Honor one another above yourselves. (Rom. 12:10b)
I believe that one of the greatest ways to demonstrate the kingdom of God is through honoring and loving one another. I am speaking about those that are saved. If our love for our brothers and sisters is pure, real, authentic, sacrificial, vulnerable, transparent, and vibrant...then our message will be seen as real, pure, authentic and vibrant to the world around us. There is a direct cause and effect. Jesus said in John 17 that we would be brought to complete unity so the world would know that God sent Jesus.
A culture of love and honor is what God is after in every church, city, and nation. Believers that understand the importance of radical commitment to walking out true love and honor. We are called to help bring freedom to the captives. We are called to be a light in the darkness. We are called to love one another without hypocrisy, sincerely, in the truest sense of the word. A challenge indeed we face today with so many so called Christians slandering one another, in complete disunity and discord. Can you really be considered a child of God in this manner? According to 1 John 4, I would say no. "Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love, does not know God". This is black and white.
Let's create a culture of love and honor in the way we treat one another. Let us set a standard so high that even the ones who would mock you most, would not be able to mock your genuine love and honor of one another. It is the thing that everyone longs for anyways, to be loved and known in the deepest way. Church as we know it, or have known it will change. It will not survive the coming storms and difficulties unless we change and become true sons and daughters of God.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
And they were all Healed...
12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico.
13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Acts 5:12-16
I love the book of Acts because it is a blue print in my opinion for how we as Christians today are to walk out our faith, in love and power. There was great unity among the believers. The fear of the Lord was among them compelling them to be selfless servants towards one another. Great miracles were being done regularly as a part of their gatherings, and this just proved or backed up their message about Jesus Christ. Many were being added daily to the kingdom. Those who were sick and afflicted with demons were being healed and set free. It says that ALL were healed who came to them. This is the heart of God, to heal ALL who come to Him. He desires to demonstrate His great love and power to each and every soul. Can you imagine what a unified church would look like in your city? How would this impact your community? People being saved regularly, all the sick being healed. Beautiful, simply supernatural.
I am hungry for this kind of life. This is what I dream of to be honest. I want the real, the authentic, the raw power of broken messed up lives being saved, healed, and delivered. I long to encounter Jesus in community with other believers who are pursuing the same thing. Let's lay down our lives to see this releases wherever we are at. If every gathering place of believers became a place of encounter, a place of salvation then there would be great mercy and grace to cover all of our mistakes, failures, weaknesses, and sin. We are all broken people who are being saved daily through walking out our salvation with fear and trembling. Let your vision be lifted higher today than it has been before.
13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Acts 5:12-16
I love the book of Acts because it is a blue print in my opinion for how we as Christians today are to walk out our faith, in love and power. There was great unity among the believers. The fear of the Lord was among them compelling them to be selfless servants towards one another. Great miracles were being done regularly as a part of their gatherings, and this just proved or backed up their message about Jesus Christ. Many were being added daily to the kingdom. Those who were sick and afflicted with demons were being healed and set free. It says that ALL were healed who came to them. This is the heart of God, to heal ALL who come to Him. He desires to demonstrate His great love and power to each and every soul. Can you imagine what a unified church would look like in your city? How would this impact your community? People being saved regularly, all the sick being healed. Beautiful, simply supernatural.
I am hungry for this kind of life. This is what I dream of to be honest. I want the real, the authentic, the raw power of broken messed up lives being saved, healed, and delivered. I long to encounter Jesus in community with other believers who are pursuing the same thing. Let's lay down our lives to see this releases wherever we are at. If every gathering place of believers became a place of encounter, a place of salvation then there would be great mercy and grace to cover all of our mistakes, failures, weaknesses, and sin. We are all broken people who are being saved daily through walking out our salvation with fear and trembling. Let your vision be lifted higher today than it has been before.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Stone throwers...
And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."
I believe that we are in a time where we can no longer afford as believers to judge and condemn a brother. The church is sadly often referred to as, "the only place that kills its wounded". I believe that the church needs to be known as a place that loves and attends to the wounded in ways that brings great healing and freedom. Jesus knew that the heart of the Pharisees was simply to destroy and degrade the 'adulterous' woman. Was she guilty? Sure she was guilty. Are each and every one of us guilty in the same way? Yes we are. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The heart of the father is to restore, release, renew, rejuvenate, redeem, and deliver. Jesus brought freedom to this woman in her most dark and convicted state. He simply said 'go and sin no more'. So we need to not be stone throwers but rather heart catchers. Catching the heart of God for the people He has created and died for.
I believe that we are in a time where we can no longer afford as believers to judge and condemn a brother. The church is sadly often referred to as, "the only place that kills its wounded". I believe that the church needs to be known as a place that loves and attends to the wounded in ways that brings great healing and freedom. Jesus knew that the heart of the Pharisees was simply to destroy and degrade the 'adulterous' woman. Was she guilty? Sure she was guilty. Are each and every one of us guilty in the same way? Yes we are. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The heart of the father is to restore, release, renew, rejuvenate, redeem, and deliver. Jesus brought freedom to this woman in her most dark and convicted state. He simply said 'go and sin no more'. So we need to not be stone throwers but rather heart catchers. Catching the heart of God for the people He has created and died for.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The Prospering Soul
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3
Everyone wants to prosper right? Yet few are willing to pay the price to truly prosper from God's perspective. Many think prospering is in wealth, riches, and fame. We live in a culture that chases the 'American dream', and we are told that this is what life is all about. Many are in hot pursuit of a bigger house, faster car, and fatter paychecks. This is not inherently wrong or sinful, but as believers we need to understand what true prospering is all about.
Meditating on Gods laws day and night are prerequisites to prospering and being a fruitful tree. Delighting fully in the Lord and His ways are the antidote to successful living. Walking in truth, light and love are the prescription for true prospering and freedom. Until our focus in fully on pleasing the Lord then we will not walk in the fullness of what it means to prosper.
Remember that the kingdom of God is an upside down kingdom. If you want to be first then you gotta be last. If you want to live then you have to die. If you want to get ahead then you have to lay it all down. Humility, love, sacrifice, and persevering are a few of the traits that mark the truly prosperous soul.
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3
Everyone wants to prosper right? Yet few are willing to pay the price to truly prosper from God's perspective. Many think prospering is in wealth, riches, and fame. We live in a culture that chases the 'American dream', and we are told that this is what life is all about. Many are in hot pursuit of a bigger house, faster car, and fatter paychecks. This is not inherently wrong or sinful, but as believers we need to understand what true prospering is all about.
Meditating on Gods laws day and night are prerequisites to prospering and being a fruitful tree. Delighting fully in the Lord and His ways are the antidote to successful living. Walking in truth, light and love are the prescription for true prospering and freedom. Until our focus in fully on pleasing the Lord then we will not walk in the fullness of what it means to prosper.
Remember that the kingdom of God is an upside down kingdom. If you want to be first then you gotta be last. If you want to live then you have to die. If you want to get ahead then you have to lay it all down. Humility, love, sacrifice, and persevering are a few of the traits that mark the truly prosperous soul.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Certainty.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Phillipians 1:6
Has a good work been started in your life through the amazing grace of God? If so, then you can be assured that whatever faith has been planted, whatever love has been sown, whatever truth has been invested; He will see you through until the day of Jesus Christ. Keep holding on and pressing into know God and His kingdom. We cannot afford to be lazy or slothful in this hour. We are living in a time that requires much focus and discipline in order to stay in tune with the voice and will of the Father. Do not loose heart today, stay in the game the fourth quarter is already underway. Soon the game will be over and we will rejoice in the victory of Jesus Christ overcoming death, sin, and darkness forever. We will reign and rule with Him in His kingdom. This is good stuff. Be blessed!
Has a good work been started in your life through the amazing grace of God? If so, then you can be assured that whatever faith has been planted, whatever love has been sown, whatever truth has been invested; He will see you through until the day of Jesus Christ. Keep holding on and pressing into know God and His kingdom. We cannot afford to be lazy or slothful in this hour. We are living in a time that requires much focus and discipline in order to stay in tune with the voice and will of the Father. Do not loose heart today, stay in the game the fourth quarter is already underway. Soon the game will be over and we will rejoice in the victory of Jesus Christ overcoming death, sin, and darkness forever. We will reign and rule with Him in His kingdom. This is good stuff. Be blessed!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Empowering People
I have been thinking about this theme lately of empowering people. The question that I have been asking is: "what is it that truly empowers people to freedom and responsibility?" I am speaking mostly of leaders in the church, and in my generation. I believe that each generation has a different method, culture, DNA, etc that will either enslave people or empower them. I believe without a doubt in my mind that the heart of the Father is always to empower His people and give them true freedom that creates great responsibility and ownership.
We as leaders have to realize that people are not meant to be controlled, never. Our responsibility as leaders is to help people realize their potential and destiny in God. We release them as FREE sons and daughters to be powerful people. We do not manipulate or control them in any way. Honor is empowering people, not controlling them. The only control that I am responsible for is called SELF-control, not other control. Honor and humility is giving strength and a voice to the individual, therefore giving them confidence that they are influential and powerful and created to make a difference! Yes, this is the key we are created to make a difference in this world for the Kingdom of God. Are you with me?
You see, Jesus Christ never controlled hearts and minds. He allowed people to make their own choices whether or not they would love him and lay their lives down for Him. Take for example the guys on the road to emmaus. The scripture says, "did not our hearts burn within us as we walked and talked with that man (my paraphrase)?" You see people were precisely drawn to Jesus because He empowered them to think, create, wonder, and be influential and change makers.
Therefore friends, in whatever context you have influence today I beg you not to control those 'under' you, for they are really UNDER God and not you. Would you honor them and love them for who they are created to be and give them the benefit of the doubt when they fail or make mistakes. If you are a leader in any way, whether at work or in the church...realize that your leadership is a means to servant hood. Honor created freedom and enables for great success! Yippie!
We as leaders have to realize that people are not meant to be controlled, never. Our responsibility as leaders is to help people realize their potential and destiny in God. We release them as FREE sons and daughters to be powerful people. We do not manipulate or control them in any way. Honor is empowering people, not controlling them. The only control that I am responsible for is called SELF-control, not other control. Honor and humility is giving strength and a voice to the individual, therefore giving them confidence that they are influential and powerful and created to make a difference! Yes, this is the key we are created to make a difference in this world for the Kingdom of God. Are you with me?
You see, Jesus Christ never controlled hearts and minds. He allowed people to make their own choices whether or not they would love him and lay their lives down for Him. Take for example the guys on the road to emmaus. The scripture says, "did not our hearts burn within us as we walked and talked with that man (my paraphrase)?" You see people were precisely drawn to Jesus because He empowered them to think, create, wonder, and be influential and change makers.
Therefore friends, in whatever context you have influence today I beg you not to control those 'under' you, for they are really UNDER God and not you. Would you honor them and love them for who they are created to be and give them the benefit of the doubt when they fail or make mistakes. If you are a leader in any way, whether at work or in the church...realize that your leadership is a means to servant hood. Honor created freedom and enables for great success! Yippie!
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