Category Archives: God’s Word; Bible

I Don’t Know!

16 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by in God's Word; Bible, Grow, Knowledge, Learn

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Because I love hearing what little ones are thinking, I asked my little group of 3-5 year olds what they knew about Jesus.  I barely got the question out of my mouth, when little Aliyah said rather loudly and proudly, “Not much!”

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If I asked you what you know about Jesus, what would you say?  Would you list off what you know or would you admit that you don’t know much and have much more to learn?

What if I asked you a different question?  What if I asked you how much grace and peace you are experiencing today?

Do you know that knowledge is directly correlated to the amount of grace and peace in your life?  2 Peter 1:2 explains that our knowledge of God & Jesus multiplies our grace and peace.  The word ‘knowledge’ in this verse is not merely factual knowledge.  It is experiential knowledge.  It is knowledge that is put to use.  It is knowledge that is acted upon.

  • Mere head knowledge produces arrogance.  1 Corinthians 8:1
  • Experiential knowledge produces love.  2 Peter 1:7

We could easily spend a week looking at the first eleven verses of 2 Peter to see how this experiential knowledge unfolds in our daily lives.  Peter explains it so clearly.  Peter, the one who denied Christ, learned how to do life with Jesus.  And he wanted to be sure others knew how to do the same before he died.   2 Peter 1:14

We only choose to do life with Jesus when we realize we ‘don’t know’.  Today, acknowledge you ‘don’t know’. Choose to spend some time learning from God’s word and then put it into practice.  Your life will be richer for it.

Do life with Jesus today!

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Screaming Hunger!

04 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by in God's Word; Bible, Hunger, Need

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A newborn baby knows when she is hungry! She knows what she needs and nothing will stop her screaming until she gets her milk!

We have much to learn from babies.

Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to your salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.  I Peter 2:2-3

Like babies, we, too, are hungry. But sadly, we don’t recognize our hunger for what it really is. We reach for things that fail to satisfy.

Only God Himself can satisfy our deepest hunger.  People will disappoint.  Things will disappoint.  But God will never disappoint! I Peter 2:6

Let me ask you a couple of questions:

  1. Do you know you are hungry?  What void are you trying to fill?  What emptiness are you feeling?
  2. What are you doing to satisfy your hunger?  Are you filling it with activity? food? drugs? alcohol? work? things? kids? spouse? friends? fun? busyness?

Let me encourage you to start satisfying your heart hunger in a real way.

  1. Tell God you are hungry.  Tell him what you lack.  What do you need?
  2. Taste the kindness of the Lord.  Spend time reading His Word.  Don’t read for the sake or reading, but as you read ask God to show you truths that will satisfy your innermost needs.

I guarantee you that once you taste God’s kindness, you will keep going back to Him for more!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.  Matthew 5:6

 

Good Gracious!

13 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in God's Word; Bible, Grace, Words

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Let your speech always be with grace,… so you will know how you should respond to each person.  Colossians 4:6

The word grace in this verse is referring primarily to the way we speak. If we want to maximize the opportunities we have to share God with others, our speech must be gracious.

  • Gracious speech lifts up  –Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25
  • Gracious speech is healing –A soothing tongue is a tree of life.  Proverbs 15:4
  • Gracious speech is persuasive- Sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Proverbs 16:21
  • Gracious speech builds up – ... Such a word as is good for building up according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.  Ephesians 4:2

Jesus spoke with grace and people “were wondering at the gracious words that were falling from his lips.” Luke 4:22

Jesus speaks to me with grace every time I read His Word.

  • His words lift me up.
  • His words bring healing.
  • His words persuade me.
  • His words build me up.

His words are wonderful!  So how can I share them with my friends?  How do I start the conversation?

Ask this simple question.

“Do you mind if I share something with you that has really helped me in a similar situation?”

Talking girlsBe genuine.  Be honest.  Share the comfort God has given you with your friend.  Let your heart guide you.

The heart of the wise teaches his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Proverbs 16:23

Pray for wisdom and trust God to guide you.  But for goodness sake, have courage and speak up!

Home Alone? Really?

14 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by in God's Word; Bible, Thoughts, Truth, Words

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Do you ever talk to yourself, silently or out loud?  I know I do.  I tell myself stuff all the time.  Just last night I heard myself say, “I’m home alone”.  And then I heard myself say, “No your’e not!  That’s ridiculous!  God is here with you.  And further more, you’re not even home yet. Heaven is your home.”  I just started laughing. God’s truth is so much better than mine – for so many reasons!

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Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

I need time in God’s Word every day.  I need Him to renew my mind so I can align my ideas and self-talk with His truth.  I see my life and my circumstances differently when I see it through His truth.

After my ‘Aha moment’ last night, I no longer felt alone.  Instead, I felt comforted as I rested in the fact that God is always with me.  And when I thought about heaven as my home, my ‘joy radar’ started going crazy!  Won’t it be wonderful when we get to heaven?  No more tears, no more separation from loved ones, no more sin, no more death, eternity with our Savior.

So let’s be careful how we talk to ourselves.  Let’s dwell on things worthy of praise.  Phiippians 4:8

I Want My Life to Mean Something

07 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by in God's Word; Bible, Purpose

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What I do with God’s Word will determine how meaningful my life will be.

Jesus compares the Word of God to seed. What happens to seed? Luke 8:4-21

1. It is eaten by the birds before it ever grows into a plant- I hear the Word of God but do not act on it. It never impacts my life.

2.  It grows into a plant but then withers away -I hear and act on the Word of God until difficuOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAlties come. When difficulties come, I let my relationship with God dry up and wither away. Because I fail to continue in the Word, I never become firmly rooted and grounded in His love for me.

3.  It grows into a plant but is choked to death by thorns – I hear and act on the Word of God but then other things become more important.  I am consumed with worries, riches and pleasures.  I am no longer consumed with the Word of God.

4. It grows and produces a crop that is 100 times as great as the original seed – I hear and act on the Word of God.  With an honest and open heart, I accept the truth of God’s Word.  I hold it fast even when difficulties come.  I am not drawn away by the worries, riches and pleasures of this world.  I abide in the Word of God.

What is abiding?  I like to define abiding this way: Realizing my dependence on God, I choose to stay connected to Him by spending time in His Word, letting Him work in me and through me to accomplish His purpose.

Bearing fruit is not a result of my efforts.  It is a result of abiding in the living Word of God.

Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you.  Colossians 3:16

Taste the Sweetness

03 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by in God's Word; Bible

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As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; Psalm 42:1-2a

It was time for brutal self-honesty.  I wasn’t thirsty enough.  My soul didn’t pant for God.

honey jarSo I set my jar of honey on the kitchen counter! It was my daily reminder to taste the sweetness of God.  And I find the more I taste the sweetness of God, the more I want.

O taste and see that the Lord is good!  Psalm 34:8