Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
God uses Nobodies
Amos 1:1 (CEV)- "I am Amos. And I raised sheep near the town of Tekoa
when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of
Israel. Two years before the earthquake, the LORD gave me several
messages...."
I received this story from someone, and would like to share it today -
The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the daily grind of everyday life when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. In the 1600's, there was a monk named Brother Lawrence who was a dishwasher in his monastery.
He made a profound discovery that is true for every believer in the workplace today. "For me the time of activity does not differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are calling together calling for as many different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as when upon my knees at the blessed Sacrament."
You see, he found no urgency for retreats, because in the common task he met the same God to love and worship as he did in the stillness of the desert. It is this kind of life that Jesus desires for each of his children. Enoch was also a man that practiced the presence of God. The Bible does not give a detailed account of is life. All we know about him is that "He walked with God." In fact, it says in Genesis 5:22 that Enoch walked with God 300 years! Wow! That is faithfulness!
What does it mean to practice the presence of God daily? It means we are constantly talking to our Heavenly Father about the issues in our day. It means praying about things as they come up. It means stopping at a red light and praying for the person God brings to mind. It means singing a song in your car while you are sitting in traffic. That is practicing the presence of God.
Today, when God gives you times alone or there are needs that arise, stop and consult your Heavenly Father about the situation. Then you will be practicing the presence of God.
I received this story from someone, and would like to share it today -
The true test of a person's spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the daily grind of everyday life when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. In the 1600's, there was a monk named Brother Lawrence who was a dishwasher in his monastery.
He made a profound discovery that is true for every believer in the workplace today. "For me the time of activity does not differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are calling together calling for as many different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as when upon my knees at the blessed Sacrament."
You see, he found no urgency for retreats, because in the common task he met the same God to love and worship as he did in the stillness of the desert. It is this kind of life that Jesus desires for each of his children. Enoch was also a man that practiced the presence of God. The Bible does not give a detailed account of is life. All we know about him is that "He walked with God." In fact, it says in Genesis 5:22 that Enoch walked with God 300 years! Wow! That is faithfulness!
What does it mean to practice the presence of God daily? It means we are constantly talking to our Heavenly Father about the issues in our day. It means praying about things as they come up. It means stopping at a red light and praying for the person God brings to mind. It means singing a song in your car while you are sitting in traffic. That is practicing the presence of God.
Today, when God gives you times alone or there are needs that arise, stop and consult your Heavenly Father about the situation. Then you will be practicing the presence of God.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Are you forgetting somethin?
A German man put his luxurious 20-foot yacht up for sale on an online
auction site, hoping to get at least $18,500 for it. He made one minor
mistake: He forgot to set a minimum bid. In the end, the yacht was sold
for $34.65. Ouch!
John 3:16 - "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."
That yacht was sold cheap. However, we are not. The cost of buying us back from the "slave market" was a very high price. It was the price of the death of God's Son. I for one don't want to take it for granted.
Still, we often look at our fellow-man as being cheap. Don't we know that they are bought with that price - if they will except it. God didn't set a minimum bid - He set the ultimate bid. So, when you come in contact with others today - consider their worth. And treat them that way.
John 3:16 - "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."
That yacht was sold cheap. However, we are not. The cost of buying us back from the "slave market" was a very high price. It was the price of the death of God's Son. I for one don't want to take it for granted.
Still, we often look at our fellow-man as being cheap. Don't we know that they are bought with that price - if they will except it. God didn't set a minimum bid - He set the ultimate bid. So, when you come in contact with others today - consider their worth. And treat them that way.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Rightside up
For nine years, the Tate Modern in London displayed two paintings by
abstract artist Mark Rothko. Just how abstract they were became apparent
when someone noticed the location of the signature on the back of the
paintings and realized that they had been hung vertically instead of
horizontally.
How do we look at those around us? The world has an upside down view of mankind and truth. Acts 17:6 states about Paul and his companions - "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too..." If the truth seemed upside down to these men - what were they looking at?
Today, help share with those around you the right-side up truth. Help them to see the truth of God in the world around us.
How do we look at those around us? The world has an upside down view of mankind and truth. Acts 17:6 states about Paul and his companions - "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too..." If the truth seemed upside down to these men - what were they looking at?
Today, help share with those around you the right-side up truth. Help them to see the truth of God in the world around us.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Check what you say
Days after posting a bilingual traffic sign in
Swansea, Wales, officials were alerted to a problem. The English half
was fine, but the Welsh, which had been e-mailed to the translator and
returned minutes later, read, when translated back into English, "I am
not in the office. Send any work to be translated."
Jesus warned in Luke 6:45 - "A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." We need to be careful that everything we say is in line with God, we show what we are really like often by what we say.
Today, seek to have only what is good to come out our mouths.
Jesus warned in Luke 6:45 - "A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." We need to be careful that everything we say is in line with God, we show what we are really like often by what we say.
Today, seek to have only what is good to come out our mouths.
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