Tag: church

Malachi 1:7-8 ” You place defiled food on My altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You?’ By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you? says the Lord Almighty.”

Leftovers.  For many, they’re not very appetizing.  So why  do we repeatedly offer them to the Lord ?  Those remaining bits and pieces of our time and money in a rather half-hearted attempt at devotion.  God doesn’t want our leftovers.  He wants our utmost.    He doesn’t want what’s left…He wants our very best.

In Christ Jesus…You are redeemed and forgiven.

Forgiveness.  For some that’s a hard word to accept.  They feel as if they need to “do” something first in order  to gain God’s pardon.   But to be forgiven by the Lord has nothing to do with us…for it is solely based on God’s unmerited love and mercy… His redemptive power working to heal and make us whole again.

Isaiah 25:1 ” O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.”

Elsewhere in Isaiah it says, “The Lord Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be,  and as I have purposed, so it will stand.’ ”  Lord, I give You thanks and trust that everything, both big and small,  that happens in my life has been prepared long ago.  Each wonderful, miraculous, and extraordinary thing that has and will happen to me  You have planned out far before I was even born.   And I know you have much more for me to be doing, and I look with eager anticipation to the future and Your plans for me.     And everyone said,   Amen.

Exodus 4: 11-12 ” The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’ “

Moses had many excuses of why he wasn’t the person to go to the Pharaoh and demand release of the Hebrew children.  But the Lord countered with an airtight defense of why Moses was just the right  man for the job.  We want to argue with God, but speaking from very personal experience…you’ll never win.  We can object all we want, but God desires obedience exclusively.  For if He calls you to something,  He can and will give you whatever skill is needed to accomplish that task.  With God, arguing will get you nowhere…obedience on the other hand, will move His Kingdom forward.

Psalm 52: 8 ” But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. “

I am planted like a thriving tree in Your presence Lord…grafted securely to the root of Jesse…my dependence is on You and You alone.  I praise You Lord  for Your never-ending  mercy and kindness.  I thank You for Your everlasting and eternal love.  Amen.

Nehemiah 1:4 ” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”

Nehemiah’s tears were for the ruined city of Jerusalem. His burden for it was immense,  for the Lord had laid on him the obligation and passion to rebuild the walls.  A burden is a faithful focus of prayer over a long length of time…personal burdens being for family and children.   But God also burdens us with other outside issues…things that when we hear about them, we react and ask,  “What can I  do God?”  But the problem arises when we react to everything…and our efforts become scattered and ineffective.  We try to do it all,  and instead become frustrated, and discouraged.  We can’t do everything for everyone…but we can do something. And the wisdom lies in discerning the burden from the emotion.

Proverbs 24: 23 ” These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good…”

In Leviticus 19:15 it states, ” Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.”  We tend to have our own very personal  prejudices and biases…comfortable preferences that have been ingrained in us  by our culture, family, and past experiences.  But that doesn’t mean they are fair or just.   All our decisions must be based on God’s decrees and Laws, rather than our feelings.

Colossians 3:22 ” Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.”

In ancient Greco-Roman Society,  slaves were looked upon as a commodity…but often it was slaves that served in stations of great responsibly, with rank and privilege.   Fast forward to modern times and the common work place.  Your approach at work  will speak louder than any Bible verse you have taped up at your desk.  Your manner of helping others without an ulterior motive will shine brighter than any religious plaque .  When you honor God in the everyday grind  by being that positive, giving individual…(even when the boss isn’t watching)…you show others what it’s like to be Christ-like.  Like the ancient slaves, you have been given great responsibility in your workplace…it’s to be an ambassador for Christ,  and a lover of people.

Acts 28:31 ” Boldly and without hindrance he preached the Kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul was under house arrest in Rome and confined for 2 years in a little house under constant guard by the Roman soldiers.  He could have had quite a pity party…but he instead chose to use his situation for good.  Yes, he was confined in one spot…but his spirit was free, for the Kingdom of God was within his heart.  He could have been intimidated by the soldiers, but he chose not to have restrictions and limitations placed on God’s Word that he preached.   Paul’s fearless teaching to all who wandered into that house…including the soldiers listening, was a way of him saying, “What can man do to me?  My physical body may be incarcerated, but my soul is free.”

Proverbs 13:10 ” Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”

Taking offense against another person only fosters conflict and produces  anger.  When our feelings are hurt, we rise up in righteous indignation and can easily allow arrogance to take over at that moment.  We feel disrespected and insulted, not even listening to the wise counsel…for all we hear is an attack on our  belief system…even if that belief system is  corrupted.  The world likes to take offense  over the craziest things…But as a Believer, we need to be wary of allowing pride to color our interactions with others.   Proverbs 9:9 states, ” Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.”