Posts Tagged ‘Daily Motivation’


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.


Coming up my Mother always taught me to never let things control you, but you stay in control. Those words were some of the great things that were taught to me by her. You see, a person is a slave to whatever controls him or her. Many believe that freedom means doing anything we want. But no one is ever completely free in that sense. If we refuse to follow God, we will follow our own sinful desires and become enslaved to what our bodies want. If we submit our lives to Christ, he will free us from slavery to sin. Christ frees us to serve him, a freedom that results in our ultimate good. Thank you Mom

2 Peter 2:19 – They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.


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.


In 1 Chronicles 28:20 we read:(Be strong and courageous, and do the work.  Don not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.   David advised Solomon not to be frightened about the size of his task as King and builder of the temple.)  Fear can immobilize us.  The size of a job, its risk, or the pressure of the situation can cause us to freeze and do nothing.  One remedy for fear is found here, don’t focus on the fear, instead, get to work .  Getting started is often the most difficult and frightening part o a job.


“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”- James 5:16

Thursday, May 6, 2010

You won’t get anyone to say yes unless you’re willing to take the risk that they’ll say no. To get the answer you seek, you must ask.

When you ask, there is the possibility of rejection. And though rejection may seem like something to avoid, is it really so bad?

What’s much, much worse is to live in fear of rejection. When you never even ask, the answer is always no.

What if you could simply let go of that fear of rejection? The fact is, you can.

Some people will value what you say, what you do, what you seek, and other people won’t. Keep reminding yourself that’s their concern, not yours.

Choose to do what you know is worthy and what you know is best. Let go of the useless and limiting fear of rejection, and feel the freedom to truly soar.

— Ralph Marston


Let the Spirit change your way of thinking. Ephesians 4:23 by Rick Warren


Throughout the Bible we see an important truth illustrated over and over: the Holy Spirit releases his power the moment you take a step of faith.

When Joshua was faced with an impassible barrier, the floodwaters of the Jordan River receded only after the leaders stepped into the rushing current in obedience and faith. Obedience unlocks God’s power.

God waits for you to act first. Don’t wait to feel powerful or confident. Move ahead in your weakness, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops.

The Bible compares spiritual growth to a seed, a building, and a child growing up. Each metaphor requires active participation: seeds must be planted and cultivated, buildings must be built – they don’t just appear – and children must eat and exercise to grow.

While effort has nothing to do with your salvation, it has much to do with your spiritual growth. At least eight times in the New Testament we are told to “make every effort” in our growth toward becoming like Jesus. (Luke 13:24 NIV; Romans 14:19 NIV; Ephesians 4:3 NIV; 2 Timothy 2:15 NCV; Hebrews 4:11 NIV; Hebrews 12:14 NIV; 2 Peter 3:14 NIV)

You don’t just sit around and wait for it to happen.

Paul explains in Ephesians 4:22-24 our three responsibilities in becoming like Christ.

  • First, we must choose to let go of old ways of acting. “Everything . . . connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it!” (Ephesians 4:22 MSG)
  • Second, we must change the way we think. “Let the Spirit change your way of thinking.” (Ephesians 4:23 CEV) The Bible says we are “transformed” by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2) The Greek word for transformed, metamorphosis (used in Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18), is used today to describe the amazing change a caterpillar goes through in becoming a butterfly. It is a beautiful picture of what happens to us spiritually when we allow God to direct our thoughts: we are changed from the inside out, we become more beautiful, and we are set free to soar to new heights.

Third, we must put on the character of Christ by developing new, godly habits. Your character is essentially the sum of your habits; it is how you habitually act. The Bible says, “Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24 NIV)