Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Reading the Bible
Howdy. Gather around and lets talk about reading the Bible. Have you ever heard the old saying that B.I.B.L.E stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth? While that is not really what it stands for it is a good acronym. The Bible is all of that and so much more.
The Bible is a history book, story book, genealogy book, law book and love story. While all of these are important the love story is the most important!
The Bible teaches us that God loved us so much that He would do anything to bring man and woman back to Himself. Everyone should be familiar with John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Did you read that and did your comprehend that? You can read something and not comprehend it.
Although God loves us, there is a part that we have to do to achieve this promise. Let's break it down. For God so loved the world. That is the reason for salvation. That He gave His only begotten Son. Notice that when God loves, He gives. He gives freely to you and me knowing that He may not receive love back. So by loving us, He gives by putting His love in motion. That whosoever believes in Him. Here is your part. He's asking for you faith and love. Notice He is not forcing or demanding but asking for your love and belief. What are you going to do? Shall not perish but have everlasting life. There is your reward.
I tell you all of this to now explain what love is. Well you say I know what love is. I love my family and friends. If that is true, give me the definition of love. Well before you start breaking out Webster's let me tell you the perfect definition of love. If you have your Bible turn to 1 Corinthians 13:4 -8. I'm not going to type it out for you what it says so dust off your Bible and look it up. This is what love is all about.
Now that you know what love is you realize that Jesus is all of these things described in 1Corinthians 13. If we are truly a disciple of Jesus (remember there is a difference between being a Sunday Christian and a disciple of Jesus), then as a servant of Jesus we are to practice the definition of love to one another. This doesn't mean just on the people that we choose to practice on but on every living soul that God put on this earth. You say how am I suppose to love someone like Osama bin Laden. Well even though Osama didn't act on what the stipulation was in John 3:16, Jesus loved Him enough to die for him to. Wow! Someone as cruel as Osama and Jesus loved him enough to die for him. Jesus didn't say we have to like what the person does, but in the book of John 13:34-35, Jesus says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you LOVE one another, even as I have LOVED you, that you LOVE one another. By this all men will know that you are My DISCIPLES, if you have love for one another.
Jesus didn't say being a disciple of His was going to be easy, but He did promise us great rewards if we just follow Him.
Well until next time, practice loving someone. The more you practice the better you get at it. Keep you saddles cinched and may your trials be smooth.
The Bible is a history book, story book, genealogy book, law book and love story. While all of these are important the love story is the most important!
The Bible teaches us that God loved us so much that He would do anything to bring man and woman back to Himself. Everyone should be familiar with John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Did you read that and did your comprehend that? You can read something and not comprehend it.
Although God loves us, there is a part that we have to do to achieve this promise. Let's break it down. For God so loved the world. That is the reason for salvation. That He gave His only begotten Son. Notice that when God loves, He gives. He gives freely to you and me knowing that He may not receive love back. So by loving us, He gives by putting His love in motion. That whosoever believes in Him. Here is your part. He's asking for you faith and love. Notice He is not forcing or demanding but asking for your love and belief. What are you going to do? Shall not perish but have everlasting life. There is your reward.
I tell you all of this to now explain what love is. Well you say I know what love is. I love my family and friends. If that is true, give me the definition of love. Well before you start breaking out Webster's let me tell you the perfect definition of love. If you have your Bible turn to 1 Corinthians 13:4 -8. I'm not going to type it out for you what it says so dust off your Bible and look it up. This is what love is all about.
Now that you know what love is you realize that Jesus is all of these things described in 1Corinthians 13. If we are truly a disciple of Jesus (remember there is a difference between being a Sunday Christian and a disciple of Jesus), then as a servant of Jesus we are to practice the definition of love to one another. This doesn't mean just on the people that we choose to practice on but on every living soul that God put on this earth. You say how am I suppose to love someone like Osama bin Laden. Well even though Osama didn't act on what the stipulation was in John 3:16, Jesus loved Him enough to die for him to. Wow! Someone as cruel as Osama and Jesus loved him enough to die for him. Jesus didn't say we have to like what the person does, but in the book of John 13:34-35, Jesus says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you LOVE one another, even as I have LOVED you, that you LOVE one another. By this all men will know that you are My DISCIPLES, if you have love for one another.
Jesus didn't say being a disciple of His was going to be easy, but He did promise us great rewards if we just follow Him.
Well until next time, practice loving someone. The more you practice the better you get at it. Keep you saddles cinched and may your trials be smooth.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Steps to being a servant.
Howdy. For the next few blogs we are going to talk about what it means to be a servant of Jesus. Let us start in the book of Matthew chapter 20 verses 26 through 28. Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
If we are going to follow in Jesus' footsteps, we are to become leaders. Now I know you are saying that is not what we just read. Stop and think about this a minute. Before we can be leaders we first have to be a servant. What does the pastor of a church do? Is he the leader or is he the servant of the body of Christ? He is both. He serves as the head of the congregation and he is also the servant to the congregation. If we are the Body of Christ, then why aren't are hands reaching out to the poor, why aren't are legs going the extra mile to help someone? There is an old Amish proverb that says, When it comes to doing for others, some people stop at nothing. Let that sink in for a minute. It is so easy to just do nothing and think, well I pay my tithes and that money will go to help someone. Jesus call us to do so much more.
Brother's and Sister's get up out of that pew and be a servant for Jesus. He calls you as a Christian to spread the Gospel. He calls you as a Christian to help the poor. He calls you as a Christian to visit the elderly. I can go on and on but I hope you get the picture.
Stand up from your pew and be a leader in your church and serve someone else.
Next time we will talk about how important it is to read your Bible to get the knowledge on how to spread the Gospel.
Until next time keep your saddle cinched and may your trails be smooth.
If we are going to follow in Jesus' footsteps, we are to become leaders. Now I know you are saying that is not what we just read. Stop and think about this a minute. Before we can be leaders we first have to be a servant. What does the pastor of a church do? Is he the leader or is he the servant of the body of Christ? He is both. He serves as the head of the congregation and he is also the servant to the congregation. If we are the Body of Christ, then why aren't are hands reaching out to the poor, why aren't are legs going the extra mile to help someone? There is an old Amish proverb that says, When it comes to doing for others, some people stop at nothing. Let that sink in for a minute. It is so easy to just do nothing and think, well I pay my tithes and that money will go to help someone. Jesus call us to do so much more.
Brother's and Sister's get up out of that pew and be a servant for Jesus. He calls you as a Christian to spread the Gospel. He calls you as a Christian to help the poor. He calls you as a Christian to visit the elderly. I can go on and on but I hope you get the picture.
Stand up from your pew and be a leader in your church and serve someone else.
Next time we will talk about how important it is to read your Bible to get the knowledge on how to spread the Gospel.
Until next time keep your saddle cinched and may your trails be smooth.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Church and The American Dream
Have you ever thought about how the "Mega Church" and "The American Dream" has grown into the same thing? Church's now seem to think that to do the work of God they need more money and bigger churches and a "Starbucks" in the lobby to get more people to come and then it just starts all over.
Is that really what Jesus had in mind for His church when He left this world? Would Jesus really want a "Starbucks" in the lobby of a Church/Palace? How can churches justify this when the greatest example in ministry was known for turning thousands of people away! Think about this for just a minute. When the crowd would get big, Jesus would say, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you." How would you think the people that was listening to Him teach reacted to this? This guy is wanting us to eat Him? GROSS. By the end of that speech all the crowds had left, and only the twelve remained. Jesus seemed okay with this!
Has the church in America embraced values and ideas that are not only unbiblical but that actually contradict the gospel we claim to believe?
If Jesus is who He said He is, and if His promises are as rewarding as the Bible claims they are, then we may discover that satisfaction in our lives and success in the church are not found in what our culture deems most important but in the teaching of the true gospel.
Here is one more point to think about. After Jesus' ministry had ended He basically had only the same 12 guys he started out with.
I'm not saying we shouldn't be out there winning souls for Jesus. That is not my point at all. That is what Jesus has called us to do. What I'm asking is do we really need to build a Palace with a "Starbucks" just to attract people in or should we use the message that Jesus taught us to show love and compassion. Is it the money, the glamor, the big production on Sunday, or is it the message of Jesus that we are sharing?
Until next time, keep you saddles cinched and may your trails be smooth.
Is that really what Jesus had in mind for His church when He left this world? Would Jesus really want a "Starbucks" in the lobby of a Church/Palace? How can churches justify this when the greatest example in ministry was known for turning thousands of people away! Think about this for just a minute. When the crowd would get big, Jesus would say, "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you." How would you think the people that was listening to Him teach reacted to this? This guy is wanting us to eat Him? GROSS. By the end of that speech all the crowds had left, and only the twelve remained. Jesus seemed okay with this!
Has the church in America embraced values and ideas that are not only unbiblical but that actually contradict the gospel we claim to believe?
If Jesus is who He said He is, and if His promises are as rewarding as the Bible claims they are, then we may discover that satisfaction in our lives and success in the church are not found in what our culture deems most important but in the teaching of the true gospel.
Here is one more point to think about. After Jesus' ministry had ended He basically had only the same 12 guys he started out with.
I'm not saying we shouldn't be out there winning souls for Jesus. That is not my point at all. That is what Jesus has called us to do. What I'm asking is do we really need to build a Palace with a "Starbucks" just to attract people in or should we use the message that Jesus taught us to show love and compassion. Is it the money, the glamor, the big production on Sunday, or is it the message of Jesus that we are sharing?
Until next time, keep you saddles cinched and may your trails be smooth.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Fear
Howdy folks! Sorry it has been awhile since my last post, but we had some things to take care of in Oklahoma.
I wanted to talk a little while about fear. What are you afraid of? Going broke? Most people are afraid of that, especially with all of the economic troubles the good ole' USA is having right now. Are you afraid of not being accepted? What about the fear of death? Most humans are afraid of death.
Let me ask you one more question. What phrase did Jesus say more than any other in the Bible? Now before you start thumbing through you concordance I will tell you. He said "Don't be afraid, Fear not, Why are you afraid?"
I think the word fear is an acronym. F.E.A.R stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. You see when you let fear move into your heart faith moves out. I'll give you an example. In the book of Mark chapter4, verse 35 through 41 it tells when Jesus and the disciples was on the boat and the storm moved in. I'm going to give you the "Readers Digest Condensed version" Jesus was sleeping on the boat when the storm came up. The disciples knowing who Jesus was, the Son of God, should have just woke Him up and said, "Master there is a bad storm can you calm it". Do you think that is what they did? Nope, they go over to Him, wake Him up and said " do you not care we are about to die". You see fear of the storm moved into their hearts and their faith moved out. What did Jesus do? He got up, said "Peace be still!" took care of the problem then asked the disciples, "why are you so fearful?" and then He asked them "How is it that you have no faith?"
Fear is a method used by Satan to destroy your faith. Because it is when we fear, we take our eyes off of Jesus. What happens when we take our eyes off of Jesus? Well for the answer to that we have to look at Matthew chapter 14, verses 26 through 33. Again we find the disciples out on a boat and they see Jesus walking toward them on the water and they immediately think it's a ghost and you guest it, they become afraid. Jesus once again tells them to Be of good cheer. Don't be afraid. Well Peter says Lord if it is you let me come to you on the water. Peter steps out and is walking on the water when he starts to thinking I can't do this, and he looks down and starts to sink. You see he let fear guide his thinking and took his eyes off of Jesus and then started to sink. Is that not the same thing that we do. We have a problem; we become afraid; we take our eyes off of Jesus and we start to sink. I want to tell you that Jesus wants you to turn your fears over to Him. Keep your eyes upon Jesus and He will not fail you. Jesus says to us in John 14 : 27, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Jesus gives true peace. Know Jesus know peace. No Jesus, no peace. I know it sounds like a bumper sticker but it speaks truth.
I want to encourage you to turn your fears and troubles over to the Master. We cannot handle our problems but He can. Just remember there can be no testimony without the test.
Also if you haven't read "Fearless" by Max Lucado, I would encourage you to read it as well.
Well it's good to be back and until next time keep you saddles cinched and may your trails be smooth.
I wanted to talk a little while about fear. What are you afraid of? Going broke? Most people are afraid of that, especially with all of the economic troubles the good ole' USA is having right now. Are you afraid of not being accepted? What about the fear of death? Most humans are afraid of death.
Let me ask you one more question. What phrase did Jesus say more than any other in the Bible? Now before you start thumbing through you concordance I will tell you. He said "Don't be afraid, Fear not, Why are you afraid?"
I think the word fear is an acronym. F.E.A.R stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. You see when you let fear move into your heart faith moves out. I'll give you an example. In the book of Mark chapter4, verse 35 through 41 it tells when Jesus and the disciples was on the boat and the storm moved in. I'm going to give you the "Readers Digest Condensed version" Jesus was sleeping on the boat when the storm came up. The disciples knowing who Jesus was, the Son of God, should have just woke Him up and said, "Master there is a bad storm can you calm it". Do you think that is what they did? Nope, they go over to Him, wake Him up and said " do you not care we are about to die". You see fear of the storm moved into their hearts and their faith moved out. What did Jesus do? He got up, said "Peace be still!" took care of the problem then asked the disciples, "why are you so fearful?" and then He asked them "How is it that you have no faith?"
Fear is a method used by Satan to destroy your faith. Because it is when we fear, we take our eyes off of Jesus. What happens when we take our eyes off of Jesus? Well for the answer to that we have to look at Matthew chapter 14, verses 26 through 33. Again we find the disciples out on a boat and they see Jesus walking toward them on the water and they immediately think it's a ghost and you guest it, they become afraid. Jesus once again tells them to Be of good cheer. Don't be afraid. Well Peter says Lord if it is you let me come to you on the water. Peter steps out and is walking on the water when he starts to thinking I can't do this, and he looks down and starts to sink. You see he let fear guide his thinking and took his eyes off of Jesus and then started to sink. Is that not the same thing that we do. We have a problem; we become afraid; we take our eyes off of Jesus and we start to sink. I want to tell you that Jesus wants you to turn your fears over to Him. Keep your eyes upon Jesus and He will not fail you. Jesus says to us in John 14 : 27, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Jesus gives true peace. Know Jesus know peace. No Jesus, no peace. I know it sounds like a bumper sticker but it speaks truth.
I want to encourage you to turn your fears and troubles over to the Master. We cannot handle our problems but He can. Just remember there can be no testimony without the test.
Also if you haven't read "Fearless" by Max Lucado, I would encourage you to read it as well.
Well it's good to be back and until next time keep you saddles cinched and may your trails be smooth.
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