Blood On Our Hands

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
John 3:6-7 NIV

Tomorrow is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. It is often the day when we reaffirm our views that all life is precious. We may even address the issue of abortion. While most of us believers will agree that abortion is an atrocity, I think that we fall short of the full realization of that fact.

How many of us have been to the altar or knelt alone in our homes and accepted Christ? In that instant, God's Holy Spirit conceived something in our hearts. The scriptures are marked full of references that are analogous to growing as it relates to a child growing from infancy to maturity. Just as a infant is conceived and begins to grow through birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and finally maturity, so do we as Christians.

However, how often do we starve, walk away from and outright attempt to kill what the Spirit has conceived in us. How many days has it been since we have been in God's Word, spent time talking to him and in fellowship with other believers? Without those aspects present in our lives, those things conceived by the Spirit within us will begin to die.

While Christ is able to keep us, he desires us to "want to be kept" and therefore does nothing to force us to remain in him. Far too often, if we are honest, our present reality might often sound like Isaiah's...

As a woman with child and about to give birth
writhes and cries out in her pain,
so were we in your presence, O LORD.
We were with child, we writhed in pain,
but we gave birth to wind.
We have not brought salvation to the earth;
we have not given birth to people of the world.
Isa 26:17-18 NIV

Let's believe and guard the Sanctity of all life - physical and spiritual. No more can we abort what the Spirit has conceived in all of our hearts.

The good news is that Christ stands ready to forgive, give us a fresh start and restore that which is dying or dead. It is up to us to stay close to Christ and his purposes for us. Doing so helps us keep our account short with God.

Who may ascend the hill of the Lord?

Who may stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
He will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God his Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
Ps 24:3-6 NIV

Destroying the Enemy Within

Small ministries do not become big ministries until the leaders become content with being small themselves. GOD keeps his distance from the proud. Psalm 138:6

One simple question...

What do you do to keep pride from rearing it's ugly head in your life and ministry?

What Are You Giving This Christmas?

From the World's point of view, the Christmas season has begun. Millions of Christmas gifts will be bought today in an effort to show affection toward or please someone.

However, when it comes to gift giving, I think John 3:16 says it best. "For God so LOVED the world that he GAVE..." God gave out of the love that HE IS and can only come from him (1 John 4:7-8).

You will give a lot this Christmas. Are you giving out of that true & godly love, or are you giving from a counterfeit that is based solely on your feelings.

It's not what you give, it's the source from which it's given. The greatest gifts cannot be bought, wrapped, bagged, boxed, checked-out or shipped. The greatest gifts are what you give of yourself in love. God's Love!

A New Season

"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:"

- Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

Ah, Fall! It's my favorite time of year. In these parts, the air is crisp and clean and just a few moments spent outside is invigorating. However, the Fall season signals change. If we looked at it as part of a circular pattern, it appears to indicate a descent toward an end, the end of the calendar year and the end to the warmth and life brought by Spring and Summer.

So why do I like it? I like Fall because of the changes it brings. No longer do I sweat through several shirts a day. No longer do we have to juggle schedules to ensure that our kids are being cared for and not "home alone" - argggghhhh! (McCauley Kulkin reference). Fall brings change.

Oddly enough, I have always embraced change. I have always experienced my greatest growth as a Christian and as a person through change. Robin and I are sensing a change in our lives. Whether it it be in ministry or some other aspect - God knows. But, whatever it is, we want to embrace it, learn from it, grow in it and celebrate it. Change matures us in Christ and develops the trust and faith required to follow God through the changes of our lives.

There is a time for everything - even change!

Sorry, God

I know that we all have been there. We've all gone through those times when things just were not going right. The past couple weeks have been that way and I found myself questioning God. I would ask things like, "Why are our finances so tight when we have been faithfully serving you?"
"We can't even afford the gas to go walk around a free street fair, what's the deal with that?"

Last week I heard a sermon by one of my favorite speakers and it hit me. I had allowed a spirit of entitlement into my life. I was acting like all of my efforts in serving God were deposits into the "God Bank" and I wanted some withdrawals.

I don't deserve anything. I don't deserve salvation, but I'm so thankful that Christ bought it for me anyway. I don't deserve discounts because I'm a pastor and my family doesn't deserve free rides to various functions because of the ministry in which God has placed us.

GOD DOES NOT OWE ME ANYTHING

I OWE HIM EVERYTHING

I have decided, to once again, submit to God's sovereignty in my life and leave it in his hands.

Who's with me?

BTTB 8-19-2010 - Thoughts on Today's Devotions

see intro to 8-17 -2010 post...

8-19-2010

2 Samuel 6:1-23

A) Play by the rules - God killed Uzzah for doing what seemed like a harmless, even protective thing, but God will punish those who break his rules. Uzzah knew the rules and he could of grabbed the poles used to carry the ark, but he touched the ark - the throne of God.

B)David & Michal - God comes first, wanting to be first instead of God gets you in trouble. It's amazing how disrespect and dishonor can hurt a marriage and destroy a lineage.

Psalm 149

Funny how the psalmist is commanding the people to do exactly what David was doing when Michal disrespected him. Are we pleasing God or are we hesitating because we are afraid to offend someone?

Ezekiel 36:1-15

Prophecy of God's righteous judgment against Israel's enemies and his vindication of Israel.

John 2:1-12

Wedding Time - The wine is running or has run out -Gasp (the Horror) Jesus says it is not his time - he is working on God's timetable and is not a miracle worker on demand. His mother, shows submission by telling the servants to do whatever Jesus asks - even if it is nothing... Are we that submissive when we ask something of Christ?

1 Timothy 3:14-16

Order in the church is important because it is by the formality of church that TRUTH is to be taught.

Love God's Word!

BTTB 8-18-2010

*see intro to 8-17-10 post

8-18-2010

2 Samuel 5:1-25

God rewards faithfulness and obedience. God gave David to be king over Judah then, all of Israel a reign that lasted 40 years. David inquired of God before making decisions and God answered - bringing victory according to David's obedience.

Have I inquired of the Lord today? Have I heard from him before I act?

Psalm 148

All creation praises God. We, too, must praise Him. It is for this purpose that we were created and given our intellect, that we might know God and bring Him praise.

God has raised up a king and anointed one for Israel.

Ezekiel 35:1-15

A warning against those who stand as enemies with Israel. God will pour his righteous judgment on all those who laugh and delight is Israel calamity. In the end Israel will be standing and her enemies will be in ruins. All will know exactly WHO God is!

John 1:35-51

Andrew, Peter and Nathaniel's' introduction to Jesus. They marveled at what he could do and what he knew. Do we believe in and serve Christ just for what he can do and do for us or do we believe in and serve him because he is Lord?

1 Timothy 3:8-13

More on Church Leadership. Deacons (elders, church leaders) must be of good character, not two-faced , they must be honest, sober with wives of the same character. As leaders, we must never act in a way that will discredit Christ's church.



until tomorrow...