A Word for Today
Psalm 84:10 gives us an important perspective of God’s presence,
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
When the psalmist talks about “a day in Your courts,” he is not talking about being in some building or admiring some bit of religious architecture. He is talking about enjoying the presence of God. As verse 2 of this psalm says,
My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
God is so good that just one day with Him is better than a thousand anywhere else. Just to be on the threshold, just to be on the doorstep, just to feel the slightest fringes, if you would, of the presence of God, is better than spending a thousand days anywhere else.
I think The Message Bible conveys the idea of verse 10,
One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship, beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches. I’d rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin.
I encourage you today to learn to cherish the presence of God!
When the music stops our Praise and Worship has only just begun... Continue to
Praise with me, continue to Worship with me says the Most High God...
Thought of the Day-11/25/2009
Todays thought: True Thanksgiving
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. --Matthew 5:12
Are you ever like the child who at the end of the day kneels by his bedside and prays, "God, thank you for not letting Mom find the candy wrappers in my pocket. And I'm glad I was able to have all the chocolate I could eat at Johnny's house today. Oh, and I can't forget to thank you for not letting Dad miss the nails I took from his workbench. Amen…"?
This attitude can characterize us as Christians sometimes. In Matthew 5:12, the Lord challenges us to look toward our hope and reward in heaven. Instead of putting emphasis on material wealth, social status, or success, Christ tells us that genuine happiness, contentment, and prosperity begin first in the heart.
There are several ways we can say "thank you" to the Lord in a meaningful and sincere way. Thank Him for the difficulties in life that have caused you to recognize your spiritual needs, to mourn over sin, and to submit to His authority. Thank Him for the joys and sorrows that have encouraged you to hunger and thirst after righteousness, to have compassion and mercy on others, to be pure in heart and holy in your lifestyle, and to be a peacemaker. Thank Him for all the things that have helped you to develop a willingness to follow His plan for your well-being.
This is God's idea and plan for true thanksgiving.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would help you learn what being thankful is truly about. Ask Him to develop an attitude of gratitude in your heart 365 days a year. And pray that He would help you to realize that Thanksgiving is not just a day, but a way of life.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. --Matthew 5:12
Are you ever like the child who at the end of the day kneels by his bedside and prays, "God, thank you for not letting Mom find the candy wrappers in my pocket. And I'm glad I was able to have all the chocolate I could eat at Johnny's house today. Oh, and I can't forget to thank you for not letting Dad miss the nails I took from his workbench. Amen…"?
This attitude can characterize us as Christians sometimes. In Matthew 5:12, the Lord challenges us to look toward our hope and reward in heaven. Instead of putting emphasis on material wealth, social status, or success, Christ tells us that genuine happiness, contentment, and prosperity begin first in the heart.
There are several ways we can say "thank you" to the Lord in a meaningful and sincere way. Thank Him for the difficulties in life that have caused you to recognize your spiritual needs, to mourn over sin, and to submit to His authority. Thank Him for the joys and sorrows that have encouraged you to hunger and thirst after righteousness, to have compassion and mercy on others, to be pure in heart and holy in your lifestyle, and to be a peacemaker. Thank Him for all the things that have helped you to develop a willingness to follow His plan for your well-being.
This is God's idea and plan for true thanksgiving.
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that God would help you learn what being thankful is truly about. Ask Him to develop an attitude of gratitude in your heart 365 days a year. And pray that He would help you to realize that Thanksgiving is not just a day, but a way of life.
Thought of the Day-11/24/2009
Today's word is:
Matthew 18:8-9 provides an important insight into how to deal with sin,
“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.”
The eye represents the thought life, where sin is conceived. The hand represents that sin actually being carried out. And the foot is where it becomes a walk, a pattern, an entrenched habit of life, a sinful lifestyle.
When Jesus says, “Cut it off,” He is speaking of ruthless self-judgment. And He didn’t stop there. He said, “Cut it off and cast it from you.” In other words, get as far away from the source of your sin as you can.
I remember one day I walked right into a spider web. As I did, I caught a glimpse of this huge orange-colored spider out of the corner of my eye. As I hit the web, I felt it get on my neck. I started doing a war dance, hitting myself and ripping my shirt off, trying to get that thing off me.
And you know what? The moment a sinful thought lands in your mind, you ought to do the same thing, go on the warpath! Start batting that thing away! Start quoting Scriptures.
Do whatever you can to keep it from sinking its teeth into your life. As Jesus said, it will be better for you if you do!
Matthew 18:8-9 provides an important insight into how to deal with sin,
“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.”
The eye represents the thought life, where sin is conceived. The hand represents that sin actually being carried out. And the foot is where it becomes a walk, a pattern, an entrenched habit of life, a sinful lifestyle.
When Jesus says, “Cut it off,” He is speaking of ruthless self-judgment. And He didn’t stop there. He said, “Cut it off and cast it from you.” In other words, get as far away from the source of your sin as you can.
I remember one day I walked right into a spider web. As I did, I caught a glimpse of this huge orange-colored spider out of the corner of my eye. As I hit the web, I felt it get on my neck. I started doing a war dance, hitting myself and ripping my shirt off, trying to get that thing off me.
And you know what? The moment a sinful thought lands in your mind, you ought to do the same thing, go on the warpath! Start batting that thing away! Start quoting Scriptures.
Do whatever you can to keep it from sinking its teeth into your life. As Jesus said, it will be better for you if you do!
Thought of the Day-11/23/2009
Today's thought involves respect and responsibility.
Respect is defined as:
-esteem: a feeling or attitude of admiration and deference toward somebody or something
- state of being admired: the state of being admired deferentially
- thoughtfulness: consideration or thoughtfulness
Respect is defined as:
-esteem: a feeling or attitude of admiration and deference toward somebody or something
- state of being admired: the state of being admired deferentially
- thoughtfulness: consideration or thoughtfulness
Responsibility is defined as:
- accountability: the state, fact, or position of being accountable to somebody or for something
- something to be responsible for: somebody or something for which a person or organization is responsible
- blame: the blame for something that has happened
Yesterdays Sunday School lesson was on 2Peter: 1:3-15
We talked about having a responsibility in our relationship with
our Heavenly Father. Within that responsibility
we have a duty to respect the Word, ourselves and others.
I have paired these two words together today
for one reason and one reason only.
That is to give glory to God.
We might not like the instruction manual placed before
us because of how many steps it takes to get to the
end result. Some of us disregard the instruction manual (bible)
altogether. Then there are some of us that follow it
step by step, sometimes having to repeat
some steps that aren't truly clear to us.
Then there are those of us Disciples that seek
to use the instruction manual in fellowship with
other Disciples in order to learn more clearly how to work
through the steps.
No matter what type of disciple you are from 1-3,
it is important that you know that you have a responsibility.
A responsibility in your relationship with Christ. At different
times you will need to look back at the instruction manual (bible)
to see what it says about a particular step in your journey.
Some areas of the instruction manual you know quite well
while others need to be read and re-read to get what it is
saying. An instruction manual (bible) that comes in
all languages, but is your responsibility to be in relationship
with the Heavenly Father to understand how it applies to you.
Respect:comes in when you chose
to love the person, but hate the sin. We are to pray for
one another, not judge or create an environment of hostility.
When that lost sheep came home the other day, I am sure it was quite challenging
for him or her to be in the presence of such perfect people.
We need to be killing the fatted calf in celebration of them being
in the house of the Lord again.
So Lord, regardless how I feel, which
clearly does not matter a hill of beans.
I thank you that O was at church and that K was at
church. Bless them Father for standing in the fire.
I chose to honor my responsibility I have in relationship
with you and I respect other Disciples.
Thought of the Day-11/20/2009
Todays Thought: How to bear another's burden
Please open your Bible and read Galatians 6:2-5.
Our quiet presence during someone else’s time of pain says much more than any words of advice. A grieving widow, for example, doesn’t need to hear our own tale of loss; she needs an arm around her shoulder so she realizes she is not alone.
Think about the times we bring our burdens to the Lord in prayer. Simply experiencing His presence lifts the weight off our own shoulders. God’s response to our pain is a clear demonstration of how important it is to make ourselves available and listen to our neighbors. No matter how inadequate we might feel, we all can share a burden by spending time with a friend who is enduring hardship.
The Holy Spirit will show us the right moment to speak, if words are necessary. That is our opportunity to share how God worked in our life during a painful period. When we give the Holy Spirit total control, He etches feelings deeply into our emotional system so we can genuinely minister to others. Hurting people grab onto kindred stories as if to a lifeline – it gives them hope to reason that since God shepherded one person through a valley of darkness, He will surely be faithful to shepherd another.
Our Spirit – developed compassion may require us to give our burdened neighbor other types of help – even material aid. It’s easy to pray for a friend or share our story with a church member, but we cannot limit ourselves to those things. If we are willing to be used by the Father, we must be open to His leading about how to offer assistance.
Question: Do you know someone that is carrying a heavy burden? How could you help, support, and encourage this person with God’s love?
Please open your Bible and read Galatians 6:2-5.
Our quiet presence during someone else’s time of pain says much more than any words of advice. A grieving widow, for example, doesn’t need to hear our own tale of loss; she needs an arm around her shoulder so she realizes she is not alone.
Think about the times we bring our burdens to the Lord in prayer. Simply experiencing His presence lifts the weight off our own shoulders. God’s response to our pain is a clear demonstration of how important it is to make ourselves available and listen to our neighbors. No matter how inadequate we might feel, we all can share a burden by spending time with a friend who is enduring hardship.
The Holy Spirit will show us the right moment to speak, if words are necessary. That is our opportunity to share how God worked in our life during a painful period. When we give the Holy Spirit total control, He etches feelings deeply into our emotional system so we can genuinely minister to others. Hurting people grab onto kindred stories as if to a lifeline – it gives them hope to reason that since God shepherded one person through a valley of darkness, He will surely be faithful to shepherd another.
Our Spirit – developed compassion may require us to give our burdened neighbor other types of help – even material aid. It’s easy to pray for a friend or share our story with a church member, but we cannot limit ourselves to those things. If we are willing to be used by the Father, we must be open to His leading about how to offer assistance.
Question: Do you know someone that is carrying a heavy burden? How could you help, support, and encourage this person with God’s love?
Thought of the Day-11/19/2009
Today's Word is:
Praise
1. expression of admiration: words that express approval or admiration, e.g. for somebody's achievements or for something's good qualities.
2. worship: worship and thanks to God
Praise
1. expression of admiration: words that express approval or admiration, e.g. for somebody's achievements or for something's good qualities.
2. worship: worship and thanks to God
I give today an expression of admiration,
of worship, Praise unto the Father. I thank God
whether I am up or whether I am down.
I got up this morning not feeling well at all,
my right ear is still not well and I am
a little down about it all.
At this point I feel like going to my church
and laying on the altar until my
breakthrough comes.
I am afraid, but knowing that if I trust in
the Lord, I need not fear. I know that
the Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not
be in want.
I will Praise my Father whether my hearing
in my right ear restores or whether it is gone forever.
Praise is what I do....
How many times has the devil tried to physically destroy
my body and has failed. Devil you are a lie, My
Father is my healer, He sustains me, my protector...
Until I have the last breath in me,
I WILL PRAISE THE LORD!
Thought of the Day-11/18/2009
Today's Word is
Obedience
1. act of obeying: the act or practice of following instructions,
1. act of obeying: the act or practice of following instructions,
complying with rules or regulations, or submitting to somebody's authority
2. church's rule: the religious authority exercised by a church,
2. church's rule: the religious authority exercised by a church,
a priest, or another member of the clergy, or the people who are under this authority
Imagine the peace and solitude found in following in obedience the
rules and regulations set forth by the Word of God.
Imagine the peace and solitude I have today, just by
letting go of Self, my selfishness of trying to hold onto
an emotion that in no way benefitted,
nor brought happiness to anyone other than the devil.
I am very thankful and grateful that I have such a
spiritual awareness that I can't remain
out of the will of God for very long.
I am amazed how receptive I am with the Word,
instructions that by the time I had completed
the Part 2 of choices, which was moments
after Part 1, that I was able to find peace
by the time I laid my head to rest.
Submitting to God's authority
is my only way to live, to thrive
against the devices of this world.
Obedience is better then sacrifice!
If I am living and walking according to his word,
then I am in line with Obedience.
If I am needing to make a sacrifice of some sort, what
did I do that I am needing to be cleansed of, when I was
not walking in Obedience.
I share again with you my favorite scripture of the month
Joshua 1:9
Joshua 1:9 (King James Version)
9)Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
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