you can't hear it enough...
Topic: actually 2001
Philippians 3:10-ff

not that i have already obtained all this or have already been made perfect, but i press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. brothers, i do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. but one thing i do: forgetting what is behind and STRAINING toward what is ahead, i press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. all of us who are mature should take such a view of things. and if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. ONLY LET US LIVE UP TO WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED. join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. for, as i have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach and their glory is in their shame. THEIR MIND IS ON EARTHLY THINGS. but our citizenship is in heaven. and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, WILL TRANSFORM OUR LOWLY BODIES so that they will be like his glorious body. therefore my brothers, you whom i love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends....i know what it is to be in need and i know what it is to have plenty. i have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. i can do everything through him who gives me strength.

***good stuff from philippians.... i was just kinda thinkin about some of this stuff comin off a conversation yesterday - thinkin about the energy that we put into following Jesus - paul talks about straining - and i was kinda thinkin about how God judges us based on how we use the abilities and gifts he gives us NOT by comparing us to other people - "he who has been given much, much will be required"... and that made me think about judging others - you know, kinda like "are they a christian or aren't they?" well, really, only God knows the heart and the primary person we are responsible for is ourselves and making sure that we are living up to the call - encouraging and spurring others by our actions and attitudes just as much as we do through our words - who knows - a cheerful smile may impact someone as much as a 45 minute sermon - an act of kindness or a display of true gratitude or respect - my christianity must necessarily be my WHOLE life - it is who i am - "i no longer live, but Christ lives in me" - and then thinking about the popularity thing and what we long to be - the idea of bein content and satisfied in Christ and WHATEVER he gives us "EVERY good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows"...

well, that's some of my meditation on the Word today - now it remains for me to put it into practice - maybe some of it'll help you too.....

thought provoking question
Topic: actually 2001
1 timothy 4:12
don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

***hmmmmmmm - if all believers followed YOUR example in speech, life, love, faith and purity, what would the body of Christ be like? take your responsibility seriously!! :)

psalm 97:10-12
love the Lord and hate evil! God protects his loyal people and rescues them from violence. if you obey and do right, a light will show you the way and fill you with happiness.you are the Lord's people! so celebrate and praise the only God.

more than skin deep... who's in control?
Topic: actually 2001
isaiah 29:13-16

the Lord has said: "these people praise me with their words, but they never really think about me. they worship me by repeating rules made up by humans. so once again i will do things that shock and amaze them, and i will destroy the wisdom of those who claim to know and understand." you are in for trouble, if you try to hide your plans from the Lord! or if you think what you do in the dark can't be seen. you have it all backwards. a clay dish doesn't say to the potter, "you didn't make me. you don't even know how."

ministry verses
Topic: 2002
so - i've been compiling in my one notebook (i have a BUNCH of notebooks....) verses that are important to me in ministry.....

hebrews 4:12

for the word of God is living and active. sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

1 corinthians 4:1-2

so then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

2 corinthians 4:1-2,5,7

therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. on the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly, we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.... for we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.... but we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

colossians 1:28-29

we proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. to this end i labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

galatians 6:9

let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

2 corinthians 12:15

so i will very gladly spend for you everything i have and expend myself as well. if i love you more, will you love me less?

thinkin' about speakin'...
Topic: 2002
colossians 4:6

let your conversation be ALWAYS full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

*** first - let's get the idea of grace... it's the understanding that i'm a terrible sinner - not deserving of anything from God except His wrath (eternity in hell) - BUT that God in His great love for me, sent His Son, Jesus to die in MY place - that i might have a restored relationship with Him!!! - no wonder we sing "amazing grace"...

### so - how should i be talkin if my conversation's full of grace? well - it won't be selfishly, it won't be self-righteously, it won't be judgmentally.... it will be with a love, joy and understanding born out of the fact that i have received the greatest gift possible and it was something that i in NO WAY deserve... i will be patient and understanding, compassionate and kind.....

ephesians 4:29

do not let ANY unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but ONLY what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

oh, you know you'd better - WATCH OUT!
Topic: 2002
deuteronomy 29:16-19

you yourselves know how we lived in egypt and how we passed through the countries on the way here. you saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold. make sure that there is no man among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such BITTER POISON. when such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself and therefore thinks, "i will be safe, even though i persist in going my own way." this will bring disaster...

**** God says in exodus 34:14 "...the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." ...... don't be fooled into compromise!!

quess what it's about...
Topic: 2002
hmmmm - after a long layoff (i hate my computer!!!) - here we go again:

1 john 4:7-21

dear friends, let us LOVE one another, for .
LOVE comes from God

everyone who LOVES has been born of God and knows God. whoever does not LOVE does not know God, because God is LOVE.

this is how God showed his LOVE among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

this is LOVE: not that we LOVED God, but that He LOVED us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

dear friends, since God so LOVED us, we also ought to LOVE one another.

no one has ever seen God; but if we LOVE one another, God lives in us and his LOVE is made complete in us. we know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given his Spirit. and we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. if anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. and so we know and rely on the LOVE God has for us.

God is LOVE. whoever lives in LOVE lives in God, and God in him. in this way, LOVE is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.

there is no fear in LOVE, but perfect LOVE drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. the one who fears is not made perfect in LOVE.

we LOVE because He first LOVED us.

if anyone says, "i LOVE God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. for anyone who does not LOVE his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

and He has given us this command: whoever LOVES God must also LOVE his brother.

check yourself
Topic: actually 2001
2 timothy 2:20-22

in a large house, there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. if a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an
instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

a pattern...
Topic: actually 2001
***sometimes i'll read large chunks of Scripture at a time and start to notice patterns - such was the case today as i was reading luke 18-20, check out these two passages:

luke 18:15

some people brought their little children for Jesus to bless. but when his disciples saw them doing this, they told the people to stop bothering him.

luke 18:38-39

so the blind man shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" the people who were going along with Jesus told the man to be quiet. but he shouted even louder, "Son of David, have pity on me!"

***so, my mind had already been kinda turning in this direction ever since Bible study in luke 6 a few weeks back - and the idea of "do not judge" and how it fits in the context - i have to ask myself - do i sometimes play "god" and pick and choose who it is that i tell about Jesus? am i cynical about some, thinking "they'll never believe" - check the peoples reaction in this one:

luke 19:5-7

when Jesus got there, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down! i want to stay with you today." Zacchaeus hurried down and gladly welcomed Jesus. everyone who saw this started grumbling, "this man Zacchaeus is a sinner! and Jesus is going home to eat with him."

***hmmmmmm - how easy it is for Jesus' followers to sound a lot like the Pharisees.... how about us? do we really trust God or do we just share with those that we think might believe Him? then the question becomes - how do WE know whose life God wants to work in? let's be careful not to be hypocrits and judges - instead let's be salt and light for everyone and servants of all! our ministry is to EVERYONE

a story... with a moral... call me aesop.
Topic: actually 2001
so i got stuck in the snow the other night, tryin to get up a big hill that i just couldn't make - i tried all sortsa stuff - i backed up and got a run again and again - but i couldn't do it - finally, i
just backed up a smaller hill (rear wheel drive) but that only led me to another hill - and as i prepared for that ascent - i got stuck in a ditch - after all that effort, i was stuck.

i walked for a while and then got a ride home. i dropped into bed exhausted with the van off in a ditch and myself feeling equal parts frustrated,
defeated and humiliated...

early the next morning, i was awakened by my father saying "let's go get the van" - so we did. now to say that i was not full of confidence about the success of our mission would be an understatement - i had tried so much - i knew that even if we got it
out of the ditch - we WERE NOT making it up the hill (i mean, when i tried callin AAA the night before they told me "our drivers won't go down in there"!!!) but me and dad are gonna get it out?!?!?

well, to make a long story a little shorter - i pushed it out of the ditch and dad drove it right up the hill! - no problem!!! - i was shocked,
but once again reminded, my dad's a really good driver...

so where does this all leave me, us? well, aside from my confidence still being a bit bruised...i am reminded of the fact that we all have a Father who is infinitely more skilled than we are. too many
times in our lives, we try to tackle situations our own way and we get exhausted and defeated and humiliated and frustrated - and we wind up thinkin "i just can't do it", well, that's right - i CAN'T - but "nothing is impossible with God" - so i need to let Him be in control. He can handle the situation...

i peter 5:7
cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

ii corinthians 12:9
but he said to me, "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." therefore i will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

hebrews 4:16
let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.