"The Family Banner"
Numbers 2:1-3:51
Mark 11:27-12:17
Psalm 47:1-9
Proverbs 10:24-25
"So, tell me about your family." What kind of things pop into your mind when someone asks you that? How do you describe your family? Tell me about your parents. Tell me about your home life. Tell me about the priority of following the Lord's commands in your home. Spend a moment thinking about your descriptions.
"Then the Lord gave these instructions to Moses and Aaron: 'When the Israelites set up camp, each tribe will be assigned its own area. The tribal divisions will camp beneath their family banners on all four sides of the Tabernacle, but at some distance from it.'" (Numbers 2:1-2)
We've just finished the book of Leviticus in the One Year Bible, and now we're headed into Numbers. At the surface level this book has all the entertainment value of a financial report. But it's important that we remind ourselves that God's word gives us incredible insights into the nature and heart of God. We discover characteristics of God's personality and priority through every single page of scripture. This is a window into seeing who he is.
In today's reading, the Lord is giving directions for setting up camp. Each tribe is commanded to set up beneath their family banner. The Levites are the tribe that are commanded to take care of the set up and care of the tabernacle. The tribes of Judah, Issachar & Zebulun are the ones to lead the way whenever the Israelites travel to a new campsite. The list goes on. In some cases, their assignments are given due to something in their family history, a decision made by a leader in that family.
So what does this have to do with anything?
I was thinking of the importance the Lord places on the calling of a family. I was thinking of the impact of my decisions. As a father, I hold my family's legacy in my hands. What will I do with it?
My Dad is a Pastor. At no time did he ever say, "Son, You are to be a pastor." And yet, the path the Lord laid out for our family was to follow in his footsteps. My brother is also a church leader. My dad's desire to follow the call of God placed in me that same desire to seek the will of God. My parents raised a Godly banner.
So am I saying that your children must follow the same career path? No. That's not the point. the point is, God places a priority on your family banner. Is your home a place that Glorifies God? Do you exhibit a commitment to connecting to the Body of Christ? Is it common for someone in your family to catch you reading your Bible? Do your kids know that the stewardship of God's resources are a priority? Does your family share the mission to impact the world?
What does your family Banner look like? Does your family live the DREAM, or is it one where each one does what is right in their own mind? A generation from now, when someone asks your descendants, "tell me about your family..." What will they say?
You may be single and don't have a family, so you may not think this applies. Yet, as we've read in Genesis, & Exodus, Many of the decisions made by individuals when they were single directly impacted the legacy of their families.
Each one of us hold our family banner in our hand. Make it a banner of Godliness. There are many who will follow.
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
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
3.3.10 "'Giving' or 'Obedience'"
"'Giving' or 'Obedience'"
Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54
Mark 11:1-26
Psalm 46:1-11
Proverbs 10:23
I remember one Christmas when we were kids we wanted more presents. It was so long ago I can hardly remember the details, but I know i took some of my brothers toys and I wrapped it up for him so we'd have more presents. It was fun opening more boxes, but I guess there's some level of disappointment that someone went out of their way to give you what was already yours.
Leviticus 27 spells out the process for the Israelites to give special offerings to the Lord. There is a guideline for how to give gifts of land, fruit, grain, homes, and animals. There is amazing detail to the method of how things are valued, redeemed, and what is to be done with the offering.
"You may not dedicate to the Lord the firstborn of any ox or sheep, for it is already his." Lev. 27:26
The Israelites have already been given the command to give their tithe. It was a command to give the firstborn of their ox & sheep. The offerings that are described in this chapter is dealing with how to give offerings that are ABOVE and BEYOND the tithe. In that realm of giving, there were many possibilities of what to give, and how to give it. But when it comes to the tithe, that command has already been given.
When you tithe, do you feel you are being "generous" to God? It's easy it is to write a tithe check and feel so good that I'm giving God something. It's great to feel good, but I need to feel good because I'm obedient, not because I'm going the extra mile to give God what is already his. It's like being proud of the fact that I wrapped up my brother's baseball glove & gave it to him. That's not quite "generosity".
The principle of "Active Ministry Involvement" is responsibility. It's being a good steward of time, talent and resources. At first glance it would seem that the paying of the tithe fits into that "category". That's not really accurate. Tithe is not necessarily a matter of stewardship. It's a matter of Obedience. Obedience is the principle of "Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship". To not pay your tithe is not a matter of "oops, I haven't been a good steward..." it's a matter of "oops, I'm being disobedient".
We need to develop a generous spirit. A generous spirit gives life to stewardship. But I must guard against the thought that my tithe is my "generosity" because in reality, it's my "obedience". We should make sure to walk in obedience with a generous spirit, and by all means, go above and beyond with generosity. Freely you have received, so freely give. Just make sure you you are walking in obedience as well.
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
Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54
Mark 11:1-26
Psalm 46:1-11
Proverbs 10:23
I remember one Christmas when we were kids we wanted more presents. It was so long ago I can hardly remember the details, but I know i took some of my brothers toys and I wrapped it up for him so we'd have more presents. It was fun opening more boxes, but I guess there's some level of disappointment that someone went out of their way to give you what was already yours.
Leviticus 27 spells out the process for the Israelites to give special offerings to the Lord. There is a guideline for how to give gifts of land, fruit, grain, homes, and animals. There is amazing detail to the method of how things are valued, redeemed, and what is to be done with the offering.
"You may not dedicate to the Lord the firstborn of any ox or sheep, for it is already his." Lev. 27:26
The Israelites have already been given the command to give their tithe. It was a command to give the firstborn of their ox & sheep. The offerings that are described in this chapter is dealing with how to give offerings that are ABOVE and BEYOND the tithe. In that realm of giving, there were many possibilities of what to give, and how to give it. But when it comes to the tithe, that command has already been given.
When you tithe, do you feel you are being "generous" to God? It's easy it is to write a tithe check and feel so good that I'm giving God something. It's great to feel good, but I need to feel good because I'm obedient, not because I'm going the extra mile to give God what is already his. It's like being proud of the fact that I wrapped up my brother's baseball glove & gave it to him. That's not quite "generosity".
The principle of "Active Ministry Involvement" is responsibility. It's being a good steward of time, talent and resources. At first glance it would seem that the paying of the tithe fits into that "category". That's not really accurate. Tithe is not necessarily a matter of stewardship. It's a matter of Obedience. Obedience is the principle of "Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship". To not pay your tithe is not a matter of "oops, I haven't been a good steward..." it's a matter of "oops, I'm being disobedient".
We need to develop a generous spirit. A generous spirit gives life to stewardship. But I must guard against the thought that my tithe is my "generosity" because in reality, it's my "obedience". We should make sure to walk in obedience with a generous spirit, and by all means, go above and beyond with generosity. Freely you have received, so freely give. Just make sure you you are walking in obedience as well.
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
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
3.2.10 "It's Different With You"
"It's Different with You"
Leviticus 25:47-27:13
Mark 10:32-52
Psalm 45:1-17
Proverbs 10:22
Promotion is a big deal. When I was a kid in Sunday School, I can remember a few times when we had "Promotion Sunday". During the "opening exercises" (flashback for some?) they would parade us up to the front and we would move to the next class. There was a sense of pride over the accomplishment. (the only real accomplishment was getting older...)
There's that same sense of pride in society. I need a promotion... I need a raise... I need to move up... Depending on the work environment, some think there's an "entitlement" to the promotion, or the elevation of leadership. People want position.
Can you imagine walking with Jesus in the last days? In today's reading in Mark it says the disciples were following Jesus full of fear. Jesus pulled them aside and explained to them about what was going to happen to him. He would be arrested, beaten and killed. I can imagine the disciples listening intently.
Then get this... "Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him in a low voice. 'Master,' they said, 'we want you to do us a favor.' 'What is it?' he asked. 'We want to sit on the thrones next to yours in your kingdom ..." (Mark 10:35-37)
Hard to imagine isn't it. Even in a dark hour there's such a focus on self promotion.
If I was Jesus I would have turned to the other disciples and said, "Wanna see something cool?" And then had a bolt of lightning fry the sons of Zebedee! "How do you like that, 'Sons of Thunder!'?" But Jesus didn't do that. He used the opportunity to teach them (and us!) that we are not like the world.
"as you know, the kings and great men of the earth lord it over the people, but among you it is different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be greatest of all must be the slave of all. For even I, the Messiah, am not here to be served, but to help others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:42-45)
We need to understand that leadership is not a matter of height. It is a matter of depth. As a leader you are entrusted with the lives of those in your care. There are not more people to serve you, there are more people you serve. There is more obligation to do what is best for others.
This sounds like it's backwards in the worlds eyes, but as your responsibilities increase, your submission to the needs of others must increase. Who had the greatest responsibility of all time? Jesus. What did he have to do as an act of submission to the needs of others? Give his life as a ransom for many.
We need to model this in our daily existence. This is the point where Active Ministry Involvement (responsibility) and Relationships Devoted to Unity (submission) meet. We need to lead as Christ led. This is not just a message for those high up the corporate ladder. This is a message for every believer. It is different for us. We don't look as promotion the way the world does. In reality, a promotion is a "demotion" we are "promoted" to a deeper level of service.
Remember, "it's different with you."
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
Leviticus 25:47-27:13
Mark 10:32-52
Psalm 45:1-17
Proverbs 10:22
Promotion is a big deal. When I was a kid in Sunday School, I can remember a few times when we had "Promotion Sunday". During the "opening exercises" (flashback for some?) they would parade us up to the front and we would move to the next class. There was a sense of pride over the accomplishment. (the only real accomplishment was getting older...)
There's that same sense of pride in society. I need a promotion... I need a raise... I need to move up... Depending on the work environment, some think there's an "entitlement" to the promotion, or the elevation of leadership. People want position.
Can you imagine walking with Jesus in the last days? In today's reading in Mark it says the disciples were following Jesus full of fear. Jesus pulled them aside and explained to them about what was going to happen to him. He would be arrested, beaten and killed. I can imagine the disciples listening intently.
Then get this... "Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him in a low voice. 'Master,' they said, 'we want you to do us a favor.' 'What is it?' he asked. 'We want to sit on the thrones next to yours in your kingdom ..." (Mark 10:35-37)
Hard to imagine isn't it. Even in a dark hour there's such a focus on self promotion.
If I was Jesus I would have turned to the other disciples and said, "Wanna see something cool?" And then had a bolt of lightning fry the sons of Zebedee! "How do you like that, 'Sons of Thunder!'?" But Jesus didn't do that. He used the opportunity to teach them (and us!) that we are not like the world.
"as you know, the kings and great men of the earth lord it over the people, but among you it is different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be greatest of all must be the slave of all. For even I, the Messiah, am not here to be served, but to help others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:42-45)
We need to understand that leadership is not a matter of height. It is a matter of depth. As a leader you are entrusted with the lives of those in your care. There are not more people to serve you, there are more people you serve. There is more obligation to do what is best for others.
This sounds like it's backwards in the worlds eyes, but as your responsibilities increase, your submission to the needs of others must increase. Who had the greatest responsibility of all time? Jesus. What did he have to do as an act of submission to the needs of others? Give his life as a ransom for many.
We need to model this in our daily existence. This is the point where Active Ministry Involvement (responsibility) and Relationships Devoted to Unity (submission) meet. We need to lead as Christ led. This is not just a message for those high up the corporate ladder. This is a message for every believer. It is different for us. We don't look as promotion the way the world does. In reality, a promotion is a "demotion" we are "promoted" to a deeper level of service.
Remember, "it's different with you."
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
Monday, March 1, 2010
3.1.10 "What Am I Doing Wrong?"
"What Am I Doing Wrong?"
Leviticus 24:1-25:46
Mark 10:13-31
Psalm 44:9-26
Proverbs 10:20-21
"The great thing about being a Christian is that ALL your problems go away! There's never a trial that comes! It's always happy and there's flute music and birds chirping and everything!" -- sounds like campaign rhetoric, doesn't it....
In Mark 10 Peter says, "We've given up everything to follow you." Jesus answers, "Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything - home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or property - for love of me and to tell others the Good News, who won't be given back, a hundred times over, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecution."
Woohoo! When we give up for God we get it all back!!!
Wait a minute... did that say, "... with persecution."? Does that mean trials DO come?? There IS pain??
So often it's in our nature to want the quick fix. We want the trial to just go away. We figure there MUST be a "formula" out there than can fix this. If we have a problem, we figure we MUST be doing something wrong.
Believe it or not, you can be doing everything right and still see no release from the trial. This is shown in today's Psalm.
"I am constantly despised, mocked, taunted and cursed by my vengeful enemies. And all this has happened, Lord, despite our loyalty to you. We have not violated your covenant. Our hearts have not deserted you! We have not left your path by a single step. If we had, we could understand your punishing us in the barren wilderness and sending us into darkness and death. If we had turned away from worshiping our God, and were worshiping idols, would God not know it? Yes he knows the secrets of every heart. But that is not our case. For we are facing death threats constantly because of serving you! We are like sheep awaiting slaughter.
"Waken! Rouse yourself! Don't sleep O Lord! Are we cast off forever? Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our sorrows and oppression? We lie face downward in the dust. Rise up, O Lord, and help us. Save us by your constant love." (Ps. 44:15-26)
One of our biggest problems is that we connect ourselves to our "trials". We make the trial about "me". "Lord, fix this for me." "Lord, help me to be more comfortable." We forget the beloved phrase, "It's not about you."
God works in all circumstances with the purpose of bringing glory to his name. There may be times that the trial I am in is to serve a purpose that has absolutely nothing to do with me. I think I fall into the trap sometimes of thinking that God's greatest concern should be my comfort. That's a distorted theology that has me a little too close to being the object of worship.
Don't get me wrong. There are times that the "mess" we're in is a direct result of disobedience. We need to be repentant and seek the face of God and ask him to restore things according to his will. But in all things, we need to remember that our goal is the DEATH of our flesh, not the PLEASURE of our flesh. Through EVERY trial, we need to ask God to mould us into who he wants us to be. MOST of the time, there are elements of our character that the Lord is working on.
Remember Job 13:15, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him." Job did not sin before the Lord, yet the trial was very real. His friends all approached him with the "formulas" and the "you need to"'s, but that wasn't what it was all about.
We open the door to frustration and doubt when we forget that it's not about formulas and quick fixes. As we mature in Christ, the trials will most likely intensify from the outward sense, but inwardly our flesh is dead, and the trial has a decreasing impact on us.
If I am a Dead Man Walking, what can any circumstance do to me? Nothing can shake my trust, my faith, my love for the Lord.
Searching our hearts for impure thoughts and motives does need to be our FIRST priority. But sometimes after doing that our prayer needs to be, "Lord, I've laid myself bare before you, and I believe that I have been walking in obedience to your command, and that my heart is right before you. If there's something I've missed, please bring it to light. Make me into who you want me to be."
Through all of that, we understand what it really means to live a "Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship". Our relationship with the Lord is one of intimacy in all things regardless of what the enemy may throw at us.
"What am I doing wrong?" The answer may be "Nothing. Just enjoy your time with the Lord through your trial!"
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
Leviticus 24:1-25:46
Mark 10:13-31
Psalm 44:9-26
Proverbs 10:20-21
"The great thing about being a Christian is that ALL your problems go away! There's never a trial that comes! It's always happy and there's flute music and birds chirping and everything!" -- sounds like campaign rhetoric, doesn't it....
In Mark 10 Peter says, "We've given up everything to follow you." Jesus answers, "Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything - home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or property - for love of me and to tell others the Good News, who won't be given back, a hundred times over, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecution."
Woohoo! When we give up for God we get it all back!!!
Wait a minute... did that say, "... with persecution."? Does that mean trials DO come?? There IS pain??
So often it's in our nature to want the quick fix. We want the trial to just go away. We figure there MUST be a "formula" out there than can fix this. If we have a problem, we figure we MUST be doing something wrong.
Believe it or not, you can be doing everything right and still see no release from the trial. This is shown in today's Psalm.
"I am constantly despised, mocked, taunted and cursed by my vengeful enemies. And all this has happened, Lord, despite our loyalty to you. We have not violated your covenant. Our hearts have not deserted you! We have not left your path by a single step. If we had, we could understand your punishing us in the barren wilderness and sending us into darkness and death. If we had turned away from worshiping our God, and were worshiping idols, would God not know it? Yes he knows the secrets of every heart. But that is not our case. For we are facing death threats constantly because of serving you! We are like sheep awaiting slaughter.
"Waken! Rouse yourself! Don't sleep O Lord! Are we cast off forever? Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our sorrows and oppression? We lie face downward in the dust. Rise up, O Lord, and help us. Save us by your constant love." (Ps. 44:15-26)
One of our biggest problems is that we connect ourselves to our "trials". We make the trial about "me". "Lord, fix this for me." "Lord, help me to be more comfortable." We forget the beloved phrase, "It's not about you."
God works in all circumstances with the purpose of bringing glory to his name. There may be times that the trial I am in is to serve a purpose that has absolutely nothing to do with me. I think I fall into the trap sometimes of thinking that God's greatest concern should be my comfort. That's a distorted theology that has me a little too close to being the object of worship.
Don't get me wrong. There are times that the "mess" we're in is a direct result of disobedience. We need to be repentant and seek the face of God and ask him to restore things according to his will. But in all things, we need to remember that our goal is the DEATH of our flesh, not the PLEASURE of our flesh. Through EVERY trial, we need to ask God to mould us into who he wants us to be. MOST of the time, there are elements of our character that the Lord is working on.
Remember Job 13:15, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him." Job did not sin before the Lord, yet the trial was very real. His friends all approached him with the "formulas" and the "you need to"'s, but that wasn't what it was all about.
We open the door to frustration and doubt when we forget that it's not about formulas and quick fixes. As we mature in Christ, the trials will most likely intensify from the outward sense, but inwardly our flesh is dead, and the trial has a decreasing impact on us.
If I am a Dead Man Walking, what can any circumstance do to me? Nothing can shake my trust, my faith, my love for the Lord.
Searching our hearts for impure thoughts and motives does need to be our FIRST priority. But sometimes after doing that our prayer needs to be, "Lord, I've laid myself bare before you, and I believe that I have been walking in obedience to your command, and that my heart is right before you. If there's something I've missed, please bring it to light. Make me into who you want me to be."
Through all of that, we understand what it really means to live a "Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship". Our relationship with the Lord is one of intimacy in all things regardless of what the enemy may throw at us.
"What am I doing wrong?" The answer may be "Nothing. Just enjoy your time with the Lord through your trial!"
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
Sunday, February 28, 2010
2.28.10 "God's Way"
"God's Way"
Leviticus 22:17-23:44
Mark 9:30-10:12
Psalm 44:1-8
Proverbs 10:19
In Mark 10, the Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus. They chose the issue of divorce. According to the law given by Moses, there were circumstances that justify divorce. Listen to Jesus' reply
"And why did [Moses] say that? I'll tell you why - it was a concession to your hardhearted wickedness. But it certainly isn't God's way. For from the very first he made man and woman to be joined together permanently in marriage; therefore a man is to leave his father and mother, and he and his wife are united so that they are no longer two, but one. And no man may separate what God has joined together." Mark 10:5-9
There has been a growing sense that divorce is "ok". That it's an option. That it's not a good thing, but it beats staying in a "bad" situation. This is incredibly ungodly.
"... from the very first he made man and woman to be joined together... no man may separate what God has joined together."
Marriage is put together by God. Even when people choose to get married as an act of rebellion, the sacred institution of marriage is covered by God. It is a foundation that is deeper than any of us realize. This is a major target of the enemy. Why does satan want to get at marriage? Believe it or not, it's not because he wants to get at us. It's because he wants to get at God. To destroy a marriage is to destroy the integrity of what God has put together.
Think of the lies Satan puts in the mind of people. "I missed God when I married that one... I'll just try again." "I'll try to make this marriage work as long as she does." There are many more I'd love to share, but you get the idea. These lies plant seeds that reap destruction in so many lives.
What Satan has done to break apart marriages has decimated the future of so many young people today. My wife has mentioned so many times how kids in her class have such a look of despair on their face because mom & dad are "breaking up". They're carrying a weight they should never have to. Why doesn't this upset us more?
As believers we need to put our flag in the ground and claim the marriages as something God has put together. We need this for so many reasons. We need it for our kids. Without the foundation of marriage, the security that children need is gone. We need it as sign to the unbeliever. The healthy marriage is becoming so rare, and so many are so hungry for it. If we make this a priority in the marriage of each believer, it will shine a light that the world so desperately needs. We need it to honor God. He put this together. We need to reclaim it. "Satan, you are not going to get at God through my marriage!"
You know someone who is really struggling in their marriage. They may not have shown it by their actions, or may not have said anything, but there is such a constant barrage from the world that "you deserve more from your marriage!..." it's creating seeds of discontent in many. Be assertive in taking a stand. Make the right kind of "noise" to drown out the lies of the enemy.
Wherever you are at in your life whether it be married or not, acknowledge the priority of the marriage commitment. Make a commitment to honor and uphold this God-ordained institution. Pray for the healing of the marriages around you. Watch for opportunities to influence the thinking of those around you.. Encourage others to know there IS hope! Pray that we experience revival in homes through the prioritization of the Godly marriage.
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
Leviticus 22:17-23:44
Mark 9:30-10:12
Psalm 44:1-8
Proverbs 10:19
In Mark 10, the Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus. They chose the issue of divorce. According to the law given by Moses, there were circumstances that justify divorce. Listen to Jesus' reply
"And why did [Moses] say that? I'll tell you why - it was a concession to your hardhearted wickedness. But it certainly isn't God's way. For from the very first he made man and woman to be joined together permanently in marriage; therefore a man is to leave his father and mother, and he and his wife are united so that they are no longer two, but one. And no man may separate what God has joined together." Mark 10:5-9
There has been a growing sense that divorce is "ok". That it's an option. That it's not a good thing, but it beats staying in a "bad" situation. This is incredibly ungodly.
"... from the very first he made man and woman to be joined together... no man may separate what God has joined together."
Marriage is put together by God. Even when people choose to get married as an act of rebellion, the sacred institution of marriage is covered by God. It is a foundation that is deeper than any of us realize. This is a major target of the enemy. Why does satan want to get at marriage? Believe it or not, it's not because he wants to get at us. It's because he wants to get at God. To destroy a marriage is to destroy the integrity of what God has put together.
Think of the lies Satan puts in the mind of people. "I missed God when I married that one... I'll just try again." "I'll try to make this marriage work as long as she does." There are many more I'd love to share, but you get the idea. These lies plant seeds that reap destruction in so many lives.
What Satan has done to break apart marriages has decimated the future of so many young people today. My wife has mentioned so many times how kids in her class have such a look of despair on their face because mom & dad are "breaking up". They're carrying a weight they should never have to. Why doesn't this upset us more?
As believers we need to put our flag in the ground and claim the marriages as something God has put together. We need this for so many reasons. We need it for our kids. Without the foundation of marriage, the security that children need is gone. We need it as sign to the unbeliever. The healthy marriage is becoming so rare, and so many are so hungry for it. If we make this a priority in the marriage of each believer, it will shine a light that the world so desperately needs. We need it to honor God. He put this together. We need to reclaim it. "Satan, you are not going to get at God through my marriage!"
You know someone who is really struggling in their marriage. They may not have shown it by their actions, or may not have said anything, but there is such a constant barrage from the world that "you deserve more from your marriage!..." it's creating seeds of discontent in many. Be assertive in taking a stand. Make the right kind of "noise" to drown out the lies of the enemy.
Wherever you are at in your life whether it be married or not, acknowledge the priority of the marriage commitment. Make a commitment to honor and uphold this God-ordained institution. Pray for the healing of the marriages around you. Watch for opportunities to influence the thinking of those around you.. Encourage others to know there IS hope! Pray that we experience revival in homes through the prioritization of the Godly marriage.
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
Saturday, February 27, 2010
2.27.10 "Have you Been to the Mountain?"
"Have you Been to the Mountain?"
Leviticus 20:22-22:16
Mark 9:1-29
Psalm 43:1-5
Proverbs 10:18
Wouldn't it be great if things came a little easier? I'm sure you are like me. I want to be who God has created me to be. But, to be honest, I'd much rather that it just "happen" to me. I'm lazy by nature. I wish that laziness were a spiritual gift, because then I could boast of my maturity!
We want to be like Christ. We want the wisdom to deal with the Pharisees in our lives. We want to be able to lay hands on the sick and see them healed. We want the ability to say in every circumstance, "not my will but thine be done!" What does that take?
In Mark 9 there's a story of Jesus approaching a crowd of people who are arguing with 9 of his disciples. As it turns out, there's a demon possessed boy and the disciples aren't able to cast it out. Jesus casts the demon out. "Afterwards, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, 'Why couldn't we cast that demon out?' Jesus replied, 'Cases like this require prayer.'" (Mark 9:28-29)
One thing that is consistent throughout the gospels is Jesus' devotion to get alone to pray. Sometimes he's more successful than others about the "alone" part, but you can definitely see it's priority in his life. At the beginning of Mark 9, Jesus asks 3 of his disciples to go with him up the mountain. His face begins to shine in glory, and his clothes become dazzling white. He is in the presence of the Almighty.
As he comes down the mountain to this scene with the other disciples, it says, "The crowed watched Jesus in awe as he came toward them." (Mark 9:15) It was obvious to EVERYONE who he was. It was obvious he had been with God.
There's a need all around us. It's a need for us to be who God has created us to be. How is that going to happen? It's going to happen when we "go up the mountain" in our private time with the Lord. We need to get alone to pray. Mediocrity breeds mediocrity. When we are not disciplined to meet with God, we can't experience his full glory, nor can we see his hand move like we should.
We need to find time to be alone. We need to seek God. We need to experience first hand the transforming power of His Spirit.
Many times we can think that the trials of our life are the arena for transforming our character. That's not really true. The trials of life test our character and reveal what's inside. The character needs to be transformed in the arena of our time with the Lord. Jesus' face didn't glow when he argued with the Pharisees. It didn't glow as great miracles were occurring. The glow came from the Glory of being set apart in time with God.
I need to get to the mountain on a regular basis. There are moments in my life that are ripe for miracles, and I miss them because of my bent towards mediocrity. I must increase my discipline to prioritize time in prayer. I'm not talking about needing to spend more time going down my list of needs. I'm talking about time to KNOW God. Time to open up to whatever HE wants to deal with in me. I need to allow myself to be transformed!
Make sure you find time to get to the mountain today, and each new day! The Lord desires to meet us there.
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
Leviticus 20:22-22:16
Mark 9:1-29
Psalm 43:1-5
Proverbs 10:18
Wouldn't it be great if things came a little easier? I'm sure you are like me. I want to be who God has created me to be. But, to be honest, I'd much rather that it just "happen" to me. I'm lazy by nature. I wish that laziness were a spiritual gift, because then I could boast of my maturity!
We want to be like Christ. We want the wisdom to deal with the Pharisees in our lives. We want to be able to lay hands on the sick and see them healed. We want the ability to say in every circumstance, "not my will but thine be done!" What does that take?
In Mark 9 there's a story of Jesus approaching a crowd of people who are arguing with 9 of his disciples. As it turns out, there's a demon possessed boy and the disciples aren't able to cast it out. Jesus casts the demon out. "Afterwards, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, 'Why couldn't we cast that demon out?' Jesus replied, 'Cases like this require prayer.'" (Mark 9:28-29)
One thing that is consistent throughout the gospels is Jesus' devotion to get alone to pray. Sometimes he's more successful than others about the "alone" part, but you can definitely see it's priority in his life. At the beginning of Mark 9, Jesus asks 3 of his disciples to go with him up the mountain. His face begins to shine in glory, and his clothes become dazzling white. He is in the presence of the Almighty.
As he comes down the mountain to this scene with the other disciples, it says, "The crowed watched Jesus in awe as he came toward them." (Mark 9:15) It was obvious to EVERYONE who he was. It was obvious he had been with God.
There's a need all around us. It's a need for us to be who God has created us to be. How is that going to happen? It's going to happen when we "go up the mountain" in our private time with the Lord. We need to get alone to pray. Mediocrity breeds mediocrity. When we are not disciplined to meet with God, we can't experience his full glory, nor can we see his hand move like we should.
We need to find time to be alone. We need to seek God. We need to experience first hand the transforming power of His Spirit.
Many times we can think that the trials of our life are the arena for transforming our character. That's not really true. The trials of life test our character and reveal what's inside. The character needs to be transformed in the arena of our time with the Lord. Jesus' face didn't glow when he argued with the Pharisees. It didn't glow as great miracles were occurring. The glow came from the Glory of being set apart in time with God.
I need to get to the mountain on a regular basis. There are moments in my life that are ripe for miracles, and I miss them because of my bent towards mediocrity. I must increase my discipline to prioritize time in prayer. I'm not talking about needing to spend more time going down my list of needs. I'm talking about time to KNOW God. Time to open up to whatever HE wants to deal with in me. I need to allow myself to be transformed!
Make sure you find time to get to the mountain today, and each new day! The Lord desires to meet us there.
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
Thursday, February 25, 2010
2.25.10 "The Generous Spirit"
"The Generous Spirit"
Leviticus 16:29-18:30
Mark 7:24-8:10
Psalm 41:1-13
Proverbs 10:15-16
"The good man's earnings advance the cause of righteousness. The evil man squanders his on sin." Prov. 10:16 (TLB)
We've all heard the phrase "it's not about you." We've probably heard it a couple more times than our flesh would like to hear it! As much as we may not want to hear that, it needs to become a part of who we are. To be who God has created us to be, we need to understand what it REALLY means to live a life that's "not about me".
Think of all your resources right now. Your time, talent, income, all of it. Would you put it in the category of "advancing the cause of righteousness" or "squandered on sin"? Immediately we connect the "sin" as the kind of stuff the prodigal son did. Squandering on partying, etc. Well, we can also get caught in the trap of squandering our resources on comfort and worldly objectives. We must accept the challenge to continually keep an eye on where our resources are going. Are they advancing the cause of righteousness?
I had a big ol' snowblower. I got it for $100 dollars as it is very old, but it worked. Prior to that, when I was shoveling, I would look down the street at my neighbors w/ a snowblower & think, "it would be nice if they'd offer to help with my driveway." So with me being the one with the snowblower, and neighbors who don't have a snow blower, I'm thinking, if this old snowblower wasn't so moody, I'd help the neighbors... Well, now I got a new snowblower... Guess what I need to do... advance the cause of righteousness.
When we take what God has given us and focus it on the needs of others, there is blessing on our lives.
"God blesses those who are kind to the poor. He helps them out of their troubles. He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies. He nurses them when they are sick, and soothes their pains and worries." Psalm 41:1-3
We come across so many people with troubles, each one having varying degrees of how well they "deal" with it. Notice this pattern: Those least affected by circumstance are those with a generous spirit. In other words, those who have a healthy understanding of stewardship and are generous to others are FAR less thrown off course by a crisis.
At the same time, those who are so overwhelmed by the trials of life seem to be individuals who are not giving. They are not concerned with the needs of others. They like to keep the attention on themselves and on their personal crisis.
On which type of individual does the blessing of God rest?
Notice what the scripture says about the ones who are kind to the poor. "helps them out of their troubles... destroys the power of their enemies... nurses them when they are sick... soothes their pains and worries..." Notice how those who are kind to the poor still have troubles, enemies, sickness, pain, and worry. The difference is not that the road has no challenges, the difference is that there is someone along side who helps them through all of this.
The generous spirit needs to be a part of who we are to live the "A" of DREAM. We must apply this to our being. Look for opportunities today to "invest" in your blessing!
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
Leviticus 16:29-18:30
Mark 7:24-8:10
Psalm 41:1-13
Proverbs 10:15-16
"The good man's earnings advance the cause of righteousness. The evil man squanders his on sin." Prov. 10:16 (TLB)
We've all heard the phrase "it's not about you." We've probably heard it a couple more times than our flesh would like to hear it! As much as we may not want to hear that, it needs to become a part of who we are. To be who God has created us to be, we need to understand what it REALLY means to live a life that's "not about me".
Think of all your resources right now. Your time, talent, income, all of it. Would you put it in the category of "advancing the cause of righteousness" or "squandered on sin"? Immediately we connect the "sin" as the kind of stuff the prodigal son did. Squandering on partying, etc. Well, we can also get caught in the trap of squandering our resources on comfort and worldly objectives. We must accept the challenge to continually keep an eye on where our resources are going. Are they advancing the cause of righteousness?
I had a big ol' snowblower. I got it for $100 dollars as it is very old, but it worked. Prior to that, when I was shoveling, I would look down the street at my neighbors w/ a snowblower & think, "it would be nice if they'd offer to help with my driveway." So with me being the one with the snowblower, and neighbors who don't have a snow blower, I'm thinking, if this old snowblower wasn't so moody, I'd help the neighbors... Well, now I got a new snowblower... Guess what I need to do... advance the cause of righteousness.
When we take what God has given us and focus it on the needs of others, there is blessing on our lives.
"God blesses those who are kind to the poor. He helps them out of their troubles. He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies. He nurses them when they are sick, and soothes their pains and worries." Psalm 41:1-3
We come across so many people with troubles, each one having varying degrees of how well they "deal" with it. Notice this pattern: Those least affected by circumstance are those with a generous spirit. In other words, those who have a healthy understanding of stewardship and are generous to others are FAR less thrown off course by a crisis.
At the same time, those who are so overwhelmed by the trials of life seem to be individuals who are not giving. They are not concerned with the needs of others. They like to keep the attention on themselves and on their personal crisis.
On which type of individual does the blessing of God rest?
Notice what the scripture says about the ones who are kind to the poor. "helps them out of their troubles... destroys the power of their enemies... nurses them when they are sick... soothes their pains and worries..." Notice how those who are kind to the poor still have troubles, enemies, sickness, pain, and worry. The difference is not that the road has no challenges, the difference is that there is someone along side who helps them through all of this.
The generous spirit needs to be a part of who we are to live the "A" of DREAM. We must apply this to our being. Look for opportunities today to "invest" in your blessing!
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
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