Posts Tagged ‘Complimenting’


Under Gods Command

 Isaiah 30:1- Woe to the obstinate children, declares the Lord, to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit heaping sin upon sin.

 The people of Judah sought advice from everyone but God, When we are driven by fear, we tend to search everywhere for comfort, advice, and relief, hoping to find an easy way out of our troubles.  Instead, we should consult God.  Although he gives emergency help in a crisis, he prefers to be our Guide throughout our lives.  By reading his Word and actively seeking to do his will, we can maintain our bond with him who provides stability no matter what the crisis.


Under Gods Command

Isaiah 22:4 – Therefore I said, “Turn away from me; let me weep bitterly.  Do not try to console me over the destruction of my people.”

Isaiah had warned his people, but they did not repent; thus they would experience God’s judgment.  Because of his care for them, Isaiah was hurt by their punishment and mourned deeply for them. Sometimes people we care for ignore our attempts to help, so they suffer the very grief we wanted to spare them.  At times like that we grieve because of our concern. God expects us to be involved with others, and this may sometimes require us to suffer with them.


Under Gods Command

Isaiah 27:11 States: When its twigs are dry, they are broken off and women come and make fires with them.  For this is  people without understanding, so their Make has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor. 

 Isaiah compares the state of Israel’s spiritual life with dry twigs that are broken off and used to make fires.   Tree in Scripture often represent spiritual life.  The trunk is the channel of strength from God, the branches are the people who serve him.  Tree branches sometimes waver and blow in the wind.  Like Israel, they may dry up from internal rottenness and become useless for anything except building a fire.  What kind of branch are we? If you are withering spiritually, check to see if you are firmly attached to God.

  Please remember that these emails are going to over 100 people.  I used BCC to keep your email address private.  I just want to share my own personal walk with you, and yes, please hold me accountable for my actions.   I love you all and there is nothing that you can do about it. 


Under Gods Command

Isaiah 23:9 – The Lord Almighty planned it, to bring low, the pride of all glory and to humble all who are renowned on the earth. 

God would destroy Tyre because he hated its people’s pride.  Pride separates people from God, and he will not tolerate it.  We must examine our lives and remember that all true accomplishment comes from our Creator.  We have no reason for pride in our selves.  

Please remember that these emails are going to over 100 people.  I used BCC to keep your email address private.  I just want to share my own personal walk with you, and yes, please hold me accountable for my actions.   I love you all and there is nothing that you can do about it. 


 

When the people of Moab experienced God’s wrath, they sought their own idols and gods.  Nothing happened, however, because there was no one there to save them. 

Isaiah 17:12 – When Moab appears at her high place, she only wears herself out.  When she goes to her shrine to pray, it is to no avail.

When we seek our own ways of escape in order to get through our daily troubles, the effect is the same. No pleasure, pastime, or man-made religious idea will come to save us.  Our hope lies in God, the only One who can hear and help.


Sexual Temptations are difficult to withstand because they appeal to the normal and nature desires that God has given us.  Marriage provides God’s way to satisfy these natural sexual desires and to strengthen the partners against temptation.  Married couples have the responsibility to care for each other; therefore husbands and wives should not withhold themselves sexually from one another, but should fulfill each other’s needs and desires

1 Corinthians 7:3-6 – The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.  The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband.  In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.  Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer.  Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.   

A preacher once said “People say that the grass is not greener on the other side, well it depends what side is being water the most”.  Do not lead each other into temptation, because that is exactly what you are doing if you are denying each other of sexual attention.


Romans 2:17-24 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; If you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are  instructed by the law, if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?  You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?  You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written. “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentles because of you. 

 

Those of us who have grown up in Christian families are the religiously privileged of today.  Paul’s condemnation applies to us if we do not live up to what we know.  Paul explained to the Jews that they need to teach themselves, not others, by their law.  They know the law so well that they had learned how to excuse their own actions while criticizing others.  We face this today in our daily walk.  We need to remember that we cannot please God without a proper relationship with him.  As Jesus pointed out, even withholding what rightfully belongs to someone else is stealing, and looking on another persons with lustful, adulterous intent is adultery. Before we accused others, we must look at ourselves and see if that sin, in any form, exists within us. If we claim to be one of God’s people, our life should reflect what God is like.  When you disobey God, you dishonor his name.  People may even blaspheme or profane God’s name because of you.  What do people think about God from watching your life.


James 1:2-4 States consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James doesn’t say if you face trials, but whenever you face them. He assumes that we will have trials and that it is possible to profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook (consider it pure joy) because of what trials can produce in our lives, James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning. Tough times can teach us perseverance. We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when others are treating us unfairly? God wants to make us mature and complete. Not to keep us from all pain. Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth. Thank God for promising to be with us in our rough times. Ask him to help us solve our problems or to give us the strength to endure them. Than be patient. God will not leave us alone with our problems; he will stay close and help us grow.


Thursday, March 04, 2010
You can’t decide without a guide
by Rick Warren
“He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.” Psalm 25:9 (NIV)

The Bible says there are several things we need to do to receive guidance from God, but the very first thing is this:

I need to admit I need a guide!

Sheep, by nature, tend to wander off the path. The Prophet Isaiah says, “All of us like sheep have strayed away! We have left God’s paths to follow our own.” (Isaiah 53:6 NLT)

This is why we often don’t know God’s will. The truth is most of the time we don’t want to follow God or anybody else. We want to go our own way. We don’t want to admit we need direction or that we need a guide.

Another thing about sheep is that they have poor vision. They can’t see very far ahead. That’s why, on a path, they don’t know if it is heading toward a cliff, and that’s why they need a shepherd. We can’t see the future. We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, much less next year or ten years from now. We don’t even know what’s going to happen this afternoon.

God made you so that you would not be able to see into the future no matter how much you try. Even with all the gimmicks to predict the future, you don’t really know what’s going to happen. Why did God do this? He did it so you would depend on Him.

Because we can’t see into the future, we often stumble.  Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (NIV). We’ve all made decisions that at the time seemed right but later on turned out to be wrong. Some paths lead to dead ends and we end up off track. That’s why we need to admit, “God, I need help.”


NUMBERS: 10: 29-32

Now Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law,
“We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘ I will give it to you.  Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”  He answered, “No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my on people.”  But Moes said, “Please do not leave us.   You know where we should camp in the desert,  and you can  be our eyes.    If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the Lord give us
.”

By complimenting Hobab’s desert skills, Moses let him know he was needed.  People cannot know you appreciate them if you do not tell them they are important to you.  Complimenting those who deserve it builds lasting relationships and helps people know they are valued.  Think about those who have helped you this month.  What can you do to let them know how much you need and appreciate them?