Grace for your spirit
When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:28-29
Last week my mother asked me to figure her taxes. I did them two ways, and she owed $4.00. She denied my conclusion. She said she owed nothing. She went to the tax office and asked them to figure them. The clerk complied and said to her, "you owe $5.00." She paid it without a word. Why? She accepted the authority of this state official. Authority is a lawful right to dictate and enforce obedience. God gave Jesus the authority, the Holy Spirit gave us the authority of scriptures to teach, and finally, authority was given to ministers, and servants to lead and teach. Without it, nothing will be accomplished. When we let the church and the world, drain the authority from the scriptures, and our teachers, we will fail. May we honor God in our lives by accepting and obeying His authority, and the authority of those He has chosen. It is our only path to the right Christian walk.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Grace for your spirit March 17, 2010
Grace for your spirit
And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Acts 5:14-15
There are believers, non-believers and make believers. True believers are obvious because their faith develops a trust that is shown in good works. The people in the first century church demonstrated such faith by the way they lived. The world is also filled with non-believers. They do not honor God, or believe in the resurrected Christ. They live in the service of the devil, and their commitment to Satan is obvious. The third group is the one that causes most of our troubles. They are the make believers. They may have their name on a church roll, and have been through many religious rites, but it is superficial. There is not enough faith to develop trust, and not enough trust to create good works. Make believers cannot please God. Jesus called the make believers "lukewarm". Neither hot nor cold. These are the ones He wished to spit out of His mouth. Let's choose to be hot believers, and let the world know it with the works we display. This is the life that gives glory to God.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com
And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Acts 5:14-15
There are believers, non-believers and make believers. True believers are obvious because their faith develops a trust that is shown in good works. The people in the first century church demonstrated such faith by the way they lived. The world is also filled with non-believers. They do not honor God, or believe in the resurrected Christ. They live in the service of the devil, and their commitment to Satan is obvious. The third group is the one that causes most of our troubles. They are the make believers. They may have their name on a church roll, and have been through many religious rites, but it is superficial. There is not enough faith to develop trust, and not enough trust to create good works. Make believers cannot please God. Jesus called the make believers "lukewarm". Neither hot nor cold. These are the ones He wished to spit out of His mouth. Let's choose to be hot believers, and let the world know it with the works we display. This is the life that gives glory to God.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Grace for your spirit March 16, 2010
Grace for your spirit
Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. Hebrews 5:11-12
A grandma was helping her granddaughter learn her colors. She would point at a color and ask the little girl what it was. After a while, the little girl looked up and said, "Grandma, shouldn't you know these by now? Exactly when did we become dull of hearing and quit learning? When did the elementary principles of Christianity slip away from us? Now that we have reach the point in our lives when we should be teaching others, are we unequipped?. Sadly, this is the case for too many who should be mature in the faith. Let's us not be ashamed forever. May we confess that we have let our brains go into neutral, and appeal to God to get us back to solid food. There is always another generation coming along that needs the insight for living. Will we have it for them? Restore my spirit Lord, it needs restored.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com
Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. Hebrews 5:11-12
A grandma was helping her granddaughter learn her colors. She would point at a color and ask the little girl what it was. After a while, the little girl looked up and said, "Grandma, shouldn't you know these by now? Exactly when did we become dull of hearing and quit learning? When did the elementary principles of Christianity slip away from us? Now that we have reach the point in our lives when we should be teaching others, are we unequipped?. Sadly, this is the case for too many who should be mature in the faith. Let's us not be ashamed forever. May we confess that we have let our brains go into neutral, and appeal to God to get us back to solid food. There is always another generation coming along that needs the insight for living. Will we have it for them? Restore my spirit Lord, it needs restored.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com
Monday, March 15, 2010
Grace for your spirit March 15, 2010
Grace for your spirit
Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. Mark 11:25An old proverb is told about two monks walking through the woods, when they came to a river.
Beside the river was a young woman who wanted to cross. One of the monks picked her up and carried her safely across. The monks continued on their way. About an hour down the road, the other monk said, You know, it was a violation for you to touch that woman." The other replied, "I put her down an hour ago. Isn't it time for you to put her down now?". Is there anything we need to put down? When we come to our Father in prayer asking for forgiveness, are we still carrying resentment and unforgiveness about others? Many times we are still carrying resentment about things that no longer exist. Isn't it time to put things down? Let's do that, and God will open the floodgates of grace in our prayers.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com
Friday, March 12, 2010
Grace for your spirit March 12, 2010
Grace for your spirit
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. I Corinthians 11:27When we approach the Lord's supper, God's appeal for us is to eat in a worthy manner. None of us can make ourselves worthy to feast with the Lord. Jesus does that when He gives us His righteousness. Our part is to check our attitude. When we partake of the bread and fruit of the vine, is our mind in the right place? Have we examined ourselves carefully, and have we judged rightly what Jesus has done for us? Proper spiritual preparation allows us to leave the supper built up, instead of feeling guilty. When we approach the Lord's Supper the next time, let's be prepared to enjoy a great communion with our Lord.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Grace for your spirit March 11, 2010
Grace for your spirit
Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger burned against David and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle." I Sanuel 17:28Do you need a lot of encouragement to do a great job? It seems nobody was behind David when he came to the camp of Israel. The Philistine giant, Goliath, had been challenging anyone to fight him, and David was going to volunteer. His brother insulted him. Saul said he was too young and couldn't do it. Goliath was even offended at the thought of fighting a little boy with sticks. None of that slowed David. He was serving God, and he knew God was with him in this challenge. The victory changed the course of David's life. If he had asked for a vote of confidence, or even a happy thought, he would have quit. Let's trust in the Lord like he did that day. We will have to face many Goliaths without encouragement. Let's trust in the Lord.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Grace for your spirit March 10,2010
Grace for your spirit
That in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, II Corinthians 8:2-3
Haven't your heard? There's a recession on. How many times have we heard those words in the recent past? The Apostle Paul was on a journey to raise funds for the oppressed church in Judea. When he passed through Macedonia, he wasn't expecting much financial help from them, due to their deep poverty. Rome had turned a "gold medal" city into a hole of poverty for the Christians. Part of their persecution was unemployment, and theft of property. Paul was pleasantly surprised to see the depth of their commitment. A commitment that overcame affliction with joy. They had given themselves to the Lord, and begged for the opportunity to help others. That is what happens to people who trust in the Lord completely with their possessions. They knew the secret to riding out their depression was generosity. Have we learned that yet? It's our move.
That in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, II Corinthians 8:2-3
Haven't your heard? There's a recession on. How many times have we heard those words in the recent past? The Apostle Paul was on a journey to raise funds for the oppressed church in Judea. When he passed through Macedonia, he wasn't expecting much financial help from them, due to their deep poverty. Rome had turned a "gold medal" city into a hole of poverty for the Christians. Part of their persecution was unemployment, and theft of property. Paul was pleasantly surprised to see the depth of their commitment. A commitment that overcame affliction with joy. They had given themselves to the Lord, and begged for the opportunity to help others. That is what happens to people who trust in the Lord completely with their possessions. They knew the secret to riding out their depression was generosity. Have we learned that yet? It's our move.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:23
graceforyourspirit.blogspot.com
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