Exodus 20:1-12 1 And God spoke all these words: 2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 "You shall have no other gods before me. 4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six day's the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
This verse directs all children to honor their father and mother. So how u doing at this? Here is a quote from James MacDonald: "The key word is all. Adults haven't outgrown this command. Every race and culture upon the earth is under the universal, biblical principle to honor their parents. Things will never go right with you and with your future generations until you submit to this biblical command-regardless of your parents success rating. God doesn't say, "Honor good parents" or even "Grade them on the curve." Honor means that your attitude is matched by your actions. You communicate to your parents, "You are the person God sovereignly placed in my life. You may have hurt me at times, but I take off my judge's robe and release you from the stand. I choose instead to see you with compassion as people with needs, concerns, and scars of your own. I honor you."
Honoring parents does not mean seeking their approval or making ourselves vulnerable to hurtful behavior. Honoring our parents does not mean ignoring or denying the past.
Here is what it does mean: choosing to place great value upon our relationship with our parents. It means recognizing the things they have done right. It means acknowledging the sacrifices that they have made for us. It means seeing them as Christ does with compassion and mercy. It means forgiving them as Christ has forgiven us. Honor our parents, if only because God said so.
Father I want to thank you for my amazing parents and I pray that my life will always be honoring toward them as I live to honor you as well.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Bigger Than The Storm
John 6:16-21 16When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." 21Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
Ever notice how bad things seem to happen to the disciples when they get seperated from Jesus. In this case the storm found them and to me storms are really not that big of a deal unless you are caught in the middle of one outside of protection. Can you imagine being the disciples out at sea and a huge storm roles in and you have been out in a boat battling the storm for about six to nine hours (Matthew 14:25). This was no little storm this was huge. Then all of a sudden Jesus comes out to them walking on the waves. Check out the verse they were all freakin and rightly so as the storm was surrounding them and I am sure seemed completely overwhelming. Notice verse 20 the disciples were willing to let Jesus in the boat and at once they reached their destination. What they were in the middle of the storm but as soon as Jesus came onto the scene and they let Him in they were through it and on the other side. Jesus is able to walk on the very waves that threaten our lives. Even when it comes to those things that threaten to drown us. Jesus is stronger, greater and more powerful in every way. He isn't tossed around by the waves, and neither will we be if our lives are fully hidden in him. That is the key that we allow Jesus into the boat of our lives and He promises us to go with us no matter what and never leave us.
Father today I surrender to you my day and all the circumstances of it so that I might be hidden in you and as I face trials, temptations give me the strength to keep following after you.
Ever notice how bad things seem to happen to the disciples when they get seperated from Jesus. In this case the storm found them and to me storms are really not that big of a deal unless you are caught in the middle of one outside of protection. Can you imagine being the disciples out at sea and a huge storm roles in and you have been out in a boat battling the storm for about six to nine hours (Matthew 14:25). This was no little storm this was huge. Then all of a sudden Jesus comes out to them walking on the waves. Check out the verse they were all freakin and rightly so as the storm was surrounding them and I am sure seemed completely overwhelming. Notice verse 20 the disciples were willing to let Jesus in the boat and at once they reached their destination. What they were in the middle of the storm but as soon as Jesus came onto the scene and they let Him in they were through it and on the other side. Jesus is able to walk on the very waves that threaten our lives. Even when it comes to those things that threaten to drown us. Jesus is stronger, greater and more powerful in every way. He isn't tossed around by the waves, and neither will we be if our lives are fully hidden in him. That is the key that we allow Jesus into the boat of our lives and He promises us to go with us no matter what and never leave us.
Father today I surrender to you my day and all the circumstances of it so that I might be hidden in you and as I face trials, temptations give me the strength to keep following after you.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Who Do I Believe
Hebrews 1:1-3 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Charles Price said, "Knowing what you believe is fine, signing your name with a clear conscience at the end of a creed is fine but the Christian life is about knowing whom I have believed. The more you know Jesus, the more you know God, the more you love Jesus, the more you love God, and the more you trust Jesus, the more you will trust God. In fact is it only when we know Christ that we can know God. Christ is the exact representation of His being and the radiance of God's glory. Timothy said in 2 Timothy 1:12, "I know whom I have believed." Listen we can know all kinds of facts about who God is and what He has done. But head knowledge never saves anyone. Just ask the Demons, according to James they know (head knowledge) there is a God but they do know really know God. This knowledge comes from the heart or soul that has been changed by the power of Jesus Christ. I don't simply want to know facts about God I want to know God in my soul and the only way that will happen is if I surrender to Christ and begin a relationship with Him everyday. Knowing what you believe about something is great but without Jesus it's knowledge. Everything I believe from sin to abortion to end times is centered on Jesus and His Word the Bible.
Father may I today long to know Jesus more and more not just with my head but with my soul that as you are molding and shaping me it may impact me for eternity.
Charles Price said, "Knowing what you believe is fine, signing your name with a clear conscience at the end of a creed is fine but the Christian life is about knowing whom I have believed. The more you know Jesus, the more you know God, the more you love Jesus, the more you love God, and the more you trust Jesus, the more you will trust God. In fact is it only when we know Christ that we can know God. Christ is the exact representation of His being and the radiance of God's glory. Timothy said in 2 Timothy 1:12, "I know whom I have believed." Listen we can know all kinds of facts about who God is and what He has done. But head knowledge never saves anyone. Just ask the Demons, according to James they know (head knowledge) there is a God but they do know really know God. This knowledge comes from the heart or soul that has been changed by the power of Jesus Christ. I don't simply want to know facts about God I want to know God in my soul and the only way that will happen is if I surrender to Christ and begin a relationship with Him everyday. Knowing what you believe about something is great but without Jesus it's knowledge. Everything I believe from sin to abortion to end times is centered on Jesus and His Word the Bible.
Father may I today long to know Jesus more and more not just with my head but with my soul that as you are molding and shaping me it may impact me for eternity.
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