off his amazing abilities,
command mighty armies,or control the purse of a big corporation.He did not prove his central place in the world by avoiding all pain and struggle.He did not achieve
victory in any of the common ways; but he did what none of the rest of us,out of our own strength,is able to do.He proved himself the complete master of his own ambitions
,desires,and passions.He did not let injustice or the bitterness it engenders defeat
him.So let the understanding of Jesus' victory change your ways of assessing your life.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Following In Christ Steps 1 Peter C-2:v21
As followers of Christ,we desire to imitate him in our ministry and in our life.Thus
our objective is not only to impart Bible knowledge but also to reflect Jesus
qualities,especially his love.Whether we have a lot of knowledge or just a little,an
abundance of teaching skills or just a few,the love we show will go a long way in
reaching the hearts of those to whom we preach. To be truly effective in our disciple
-making work,we must imitate Jesus by teaching with love. of course,to be good
teachers,we need knowledge of our subject and we need skill to impart that knowledge.
Jesus helped his disciples to acquire both,and Jesus,through his organization,helps
us to do so today. ( Isa.C-54:v13; L:uke C-12:v42)Still,we should aim to teach not
only with our minds but also with our hearts. When knowledge,skill,and love work
together,the results can be most satisfying.
our objective is not only to impart Bible knowledge but also to reflect Jesus
qualities,especially his love.Whether we have a lot of knowledge or just a little,an
abundance of teaching skills or just a few,the love we show will go a long way in
reaching the hearts of those to whom we preach. To be truly effective in our disciple
-making work,we must imitate Jesus by teaching with love. of course,to be good
teachers,we need knowledge of our subject and we need skill to impart that knowledge.
Jesus helped his disciples to acquire both,and Jesus,through his organization,helps
us to do so today. ( Isa.C-54:v13; L:uke C-12:v42)Still,we should aim to teach not
only with our minds but also with our hearts. When knowledge,skill,and love work
together,the results can be most satisfying.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Victory Is On The Otherside Of Through
Often after the death of a loved one,a serious illness or injury,or an
emotional trauma such as can be caused by divorce or job loss,the healing doesn't
come as quickly as we wanted or expected.We may feel trapped,stuck in a particular
stage of the grief process,as we continue to feel the pain of the loss as if it just
happened.The good news is,there are some ways to help the process along.
1.) Take a good long look at what your fears are.
2.) Adjust your expectations.
3.) Move from anger to acceptance.
4.) Seek spiritual healing.
5.) Learn the value of patient waiting.
emotional trauma such as can be caused by divorce or job loss,the healing doesn't
come as quickly as we wanted or expected.We may feel trapped,stuck in a particular
stage of the grief process,as we continue to feel the pain of the loss as if it just
happened.The good news is,there are some ways to help the process along.
1.) Take a good long look at what your fears are.
2.) Adjust your expectations.
3.) Move from anger to acceptance.
4.) Seek spiritual healing.
5.) Learn the value of patient waiting.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Winning Is Not Everything If It's In Jesus
Winning is important to most people in the world today.We want to win sports
contests, cards games,and arguments.In business we to be the boss and to make the
most money.Our greatest desire to win may lie with politics and religion.Human
beings will use almost any means of coercion to achieve their central and winning
place in the world.We will humiliate our opposition; threaten them;and on some
occasions kill them,if necessary,to see to it that our side has its way.
The religious and political authorities in the Bible ,and some in the world today
believed that they had defeated Jesus. By means of their overwhelming political
power,he was derided,made to suffer,and executed.In the eyes of the world,he was
a loser and they were winners.Christians,however,have a different take on the events
of that horrible day and time.In fact,in our annual commemoration of that day,and
time ,we call it "good."
contests, cards games,and arguments.In business we to be the boss and to make the
most money.Our greatest desire to win may lie with politics and religion.Human
beings will use almost any means of coercion to achieve their central and winning
place in the world.We will humiliate our opposition; threaten them;and on some
occasions kill them,if necessary,to see to it that our side has its way.
The religious and political authorities in the Bible ,and some in the world today
believed that they had defeated Jesus. By means of their overwhelming political
power,he was derided,made to suffer,and executed.In the eyes of the world,he was
a loser and they were winners.Christians,however,have a different take on the events
of that horrible day and time.In fact,in our annual commemoration of that day,and
time ,we call it "good."
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Roadside Monument's
Along the highway on the Big Island of Hawaii, to the town of Waikoloa are lava
rocks used by visitors to inscribed their names as vacationers to the island.These
rock memorials stands as a monument to them. When I think of the highway memorials,
am reminded of the Hebrews children's journey. In Hebrews chapter 11, it lists some
of those hardy souls--- Gideon,Barak,Samson,Jephthah,David,and Samuel,to name a few.
But there are other more recent pilgrims:my mother,my father in-law,my fifth-grade
school teacher,my brothers,my old pastors,my friends mother,my mentor and god father,
my god sister,and a host of others I could name.They may not have inscrbed their
names on rocks,or on the roadside of life,but they're written in our memory.The
author of Hebrews reminds us to remember "pilgrims" who have gone before us ,
especially those "who have spoken the Word of God to us and to consider "the outcome
of their conduct" (Hebrews C-13:v7).And ,most important,he encourages us to follow
their faith. Lord,help us live a godly life of faith and love and purity so those who
follow what we do will grow in their maturity.
rocks used by visitors to inscribed their names as vacationers to the island.These
rock memorials stands as a monument to them. When I think of the highway memorials,
am reminded of the Hebrews children's journey. In Hebrews chapter 11, it lists some
of those hardy souls--- Gideon,Barak,Samson,Jephthah,David,and Samuel,to name a few.
But there are other more recent pilgrims:my mother,my father in-law,my fifth-grade
school teacher,my brothers,my old pastors,my friends mother,my mentor and god father,
my god sister,and a host of others I could name.They may not have inscrbed their
names on rocks,or on the roadside of life,but they're written in our memory.The
author of Hebrews reminds us to remember "pilgrims" who have gone before us ,
especially those "who have spoken the Word of God to us and to consider "the outcome
of their conduct" (Hebrews C-13:v7).And ,most important,he encourages us to follow
their faith. Lord,help us live a godly life of faith and love and purity so those who
follow what we do will grow in their maturity.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Have You Ever Made A Mess Of Something ?
Our ancestors did.After all the years that have past,God is still wondering where
some of us went.God blessed our ancestors as they traveled through pits and darkness,
across deserts and rivers into the land of milk and honey.But when they arrived at
their hoped-for destination, they made a mess of it all. Being faced with the promise
of life,they ran away ,chasing "worthless things." As we live we can fine our self's
focusing on mess.The news of the world tells about how life has gone wrong.Yet, even
when we self-examine our self we can fine addictions and injustices,and wounds,and
our pointless search goes on.But the God we serve remembers when we were faithful,
when we did follow,when our love was pure a strong.
some of us went.God blessed our ancestors as they traveled through pits and darkness,
across deserts and rivers into the land of milk and honey.But when they arrived at
their hoped-for destination, they made a mess of it all. Being faced with the promise
of life,they ran away ,chasing "worthless things." As we live we can fine our self's
focusing on mess.The news of the world tells about how life has gone wrong.Yet, even
when we self-examine our self we can fine addictions and injustices,and wounds,and
our pointless search goes on.But the God we serve remembers when we were faithful,
when we did follow,when our love was pure a strong.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
GIVING THANK'S
Knowing that God can use all things for good is more than enough reason to give thanks in everything.Giving thanks in difficult circumstances is a small detail that makes a big difference. We're to thank the Father,in every trial,challenge,and difficulty.God is behind the scenes working things out for our good. Lord,help us to see Your hand in everything.Amen 1 Thessalonians C-5:v18.
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