Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 23, 2012|
‘But Jesus answered, “The scripture says, ‘Human beings cannot live on bread alone, but need every word that God speaks.’ ”
I’m currently reading day 2 of Living Light in 25 Words. To join in and read along go to:
http://bible.us/r/5s.2.V
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Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 21, 2012|
I’m currently reading day 1 of Living Light in 25 Words. To join in and read along go to:
21 She will have a son, and you will name him Jesus – because he will save his people from their sins.”
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Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 19, 2012|
I’m currently reading day 5 of The Christmas Story. To join in and read along go to:
’16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its saviour.’
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Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 19, 2012|
I’m currently reading day 4 of The Christmas Story. To join in and read along go to:
9-10 And so they left, and on their way they saw the same star they had seen in the east. When they saw it, how happy they were, what joy was theirs! It went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
……and today, more than 2000 years later, I hope we realise that our only hope, our single source of joy, can still be found when we follow that star; may Jesus be the Light that leads us towards our own salvation.
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Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 18, 2012|
I’m currently reading day 3 of The Christmas Story. To join in and read along go to:
http://bible.us/r/n.3.5
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Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 15, 2012|
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/4-7.htm
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Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 7, 2012|
I’m currently reading day 13 of Experience 14 Days of Fresh Air. To join in and read along go to:
John 14:17 He is the Spirit who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.
What Is the Holy Spirit’s Purpose?
To understand the Holy Spirit’s place in our lives, we must realize that the Holy Spirit is an actual person-not human, but what we think of as personality. The Bible never refers to the Spirit as “it” but always as “him.” If we don’t see the Spirit as someone we can relate to and get to know, then it remains tough for us to have an intimate relationship with him. Consider Jesus’ words to his disciples about the Spirit of truth in John 14:17. Don’t miss it: the Holy Spirit is a person who wants to relate to us personally-in fact, he should be our best friend.
In John 14:16, Jesus introduces us to the Spirit and reveals how his presence enriches our lives in every way. Jesus says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” The Greek word here for “Counselor” is parakaleo, literally “one called alongside to help.” Some Bible commentaries point out that the same word refers to someone who picks up the other end of the log you’re carrying. I love this image of the Spirit being a very practical helper and co-laborer in our lives.
Parakaleo can also be translated as “comforter,” one who lightens your burdens through encouragement. If you’ve ever had a very close friend, you know how comfortable it is to be able to relax and be yourself around him or her. That’s what the Holy Spirit wants us to do around him. He’s an encourager and a comforter, a protector and an up-lifter unlike any other we’ll ever have. He knows and wants what is best for us.
Indeed, the Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible, who inspired and directed the writing of each book, and knows how to bring each verse into our everyday lives. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). He helps us share the Good News of Christ with those around us. “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me” (John 15:26). He convicts us of sin in our lives, stirring our consciences and making us aware of what is true and what will please our Father. “Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world” (John 16:7-8). And he is our guide through the many twists and turns of our lives, always reminding us of God’s wisdom. “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).
So if you’re stuck in the doldrums, remember that the Holy Spirit is the ultimate wind in your sails. He’s God’s blast of breath inside you, empowering you and guiding you to your truest self and your most abundant life. If you want fresh air in your life, let him be your friend. It’s that simple.
On a personal note…I like that word ‘parakaleo’…someone to walk alongside you, to help carry the burden. It sums up the work I do, you see. I’ve always wondered about that…what IS a counselor? Well, now I know, and its good to have one of my own helping me along the way! Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom – let your email find you!
Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 6, 2012|
I’m currently reading day 4 of Talking With God in Prayer. To join in and read along go to:
Psalm 42:1-2: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
You can go to God in prayer and find Him, just as the deer finds water in a stream when it is thirsty. And then God not only promises to listen and become our trusted Friend in prayer, He also says:
John 4:14 but whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring which will provide him with life-giving water and give him eternal life.”
So you see, dear friends, prayer is not just a means for us to communicate our needs and wants…it will also give us life. My personal interpretation of this ‘life’ is that God will quench our thirst, our need, that which we ask of Him and by doing so, He fills us with life-giving ‘water’ so that we can become fountains on earth that, through ministry and acting as witnesses, share this blessed ‘water’ with others and show them the true nature of God. In the end the purpose of life is to be an apostle, a servant, a witness of God, is it not? After all, it is He who gave us life in the first place. Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom – let your email find you!
Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 4, 2012|
I’m currently reading day 10 of Experience 14 Days of Fresh Air. To join in and read along go to:
Deut 14:23: 23 Then go to the one place where the Lord your God has chosen to be worshipped; and there in his presence eat the tithes of your corn, wine, and olive oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep. Do this so that you may learn to honour the Lord your God always.
Get a Fresh Perspective on an Old Practice-Tithing
Tithing is a simple practice, but one that trips up so many people. The first portion of everything we receive, a tithe as Scripture calls it, belongs to the Lord our God. People usually consider the tithe to be one-tenth of the whole of what we have, but I believe that the tithe is not just a percentage principle but a principle of firsts. It’s an opportunity to declare who means the most to us and what we consider the most important priority in our lives. It’s holy to the Lord, and he alone has the power to bless the rest of what we have.
Some people say that tithing is a “law principle,” something that was instituted during the time of Moses and done away with after Christ’s coming, but we need to realize that this practice shows up at least 2,500 years before the Levitical law was established. I see it first in the sacrifices offered by Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve. They each offered God something, and he was pleased with one offering but not with the other. Why? What was the difference? Let’s look at the account and pay attention to the distinction between Cain’s offering, which God did not find acceptable, and Abel’s offering, which God accepted.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.” (Genesis 4:2-5)
Abel brought the firstborn of his flock; Cain did not bring his first fruits. God cannot accept an offering if it’s not the first portion. We show our respect and appreciation to him by honoring him first.
Growing up, I learned from my dad early on what tithing meant. No matter how much money I received, whether an allowance or a ten dollar bill inside a birthday card, my father always said, “Give the first to God and then think about the rest.” I’ll be honest: I’ve always experienced unexplainable favor in my life with money and material possessions. I believe when we honor God first, he does indeed bless us, not as a quid pro quo transaction, but because he knows where our hearts are. He knows we’re dedicated to advancing his Kingdom with our resources. He knows he’s first in our lives.
God doesn’t want our stuff; he wants you and me.
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Posted in Walking with God in 2012 on December 3, 2012|
I’m currently reading day 9 of Experience 14 Days of Fresh Air. To join in and read along go to:
Romans 12:5 In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body.
Find the Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Do you remember the classic sitcom Cheers, set in a Boston tavern? Its theme song articulates a very simple message that clearly resonates with us all: “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.” We want to be known and recognized; we want a place where we belong. However, it seems to me that the place we should be able to go to find a supportive community should be our local church-not the neighborhood pub!
Since the beginning of my church, Church of the Highlands, we’ve deliberately created a place where knowing your name is a priority for everyone. We’ve been more than a church with big weekend services. Whether our members meet together in homes, parks, or restaurants, our vision is for everyone to be part of a group with other individuals who are willing to grow in their faith together, to support one another, to encourage one another, and to celebrate with one another.
Such groups reflect Paul’s desire for believers in Romans 12:5. We need people in our lives who are willing to share in the good and the bad, the ups and the downs. In the second year of our church, a man in one of our small groups had cancer and lost all his hair to chemo. While the group members offered all kinds of practical support, one of the most moving things the other men did was to shave their heads too. They wanted their friend to know they were standing with him.
No one should have to deal with a disease like cancer alone. No one should have to sit in a hospital waiting room alone while their spouse or child or parent is in surgery. No one should have to stand at an open grave alone. No one should have to go through a divorce alone.
Take a moment to assess the relationships in your life. Who really knows you? Who gets you? What risks do you need to take and what secrets do you need to share in order to improve the quality of your relationships? God wants you to connect to him and to his people and develop meaningful relationships. You’ll never fully get the wind back in your sails until you do. Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom – let your email find you!
This One Life 
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