These days, we have more ways to communicate than ever before. We can talk on the cell phone, leave a voice mail message, send an email, chat on the internet, send an instant message, or even give instant updates on Twitter. But with so many ways to say it, do people really have more things of substance to say?
In Colossians 4:6, in speaking about how believers should carry themselves around others, especially strangers, Paul instructs, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Sometimes we should stop and ask ourselves if our conversation with others—even our friends—is seasoned with salt. Or is it peppered with unholy talk, such as gossip, lies, and discouragement?
With so many communication options in front of us, people of God, let’s remember to use them to His advantage:
• Send an uplifting email to a friend that you’re praying for
• Text message a distant family member just to let them know you love them
• Share your favorite Bible verse, or verse of the day, with your Facebook friends
• Discover a new way to spread the Word of God with today’s technology
And don’t forget—you always have instant access to the greatest Communicator of all, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. He’s always looking forward to hearing from you!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Spoiled Rotten
“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” This is the promise that Paul reveals in Philippians 4:19. But as my pastor once said during a sermon, “Sometimes people get so caught up in the blessing, they forget Who the blessing came from.”
As Christians, we have an inheritance in God’s glory. Some people have interpreted that to mean financial wealth, and others understand it to be a spiritual prosperity. But whether we are profited with material success or blessed with an emotionally fulfilling life, the fact remains that we must never lose sight of Who our blessings have come from.
There’s nothing worse than spoiled Christians. You know the ones. They look down their noses on others who aren’t “as fortunate” as themselves. They leave no room for other people’s short comings, believing that everyone in the world is called to walk and understand as they do. They are so blessed, yet so blinded by their own riches. This was one of the chief problems that Jesus had with the Pharisees. They were profited with so much as descendants of Abraham, but they had become selfish and petty (see Luke 12). Simply rotten.
God loves to bestow his blessings upon us. But with everything we get, we should be humbled in knowing that the Giver suffered so that we could have it all. One of the best ways to show our appreciation is to use our prosperity to benefit someone else.
I’m going to continuously give God glory—through my words and my actions—to show thanks for my riches in Christ!
As Christians, we have an inheritance in God’s glory. Some people have interpreted that to mean financial wealth, and others understand it to be a spiritual prosperity. But whether we are profited with material success or blessed with an emotionally fulfilling life, the fact remains that we must never lose sight of Who our blessings have come from.
There’s nothing worse than spoiled Christians. You know the ones. They look down their noses on others who aren’t “as fortunate” as themselves. They leave no room for other people’s short comings, believing that everyone in the world is called to walk and understand as they do. They are so blessed, yet so blinded by their own riches. This was one of the chief problems that Jesus had with the Pharisees. They were profited with so much as descendants of Abraham, but they had become selfish and petty (see Luke 12). Simply rotten.
God loves to bestow his blessings upon us. But with everything we get, we should be humbled in knowing that the Giver suffered so that we could have it all. One of the best ways to show our appreciation is to use our prosperity to benefit someone else.
I’m going to continuously give God glory—through my words and my actions—to show thanks for my riches in Christ!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Who's Watching You?
In his classic novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell coined the phrase, “Big Brother is watching you.” The book, written in 1948, speaks of a society under constant surveillance. With today’s street cams, GPS tracking, personal digital imaging devices and more, many believe that Big Brother is surely watching all of us at all times.
Just take a look at Google Earth (see the link below). Although this is a truly amazing application, it may give you the chills to realize what today’s satellites can do. Just about anyone can be seen from virtually anywhere at any time.
It has been said that the true test of a man’s character comes not when all eyes are on him, but when he believes he is unseen. As children of God, we know that we are never actually unseen. Psalm 139 is a beautiful song that acknowledges God’s omnipresence and close watchfulness. It includes the verse, “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”
We are always in God’s sight and we should take great comfort in knowing that He isn’t just watching us, but He is watching over us. Yet, do we demonstrate that we understand this marvelous truth? If our heart’s desire is to always please Him, our daily actions should reflect the behavior we want Him to see.
Why worry about Big Brother watching when we have an Almighty Father who’s always present? I’m going to live as though I know Who is watching.
Check out Google Earth here (requires a download).
Just take a look at Google Earth (see the link below). Although this is a truly amazing application, it may give you the chills to realize what today’s satellites can do. Just about anyone can be seen from virtually anywhere at any time.
It has been said that the true test of a man’s character comes not when all eyes are on him, but when he believes he is unseen. As children of God, we know that we are never actually unseen. Psalm 139 is a beautiful song that acknowledges God’s omnipresence and close watchfulness. It includes the verse, “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”
We are always in God’s sight and we should take great comfort in knowing that He isn’t just watching us, but He is watching over us. Yet, do we demonstrate that we understand this marvelous truth? If our heart’s desire is to always please Him, our daily actions should reflect the behavior we want Him to see.
Why worry about Big Brother watching when we have an Almighty Father who’s always present? I’m going to live as though I know Who is watching.
Check out Google Earth here (requires a download).
Sunday, March 8, 2009
One Day at a Time
I remember the story of the woman who wanted to go back to school for her medical degree. Writing to an advice column, she complained that it would take about 12 years to accomplish her goal. She said, “Well, if I go back to medical school now, I’ll be 43 in 12 years!” The columnist’s response was, “Well, how old will you be in 12 years if you DON’T go back to medical school?” The truth is, you have the rest of your life to make any change you want.
Many of us have identified areas in our life that we would like to improve or change altogether. But when it comes to doing something new, we often get overwhelmed with wondering, “How long will this take?” By introducing a new thing, on a day-by-day basis, we can do more than we ever imagined.
Take, for example, first-time authors. By committing themselves to writing one page a day, they can eventually get to the point where the writing flows naturally and in no time, they’re penning several chapters at a time. An old Christian song comes to mind that says:
One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from You.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Of course, tomorrow is never promised to us. But that shouldn’t prevent us from trying to better ourselves each day. Take it one day at a time, and Lord willing, you’ll reach your goal.
Many of us have identified areas in our life that we would like to improve or change altogether. But when it comes to doing something new, we often get overwhelmed with wondering, “How long will this take?” By introducing a new thing, on a day-by-day basis, we can do more than we ever imagined.
Take, for example, first-time authors. By committing themselves to writing one page a day, they can eventually get to the point where the writing flows naturally and in no time, they’re penning several chapters at a time. An old Christian song comes to mind that says:
One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from You.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Of course, tomorrow is never promised to us. But that shouldn’t prevent us from trying to better ourselves each day. Take it one day at a time, and Lord willing, you’ll reach your goal.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Are You Qualified?
My pastor has often said that God doesn’t always call the qualified—He qualifies the called. This is reassuring during those times when feeling overwhelmed and overcome by life’s challenges. So often, we look for other people to validate our worth, when in reality, it is God who validates us completely.
One great example can be found in Exodus 3 – 4:17, when Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of their bondage in Egypt. Moses expressed great reservation about being called to such an important role. He offered God quite a few excuses to get out of it. But in spite of all his protests, God saw it fit to have Moses lead the Israelites to the promised land.
At various points in your life, you may feel unqualified to take on the task before you. And while it may seem that there are many factors working against you, always remember that God is on your side. He knows what you are capable of, and more importantly, He can equip you with what you need to get the job done.
I’m confident in knowing that I’m qualified—and can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
One great example can be found in Exodus 3 – 4:17, when Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of their bondage in Egypt. Moses expressed great reservation about being called to such an important role. He offered God quite a few excuses to get out of it. But in spite of all his protests, God saw it fit to have Moses lead the Israelites to the promised land.
At various points in your life, you may feel unqualified to take on the task before you. And while it may seem that there are many factors working against you, always remember that God is on your side. He knows what you are capable of, and more importantly, He can equip you with what you need to get the job done.
I’m confident in knowing that I’m qualified—and can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
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