How many times has somebody said this phrase to you or you have said this phrase to others? "I don't have time." If we don't know what the future holds how can we know what time we have? We don't even have a real concept of time. "But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." 2 Peter 3:8
A thousand years is as one day! Look at all that time. In today's age, people are living longer than they have in centuries. Noah died at over 800 years old. My grandpa died in his 60's. My grandma turns 92 this month! Yet, we don't have time for others. Soccer, baseball, football, gymnastics, softball, water polo... I have friends whose kids are involved in all kinds of activities. Yet, when a need arises outside of the busyness there is no time for it. Where are your priorities?
Time is not free, but it's the one thing that everyone has the opportunity to share. We aren't all promised the same time on earth. However, we are all promised eternity. How will you use your time here?
I'm sharing my time to help others earn more time for what is important.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Who's Your Enemy
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the LORD will reward you."
Prverbs 25:21-22
It's not our purpose in life to work towards a reward. However, there are many circumstances in which the Lord promises rewards. Yesterday I talked about praying for our enemies. Today I'm talking about filling another need: provision. God is our provider in all things. When you see somebody who needs to be fed, even if he is your enemy, you need to feed him. Trust me in this, your reward may not come from him. In fact, he's likely to respond with more disdain and hate. Couple the prayers with the provision and you are honoring God.
Remember the lady and her son who had almost nothing left and fed the prophet? She and her son were provided with enough for a very long time after that step of obedience. Doesn't that sound like a great reward? Give all you have ~ it's not yours. Let God provide what is needed and He will reward you. After all, this delights Him.
Who do you need to feed? Whose hunger do you need to satisfy? Your Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He will provide the meat and bread. You provide the obedience.
Feeding those who steal from my plate.
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the LORD will reward you."
Prverbs 25:21-22
It's not our purpose in life to work towards a reward. However, there are many circumstances in which the Lord promises rewards. Yesterday I talked about praying for our enemies. Today I'm talking about filling another need: provision. God is our provider in all things. When you see somebody who needs to be fed, even if he is your enemy, you need to feed him. Trust me in this, your reward may not come from him. In fact, he's likely to respond with more disdain and hate. Couple the prayers with the provision and you are honoring God.
Remember the lady and her son who had almost nothing left and fed the prophet? She and her son were provided with enough for a very long time after that step of obedience. Doesn't that sound like a great reward? Give all you have ~ it's not yours. Let God provide what is needed and He will reward you. After all, this delights Him.
Who do you need to feed? Whose hunger do you need to satisfy? Your Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He will provide the meat and bread. You provide the obedience.
Feeding those who steal from my plate.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Not Praying is a Sin
"Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you." 1 Samuel 12:23a
This verse has been a defining scripture of my life for a very long time. God allows people to come and go in our lives for specific purposes. I have always believed that one of those reasons was to lift them up in prayer. I am still praying for people that have been gone from from my immediate life for years. Why would I spend so much time interceding for others ~ especially if they are no longer part of my life? Did you catch that? It's a SIN to NOT pray for people. Beyond that, people need prayer. Even ~ or especially ~ those who don't believe. Non-believers need us to pray for them in earnest. They need salvation from this fallen world. They need the Truth.
Who else needs our prayers? You had to know I was going to say this next part: our enemies need our prayers. Those who openly hate or defile us and what we believe. God doesn't need us to defend Him. What He wants from us is to love our enemies. What better way to do that then to pray for them. Prayer is our intimate communion time with the Lord. Our fellowship. To take that blessed time and use for those who hate us is going to do two things: it will bring us to love our enemies as God our Father does and it will bring them to their knees. "...but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9b If God is longsuffering towards us, then we should follow the example and be longsuffering towards others.
Who have you lost your patience with and walked away from that now you should pray for them? Or, who has lost their patience for you and walked away from you? Only you know the truth of these situations. Allow the Lord to come into those circumstances through your prayer time with Him. I'm not saying to dwell on them. I'm saying to boldly leave them at the throne of grace and then continually pray for that person.
Praying for those who have touched my life ~ whether good or bad.
This verse has been a defining scripture of my life for a very long time. God allows people to come and go in our lives for specific purposes. I have always believed that one of those reasons was to lift them up in prayer. I am still praying for people that have been gone from from my immediate life for years. Why would I spend so much time interceding for others ~ especially if they are no longer part of my life? Did you catch that? It's a SIN to NOT pray for people. Beyond that, people need prayer. Even ~ or especially ~ those who don't believe. Non-believers need us to pray for them in earnest. They need salvation from this fallen world. They need the Truth.
Who else needs our prayers? You had to know I was going to say this next part: our enemies need our prayers. Those who openly hate or defile us and what we believe. God doesn't need us to defend Him. What He wants from us is to love our enemies. What better way to do that then to pray for them. Prayer is our intimate communion time with the Lord. Our fellowship. To take that blessed time and use for those who hate us is going to do two things: it will bring us to love our enemies as God our Father does and it will bring them to their knees. "...but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9b If God is longsuffering towards us, then we should follow the example and be longsuffering towards others.
Who have you lost your patience with and walked away from that now you should pray for them? Or, who has lost their patience for you and walked away from you? Only you know the truth of these situations. Allow the Lord to come into those circumstances through your prayer time with Him. I'm not saying to dwell on them. I'm saying to boldly leave them at the throne of grace and then continually pray for that person.
Praying for those who have touched my life ~ whether good or bad.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Truth
"For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." John 18:37
Jesus said those words to Pilate just before His crucifixion. Many people quote the phrase "the truth shall set you free." However, they leave out the first part of the statement and that is "know the truth." In America today there are people who have made it their mission for the spreading of truth to be stomped out. Tolerance is shouted from coast to coast. Yet, God's Word is intolerant. Intolerant of sin. All sin. God is Love. Jesus is Truth. The Holy Spirit guides us in Love and Truth. If you don't know Jesus, you don't know Truth and you can never bee free until you do. Make that choice today.
"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32
I am resting in Truth today.
Jesus said those words to Pilate just before His crucifixion. Many people quote the phrase "the truth shall set you free." However, they leave out the first part of the statement and that is "know the truth." In America today there are people who have made it their mission for the spreading of truth to be stomped out. Tolerance is shouted from coast to coast. Yet, God's Word is intolerant. Intolerant of sin. All sin. God is Love. Jesus is Truth. The Holy Spirit guides us in Love and Truth. If you don't know Jesus, you don't know Truth and you can never bee free until you do. Make that choice today.
"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32
I am resting in Truth today.
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