Though the leaves are beautiful this time of year, this Tennessee weather is driving me crazy! It's 39 degrees in the morning and 83 in the afternoon. Dressing the kids for school and wearing comfortable clothes for the day is near impossible, because we are either freezing in the morning or burning up by midday. So many times I have wished it would make up its mind and stay either hot or cold...
..."The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God's creation says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.
Revelation 3:14-16
This morning as I was grumping about the temperature in my heart, the Spirit touched me to say that God doesn't really like that hot/cold thing much either. Perhaps He allows it here in the Bible Belt to reminds us just how annoying it can be...
Showing posts with label Bible-Revelation 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible-Revelation 3. Show all posts
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
W.E.I.R.D.
If you don't utilize it already, I'd like to encourage you to use driving time as God time. Don't call anyone, turn off the music or whatever you have playing, and spend the time talking to and listening to God. Think of yourself as being a captive audience.
Yesterday as I was driving, I told God how I feel like a weird person sometimes. OK, most of the time- and I know many of you who will agree. What's so wrong with that? I felt Him prod. What does it mean to be weird? That got me thinking? In what ways should we be weird? When we have a vibrant, fruitful walk with Jesus Christ, we are called to be different. So why not just except being weird. Of course, I had to come up with an acronym, so I will ask of you today:
Are you W.I.E.R.D?
Are you...
Written in the Book of Life
In the same way, the victor will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.
Revelation 3:5
Nothing else you do will matter if you have not surrendered your life to Jesus Christ. It is the first and most important thing, and it always will be. Remember who, and whose, you are.
Involved in the Body of Christ?
1 Corinthians 12, 13, & 14
We are members of a body of believers that can not function well unless all parts of it's body are willing to work. Are you working well in your local body, or do you cause them to seek some pain killers?
So also you - since you are zealous in matters of the spirit, seek to excel in building up the church.
1 Corinthians 14:12
Eternal in Your Perspective?
Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14
For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
There is just no adding to that. Either we do it, or we don't.
Reading the Word Regularly
But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."
Matthew 4:4
He sent His word and healed them; He rescued them from the Pit.
Psalm 107:20
We can not know what the Lord is directing us to do if we refuse to listen to the Word that He gave us. We are then no longer w.i.e.r.d.; just odd.
Devoted to the Things of God and Not the Things of Man?
And every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.
Acts 2:46-47
When we plan out our days and schedules, are we asking God first in order to bless and glorify Him, or are we asking Him to bless what we have decided to glorify in?
Take some time to discern what the Lord is telling you today. You must also ask yourself if you are willing to be weird for Him. If not, you might want to go back and double check your standing on W.
Yesterday as I was driving, I told God how I feel like a weird person sometimes. OK, most of the time- and I know many of you who will agree. What's so wrong with that? I felt Him prod. What does it mean to be weird? That got me thinking? In what ways should we be weird? When we have a vibrant, fruitful walk with Jesus Christ, we are called to be different. So why not just except being weird. Of course, I had to come up with an acronym, so I will ask of you today:
Are you W.I.E.R.D?
Are you...
Written in the Book of Life
In the same way, the victor will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.
Revelation 3:5
Nothing else you do will matter if you have not surrendered your life to Jesus Christ. It is the first and most important thing, and it always will be. Remember who, and whose, you are.
Involved in the Body of Christ?
1 Corinthians 12, 13, & 14
We are members of a body of believers that can not function well unless all parts of it's body are willing to work. Are you working well in your local body, or do you cause them to seek some pain killers?
So also you - since you are zealous in matters of the spirit, seek to excel in building up the church.
1 Corinthians 14:12
Eternal in Your Perspective?
Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14
For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
There is just no adding to that. Either we do it, or we don't.
Reading the Word Regularly
But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."
Matthew 4:4
He sent His word and healed them; He rescued them from the Pit.
Psalm 107:20
We can not know what the Lord is directing us to do if we refuse to listen to the Word that He gave us. We are then no longer w.i.e.r.d.; just odd.
Devoted to the Things of God and Not the Things of Man?
And every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.
Acts 2:46-47
When we plan out our days and schedules, are we asking God first in order to bless and glorify Him, or are we asking Him to bless what we have decided to glorify in?
Take some time to discern what the Lord is telling you today. You must also ask yourself if you are willing to be weird for Him. If not, you might want to go back and double check your standing on W.
Friday, January 15, 2010
What's The Difference?
A few days ago I was reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and he was talking about what lukewarm Christians look like. There was a statement he made that I've had to mull over and slowly digest in the last few days time. It truly pierced my heart. Chan says, "The truth is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God."
Think about that for a bit.
OK, so no church on Sundays (or Wednesdays if you are really good). That can easily be replaced by sleeping in and a ball game or two. That also means not reading your Bible and the extra (meal time, before bed, etc) prayers. That can be replaced by a sitcom and a little extra Farmville. Can't all the time we spend with other Christians easily be transfered to a Club setting?
Seriously. Think about it. How different would your life be if you stopped believing in God? I'm not saying you would have to stop believing in your morals. Non-Christians can have those. You wouldn't have to stop being a productive member of society. Again, non-Christians - especially Americans - can do this just fine. Giving to charitable organizations and helping to make the world a better place can be a wonderful religion. There's no need to believe in God to do good and make yourself feel better.
Why do you need God? Do you even depend on Him?
Would your life change very much at all?
...The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God's creation says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,' and you don't know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, and white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent.
Revelation 3:14-19
Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter to kingdom of heaven, by only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?' Then I will announce to them, 'I never knew you! Depart from Me you lawbreakers!'
Matthew 7:21-23
Oh Father, forgive us our complacency. Help us to rely on You in everything we do, and may bringing You glory be our hearts desire and way of life!
Think about that for a bit.
OK, so no church on Sundays (or Wednesdays if you are really good). That can easily be replaced by sleeping in and a ball game or two. That also means not reading your Bible and the extra (meal time, before bed, etc) prayers. That can be replaced by a sitcom and a little extra Farmville. Can't all the time we spend with other Christians easily be transfered to a Club setting?
Seriously. Think about it. How different would your life be if you stopped believing in God? I'm not saying you would have to stop believing in your morals. Non-Christians can have those. You wouldn't have to stop being a productive member of society. Again, non-Christians - especially Americans - can do this just fine. Giving to charitable organizations and helping to make the world a better place can be a wonderful religion. There's no need to believe in God to do good and make yourself feel better.
Why do you need God? Do you even depend on Him?
Would your life change very much at all?
...The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God's creation says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,' and you don't know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, and white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent.
Revelation 3:14-19
Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter to kingdom of heaven, by only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?' Then I will announce to them, 'I never knew you! Depart from Me you lawbreakers!'
Matthew 7:21-23
Oh Father, forgive us our complacency. Help us to rely on You in everything we do, and may bringing You glory be our hearts desire and way of life!
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