Showing posts with label Preferring Others. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Preferring Others. Show all posts
Sunday, December 4, 2011
12.4.11 "Knowing God through Loving Others"
"Knowing God through Loving Others"
Daniel 11:35-12:13
I John 4:1-21
Psalm 123:1-4
Proverbs 29:2-4
How do we get to know God? The first priority is in reading his Word. That's a great way to get to see a picture of who God is, and gain wisdom for everyday life. As you read the word, you're going to find that there's more to getting to know God.
"Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving and kind show that they are the children of God, and that they are getting to know him better. But if a person isn't loving and kind, it shows that he doesn't know God - for God is love." I John 4:7-8
The incredible God of the universe wants to have a relationship with each on of us. In our simple minds, we get this crazy idea that our relationship with God is only "personal". "It's just between me and God." "Who cares what anyone else thinks." You know what? That's not quite true. Your relationship with God shows itself in how you relate to other people. A direct result of loving God is loving people.
Some people can seem hard to love at some times. Guess what? That's when and how we get to know God. As we begin to approach everyone we meet with the love of Christ, His Spirit begins to flow through us, and we know him better.
Our love for others needs to be regardless of their response. Often, one will reach out in love, but because it isn't appreciated the way we thought it should, we apply the "shake the dust off our feet" method, and walk away. Guess what. That is NOT knowing God!
"God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into this wicked world to bring to us eternal life through his death. In this act we see what real love is: it is not our love for God, but his love for us when he sent his Son to satisfy God's anger against our sins." vs.9-10.
God didn't send his Son because we "deserved" it. He didn't even send him because we "appreciated" it. He sent His Son because he LOVED us. We need to apply the same principle when dealing with one another.
We don't love because it is deserved or appreciated. "Dear friends, since God loved us as much as that, we surely ought to love each other too. For though we have never yet seen God, when we love each other God lives in us and his love within us grows ever stronger." vs. 11-12
My knowledge of God is shown in my love for those around me. If I'm caught up in my own world, I'm not knowing God the way I need to. This isn't a suggestion. This is a scriptural principle. It's not "hey, wouldn't it be fun if we were in Relationships Devoted to Unity?" We are COMPELLED to be in Relationships Devoted to Unity. It's is a necessary part of growing in Christ. It's an essential part of discovering and becoming who God has created us to be.
Know God better today by loving others more.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Sunday, August 16, 2009
8.16.9 "Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should"
"Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should"
Nehemiah 11:1-12:26
I Corinthians 10:15-11:2
Psalm 34:11-22
Proverbs 21:14 - 16
Today's portion of scripture is quite challenging. Paul is addressing the Corinthian church about eating food that has been sacrificed to idols. At the surface level, it's a bit hard for us to relate to this issue. In our culture we really don't have to worry about whether Pick 'n' Save sacrificed the cow to an idol before we purchase the T-Bone. But don't throw out this section of scripture, because there are some very important principles that need to be integrated into the life of a maturing Christian.
What is sin and what isn't? As Paul is addressing this issue he is addressing things in life that are "matters of conscience". In other words, what may be sin for one, may not be sin for another. This is not an easy topic to tackle, but bear with me on this.
If you read through these scriptures, it sounds like Paul is contradicting himself. In verse 18 he says, "Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?" (NIV) and yet in verse 25 he says, "Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience". In verse 27 he says, "If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience." and yet the very next verse: "But if anyone says to you, 'This has been offered in sacrifice,' then do not eat it".
So what's the point? How does this apply to our lives?
Paul answers this in verses 32-33 (TLB) "So don't be a stumbling block to anyone, whether they are Jews or Gentiles or Christians. That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do, not doing what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for them, so that they may be saved."
It all comes back to living a life of purpose. There are people who really get hung up on some issues of legalism. They spend their time on "holiness patrol" making it their mission to point out things other Christians are doing that are questionable, and wanting to bring them judgment. There are others who could care less what others think about their actions, and live life loose and figure, "hey it's just between me and God, it doesn't make a difference what others think." Both of these are wrong. They are out of balance.
It comes back to the first line of Purpose Driven Life: "It's not about you."
Bring this home. What things in your life are questionable? What are you watching on TV? Where are you hanging out? What kind of language do you use? Do you use the Lord's name in vain in casual conversation?
Now by the nature of the questions, it sounds like I'm on "holiness patrol". Not at all. What I'm saying is: Does the way you live reflect your purpose? Are you "doing what I like or what is best for me"? or are you doing "what is best for them, so that they may be saved."
In all that we do we need to be conscious of the need for others to have a right relationship with the Lord. We could get into some great battles about which TV shows are sin, and if you're more holy with cable because you get TBN or without cable because you don't get MTV, or whether or not you should have a TV, or if you're sinning because you love Cheetos or whatever. That's not the point! The point is living a life of purpose. It's not just what you do. It's who you are.
We need to walk every step of every day with the "M" in mind. We are on a "Mission to Reach Our World for Christ". "Relationships Devoted to Unity" are also a major part in this discussion. What are the needs of those around you who don't know Christ, and what are the needs of those around you who do know Christ.
It's not about you.
Paul says in I Cor. 10:29 "In this case his feeling about it is the important thing, not yours. But why you may ask, must I be guided and limited by what someone else thinks?" in verse 31 he answers, "Well, I'll tell you why. It is because you must do everything for the glory of God, even your eating and drinking."
Don't forget your Mission today. Do everything for the glory of God so that others may be saved!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Nehemiah 11:1-12:26
I Corinthians 10:15-11:2
Psalm 34:11-22
Proverbs 21:14 - 16
Today's portion of scripture is quite challenging. Paul is addressing the Corinthian church about eating food that has been sacrificed to idols. At the surface level, it's a bit hard for us to relate to this issue. In our culture we really don't have to worry about whether Pick 'n' Save sacrificed the cow to an idol before we purchase the T-Bone. But don't throw out this section of scripture, because there are some very important principles that need to be integrated into the life of a maturing Christian.
What is sin and what isn't? As Paul is addressing this issue he is addressing things in life that are "matters of conscience". In other words, what may be sin for one, may not be sin for another. This is not an easy topic to tackle, but bear with me on this.
If you read through these scriptures, it sounds like Paul is contradicting himself. In verse 18 he says, "Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?" (NIV) and yet in verse 25 he says, "Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience". In verse 27 he says, "If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience." and yet the very next verse: "But if anyone says to you, 'This has been offered in sacrifice,' then do not eat it".
So what's the point? How does this apply to our lives?
Paul answers this in verses 32-33 (TLB) "So don't be a stumbling block to anyone, whether they are Jews or Gentiles or Christians. That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do, not doing what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for them, so that they may be saved."
It all comes back to living a life of purpose. There are people who really get hung up on some issues of legalism. They spend their time on "holiness patrol" making it their mission to point out things other Christians are doing that are questionable, and wanting to bring them judgment. There are others who could care less what others think about their actions, and live life loose and figure, "hey it's just between me and God, it doesn't make a difference what others think." Both of these are wrong. They are out of balance.
It comes back to the first line of Purpose Driven Life: "It's not about you."
Bring this home. What things in your life are questionable? What are you watching on TV? Where are you hanging out? What kind of language do you use? Do you use the Lord's name in vain in casual conversation?
Now by the nature of the questions, it sounds like I'm on "holiness patrol". Not at all. What I'm saying is: Does the way you live reflect your purpose? Are you "doing what I like or what is best for me"? or are you doing "what is best for them, so that they may be saved."
In all that we do we need to be conscious of the need for others to have a right relationship with the Lord. We could get into some great battles about which TV shows are sin, and if you're more holy with cable because you get TBN or without cable because you don't get MTV, or whether or not you should have a TV, or if you're sinning because you love Cheetos or whatever. That's not the point! The point is living a life of purpose. It's not just what you do. It's who you are.
We need to walk every step of every day with the "M" in mind. We are on a "Mission to Reach Our World for Christ". "Relationships Devoted to Unity" are also a major part in this discussion. What are the needs of those around you who don't know Christ, and what are the needs of those around you who do know Christ.
It's not about you.
Paul says in I Cor. 10:29 "In this case his feeling about it is the important thing, not yours. But why you may ask, must I be guided and limited by what someone else thinks?" in verse 31 he answers, "Well, I'll tell you why. It is because you must do everything for the glory of God, even your eating and drinking."
Don't forget your Mission today. Do everything for the glory of God so that others may be saved!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
