The secret to life, the secret to success, the secret to genuine contentment, the secret to making the most of life happens when we choose gratitude over complaining. Most know the importance of gratitude; however, few actually get to that place.
In Luke 17:11-19 Jesus has compassion on ten lepers and says go show yourself to the priests (who made the call of those healed). It says that as they went they were healed or cleansed. I imagine a discussion was happening, “hey look at you, your complexion is clearing up,” “guys these lesions have gone from me, color is returning.” Their greatest hope was becoming a reality and one of them returned to Jesus and it says loudly glorified God. This wasn’t some solemn “we thank thee, oh Lord,” it wasn’t some shallow “thanks” either. He was fired up, passionate gratitude was happening.
Jesus says “your faith has made you well.” All of them were healed physically, but this Samaritan was healed spiritually, emotionally, salvation had come to him (leprosy affected a lot more then just the physical).
Faith grows in the soil of gratitude. You want stronger faith, start thinking of all the things for which you could give thanks. We are not talking about a shallow thanks your parents made you give when people gave you a gift. Rather heartfelt praise to a gracious God who has done so much. Notice Jesus asks the question “where are the other nine? were there not ten healed.
“I would come back to give thanks,” or would we?
As I look at the generation of Israelites that saw the most dramatic miracles of God…the plagues, the fire by night, pillar of cloud by day, the parting of the red sea, the manna and how was their attitude? I can’t help think these people would be filled with the most gratitude, after all God had taken them out of the bondage of Egypt. I would think they would have the strongest faith because they clearly saw the hand of God. Yet we see a constant whining, complaining, mmmmuuuurrrrrmmmmuuuuurrrrring. Numbers 11:1 says they complained and God HEARD IT, and was displeased.
I am not sure we often think about the fact that God hears our complaining. Imagine your kids whining and complaining to you all the time, you wouldn’t like it….it would grate on you. Replace you, imperfect parent, with perfect God and it is all the more insulting. I heard one minister say the average person complains twenty times a day. The apostle Paul writes that in the last days there is going to be a prominent self centeredness and unthankfulness that will define that time, having a form of godliness but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:1-7). That tells me that we may know we are to live with gratitude but most choose to not walk in it.
We choose our attitudes. As one said “gratitude is the attitude, that sets the altitude for living.” If we can get this truth in our hearts it could revolutionize our life. We could literally reach a greater depth of peace, joy, contentment, and intimacy with God we have yet to attain. Most aren’t going that direction, but how about you….want to make the trek?
I Want to invite you to Cornerstone over this Christmas, we are going to take a fresh look into the Christmas story. I know you are saying “I have heard it a thousand times already.” Like this dead, lifeless tradition we keep. This year is going to be different! Come and join us for our new series “Christmas Alive.” It is a powerful, life transforming story of good news….we need to hear.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
How do I know when it is God speaking to me?
I like the story I heard of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Apparently President Roosevelt got tired of smiling the expected presidential smile and saying the usual expected things at all those White House receptions. So, one evening he decided to find out whether anybody was really listening to what he was saying. As each person came up to him with extended hand, he flashed that big smile and said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." People would automatically respond with comments like "How lovely!" or "Just continue your great work!"Nobody listened to what he was actually saying, except for one foreign diplomat. When the president said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning," the diplomat responded softly, "I’m sure she had it coming."
Are you taking time to listen? Last week we talked how God gives us Holy Spirit impressions- John 14:26 "The Holy Spirit will be your teacher and will bring to your mind or remembrance [key word] all that I have said to you." "Bring to your mind" means He gives us impressions. He gives us ideas. He gives us these gut feelings.
I am not saying it is easy to always get what the almighty God is saying. It is hard for me to explain to my son why he shouldn’t eat stuff in the garbage or play in the toilet. So it must be hard for God to get through to us…but all I know is that He has done what He can to make a way by destroying the barrier of sin and given the Holy Spirit.
The question is “how do we know that impression is God or just some bad indigestion or something else?”
I gave many ways you can test (as 1 John 4:1 tells us to test the spirit) to determine if that thought, or message, or word is of God or not.
1. Is it biblical? Be assured God is consistent. You as a parent may not be or your parents may not have been, but what God says God’s Word is constant. If a message or word or thought doesn’t line up with scripture you can know that is not of God.
2. Does it make me more like Christ? (Phil 2:5) His goal is to make us more like Christ.
James 3:17 (NCV)
But the wisdom (defined as the best choice in any situation) that comes from God is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial, sincere. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled and to do good for others.
The ideas that God gives are full of wisdom. Notice the description of what that includes it is peaceful, gentle, considerate, submissive, full of mercy. If you have ever been bowled over by someone speaking for God who demonstrated an arrogance or sense of bragging…this passage would tell you it wasn’t of God. God’s desire is that the quality of our message or the quality of our life point to Christ.
3. When I'm trying to figure out whether I've got this idea from God or not, I need to ask
“Does my church family confirm it?”
Ephesians 3:10 "God’s intent is that through the church the manifold wisdom of God is revealed."
We weren’t created to be island…we were adopted into his family. God speaks through his people. If you have something you believe may be of God, run it by some people of God.
Proverbs 11:9 "The wisdom of the righteous can save you." Save you what? Money, time,
reputation. Be open to council, correction, and guidance. If others mature believers are questioning it…you should too.
4. Is it convicting or condemning? Conviction comes from God and it is very specific and points the way to change. He points out an attitude, behavior, or something in your life that needs changing. You confess, repent, and feelings leave.
On the other hand, condemnation comes from the devil and is very general and just leaves you feeling bad. It is very vague and basically says something like, “You're bad. You're no good. You're worthless. You stink. God could never use you. Forget ever trying to be a Christian."
So if you have this very general sense of guilt that's condemnation and it is not from God.
Satan minimizes your sin before you do it, "It's no big deal!" and after you do it he goes
"Look at what you did!" He wants you to walk around in constant guilt because guilty Christians are worthless in serving God.
Sometimes we are mistaking our low self worth for God speaking…or substituting the past voices of parents that you could never please and put it on your heavenly Father. Need to get truth in you that believes Jesus paid the price for our sin so we could be forgiven and at peace with Him. We don’t need to live in condemnation any longer.
5. Do I sense God’s peace about it?
1 Corinthians 14:33 "God is not the author of confusion."
So if you're feeling confused it isn’t coming from God. If you feel pressured and overwhelmed and driven to make a hasty decision or a major decision fast, you need to question it. Not too many examples where God says “rush” to a major decision. I can think of Jesus talking about counting the cost of following me, that He is patient not wanting any to perish. He gives people time to make the right decision.
The only time you are going to feel stressed out and pressured is when He’s told you something to do and you don’t do it. It creates stress in your life but that is self imposed.
Colossians 3:1 "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts."
If God is genuinely speaking to you and you think this idea is from God, it's going to bring peace to your heart IF you follow it. God's Spirit produces a calm spirit.
May you learn to “test the spirit, to see if they may be of God” (1 John 4:1). These are just a few but using them will help you know if it is or isn’t of God.
Are you taking time to listen? Last week we talked how God gives us Holy Spirit impressions- John 14:26 "The Holy Spirit will be your teacher and will bring to your mind or remembrance [key word] all that I have said to you." "Bring to your mind" means He gives us impressions. He gives us ideas. He gives us these gut feelings.
I am not saying it is easy to always get what the almighty God is saying. It is hard for me to explain to my son why he shouldn’t eat stuff in the garbage or play in the toilet. So it must be hard for God to get through to us…but all I know is that He has done what He can to make a way by destroying the barrier of sin and given the Holy Spirit.
The question is “how do we know that impression is God or just some bad indigestion or something else?”
I gave many ways you can test (as 1 John 4:1 tells us to test the spirit) to determine if that thought, or message, or word is of God or not.
1. Is it biblical? Be assured God is consistent. You as a parent may not be or your parents may not have been, but what God says God’s Word is constant. If a message or word or thought doesn’t line up with scripture you can know that is not of God.
2. Does it make me more like Christ? (Phil 2:5) His goal is to make us more like Christ.
James 3:17 (NCV)
But the wisdom (defined as the best choice in any situation) that comes from God is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial, sincere. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled and to do good for others.
The ideas that God gives are full of wisdom. Notice the description of what that includes it is peaceful, gentle, considerate, submissive, full of mercy. If you have ever been bowled over by someone speaking for God who demonstrated an arrogance or sense of bragging…this passage would tell you it wasn’t of God. God’s desire is that the quality of our message or the quality of our life point to Christ.
3. When I'm trying to figure out whether I've got this idea from God or not, I need to ask
“Does my church family confirm it?”
Ephesians 3:10 "God’s intent is that through the church the manifold wisdom of God is revealed."
We weren’t created to be island…we were adopted into his family. God speaks through his people. If you have something you believe may be of God, run it by some people of God.
Proverbs 11:9 "The wisdom of the righteous can save you." Save you what? Money, time,
reputation. Be open to council, correction, and guidance. If others mature believers are questioning it…you should too.
4. Is it convicting or condemning? Conviction comes from God and it is very specific and points the way to change. He points out an attitude, behavior, or something in your life that needs changing. You confess, repent, and feelings leave.
On the other hand, condemnation comes from the devil and is very general and just leaves you feeling bad. It is very vague and basically says something like, “You're bad. You're no good. You're worthless. You stink. God could never use you. Forget ever trying to be a Christian."
So if you have this very general sense of guilt that's condemnation and it is not from God.
Satan minimizes your sin before you do it, "It's no big deal!" and after you do it he goes
"Look at what you did!" He wants you to walk around in constant guilt because guilty Christians are worthless in serving God.
Sometimes we are mistaking our low self worth for God speaking…or substituting the past voices of parents that you could never please and put it on your heavenly Father. Need to get truth in you that believes Jesus paid the price for our sin so we could be forgiven and at peace with Him. We don’t need to live in condemnation any longer.
5. Do I sense God’s peace about it?
1 Corinthians 14:33 "God is not the author of confusion."
So if you're feeling confused it isn’t coming from God. If you feel pressured and overwhelmed and driven to make a hasty decision or a major decision fast, you need to question it. Not too many examples where God says “rush” to a major decision. I can think of Jesus talking about counting the cost of following me, that He is patient not wanting any to perish. He gives people time to make the right decision.
The only time you are going to feel stressed out and pressured is when He’s told you something to do and you don’t do it. It creates stress in your life but that is self imposed.
Colossians 3:1 "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts."
If God is genuinely speaking to you and you think this idea is from God, it's going to bring peace to your heart IF you follow it. God's Spirit produces a calm spirit.
May you learn to “test the spirit, to see if they may be of God” (1 John 4:1). These are just a few but using them will help you know if it is or isn’t of God.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Learning to Hear God
One of the most basic claims of Christianity is that God speaks to people. All through the Bible
you see the phrase, "And God said..." This idea is used about 500 times. With the frequency you get the impression God wants to speak to people.
Yet most would say “I hardly ever to never hear God speaking to me.” Is it that He is not speaking or we are not listening or misunderstanding? Come to think of it I often misunderstand my wife, so why would I always “get” God. Apparently the disciples didn’t always get Jesus, in fact there were several places Jesus was saying one thing and the disciples were hearing something totally different.
How do we get to that place we really can begin to connect and dialogue with God? After all there is no relationship with people, even God, without communication.
In Luke 8:4-18 Jesus shares the Parable of the Sower. In a way these soils represent four mental attitudes. I would say from time to time we pass through all these soils. Sometimes we are very open to what God would say and sometimes we’re very closed. But hopefully if we stay in the process we can be those seed that falls on good soil.
The whole point of the parable is about HEARING. He concludes the parable by saying “Therefore, take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him (v. 18).” The word hear is used with every soil type (v.12,13,14,15); emphasizing Jesus point how are you hearing His word?
If you are truly going to hear and communicate you have to cultivate an open mind. One of the reasons I believe many do not hear God speak or sense His presence is that they have never been open to the possibility of it. Maybe you have heard “that was then, this is now…we don’t believe He will or wants to speak.” When you have a close mind, obviously God is not going to get through. We hold on to some pride, bitterness, and even fear and we harden up and the devil comes and takes that word from us.
The second soil reflects a shallow heart. The Middle East only had about 2-3 inches of top soil and during the heat of summer the plant withered. The emphasis is on a shallow hearing. They heard the word with joy but never got beyond that, you have to give time to listen. Try having a rushed conversation with someone, doesn’t work too well when you have a lot to share. The God of the universe longs for relationship, He has much to say and we are saying God I can give you five minutes. His word never gets beyond a nice initial feeling.
In the third soil Jesus shows us that if you are going to hear His Word you are going to have to eliminate or minimize distractions. The reason we can’t hear is because we are preoccupied with worries, acquiring wealth, or pleasure. Jesus says they are like weeds choking the word. My garden has been overridden with weeds the last 3 years. Weeds are a sign of neglect. You want to hear from God? Be proactive, make time to listen and let go of the weeds in your mind.
So how is your listening? The last soil reflects those that not only are listening but are willing to do what He says. Many want to hear and then decide whether they want to do it. We got to be willing to not only listen but also to cooperate with Him. May we be like Samuel as he struggle to understand God speaking simply said “speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening” (1 Samuel 3:10)
you see the phrase, "And God said..." This idea is used about 500 times. With the frequency you get the impression God wants to speak to people.
Yet most would say “I hardly ever to never hear God speaking to me.” Is it that He is not speaking or we are not listening or misunderstanding? Come to think of it I often misunderstand my wife, so why would I always “get” God. Apparently the disciples didn’t always get Jesus, in fact there were several places Jesus was saying one thing and the disciples were hearing something totally different.
How do we get to that place we really can begin to connect and dialogue with God? After all there is no relationship with people, even God, without communication.
In Luke 8:4-18 Jesus shares the Parable of the Sower. In a way these soils represent four mental attitudes. I would say from time to time we pass through all these soils. Sometimes we are very open to what God would say and sometimes we’re very closed. But hopefully if we stay in the process we can be those seed that falls on good soil.
The whole point of the parable is about HEARING. He concludes the parable by saying “Therefore, take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him (v. 18).” The word hear is used with every soil type (v.12,13,14,15); emphasizing Jesus point how are you hearing His word?
If you are truly going to hear and communicate you have to cultivate an open mind. One of the reasons I believe many do not hear God speak or sense His presence is that they have never been open to the possibility of it. Maybe you have heard “that was then, this is now…we don’t believe He will or wants to speak.” When you have a close mind, obviously God is not going to get through. We hold on to some pride, bitterness, and even fear and we harden up and the devil comes and takes that word from us.
The second soil reflects a shallow heart. The Middle East only had about 2-3 inches of top soil and during the heat of summer the plant withered. The emphasis is on a shallow hearing. They heard the word with joy but never got beyond that, you have to give time to listen. Try having a rushed conversation with someone, doesn’t work too well when you have a lot to share. The God of the universe longs for relationship, He has much to say and we are saying God I can give you five minutes. His word never gets beyond a nice initial feeling.
In the third soil Jesus shows us that if you are going to hear His Word you are going to have to eliminate or minimize distractions. The reason we can’t hear is because we are preoccupied with worries, acquiring wealth, or pleasure. Jesus says they are like weeds choking the word. My garden has been overridden with weeds the last 3 years. Weeds are a sign of neglect. You want to hear from God? Be proactive, make time to listen and let go of the weeds in your mind.
So how is your listening? The last soil reflects those that not only are listening but are willing to do what He says. Many want to hear and then decide whether they want to do it. We got to be willing to not only listen but also to cooperate with Him. May we be like Samuel as he struggle to understand God speaking simply said “speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening” (1 Samuel 3:10)
Saturday, October 31, 2009
The hidden obvious struggle
Ever been in one of those services where the message is just hitting you between the eyes? Last week my friend who is also a missionary was sharing a message that was doing that to me.
I believe God has given us stuff to enjoy, but sometimes I think that stuff becomes like a virus that takes over. Materialism is one of those sins we just kind of overlook (along with gluttony but let’s overlook that one…moving on). I have often heard it is not how much we posses but what posses us that matters…it is a great line and very true (Materialism penetrates all economic levels). It still seems hard to overlook that we have an insatiable desire for wealth and stuff.
PBS did a show called Affluenza.
-They said that the average American shops six hours a week
-by age 20 we have seen one million commercials
-recently more Americans declared bankruptcy then graduate
-90% of divorces, arguments about money play a primary role. (Treasure Principle-p. 52 Randy Alcott)
We are strapped in debt and it is no wonder our priorities seem to slowly suck the passion for God out of us. So when he shared the story of a youth service in Sudan where they were challenging the group in missions. They were casting the vision of raising money to send a team to share the Gospel to a Muslim village. He told of how little money they had over there and yet the challenge to give went out and one of the leaders came to the front took off his shoes and said “these have to be worth at least $8 if sold.” Then others came forward offering belts, shirts, jackets, going home selling furniture, etc. They indeed gave enough to send a team. That is passion for the kingdom of God… that’s generosity!
I was reading in the book of Acts 19:18-20 where the awe of God began to move on the people and it says “And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
One studied that and found that it was equivalent to perhaps six million dollars in today’s economy. The depth of transformation in the lives of the early Christians was most evident in the level of surrender of money and possessions.
Lord help us to do the same…
I believe God has given us stuff to enjoy, but sometimes I think that stuff becomes like a virus that takes over. Materialism is one of those sins we just kind of overlook (along with gluttony but let’s overlook that one…moving on). I have often heard it is not how much we posses but what posses us that matters…it is a great line and very true (Materialism penetrates all economic levels). It still seems hard to overlook that we have an insatiable desire for wealth and stuff.
PBS did a show called Affluenza.
-They said that the average American shops six hours a week
-by age 20 we have seen one million commercials
-recently more Americans declared bankruptcy then graduate
-90% of divorces, arguments about money play a primary role. (Treasure Principle-p. 52 Randy Alcott)
We are strapped in debt and it is no wonder our priorities seem to slowly suck the passion for God out of us. So when he shared the story of a youth service in Sudan where they were challenging the group in missions. They were casting the vision of raising money to send a team to share the Gospel to a Muslim village. He told of how little money they had over there and yet the challenge to give went out and one of the leaders came to the front took off his shoes and said “these have to be worth at least $8 if sold.” Then others came forward offering belts, shirts, jackets, going home selling furniture, etc. They indeed gave enough to send a team. That is passion for the kingdom of God… that’s generosity!
I was reading in the book of Acts 19:18-20 where the awe of God began to move on the people and it says “And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
One studied that and found that it was equivalent to perhaps six million dollars in today’s economy. The depth of transformation in the lives of the early Christians was most evident in the level of surrender of money and possessions.
Lord help us to do the same…
Friday, October 23, 2009
An Action that can change your Reactions, Feelings, and Relationships
If there was one action that could change my feelings and my relationships that one action simply put would be to love. Lots of times I hear people say “I’m not feeling it,” or “I am not in love with them anymore.” The only problem with that is that love is not a feeling, it is a commitment. Jesus told His disciples to love as I have loved you…stay committed to love. If those disciples would have been our disciples we probably would have dumped them or given them the right boot of fellowship. Jesus demonstrates commitment by choosing to love even when it’s hard
George Crane, newspaper columnist and minister, tells of a wife who was full of hatred toward her husband. She came into his office saying, “I not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even.” She went on “before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has hurt me.”
Crane suggested an ingenious plan: “Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you’ve convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that you’re getting a divorce. That will really hurt him.”
With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, “Beautiful! Beautiful! Will he ever be surprised?”
And she did it with enthusiasm, Acting “as if she loved him” for 2 months, she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing.
When she didn’t return, Crane called her. “Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?”
“Divorce!” she asked “Never! I discovered I really do love him.” (Leadership, 1983)
Her actions had changed her feelings. Motions resulted in emotion. Feelings won’t come back by doing nothing. Those feelings will never return until you start acting in a loving way.
1 Corinthians 13:8 simply says “Love never fails.” Think of the word never…he says choosing to love will work 100% of the time. How many products can give you that kind of guarantee? If you are finding it hard to love… I encourage you to reach out for His grace. He resists the proud, but He will give grace to the humble. As you lean on His power and not your own, He will help you to love even when it is so incredibly difficult.
George Crane, newspaper columnist and minister, tells of a wife who was full of hatred toward her husband. She came into his office saying, “I not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even.” She went on “before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has hurt me.”
Crane suggested an ingenious plan: “Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you’ve convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that you’re getting a divorce. That will really hurt him.”
With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, “Beautiful! Beautiful! Will he ever be surprised?”
And she did it with enthusiasm, Acting “as if she loved him” for 2 months, she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing.
When she didn’t return, Crane called her. “Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?”
“Divorce!” she asked “Never! I discovered I really do love him.” (Leadership, 1983)
Her actions had changed her feelings. Motions resulted in emotion. Feelings won’t come back by doing nothing. Those feelings will never return until you start acting in a loving way.
1 Corinthians 13:8 simply says “Love never fails.” Think of the word never…he says choosing to love will work 100% of the time. How many products can give you that kind of guarantee? If you are finding it hard to love… I encourage you to reach out for His grace. He resists the proud, but He will give grace to the humble. As you lean on His power and not your own, He will help you to love even when it is so incredibly difficult.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Talking About You
I want to be known for being a selfish jerk.
I want to be known as a quiet, introverted, shy person that no one is let in to my world.
I want to be forgotten.
I want to be remembered for being greedy and ruthless.
I want to be remembered for being lazy.
Obviously no one wants to leave these kinds of legacy. We want to know that somehow our lives mattered, we made the world a better place, we made a difference. The question is how? It is an important question because I don’t know many that get a do over in life.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.”(Isaiah 40:8)
If you are going to leave a great and godly legacy, you have got to build godly convictions. I grimace at my hair style in high school, the clothes I wore back in the day, and why did we have that orange carpet anyways. Things change…God’s Word never does....cliché however it was true hundreds of years ago and it will be true thousands of years from now. This is what conviction is all about; they are core values that are unchanging and eternal. It is a strong belief that shows up in the way we act.
The problem is too many have what Craig Groeschel calls preferences and not convictions. He describes a preference as a strong desire that you will compromise when the cost becomes too high. It goes like this…
I prefer to be a virgin when I get married until the peer pressure is too much and the moment is just right and then I give away my preference.
I prefer to be generous until I see that new car and then you got to look out for number one.
I prefer to be generous, but it's not the way I always live.
Maybe you would say I prefer to go to church but football season starts next week. Church or football? You can't have both, you've got to make a choice. Football often wins out.
You prefer to be a tither until money gets tight.
You prefer family time; you want that to be important but people demands, work demands, etc.
We want these things but we give them up when the going gets tough.
To leave a great and godly legacy let’s attach convictions to God’s Word that cause us to live it out (James 1:22).
I like the way The Message says Jesus words in Matthew 7:26, “But if you just use My words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach.” You don’t really believe something unless you live it out.
Often are convictions are misguided. Kids know that parents will flex on most things…but don’t move the remote control….
More concerned with the appearance of our kids then their character.
Who cares about commitment, you better not change the church service style.
We are giving off a message we don't want to leave because we have wrong convictions. A godly legacy is going to be directly tied to the convictions we are demonstrating. Remember there will be a day everyone will be gathered together and they will be talking about you, only you won’t be there…what will they say? Will there be awkward silence, a forced niceness to mask what was really true, or a pouring forth of gratitude for your life and the difference you made?
I want to be known as a quiet, introverted, shy person that no one is let in to my world.
I want to be forgotten.
I want to be remembered for being greedy and ruthless.
I want to be remembered for being lazy.
Obviously no one wants to leave these kinds of legacy. We want to know that somehow our lives mattered, we made the world a better place, we made a difference. The question is how? It is an important question because I don’t know many that get a do over in life.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.”(Isaiah 40:8)
If you are going to leave a great and godly legacy, you have got to build godly convictions. I grimace at my hair style in high school, the clothes I wore back in the day, and why did we have that orange carpet anyways. Things change…God’s Word never does....cliché however it was true hundreds of years ago and it will be true thousands of years from now. This is what conviction is all about; they are core values that are unchanging and eternal. It is a strong belief that shows up in the way we act.
The problem is too many have what Craig Groeschel calls preferences and not convictions. He describes a preference as a strong desire that you will compromise when the cost becomes too high. It goes like this…
I prefer to be a virgin when I get married until the peer pressure is too much and the moment is just right and then I give away my preference.
I prefer to be generous until I see that new car and then you got to look out for number one.
I prefer to be generous, but it's not the way I always live.
Maybe you would say I prefer to go to church but football season starts next week. Church or football? You can't have both, you've got to make a choice. Football often wins out.
You prefer to be a tither until money gets tight.
You prefer family time; you want that to be important but people demands, work demands, etc.
We want these things but we give them up when the going gets tough.
To leave a great and godly legacy let’s attach convictions to God’s Word that cause us to live it out (James 1:22).
I like the way The Message says Jesus words in Matthew 7:26, “But if you just use My words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach.” You don’t really believe something unless you live it out.
Often are convictions are misguided. Kids know that parents will flex on most things…but don’t move the remote control….
More concerned with the appearance of our kids then their character.
Who cares about commitment, you better not change the church service style.
We are giving off a message we don't want to leave because we have wrong convictions. A godly legacy is going to be directly tied to the convictions we are demonstrating. Remember there will be a day everyone will be gathered together and they will be talking about you, only you won’t be there…what will they say? Will there be awkward silence, a forced niceness to mask what was really true, or a pouring forth of gratitude for your life and the difference you made?
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