http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:1-12;&version=51;
Sometimes we get so busy with the performance part of our lives; going to work, running a household, being a husband or wife, parent, and friend, that we forget the most important role we are to play. The role of being God’s chosen child here on this earth. Throughout the day, think of any benefits you may have to being a chosen one? Like Ps 8:5 “crowned us w/ glory and honor.” Favor and honor can be interchanged; James 4 says we have not because we don’t ask and when we do it’s with wrong motives. Many of us today need to ask Him for favor, honor and glory!
I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ at SDSU in 1980; I remember vividly hearing the story about a guy who has never been on a cruise before saves up for this trip. He brings along a backpack full of cheese, bread and snacks; things he thinks will last him through the cruise to his destination. A few days into it, the bread is getting moldy, the cheese is hard, he’s running low on water…
There are so many benefits to remembering that one simple fact. I am God’s own special child and he loves me unconditionally. He loves me whether I am lovable, grumpy, angry, worried, or depressed. He is always there waiting to have a relationship with me. What an amazing God that has adopted me into his family, if I will only choose to call him Father and live the life He chooses. Like the guy in the story above, while he got to go on the cruise, he failed to enjoy the benefits that come with; all the food (some pretty darn good), beverages, activities. A steward noticed him one day and asked him why he was eating crusty bread? “Didn’t you read the ‘guide’, your cruise come with all the choices of food and drink you want, it’s all part of the package!”
I am in awe of how God loves each one of us distinctly regardless of our circumstances. While our circumstances change from time to time, His love, grace and mercy always abound. Matthew 5:1-12 is a reflection of how deeply God loves each and every one of us, forever and always.
Have you thought about how special you are to God? Remember your uniqueness in God’s eyes and share the love of God with those that maybe aren’t so lovable, but are loved by God.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Think on these things
"Every man dies, but few men truly live" "Life is an adventure, or it's nothing at all." God sets in motion the butterfly, all we see is the ugly process held in the world's cocoon." "Your attitude determines your altitude." "Take the best and leave the rest." "Wake up with an attitude of gratitude."The first ten minutes of your day are the rudder of your day." "First we make our habits, then our habits make us." "The greatest power a person has is the power to choose."
Can anyone tell me which quote is from whom? I'll give you a hint one is mine!
The best quote of the day is from Philippians 4:8-Whatever is true, noble, pure, and lovely, of good report, virtue in being praise worthy...think on these things."
In a time when we can be so quick to judge, quick tempered, and speak before we hear, we can choose to think on those things instead...Like my mama always says, life is-oops wrong quote-if you don't have something nice to say...
We can choose not to tear down our spouse with our words. We can choose to treat our kids with compassion. We can choose to set healthy boundaries. We can choose to show grace to our friends and family. Which adventure will you choose?
Can anyone tell me which quote is from whom? I'll give you a hint one is mine!
The best quote of the day is from Philippians 4:8-Whatever is true, noble, pure, and lovely, of good report, virtue in being praise worthy...think on these things."
In a time when we can be so quick to judge, quick tempered, and speak before we hear, we can choose to think on those things instead...Like my mama always says, life is-oops wrong quote-if you don't have something nice to say...
We can choose not to tear down our spouse with our words. We can choose to treat our kids with compassion. We can choose to set healthy boundaries. We can choose to show grace to our friends and family. Which adventure will you choose?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
He knows
Third Day has a great song about how we can be confident about everything because God knows.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR1pFh6LSn8
He knows me better than I know myself. In Psalm 139:2-3 it says “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar…you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word comes out of my mouth, you know it completely.” He's a mindreader who doesn't need a crystal ball.
A few verses later... “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” God knows.
How about the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-47. He was a proud teen when his brothers sold him into slavery because they were P O'd with him. In Egypt, one bad thing after another happened to him, but he continued to trust God because he understood that God was in control of his life. Eventually, he became the second most powerful man in Egypt. He easily could have had a pity party.
What does this mean to me and you? In Psalm 139:13 it says that He knit you together in your mother’s womb and his eyes saw your unformed body. Doesn’t it make sense to let the Person who made you and intricately knows you, have control of your destiny?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR1pFh6LSn8
He knows me better than I know myself. In Psalm 139:2-3 it says “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar…you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word comes out of my mouth, you know it completely.” He's a mindreader who doesn't need a crystal ball.
A few verses later... “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” God knows.
How about the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-47. He was a proud teen when his brothers sold him into slavery because they were P O'd with him. In Egypt, one bad thing after another happened to him, but he continued to trust God because he understood that God was in control of his life. Eventually, he became the second most powerful man in Egypt. He easily could have had a pity party.
What does this mean to me and you? In Psalm 139:13 it says that He knit you together in your mother’s womb and his eyes saw your unformed body. Doesn’t it make sense to let the Person who made you and intricately knows you, have control of your destiny?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Pressed but not Crushed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ofE-GZ8zTU
Sara Groves, a Dove award winner, had this song a few years ago. In this song, she voices that all the promises she needs are right in front of her. "We are persecuted but not abandoned, pressed but not crushed..nothing will keep us from the love of God."
Yesterday, I had a spirited discussion with a friend about why or why not God chooses to heal or not. I was reminded of when I was single, finding myself in a provocative situation that could have kept me from giving my future wife the gift reserved for marriage. All of a sudden I had a bad asthma attack that kept me from doing something stupid. I've always prayed for healing of asthma, but that day I was not healed for a reason. He always provides a way of escape.
I remember in 1980 at San Diego State when Josh McDowell with Campus Crusade, spoke about having sex outside of marriage. The story he told was on their wedding night, this couple are consumating the marriage, and afterword she says "Oh honey, you're definitely in the top 25." That sory always stuck with me and still does today.
Between asthma, that story, reading the Word, and my dad, all affected me in being able to present myself to my wife holy, and set apart for her.
Sara Groves, a Dove award winner, had this song a few years ago. In this song, she voices that all the promises she needs are right in front of her. "We are persecuted but not abandoned, pressed but not crushed..nothing will keep us from the love of God."
Yesterday, I had a spirited discussion with a friend about why or why not God chooses to heal or not. I was reminded of when I was single, finding myself in a provocative situation that could have kept me from giving my future wife the gift reserved for marriage. All of a sudden I had a bad asthma attack that kept me from doing something stupid. I've always prayed for healing of asthma, but that day I was not healed for a reason. He always provides a way of escape.
I remember in 1980 at San Diego State when Josh McDowell with Campus Crusade, spoke about having sex outside of marriage. The story he told was on their wedding night, this couple are consumating the marriage, and afterword she says "Oh honey, you're definitely in the top 25." That sory always stuck with me and still does today.
Between asthma, that story, reading the Word, and my dad, all affected me in being able to present myself to my wife holy, and set apart for her.
How to have an Affair
I guess my pastor received death threats over the series called "Lovers". The past week was on "How to have an Affair."
The latest statistics show that nearly 73% of men and 64% of women have physically had an affair on their spouse. Mentally and emotionally close to 100% have. By following these four steps you can almost assure yourself of one. The first look is free...
Affairs happen when we:
Stop pursuing intimacy in marriage- Pursuit is an activity that cannot be allowed to become passive.
"Emerson Eggerichs wrote a book entitled “Love and Respect – The Love She Most
Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs.” In a recent interview, Emerson said that
he took a poll of 1,000 men and the majority said that they would rather have an affair
than to sleep with a wife who was acting out of her duty (or obligation) to him. His
comment points to the fact that we desire intimacy as human beings and not just sex.
How are you meeting the intimacy needs of your partner? Intimacy and affair proofing
a marriage is not ONLY about the physical act of sex; it is about feeling close to, cherished
by, and intimate with another person. Clearly, that is what’s taking place in Song of
Songs 5 -A husband and wife are using their words and physical touch to express
their love and respect for each other; thus, cultivating intimacy in the marriage."
Establish our standards of beauty elsewhere- Bravo, Cougar town, and the fashion bible-Cosmo, can totally lead to a desensitised state of mind. Beth and Blake go on to say "The images and messages that can lead to sexual sin are everywhere. While standing in line at Kroger, simply look at the magazines! They seem to offer you better sex, more friends, more money, happier vacations, great food, and hot romances. If I stand there long enough, I start to think about how much my life is missing (honestly). Recent shows like, Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives, The Bachelor, and Cougar Town (to name a few) are based on the theme of people looking for intimacy and finding it in unhealthy and unscriptural ways."
Build close relationships with the opposite sex- Usually starts innocent enough, but gradually evolves from casual lunches to cocktails to...
Keep God out of our marriages- The classic triangle with God at the pinnicle, and as each grow closer to God, each grows closer together as well. Without the Lord as the concrete those two lines of the triangle go there own way...My wedding band has Eccl 5:12-The three branded cord cannot be easily broken- http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eccl%204:12&version=NLT plug in these other verses as well- Song of Songs 5:10–16, 1 Corinthians 7:5, 1 Corinthians 6:18–20.
The latest statistics show that nearly 73% of men and 64% of women have physically had an affair on their spouse. Mentally and emotionally close to 100% have. By following these four steps you can almost assure yourself of one. The first look is free...
Affairs happen when we:
Stop pursuing intimacy in marriage- Pursuit is an activity that cannot be allowed to become passive.
"Emerson Eggerichs wrote a book entitled “Love and Respect – The Love She Most
Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs.” In a recent interview, Emerson said that
he took a poll of 1,000 men and the majority said that they would rather have an affair
than to sleep with a wife who was acting out of her duty (or obligation) to him. His
comment points to the fact that we desire intimacy as human beings and not just sex.
How are you meeting the intimacy needs of your partner? Intimacy and affair proofing
a marriage is not ONLY about the physical act of sex; it is about feeling close to, cherished
by, and intimate with another person. Clearly, that is what’s taking place in Song of
Songs 5 -A husband and wife are using their words and physical touch to express
their love and respect for each other; thus, cultivating intimacy in the marriage."
Establish our standards of beauty elsewhere- Bravo, Cougar town, and the fashion bible-Cosmo, can totally lead to a desensitised state of mind. Beth and Blake go on to say "The images and messages that can lead to sexual sin are everywhere. While standing in line at Kroger, simply look at the magazines! They seem to offer you better sex, more friends, more money, happier vacations, great food, and hot romances. If I stand there long enough, I start to think about how much my life is missing (honestly). Recent shows like, Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives, The Bachelor, and Cougar Town (to name a few) are based on the theme of people looking for intimacy and finding it in unhealthy and unscriptural ways."
Build close relationships with the opposite sex- Usually starts innocent enough, but gradually evolves from casual lunches to cocktails to...
Keep God out of our marriages- The classic triangle with God at the pinnicle, and as each grow closer to God, each grows closer together as well. Without the Lord as the concrete those two lines of the triangle go there own way...My wedding band has Eccl 5:12-The three branded cord cannot be easily broken- http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eccl%204:12&version=NLT plug in these other verses as well- Song of Songs 5:10–16, 1 Corinthians 7:5, 1 Corinthians 6:18–20.
Monday, February 22, 2010
WC&FDR
Napoleon and Josephine, Romeo and Juliet, David and Jonathan, FDR and Churchill.
The 20th Century gave us a glimpse into a friendship was as sincere as it was tragic. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill were two men who came together to fight the most evil leader and government of their time: Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.
I really enjoy watching the History Channel Saturday mornings; history shows that while they shared a partnership and a friendship, they often did not see things eye to eye. They had conflicts. They each had their own unique circumstances and concerns, and each one wanted things his way. But they always found a way to work through their problems to achieve goals that were mutually beneficial. The mission before them was too important to do otherwise.
The deepest friendships and the strongest marriages are the ones that are kept strong through continuous commitment. For better or worse, rich or poor. Conflict will stretch and challenge even the best relationships, but commitment remains. In fact, it is made stronger through adversity. When President Roosevelt died, Prime Minister Churchill sent a note to the First Lady. In it he wrote, "I have lost a dear and cherished friendship which was forged in the fire of war."
A war rages against our marriages, friendships, and families. "Commit your ways to the Lord and He will see you through." As Proverbs says.
The 20th Century gave us a glimpse into a friendship was as sincere as it was tragic. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill were two men who came together to fight the most evil leader and government of their time: Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.
I really enjoy watching the History Channel Saturday mornings; history shows that while they shared a partnership and a friendship, they often did not see things eye to eye. They had conflicts. They each had their own unique circumstances and concerns, and each one wanted things his way. But they always found a way to work through their problems to achieve goals that were mutually beneficial. The mission before them was too important to do otherwise.
The deepest friendships and the strongest marriages are the ones that are kept strong through continuous commitment. For better or worse, rich or poor. Conflict will stretch and challenge even the best relationships, but commitment remains. In fact, it is made stronger through adversity. When President Roosevelt died, Prime Minister Churchill sent a note to the First Lady. In it he wrote, "I have lost a dear and cherished friendship which was forged in the fire of war."
A war rages against our marriages, friendships, and families. "Commit your ways to the Lord and He will see you through." As Proverbs says.
Warren Buffett Blunders
The most successful investor in world, Warren Buffett, admitted to making some horrible investments.
Last weekend, he said he never should have bought Conoco Oil when crude oil was over $100 a barrel. Dexter shoes? Never heard of them. Even a multi-billion dollar loss when he bought US Air, and had to unload at a steep discount. All three of those had huge potential gain at one time..so did Toyota.
While making mistakes with money is always painful, paying a few "school fees" now and then doesn't have to be a total loss. If you analyze your mistakes and learn from them, you might very well make the money back next time. All investors, even Warren Buffett, must acknowledge that mistakes will be made along the way. We have a very big God who can restore everything and more.
I think this is a reason why Proverbs 16 talks about all our plans, our business deals, may have had a great degree of planning, but God is the one who ultimately determines the result. Read the whole chapter.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%2016&version=NLT
vs 33- We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.
Last weekend, he said he never should have bought Conoco Oil when crude oil was over $100 a barrel. Dexter shoes? Never heard of them. Even a multi-billion dollar loss when he bought US Air, and had to unload at a steep discount. All three of those had huge potential gain at one time..so did Toyota.
While making mistakes with money is always painful, paying a few "school fees" now and then doesn't have to be a total loss. If you analyze your mistakes and learn from them, you might very well make the money back next time. All investors, even Warren Buffett, must acknowledge that mistakes will be made along the way. We have a very big God who can restore everything and more.
I think this is a reason why Proverbs 16 talks about all our plans, our business deals, may have had a great degree of planning, but God is the one who ultimately determines the result. Read the whole chapter.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%2016&version=NLT
vs 33- We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.
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