Have a heart for...

Today, my heart cries out for those who do not know the Lord.  Everyday, I see folks who don’t know Him…some assume that they are so smart that they have life figured out, but don’t realize that He is the center, some choose not to know the Creator at all, some…many…have been introduced, but have refused a relationship with Him, etc. 

Whether these folks ever get in a relationship with God or not, the fact remains that they have made the choice to reject the Creator of the Universe…God Almighty.

At times, while crossing paths with non-believers, it could be so easy to just walk away and not have anything to do with them, mainly because so many are mean and arrogant, etc.  But what I choose to remember is that they have no reason to be joyous.  They have no reason to be nice.  They have no reason to be meek or humble.  You see Jesus is the reason that we choose to have those characteristics as a follower of Christ. (And let’s hope that as a follower of Christ, we are choosing to be like Him!  We are His ambassadors here on this earth!)  If they don’t have Jesus, there is a huge hole in their life and Jesus is needed to fill it to make them whole.  Instead they fill it with whatever suits them at the moment…until they figure out that it’s not working and then they move on to something else.  That cycle will continue until, hopefully, they choose a relationship with Jesus…the same way that you and I discovered that we need Him!  Have a heart for the lost!

When dealing with folks like this, choose to take the high road.  Be kind, be considerate, be loving...be Jesus to them.  You never know, you may be the only person who will ever be Jesus to them.  Remember Heaven and Hell are real and we are all going to end up in one place or the other by our own choice.  Look at things eternally instead of momentarily.  Winning souls to our Lord, saving souls from eternal damnation is the goal.  Choose eyes, ears and a heart of compassion because that’s how Jesus chooses to care for us.  Keep praying and never give up hope of salvation for the lost.     

What's sitting on the throne of your heart?

What’s the use of worshipping something that God created?  I was reading something the other day that spoke of how a man cut down a tree.  He cut the tree into firewood.  Built a fire with part of the wood to cook his meal and then carved an idol out of the rest of the wood and then worshipped the idol.  Really?!  He worshipped something that he fashioned out of wood himself…but he burned the rest of it in order to cook his meal.  Why would you even want to do something like that?  It makes no sense! The wood is an inanimate object that has no ability to love you, care for you…or do anything for you except apparently burn to cook a meal.  Isaiah 44:6-23

That’s how it is with anything that is worshipped other than God Almighty, Himself!  We’re simply wasting our time by doing it…and we’re certainly not helping ourselves at all.  In fact, we would be hurting ourselves…further separating ourselves from God.  God Almighty is the amazing Creator of all things.  John 1:1-4 The sun, moon, stars, nature / environment, science...people, angels, etc are all things that were made by God. He has made everything but all things are not worthy of our worship.  They are only created beings like you and I…not God Almighty who is the creator of all things. 

So…what’s sitting on the throne of your heart?  What's first in your life…your wife, husband, children, job, car, home, bank account, hobby, yourself?  Anything that you place before God takes the place of God until you realize what you’ve done and make a conscious effort to replace it with God.  These other things are things that were created by the Creator.  Nothing…NOTHING…can replace God. 

Search your heart.  Is God on your throne…or is something else?  Don’t be like the man who burnt part of the wood for fuel and carved the rest into an idol for worship.  It will do you no good.  Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly.  John 10:10  Choose Him…He wants to be first in your life.

If you like this, check out my other blog as well.    http://actnowministries.blogspot.com/  

Be a cheerful giver!

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.  2 Corinthians 9:7

Many years ago I was mentoring someone who was having all sorts of difficulty in their life.  This person was a Christian and struggling in many areas, finances being one of them.  I helped them to get a schedule for their bills lined up with their pay periods, taught them how to balance their checking account and encouraged them to keep up with it. 

As we were working through all of these things, suddenly this person angrily blurted out that they were tithing and they were sick of tithing because they weren’t seeing a dime of increase from their giving.  I was shocked!  At that point I asked a few questions and then went on to tell them that they might as well stop giving anything.  They looked at me very perplexed.  I went on to explain that God wants us to be cheerful in our giving.  If we cannot do what He has asked us to do with a cheerful heart, we may as well not do it at all. 

In the Old Testament (Malachi 3:6-12), God commands us to give the first ten percent of our gain to the storehouse.  But, the New Testament doesn’t give a specific amount to give.  One example that Jesus used is of the widow giving two mites in Mark 12:41-44.  Even though she had given less than those who were wealthy, she had given all that she had and given it cheerfully and without show.  I believe that Jesus wants us to give with a cheerful heart.  If we give what we have purposed in our heart, but do it grudgingly, we’re not giving freely or with a cheerful heart.  Cheerful obedience is the key.

God doesn’t need our money or things.  Everything in this world is His.  What we have in our personal possession are things that God allows us to have.  It’s our job to be good stewards of what he has allowed in our possession.  Be generous with your time, things, finances, etc.  I remember a time when I felt like the Lord was challenging me to be more generous with my time.  It’s not just finances that we should be generous with.  It’s our lives we should be generous with.  I see myself as being nothing without Jesus Christ.  All I have, all I am I owe to Him and I can never repay Him for His generosity towards me. 

I encourage us all to be generous givers of all that we have to offer…and to be cheerful givers.  That’s what the Lord asks of us.     

I'm but a pilgrim...

 ¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.  1 John 2:15-17  

I don’t want to be content in this world.  This world is not my home.  I’m but a pilgrim passing through.  When I surrendered my life to Jesus…accepted Him as my Savior…I became a citizen of Heaven.

Life here on earth is not about seeing how much wealth we can amass, how many different places we can vacation to or a competition on how large a house we can own, etc.  It’s about living a life that pleases God…allowing Him to refine us through the journey.  It’s about telling others about the love of God.  His love is so deep, so wide, so powerful and all encompassing that He gave His own Son that we might be saved. ( See John 3:16 ) It’s God’s greatest desire that all would be saved. (See 1 Timothy 2:1-4)  Our purpose is to allow God to flow through us so that the lost in the world will be reached…whatever way God chooses to do so. 

Many years ago I had a conversation with someone and I was talking about going to Heaven and looking forward to Jesus’ return.  This person said that they weren’t looking forward to that time because there were things that they wanted their children to experience here on earth.  REALLY?!?  Even now, years later, I am dumbfounded by that statement.  I am convinced that this is exactly one of the reasons why the Church here in the States is not being as effective as it could be.  There’s too much love of the world…period!! 

Keep your eyes on the prize.  Jesus is the ultimate prize!  There is nothing in this world that can trump being in Heaven with Him!  Don’t allow yourself to grow cold in your love for the Lord.  Don’t be content with the things of this world.  If you are a follower of Christ, your home is Heaven.  Remember…you’re but a pilgrim in this world.  Let your light...the Light of God...shine through you for all the world to see!

When We Put Our Trust In...

Jesus is the One (thing) we can ask for more and more of without being considered greedy…and receive to overflowing.

In our society, we don’t have to look very far to be enticed into thinking that we need more of whatever it is that we see at that very moment.  TV commercials, billboards, internet, radio…we’re surrounded by the idea that we’re not complete or fulfilled unless we have what’s being pushed at that moment. 

Now, don’t get me wrong…although I’m not much of a shopper, I’m not saying that those things aren’t helpful or things that aren’t needed.  It’s when our lives are out of balance and the need for material things around us is the goal in life.  A healthy balance or happy medium is what is needed.  I’ll say it again…Jesus is the One (thing) we can ask for more and more of without being considered greedy…and receive to overflowing.

When we put our trust in money, material things or situations, we may find that our world is whirling out of control.  We need a Center…something…or rather some One to keep us centered and balanced.  That One is Jesus…the Center of all things.  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  John 1:1-5

We were created for God. We were created to need Him.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10   If we don’t put the Savior of all mankind as our center, our lives will not be on the course that we were created to be on.  I find it necessary to continually ask God to take things out of me that are not needed and to fill me with Himself.  This brings me peace…true peace…no matter what my circumstances are.  My personal prayer is; I want more of you Jesus…more of You and less of me.  Fill me with Yourself that I might have rivers of living water flowing out of me to all I see and come in contact with.  I pray Your light will shine through me like a beacon of Light to a world of darkness and when anyone else sees Your Light, let them know that it’s You in me and not anything of myself.

Remember to always look to Jesus, not just in the moments when we feel lacking or insecure…look to the One who is and always was intended to be our Center.  He knows everything that we will ever need.  He is always there for us.  He will never fail us.