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Saturday, April 4, 2015

Nothing New Under the Sun


Verses:  Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

My thoughts about the verses:

You may be asking the question, nothing new under the sun?  This has to be a crazy thought to think nothing new has happened on the Earth.  We have seen new medicines be created and discovered.  We have seen the invention of cars, planes, and computers.  We have seen and learned so many new things from the time that these verses were written.  So how could there be nothing new under the sun?

Think on this a moment about the lessons you have been taught throughout your life.  Aren’t there ones that you listened to more carefully to than others?  Are there ones that you accepted at face value and others you questioned?  Are there not things that you did in your life that you wish you hadn’t?  Are there stories that you want others to learn so they don’t have to go through the same things that you did.

The writer, most likely King Solomon, was saying is that nothing new happens.  The person is born.  They are taught lessons from the people that raise them.   They choose what they want to hear and what they think is foolish.  They then spend the majority of their life learning their own way.  Only to wish they had listened and done things differently. 

The world keeps turning, new lives born every day.  There are new lessons to be learned and passed on.  Yet, who remembers the stories of old and truly live on them.  How many will hear our stories and pass them on to the next generation?  How many of our past challenges really live to help others.  See Solomon was right when he said there is nothing new under the sun.  He knew more than anyone that people would make the same mistakes as generations past.  It is through these mistakes that we are able to grow up and be the people that we are. 

The thing that we need to learn more than anything else is that God Loves You.  God Created You Just The Way You Are.  God will Love You no matter what happens in your life.  God will be there walking by your side forever.  God only asks for your Love back. 

If we can learn this then we will come to see that there is Nothing New Under the Sun.  The Love of God was there when God Created the World.  The Love of God was there for our ancestors.  God’s Love is there with us today.  God’s love will be there for those to come.

God’s love never changes.  God’s love is there for us and lives within us if we only will acknowledge that love.  Yet, so many times we are like others that have thought that God doesn’t love me because this or that reason.  Yet, what we miss is that God doesn’t pick and choose who receives the gift of love.  It is we who pick and choose if we will accept the love.

Prayer:

God we thank you for your love.  We thank you for loving us for who we are.  We thank you for teaching us about love.  Help us accept the love you offer.  Help us share that love with those that we come in contact with.  Dear God we ask that this be a lesson that people will learn and live with the most perfect love in their life forever.  In the name of the Loving Creator we pray.  Amen

Questions:


God is waiting, for you to accept the truth about the gift of God’s Love.  Are you ready to accept that God Loves you just the way you are?  God only wants to bless your life with Love.  Are you willing to accept those blessings that God wants to give to you?  God shared the gift of Love to all generations in the past.  Will you today accept the Gift of Love that has been shared to you?  God will share the gift of Love to all those to come.  Will you share the story of God’s Love to others?

Friday, April 3, 2015

The Armour of God


Verses:  Ephesians 6: 10-24
My thoughts about the verses:

It is not this Earth or people of this Earth that we battle against.  It is the inward battle of sin that we battle against.  We fight with things that tempt us to do wrong.  We struggle with the things that we did before we accepted God. 

Our Spirit wants us to live in our new life.  The only way to protect our self against these things is to put on the Armour of God.  The armour prepares us for the battle that we face each and every day.  Each piece of the armour is an element of truth that we can use to fight against the sin we face. 

The first piece of Armour we must put on is truth.  We must know that Jesus is the Messiah.  We need to know that God loves us and created us to be the people we are.  We need to know that the Holy Spirit lives within us and helps us understand the difference between truth and falsehood.  If you know these things then you know the truth which is God.

Next you must put on righteousness.  This piece is important because it Guards your heart.  Righteousness is a gift that comes from God.  It is a blessing that we are given we are born again in Christ.  Righteousness helps us every day live life to the glory of God.

Next you must put on the gospel of peace.  It is amazing when you think of this.  If you have the gospel of peace as our foundation you have an inner strength to fight the principalities of the world.  You are filled with the fact that Jesus came to Earth, Died on the Cross, and Arose from the Grave so you may have peace.  When you accept Jesus as your savior the two things that you have that the world craves is inner peace and hope.  When you let this be your foundation you will be stronger when things come against you because you know that you are protected by the peace of God.

Next you must put on faith.  Faith knows without seeing.  It is the knowledge that God is with you in all the moments of life.  When you have faith you know that no matter what comes against you God is there protecting you.  The strength of your faith will help you get through the toughest times of your life.  Faith is the protector that allows you to say no to sin and no God is there helping you.

Next you must put on salvation.  Without the precious gift of salvation you have no way of winning the battle of sin.  Even when you put on the other pieces of the armour and do not put this on you are still fighting the battle without the full strength of God.  You need to ask Jesus in your life and turn yourself completely over to God.  When you have salvation you have the knowledge that no matter what happens here on this Earth you have a place in the Realm of God.  It is the gift that we put on and do not have to worry about ever losing.  It is an essential part of the armour that you are freely given by Jesus just by accepting it. 

Lastly you must have the Spirit of God.  Essentially your best weapon is the knowledge and understanding of the Word of God.  This is the sword that you can use in defense of evil.  Think about that moment that Jesus was in the desert.  When he was telling the Devil the words of God he was using the sword of the spirit.  God will give you the knowledge that you need to fight your battle.  Yet, this piece involves you taking the time to learn more about God.  Not just the top of the waters but to go deep down inside.  The more you study the More you will find strength and the battles becoming less because you have the answers and know what you are supposed to do.

Pray that God helps you each and every day.  Thank God for all that you have been given.  Praise God for the mystery which is salvation.  Thank God for the gift of peace and hope.  In the end thank God for helping you fight the battle against sin that you can never win without God in your life.

Prayer:

We praise you God for always being with us.  Thank you for saving us and giving us hope and peace.  Thank you for always walking with us.  We ask that you guide us through all things.  Help us fight the battle of sin.  In the name of the Holy God we pray.  Amen

Questions:


Do you have all the pieces of armour that you need to battle sin?  What piece do you need to add?  What piece do you need to work more on so that it can be stronger in your life?

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Do Service in the Name of Jesus


Verses:  Ephesians 6:5-9

My thoughts about the verses:

We have to remember that we are all to serve God with pure and joyful hearts.  We are not just to talk about doing things we need to do things.  We need to work for God so others can come to know about God.

Am I saying you have to work to get salvations?  No I am not saying those that have salvation through faith in Jesus have to do works.  Yet, what I am saying is if you have faith in Jesus you will desire to do service for God.

We can also look at this way.  You cannot serve both your old self and Jesus.  You have to turn your life over to God once you become a Christian.  You cannot continue doing the things that you use to do.  Instead you have to allow God to shine through you so others can come to know the love of Jesus.

In both situations it is a matter of turning your life over to God.  Hence you are allowing God to be the ruler of your life.  You will see that turning away from your old ways will grow easier the longer you serve God. 

You can serve God by doing Good Works.  You can serve God by Turning Away from Your Old Self.  Yet, no matter what as a Christian you must allow God to be the guide and sustainer.  When you do this you will see your life changed forever.  You will become a beacon of light for the world.  You will find that God will be there for you.  Serving God doesn’t have to be a dreaded task.  Serving God should be a part of your life that you live for.

Prayer:

We praise you God for your love.  We praise you for loving us even when we were not worthy to be loved.  Help us turn our lives over to you.  Help us to turn away from our old self.  Use us to be the workers of your harvest.  In the name of the Almighty God we pray.  Amen

Questions:


Have you turned over your life to God?  Have you asked God what you need to do with your life?  Are you open to accept the work that God has for your life?  Are you ready to become a beacon of light to the world?

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Teach the Young


Verses:  Ephesians 6:1-4
My thoughts about the verses:

I have a feeling as soon as you read the title you thought this is about kids.  Well you can infer that this is about how to raise kids.  It is also can be how kids should respect their parents.  Yet, I believe it goes much deeper than how we are to raise our kids.   I believe t is how we are to instruct new Christians.

You might be wondering how this has anything to do with new Christians.  Yet, I want you to think about those first days and weeks that you accepted Jesus as your savior.  Did you have a role model that you tried to emulate?  You tried to be just like them.  

We need to be people that new Christians want to be like.  We need to live our life showing respect to God.  God is the parent that teaches us how to truly live.  When we live a reflection of God we will be a person that others can base their way of living. 

We need to spend our entire life respecting God.  When you respect God and obey the rules that God has established your life will be more content.  When you come to accept the gift of salvation that God has for you the better your life will be. 

We need to understand that we are the teachers of tomorrow.  At one point in our life we were that young Christian that needed guidance.  Yet, as we grow we become the teachers that help others come to know the way of new life.  We must be willing to serve God in any manner. You never know who is looking at you to learn how to live their life.  Be someone that you would be proud to follow.

Prayer:

God we thank you for your love.  We thank you for your guidance in our life.  Help us be there for others.  Help us live a life that will make you proud.  Help us never go astray.  In the name of the Almighty we pray.  Amen

Questions:


Are you a young Christian looking for someone to mold your life after?  Are you an older Christian that needs to work with new Christians?  Is it time to follow God and be the person God would proud to say this is my child?

Monday, March 30, 2015

Respecting God as the Head of the Church Body


Verses:  Ephesians 5:21-33
My thoughts about the verses:

We have to read this scripture with the idea in our head that we are talking about Jesus and the Church.  See Jesus is the head of the Church.  The Church is the body of Christ.  We work together with Jesus to bring peace and salvation to the world.

In such we need to respect Jesus.  We need to treat Jesus with the utmost reverence.  We need to love Jesus with all of our hearts.  We need to let Jesus be our guide.

When the body of the Church respects and loves Jesus we build a bond that no one can break.  Jesus will use the Church to reach those that are unchurched.  Jesus will use the Church to overcome social injustice.  Yet, the church in return has to respect the will of God.

Who is the Church?  Is the Church a certain denomination?  Is the Church organized religion?  The answer No is to all of these questions.  The Church is each and every one of us that accept Jesus into our lives.  The Church is the sinner who has been saved through the power of the blood of Jesus.

Jesus expects each and every Christian to respect the will of God.  We are to treat God as the guide of our life.  We need to walk through life being a beacon of hope and light.  We have to obey the will of God so that the world can find what we have.

Imagine what would have happened if the people that we knew before we were Christians did not follow God’s will.  Would we have come to know Jesus as our personal savior?  Would we still be in the dark because we didn’t have anyone showing us the love of the Messiah?

We have to remember that we are the bride of Christ.  We need to live our life with our eyes focused on the bridegroom.  The bridegroom will be there taking care of the bride.  The bride in return must love the bridegroom.  The bridegroom will lead us to a new life.  The bride in return must devote itself to the bridegroom. 

Live your life respecting God and you will see your life change forever.

Prayer:

God we thank you for your love and peace.  We praise you for your gift of salvation and hope.  We thank you for guiding us into a new life.  Help us to always respect you.  Help us live our life in honor of you.  In the name of the Messiah we pray.  Amen

Questions:


Have you accepted God in your life?  Have you accepted the hope and peace that is from God?  Are you following the way of God?  Are you living your life showing God respect?

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Live with the Light of the Messiah


Verses:  Ephesians 5: 3-20
My thoughts about the verses:

It is very easy to live like you have all your life.  You want to live like nothing has changed.  You do all the things that your human nature is calling you to do.  In fact, it is hard for us all to quit doing the things that are bad for us.

God calls us to a new life.  We need to live a life in which we put away our old ways.  We need to live a life where we leave the darkness and live in light.  A life in which we can live without heads held high.  Lives where we please God in all that we do.

See if we think about it when you accept Christ in your life things change forever.  We are no longer our old self.  We are now a new being created in the image of God.  Our life isn’t about what we can get out of it.  Our life s what can we do to bring glory to God.

It is easy to think that I can continue doing this or that.  We think if we change a few things then that is enough.  Yet, what we have to realize is that anything that we keep in our life that is against the will of God keeps us from truly living our life. 

We look at sin and we put it on a scale of bad to worse.  We think as Christians as long as we do not cross that line that it is okay for us to do certain things.  I am not hurting anyone if I do these small things that are on the bad side of the scale.  I know better than do this because it will hurt someone.  Yet, what we have to realize is if we do anything on the scale we are hurting someone.  The person that we are hurting is ourselves and our relationship with God.

The new spirit that lives within us will remind us when we do things that are not the will of God.  We will become convicted and desire to do good in our life.  We slowly turn away from doing evil.  We need to ask God to help us to live a life of a new creation in Christ.  We need to ask the Messiah to guide our lives and to keep us from evil.  We need to ask God to make us a child of light.

When you become a child of light you become a beacon for Jesus.  People are able to see what God has done in your life.  They see how God has made you a better person.  Yet, if you try to live in darkness you are only dimming the light.  People are still watching and they will question your change.  Make sure to always keep your light bright so that you can lead people to Jesus.  You can be Jesus to someone else by living in the light of the Messiah.

Prayer:

We praise you God for your love.  We thank you for loving us even when we were living in darkness.  Help us dear God live in your light.  Help us put away our old ways.  Help us be the beacon of light that someone needs to find you.  Help us be Jesus for someone today.  In the name of the Messiah we pray.  Amen

Questions:


Have you accepted Jesus in your life?  Have you accepted the new life that you are to live?  Are you living as a beacon of light for the world?  Are you living your old ways behind you?  What do you need to give up today to become a brighter light for the Messiah?