Friday, March 4, 2011

Victorious Without A Word

1 Peter 2:23

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

Have you ever wanted so bad to retaliate at someone for some unkind word or deed done to you? Let's be honest, it's usually the first response when we are hurt. But as Jesus displayed, it's not the best response. The best response is to let go and let the Lord deal with it. Though it's difficult to hold the tongue when one is hurt because what comes out of the mouth is what's in the heart. So if there is pain, then pain will flow. Where there is joy, joy will flow. Jesus gave the example of silent submission. Jesus opening his mouth would've provided exactly what the instigators would have wanted which was to get a reaction and see him sweat. Have you ever heard the saying, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all?" If it's not your fight, opening your mouth puts you in the middle. It wasn't Jesus' fight. Jesus only had to show up. God did the rest, in his time. Unfortunately, most of us do not like God's timing therefore we attempt to do something that provides the opposite results of what God intended.

If what you're doing is according to God's plan, God will show those who don't believe when he knows they will be ready to accept it. You will still be victorious without a word.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

A Law That Cannot Be Broken

Proverbs 26:27

27 If anyone digs a pit, they themselves will fall into it;
if anyone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.

Did you know that whatever you put out you will get in return? King Solomon so aptly spoke of the law of sowing and reaping. It is a law that God ordained, therefore it cannot be altered by any man. Just as a farmer that sow seeds in the ground, so he reaps the product of it at a later time. Whatever you are doing or have done, it will come back. It may not come back at the time that one expects but it will come back. The wonderful thing about farmers is they not only study that which they sow but they study the environment in which they are sowing in. Farmers are aware of what seasons they should begin planting seeds and what time of year those seeds will yield a harvest. But what they can never anticipate is unexpected changes in weather patterns that can possibly throw off production. So what they sowed may not come back at the time they anticipated nor are they aware of how much will come back when weather is a factor.

Why is this important for you? Whatever you have sown in your life and the life of others will yield a return. You may not know how much of it shall yield. If you have sown positive seeds then they will yield a positive return. If you have sown negative seeds then they will yield a negative return. What you do not know is how much will be returned to you it's all based on a factor that you cannot predict, that factor is God. Be very careful of the environment that you sow into. Some climates are not as ripe as others. But know that whatever you put out, it will come back but never at the time you anticipate. Because the timing is not up to you.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Usable

Mark 11:2

2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.

Did you know that unused animals were regarded as suitable for religious purposes? Jesus gave directions for two of the disciples to go into town and bring the colt for him to ride on into the city on what we would be known as "Palm Sunday". Jesus needed a pure colt because he was pure and within a week would be shedding his blood for all mankind. God knows that we are not pure but it doesn't mean we can't be used. That was the beauty and purpose of Jesus' love. He knew we weren't pure so he was willing to be our stand in so that we could still be used and be worthy enough to have a direct relationship with God. Though we may have made many mistakes we are not unusable. When we set ourselves apart we become of greater use but that doesn't mean God can't use you right where you are.

Have spoken a word of encouragement to someone? Have you smiled at someone that needed to see a smile? Have you given a hug to someone that needed to know everything would be ok? Have you provided a random act of kindness to a complete stranger? If you have done any of these things then you are still usable because he's already using you.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Designed For A Purpose

1 Corinthians 11:9

9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

Did you know that both man and woman have particular functions within the earth? The woman was designed for man not only to be his companion but his helper. The apostle Paul referenced this in his scripture. In Genesis, the beginning, man was put to sleep and a rib bone was taken from Adam's rib so that Eve would be fashioned. Eve was fashioned because as Adam was naming the animals he noticed that each animal had a mate but Adam did not. What is a companion? What is a helper?

Merriam Webster's Online Dictionary defines companion as:
1: one that accompanies another : comrade, associate; also : one that keeps company with another
2 obsolete : rascal
3a : one that is closely connected with something similar b : one employed to live with and serve another
4: a celestial body that appears close to another but that may or may not be associated with it in space

Merriam Webster's Online Dictionary defines helper as:
: one that helps; especially : a relatively unskilled worker who assists a skilled worker usually by manual labor

So woman was designed to be man's companion in life. She is to be closely connected with man and to keep him company not just physically but as the definition implies...intellectually. So she is to be stimulator of thought and she is to help him as he was designed to have dominion over the earth. The important thing to remember is that God fashioned Eve, Adam could not. So Adam has to follow God's lead on a companion for him. For woman was designed for man but she is to also carry out a purpose. A purpose in helping him be all he can be. Women were not designed to tear men down but to build them up per the definitions provided per God's initial plan.



In all that we do, we are to build one another up.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Idle Chatter

2 Timothy 2:16

16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.

What is chatter? Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines chatter as:

1: to utter rapid short sounds suggestive of language but inarticulate and indistinct
2: to talk idly, incessantly, or fast

The apostle Paul's letter to Timothy suggested that Timothy stay away from godless chatter. In others words stay away from idle chatter or small minded talk that benefits no one. Have you ever heard the saying "an idle mind is the devil's playground?" What makes this statement true? In order to answer this question we must first define idle. Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines idle as:

1: lacking worth or basis : vain
2: not occupied or employed: as a : having no employment : inactive b : not turned to normal or appropriate use c : not scheduled to compete
3 a : shiftless, lazy b : having no evident lawful means of support

So if chatter is suggestive of language yet to talk idly, meaning nonsense and idle means lacking worth, then we can deduce that one who's mind is idle and talking idly misses out on the opportunity to be used for God's purpose. It is therefore nothing more than a distraction so that one is not occupied on what God has deemed for them. And therefore we can become a prime target for the enemy. He already has a foot in door when our mind is not being occupied or used for God's purpose. When we become so focused on what everyone else is doing, then we are not doing what we are supposed to do. Exactly how the enemy wants it. But is that what you want? To be idle and stagnate while others are moving forward? The quickest way to do this is to focus on the misfortune or failures of others or becoming too preoccupied with the ins and outs of what someone else is doing.

So what does idle chatter mean to you? Are you constantly engaging in it? Do you relish in it? If so, then your mind is not being used for what it was intended for nor are you proceeding in action that was designed for you.