I'm a fight fan. One of the fundamentals of fighting is to be able to hit and not get hit. We all know that in an octagon of aggression, a terrible mistake could translate to a TKO to the enemy's favor. That's why we always hear coaches by the sideline yelling at their fighter to keep their guards up. The likelihood of kissing the canvas unconscious is high every time a fighter throws a punch with his other hand down.
If the bible talks to us about being transformed in the way that we think, then that should naturally affect the way that we act. Without keeping our guards up we are bound to get hit right in the kisser by an unrelenting enemy and slide back into what was once our old lives. Read on, this is a fantastic wake up to a promising 2013 - Live strong, finish stronger.
But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. - 2 Peter 3:8-9, NLT
God may have seemed slow to these believers as they faced persecution every day and longed to be delivered. But God is not slow; he just is not on our timetable. Jesus is waiting so that more sinners will repent and turn to him.
We must not sit and wait for Christ to return, but we should live with the realization that time is short and that we have important work to do. Be ready to meet Christ any time, even today; yet plan your course of service as though he may not return for many years.
“Mary Did You Know” performed by CeeLo Green featuring scenes from producers Roma Downey (Touched By An Angel) and Mark Burnett’s (The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, Celebrity Apprentice) epic minseries THE BIBLE.
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered* for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. 1 Peter 2:21-22, NLT
We may suffer for many reasons. Some suffering is the direct result of our own sin; some happens because of our foolishness; and some is the result of living in a fallen world. Peter is writing about suffering that comes as a result of doing good. Christ never sinned, and yet he suffered so that we could be set free.
When we follow Christ’s example and live for others, we too may suffer. Our goal should be to face suffering as he did–with patience, calmness, and confidence that God is in control of the future.
I’ll be taking a break for a while to check out some options for domain names and to also catch up on some reading.
Have a wonderful time this Christmas! Spend your time wisely! Everyone matters to God, so try to spend and share Christmas with everyone that God sends in your life.
See you all next year! God bless you and keep you, may God make His face to shine upon you! Peace be with you!
“You have forsaken your first love.” Revelation 2:4
Devotional author Chris Tiegreen writes: “The beginning of a romantic relationship is usually its most exciting stage. All things are new, the future is full of possibilities, and love flourishes. New lovers are apt to do anything for one another and are often embarrassing in their affection for each other. They don’t embarrass themselves, of course – just everyone around them. To them, it’s a perfectly natural thing to lavish praises and passionate words on each other.”
Here’s a funny little clip from Mikey Bustos, who talks a little about the Filipino courtship stages.
Do you remember your “courtship stage” with God and how amazing everything was, and how fresh each morning would be? Do you remember the selflessness of your acts towards others? Do you remember how you would react to a saddening situation because your love for your savior was so fresh that you knew in your heart of hearts that He was personally guiding your every step and that you would respond to Him in all obedience?
Do you remember the first time that you had so much fire in your belly for God and the gospel?
Mine started a few days after Christmas when I was still in High School in a Christmas youth conference of the United Methodist Church. Christmas Institute it was called. I remember the preparatory work involved in committing my time, finances and talents to that event. I remember the closeness I felt to the Creator as I, along with hundreds of other youths, gave up our time with family or time away from school to learn more about Jesus and to share His grace and love to others in short-term “missions”.
Fast forward fifteen or so years and add on the responsibilities of paying the rent, reporting to work on time and doing the many things adults are supposed to do and learning to balance all of that with all the other things that may weigh a man down, and sometimes I find myself too tired to even read His word, or to help a brother or sister in need, or to …. well the list can go on, and I am sure you get the point.
Aren’t we all excited by passion and enjoy it while it is new, yet somehow in the back of our minds we settle for what is comfortable and predictable. But where there is true love, passion can always be rekindled.
In Revelation 2:1-7 the Ephesian church had forsaken its first love. More likely than not, they had allowed their love to grow stale. Predictable. Boring. Comfortable, but not too exciting. It is like saying “I love you” more of as a ritual than as an overflow of affection. Similar to that of going through the motions of worship without truly considering the object behind the worship.
Jesus is not satisfied with the predictable and stale. With Jesus, there is no limit to the stage of fascinating discovery writes Chris Tiegreen in his One Year Devotional entitled At His Feet.
There is always something new to learn and celebrate with God. His mercies and grace are fresh and new every morning.
Think about this for a moment with me now. You follow Jesus Christ, but do you enjoy Him? What is the state of your relationship with God? Is it filled with passion and excitement? Is God enjoying your relationship with Him? Are you? The passion of first love can always be re-ignited. Seek Him and ask Him to re-ignite your passion for Him, and it shall be done unto you.
Pray to God to re-ignite your passion for Him
Exercise! Walk with Him daily. As the physical needs exercise so does the spiritual.
Give to others. By giving of ourselves to others we are obeying God’s will for our lives. We are commanded to love on aother, to support each other. You will discover that there is a great sense of Joy in giving.
Never give up your first-love. God is never giving up on you. God said that no sin can ever separate us from His love.
Believe. Faith is the basis of our salvation through the grace of God.
Write this to Ephesus, to the Angel of the church. The One with Seven Stars in his right-fist grip, striding through the golden seven-lights’ circle, speaks:
“I see what you’ve done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can’t stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out.
“But you walked away from your first love—why? What’s going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you’ve fallen? A Lucifer fall! “Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I’m well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle.
“You do have this to your credit: You hate the Nicolaitan business. I hate it, too.
“Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I’m about to call each conqueror to dinner. I’m spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God’s orchard.”
