Tag Archives: bible

Uncategorized

Use It Wisely!

1 Comment
Open And Use!

I have been getting ready for a new series on CHARACTER that will be coming up in April, and I have spent a great deal of time thinking about our BIBLES!  Almost everyone in America has at least one Bible and everybody in America has access to the Bible in some shape or form.  It is easy for us to look at the Bible as just another good book, but it is so much more than that and we need to learn to see it and treat it in that way!

What The Bible Says: This is what the Bible says about itself in Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

It’s More Than That! The Bible is more than just a good book.  The Bible is God’s Word!  God – the Creator and Sustainer of all things, has provided us with a love letter of written out directions that will guide and grow us to live the most incredible life ever, but we often miss out because we are too lazy or distracted to take even five minutes to pick it up and allow God the opportunity to speak into our lives.

Making Life Better! You’ve got problems and the Bible has solutions!  Take a little time today to get your own copy and invest a little time everyday in reading and taking God’s Word into your head and heart.  It is amazing the difference that it will make in your life!

Uncategorized

Funerals!

1 Comment

Live Like You Were Dying!

Funerals! I have attended a lot of funerals lately.  It is an almost continual reminder to me that we are always headed out of this life and into the next, which the Bible teaches is eternal!  A few weeks ago, I was reading “Crazy Love!” by Francis Chan and he hit me with this thought:  Have you ever noticed how really good and special the dead are made to sound at most funerals.

Preacher Talk! We preachers get up and focus on their positive qualities and if we are honest, sometimes accentuate and even puff up the positive, while ignoring  the negative.  We usually end up making people sound much better than they really were!  The funerals that I love to share at, are the ones where I just get to tell it like it is and it is all positive, because the person had experienced God’s love and it changed their life and so they were able to express that love back to God and others with a life that had been changed from the inside – out!

It all got me to thinking about that poem by Linda Ellis – How Do You Live Your Dash!

“I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.  He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning… to the end.  He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. (1934-1998)

For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth…  and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.  For it matters not, how much we won; the cars…the house…the cash, what matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.. are there things you’d like to change?  For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged.  If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never done before.  If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile.  Remembering that this special dash might only last a while.

So, when your eulogy’s being read with your life’s actions to rehash…  would you be proud of the things they said about how you spent your dash?”

A Different Life! How would our lives be different – if we really got up every day determined to make our dash count?  How would our lives be different – if we worked to live a life that made the job of the preacher of our funeral easy?  I don’t want anyone to have to make up anything or exaggerate at my funeral!  I want to live a life that honors and brings glory to God!  I want to love the One Who love me!  I want to experience His crazy and amazing love and I want to express His crazy and amazing love through the living of my life!  I’ve got some work to do!  See ya!

Uncategorized

Pray For What???

Photo 3Everybody knows that they should pray, but very few actually take the time to do it! Most people pray when they are in trouble or when life fails to work out the way that they had planned.  I think that one of the things that gets in the way of our praying on a regular basis is not knowing what to pray for.  So, I thought that I would share a few suggestions to hopefully encourage us all to take some time today to pray!

Remember that prayer is conversation! Prayer is simply you talking and listening to God.  In the same way that you would have a conversation with a friend, you can have a conversation with God.  You have to learn to listen in a different way, but with a little practice – you will be hearing God in the Spirit in no time!

Pray For People! God loves people!  God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross, so that people might be able to have relationship with their Creator.  Pray that your family, friends, neighbors and even enemies might get into this amazing relationship!  If you have not gotten into this relationship, then pray and ask God to help you!  If you need help getting into relationship with God, then drop me a line!

Pray Against The Enemy! Ask God to tear down the works of Satan.  Pray that Satan’s thoughts will be taken “captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ!”  Satan is at work all around us and one of the greatest weapons that we have against his evil schemes is prayer.  Make sure that you are using this weapon and using it wisely!

Pray For The Holy Spirit! Ask for the Holy Spirits conviction of sin and leading into freedom.  Ask the Spirit to help you hear, receive and become obedient to God’s Word, so that God’s will and purposes might be accomplished in and through you!

This is just a few of the things that you and I can and should be praying for! Take a few moments right now to have a little conversation with God – just share your heart.  You will be surprised at what a difference it will make!