In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me. Psalm 27:5
For many years now our church has had a booth at our county fair. It is the first booth passed by people who enter the main gate. It is a sucker pull. Pick out a sucker, pull it out and see if there is a color on the bottom of the stick. If there is, you get a glow bracelet. If not, you win the sucker you pulled. We enjoy doing it. The days are hot and long; but, we meet hundreds of wonderful people out for a good time at the fair.
Every year that we have done this, our booth has been blown down in a storm. If the storm is during the daytime, workers take refuge in the booth and, hopefully, keep it from collapsing. If it is at night, the booth is reassembled the next day.
The booth is frail and gives very little protection. God, on the other hand, is God of the storm. Furthermore, life is made up of storms. You are probably either entering a storm, in the midst of a storm or a storm is leaving you in its wake. Where do you take refuge in the storms of life? They are going to be there, either coming or going. What is your defense against the storms of life? Whether they are physical or spiritual, remember that God is the God of the storm. He will shelter you and keep you close by his side.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
God's Gifts To You
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11,12 NLT
Have you ever heard the saying that most Christians go home after church and have roasted Preacher for lunch? It is a sad fact that this is often true. People, whether they realize it or not, are evaluating how well they think the pastor is using the gifts that God has given him.
The New Living Translation of the Bible gives a slightly different read on a familiar passage of scripture. Here, Paul points out that these people, themselves, are gifts to the body of Christ. It is not that God gives these people gifts (although he certainly can), it is that the people are gifts to the believers.
Do you think of your Pastor as a gift that God has given you? What about your Sunday School teachers, Music Ministers or your Host Home hosts? When we are given gifts, we are expected to say 'Thank you.' Do you thank God for these people whose responsibility is to build you up in Christ? Start thanking God for the workers who serve you. They are God's gift to you.
Have you ever heard the saying that most Christians go home after church and have roasted Preacher for lunch? It is a sad fact that this is often true. People, whether they realize it or not, are evaluating how well they think the pastor is using the gifts that God has given him.
The New Living Translation of the Bible gives a slightly different read on a familiar passage of scripture. Here, Paul points out that these people, themselves, are gifts to the body of Christ. It is not that God gives these people gifts (although he certainly can), it is that the people are gifts to the believers.
Do you think of your Pastor as a gift that God has given you? What about your Sunday School teachers, Music Ministers or your Host Home hosts? When we are given gifts, we are expected to say 'Thank you.' Do you thank God for these people whose responsibility is to build you up in Christ? Start thanking God for the workers who serve you. They are God's gift to you.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
God's Plans for You
Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21 NIV)
"Where do you see yourself in five years?" It's a question we've all had to answer when sitting in a job interview. Are you where you planned to be five years ago? What about ten years ago or twenty? When I was a child, my goal was to be rich and famous when I grew up. I wanted to be a "movie star." What did you want to be? Are your plans God's plans? What do you think God wants you to be? He is probably more concerned with who you are. Are you the person that God wants you to be? Are your values God's values? Are your goals God's goals?
There is an old gospel song that went, "I want to be what You want me to be." Examine your goals and throw away the ones that aren't God's. You will have a better life.
"Where do you see yourself in five years?" It's a question we've all had to answer when sitting in a job interview. Are you where you planned to be five years ago? What about ten years ago or twenty? When I was a child, my goal was to be rich and famous when I grew up. I wanted to be a "movie star." What did you want to be? Are your plans God's plans? What do you think God wants you to be? He is probably more concerned with who you are. Are you the person that God wants you to be? Are your values God's values? Are your goals God's goals?
There is an old gospel song that went, "I want to be what You want me to be." Examine your goals and throw away the ones that aren't God's. You will have a better life.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Who is the Body?
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. I Corinthians 12:12-14 NIV
I grew up in a church where the people truly believed that those who practiced the teachings of our denomination were the only people going to Heaven. That made sense to me because we were teaching the truth, right?
As an adult who has more experience with scripture, that attitude frightens me, a little, because it reminds me of the Pharisees who thought they had the express lane to Heaven and everyone else was out of luck.
The fact is that just as individuals are given different gifts to exercise in the body of Christ, so are different churches. One church focuses on God the Father, another on Jesus the Son and others on the Holy Spirit. Some churches praise God with contemporary music, some with traditional hymns and some only sing Gaither tunes.
We are all different parts of the body. We all proclaim Jesus as Lord. It is time we worked together as the body of Christ and ministered to those who are open to the way God will use us. Never limit God. He is the Father of us all.
I grew up in a church where the people truly believed that those who practiced the teachings of our denomination were the only people going to Heaven. That made sense to me because we were teaching the truth, right?
As an adult who has more experience with scripture, that attitude frightens me, a little, because it reminds me of the Pharisees who thought they had the express lane to Heaven and everyone else was out of luck.
The fact is that just as individuals are given different gifts to exercise in the body of Christ, so are different churches. One church focuses on God the Father, another on Jesus the Son and others on the Holy Spirit. Some churches praise God with contemporary music, some with traditional hymns and some only sing Gaither tunes.
We are all different parts of the body. We all proclaim Jesus as Lord. It is time we worked together as the body of Christ and ministered to those who are open to the way God will use us. Never limit God. He is the Father of us all.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Need
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV)
There are some people that I call chameleons. Like the small lizards whose skin changes color to match what they are sitting on, these folks change how they talk and act, even what they believe, depending on who they are with. They are People Pleasers to the max.
On the other end of this spectrum are the rigid people. These are the "my way or the highway" crowd. They are not open to new ideas because they assume their way has always been right and always will be. They are not teachable. They sincerely believe they don't need other people and don't care who knows it.
The author of Hebrews wants us to know that we need each other. Once we accept Jesus, we need to hold firm to his promises no matter what obstacles the devil throws in our way. We need to stand firm by standing together. I may not need to go to church; but, another believer might need what I have to offer that day. On the other hand, a day will come when I do need to be at church. On that day, I may need encouragement from you!
What we all need to remember is that Jesus keeps his promises. Anyone who tries to tell us different is someone that we don't need. What they need is Christ.
There are some people that I call chameleons. Like the small lizards whose skin changes color to match what they are sitting on, these folks change how they talk and act, even what they believe, depending on who they are with. They are People Pleasers to the max.
On the other end of this spectrum are the rigid people. These are the "my way or the highway" crowd. They are not open to new ideas because they assume their way has always been right and always will be. They are not teachable. They sincerely believe they don't need other people and don't care who knows it.
The author of Hebrews wants us to know that we need each other. Once we accept Jesus, we need to hold firm to his promises no matter what obstacles the devil throws in our way. We need to stand firm by standing together. I may not need to go to church; but, another believer might need what I have to offer that day. On the other hand, a day will come when I do need to be at church. On that day, I may need encouragement from you!
What we all need to remember is that Jesus keeps his promises. Anyone who tries to tell us different is someone that we don't need. What they need is Christ.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Safe in the Arms of God
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27
The life that God gave to each of us is wonderful. It is not surprising that we worry when we think something is going to change. Tragedies happen, jobs are lost, people get sick and, at some point, we all die. How do we cope when disaster strikes? Remember that God is our refuge.
A refuge is a safe place. A refuge is a place where we are protected from whoever and whatever is attacking us. Our refuge is secured by the arms of God.
Remember that God's arms are strong. They are stronger than our enemy in whatever form he takes. God is with us, he guides us and he protects us.
God's arms are also everlasting. We don't have to worry that he will take his protection away. God cares for us. We are forever safe in the arms of God.
The life that God gave to each of us is wonderful. It is not surprising that we worry when we think something is going to change. Tragedies happen, jobs are lost, people get sick and, at some point, we all die. How do we cope when disaster strikes? Remember that God is our refuge.
A refuge is a safe place. A refuge is a place where we are protected from whoever and whatever is attacking us. Our refuge is secured by the arms of God.
Remember that God's arms are strong. They are stronger than our enemy in whatever form he takes. God is with us, he guides us and he protects us.
God's arms are also everlasting. We don't have to worry that he will take his protection away. God cares for us. We are forever safe in the arms of God.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
When you don't know what to do. . .
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Acts 1:12-14 NIV
Jesus had just been taken up into heaven. They had been told by Jesus to go back to Jerusalem and wait for a few days until God would baptize them with the Holy Spirit.
So, what do you do when things are happening that you don't understand? What do you do when events are happening around you but you are just waiting for the next step? The Apostles and those with them prayed. They had come a long way from the day when they asked Jesus to teach them to pray. They knew that staying in sync with God was vital.
What do you do when you don't know what to do? Jesus taught those close to him to pray.
Jesus had just been taken up into heaven. They had been told by Jesus to go back to Jerusalem and wait for a few days until God would baptize them with the Holy Spirit.
So, what do you do when things are happening that you don't understand? What do you do when events are happening around you but you are just waiting for the next step? The Apostles and those with them prayed. They had come a long way from the day when they asked Jesus to teach them to pray. They knew that staying in sync with God was vital.
What do you do when you don't know what to do? Jesus taught those close to him to pray.
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