Proverbs 3:9-13

Proverbs 3:9-13

⁹ Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

¹³ Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,

I remember my dad disciplining me and it never was a great thing at the moment.  I even remember him quoting this verse as he would do it and I am pretty sure I never thought well then go ahead and have at it.  Discipline is never fun, not for the one being disciplined or the one giving out the discipline.

But it is for our good!  It is for our benefit! Notice verse 12 and the words love and delight this describes God's view of us.  He loves us and He delights in us.  We must never forget that when we face discipline in our lives.  We must never forget that God wants us to find wisdom and gain understanding and I believe that comes through discipline (correction).  

Revelation 3:14-16

Revelation 3:14-16

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

The church of Laodecia was a church that settled in nicely in the Roman Empire.  It was a church that was surrounded by all kinds of worldly distraction that were typical of the Roman culture.  It was also very well aware of the word picture in this passage because it water system was lukewarm and very bitter and was not pleasant to drink.  Actually it would make you want to spit it out of your mouth, it was that bad.  The church was full of compromise, apathy and lacked vision.  All of which led it to being lukewarm.

Sadly like this church many churches are heading down the same road.  However I also see many churches that are striving to be hot.  To be about doing the things that God has called us to do.  Striving to take the Glory of God to the ends of the earth.  

But just as the church in Laodecia was full of individuals so our churches are full of individuals.  Individuals making decisions on a daily basis of whether to be hot, cold or lukewarm.  I wonder today which will I strive for in my daily living?  If the church in America wants to be hot, then each person who is a member or attender must be hot.  

Psalm 32:7-8

Psalm 32:7-8

7  You are my hiding place;    you will protect me from trouble   and surround me with songs of deliverance. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;   I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Psalm 56:3-4 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4    In God, whose word I praise in God I trust and am not afraid.    What can mere mortals do to me?

One particular phrase jumped out at me this morning, "I will counsel you with my loving eye on you."  Wow what an amazing truth about the character and activity of God.  God is..our counselor through the Holy Spirit in our lives.  He directs us through His word and He confirms it with His Spirit.  As the rest of the passage says we do not be afraid.  God is in control and "His loving eye is on us."  He is always aware of our circumstances and promises to never leave us nor forsake us.  Today lets rest and trust in Him.

Transform Christmas Honduras 2012

Hello to anyone who might read this blog: This year I have the privilege of being a part of a team that will be going to Honduras. We will be leaving December 15 and returning December 22.

 During that time we will be staying in a very small village called Las Brisas. This will be our central hub from where we will be working. The village is set back in the mountains of Honduras and sits right along the edge of the rain forest.

 We will be during that week going from village to village distributing food and toys to families throughout the area. Our goal is to reach 300 families and give them a weeks worth of food and a toy for each of their children. But most importantly we want to show them the true meaning of Christmas that being Jesus Christ.

 Obviously the food and toys do not just appear out of thin air and must come from somewhere. In order to get these items it will cost $35 per family. Below is a link that you can follow and give whatever amount you can in order to see families that otherwise would not be able to experience Christmas and hear about the true meaning of Christmas perhaps for the very first time.

 The link is a paypal link:      Donate

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

1 Peter 2:21-24

1 Peter 2:21-24 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin,and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” "He entrusted himself to him who judges justly" leaped off the page at me this morning. Jesus suffered, was insulted, died on the cross and so much more so that we can like Him entrust our lives to the Father. So we can have a relationship with the Father though Christ. That blows me away this morning as I am reminded of that great promise. But Peter takes it a step further and says "that we might die to sins and live for righteousness." Not only can we have a relationship with God the Father but we can through Christ's strength live for Him as well. Father thank you for sending and giving your son to be a sacrifice for my sin. Thank you that because of His death I can have freedom from sin's curse and have live in such a way to pursue righteousness in my everyday life. Give me the strength today to live like that in order that the Glory of God would be revealed in all nations.