The Old 80-20 Rule

Even in scripture we find it.  Not sure what I am talking about? Let me explain.

It seems that in most organizations, whether it is at work, church, the PTA, Little League, whatever; roughly 20% of the people step up and make things happen while the other 80% watch things happen.  The ones that step up and volunteer to teach Sunday School are the same ones that step up and run the PTA or Little League.

Why don't the others get involved?  It could be lack of confidence, lack of faith, or even just plain laziness.  I don't really know.  It just is.

What I found interesting is that I was reading Numbers 13 and 14.  God instructs Moses to send 12 men, leaders of their tribes to spy on Canaan.  They go out and 40 days later they come back.  10 of the twelve tell  Moses, Aaron and the people how dangerous and impossible it is going to be to take possession of the land that God gave them.   2 of them see the vision and have total faith that God can deliver and so they are the only two of the twelve that God lets take possession and enjoy the benefits of God's vision for their lives.

Think about that.  Two out of 12 is 17%.  That's close enough for me to see the 80-20 rule in action here. 

So my suggestion is that if you want to be really useful and pleasing to God, be a 20%er!

We Shall Reap IF We Don't Lose Heart

 Galatians 6:9(NKJV)

9And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 

This verse kind of continues the theme from Friday.  If you really want to tick God off then start complaining.  Why does that tick God off?  Well this is just a guess on my part but I think it may be that it is a manifestation of losing heart.

As with all of God's promises, this one is conditional.  God wants us to do good and not to tire of doing good.  God tells us that in due time, we shall reap if we don't lose heart.  Who determines due time?  God does.  Our job is to suck it up and push to the mark as Paul would say, full of hope in God's promises. Nothing less!

We Shall Reap IF We Don't Lose Heart

 

Galatians 6:9(NKJV)

9And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 

This verse kind of continues the theme from Friday.  If you really want to tick God off then start complaining.  Why does that tick God off?  Well this is just a guess on my part but I think it may be that it is a manifestation of losing heart.

As with all of God's promises, this one is conditional.  God wants us to do good and not to tire of doing good.  God tells us that in due time, we shall reap if we don't lose heart.  Who determines due time?  God does.  Our job is to suck it up and push to the mark as Paul would say, full of hope in God's promises. Nothing less!

Sure fire way to piss God off!

I don't know about you but I don't think it is a good idea to piss God off if we can help it.  Make sense?  Now I have written in the past about how sometimes the Bible can be a bit opaque in it's meaning.  However today I found something that, at least for me, is pretty black and white.  You ready for it?

If you want a sure fire way to piss God off, be a complainer!

Numbers 11:1(NKJV)

1Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. 

Numbers 11:10(NKJV)

10Then Moses heard the people weeping (complaining) throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 

As a parent, let me use this analogy.  You know how sometimes your kids can do things that while they may annoy you, you kind of let it slide?  It's not worth making a big deal over.  On the other hand, you know how sometimes your kids will take something too far and now you went from annoyed to really pissed?  That point where the kids eyes get really big because they just realized they pushed a little too far? 

Well that's they way I picture the meaning of these verses.  Complaining doesn't just annoy God, it pisses Him off!

What does God want from us?  Let's take a look at this verse from Colossians.

Colossians 2:6-7(NKJV)

6As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 

7rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding £in it with thanksgiving.

Abounding in it with thanksgiving!  What do you have to be thankful for?  How about letting God know how much you appreciate it!

The Ebb and Flow of our Journey With God

Numbers 9:15-23(NKJV)

15Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. 

16So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 

17Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. 

18At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. 

19Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey. 

20So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the Lord they would journey. 

21So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. 

22Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. 

23At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

Isn't this a great description of the ebb and flow of our journey with
God? 

We have times in our lives where everything is flowing and life is good.  We're moving forward, sailing along.  But then invariably some clouds settle in and we have to regroup.  Sometimes the clouds are short lived and sometimes they last a little longer.  But through it all, God is right there with us.  All the time.  All we have to do is follow His lead!

Roach's Prayer

A friend of mine passed away last week and I went to the funeral today.  My friend's nick name was Roach.  Now Roach was a hard partying kind of guy and so I wasn't terribly surprised to hear that he had passed away. 

What I want to share with you today though was a simple prayer that my friend had written that the family found tucked away in a drawer.  My friends outlook on life was pretty simple.  Wok hard, play even harder.  His prayer is just as simple but there is a wisdom in the simplicity that I'd like to share. 

------------------

Thank you God for what you have given me.

Thank you for what you have taken from me.

Thank you for what you have left me.

Amen my friend!

Feeling Discouraged? Reach Forward!

Here is a simple bit of wisdom to live life by.  Especially if you are feeling discouraged.

Philippians 3:13-14(NKJV)

13Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 

14I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

"forgetting those things which are behind"

Stop looking back and wondering what if.  Stop looking back and blaming.  Stop looking back!  It is what it is!  Learn from it and move on!

"Reaching forward to those things which are ahead" 

Why?  Because it is a physical demonstration of our persistence and hope.  And what promise are we standing on when we do that?

Romans 5:3-5(NKJV)

3And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 

4and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 

5Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

That's right.  Hope does not disappoint!

"press towards the goal"

We have to have goals in life.  It's what helps us grow as a person.  Those that have goals tend to continue to grow.  Those that don't have goals don't.  If we stop learning new things and growing, we block a lot of blessings that God would like to bestow on us.

"the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus"

Why are we going to do all of that?  Because God said to.  Because it is part of what is required of us to serve God through Jesus Christ.  And isn't that reason enough?

Do All Things Without Complaining

Philippians 2:14(NKJV)

14Do all things without complaining and disputing, 

Great piece of advice.  Do all  things without complaining.  Nobody likes a complainer or a whiner.  Not complaining is also part of a good work ethic.

When our kids were young we wanted to teach them a good work ethic.  So one of the things that we did was give them Saturday morning chores that they had to do.  They got paid for the chores they did on Saturday morning.  But here was the catch.

They had to do their chores cheerfully to get paid.  If they whined and complained they still had to do their chores, they just didn't get paid that week.  We've got bright kids and they caught on quickly.  It only took not getting paid once or twice and that was the end of the whining and complaining.  Now I'm not saying that they loved doing their chores, just that they learned the lesson of Philippians 2:14!

Speak the Word Without Fear

Philippians 1:14(NKJV)

14and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

I don't know about you but for me witnessing face to face is one of the hardest things to do.   And that's really weird because I speak in front of people for a living.  Why is it so hard?  I don't know.

But today's verse gives me one more tool to add to my Shield of Faith.  We know from previous posts that God has a plan for our lives.  A much bigger plan than we would probably come up with on our own.  We also know that he has promised us that He has already given us the power to make the plan a reality. 

So the next time I'm in a situation where I have an opportunity to witness to someone I'm simply going to raise that Shield of Faith and remember God's command in Philippians 1:14 "Speak the word without fear!"

I hope you all have a blessed day!

The Shield of Faith

Ephesians 6:16(NKJV)

16above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 

God has given us all sorts of tools to use in our efforts to serve Him.  One of those tools is the Shield of Faith.  What I'd like to talk about today is how to use that tool.  Because as with any tool, it's generally only effective if used in the proper way.  So what is the proper way to use the Shield of Faith?

I'd like to draw on an illustration from my childhood.  When I was growing up we liked to play things like Army, Cowboys and Indians, and Knights of the Roundtable.  When we were knights we had swords and shields.  The swords were made out of sticks or wood and the shields were usually round trash can lids.  Anybody else ever do that?

For those of you that did, here is what I want you to think about.  When you were using the shield, how did you use it?  Did you cower behind your shield meekly, hoping you would survive, or did your shield give you a sense of confidence, power, and invincibility?

For me it made me feel confident and invincible.  I didn't cower behind my shield in fear.  No, I had it out in front of my body, using it to ward off blows from swords and arrows, as I confidently kept my eye on the goal and advanced towards it.

So my question for you is, are you using this tool, the Shield of Faith,  that God has given you correctly?  Are you hiding behind your shield saying things like "Oh God I hope you'll help me.  I just don't know what I'm going to do, etc….."? 

Or are you out there saying things like "Thank you Jesus for the vision you've given me.  I'm on it.  I'm moving confidently towards the dream you've given me.  You've promised me that you have a grand plan for my life, that it's been customized just for me, and that you have already given me the power to achieve any dream you've given me.  I CAN NOT BE DENIED!  This is the Shield of Faith that you've given me.  Thank you Jesus!!!!!"

So if you already know Jesus then go forth today using your Shield of Faith the way it was intended to be used?  If you don't know Jesus yet then maybe today is the day for you to make His acquaintance.  Wouldn't it be nice to have tools like this to  help turn your life into what it was meant to be?  If you answered yes to that questions then just say a simple prayer asking Jesus to take control and of your life.  Then you too can go forward with the Shield of Faith!

Even Greater Freedom in Christ!

I have finished Leviticus and moved on to Numbers.  I read Numbers 4 today.  One of the things that really struck me today goes along with the theme of the last few days and that is our freedom to follow God's plan for our lives.  And along with that freedom comes the freedom to explore our strengths and weakness and how we can use our skills to serve God.

The reason that is so striking to me today is that in the OT God assigned jobs by family and it was supposed to be that family's job throughout eternity to do that job.  Here is an example.

Numbers 4:4-10(NKJV)

4“This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, relating to the most holy things: 

5When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the Testimony with it. 

6Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins, and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue; and they shall insert its poles.

7“On the table of showbread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the pans, the bowls, and the pitchers for pouring; and the showbread£ shall be on it. 

8They shall spread over them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles. 

9And they shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light, with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its trays, and all its oil vessels, with which they service it. 

10Then they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of badger skins, and put it on a carrying beam.

Aren't you glad that through Christ we have the freedom to pursue God's individual plan for our lives? 

For the Edifying of Christ

Ephesians 4:11-13(NKJV)

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 

12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 

13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 

God gives us all gifts to use.  How do we know this?  Because in more than one place in the Bible He says specifically that we all have different gifts.  And as I wrote about yesterday, God has a plan for our lives.  He has specific things for us to accomplish and He has given us the skills necessary to accomplish the works that He has specifically designed for us.    

 As the verse above says, some to be apostles, etc.  The point I'd like to make today is that God doesn't expect us to be jack of all trades so to speak.  What He does expect is that we become very good at the skills that He has given us.  We need to strive for excellence in the tradition of the Queen of Sheba. 

Now excellence takes work.  If we are going to put in all the work to be excellent there needs to be a reason.  What is our reason?

To be an edifying testimony to Jesus.  As you look at your life right now, would you say that all in all you are an edifying testimony to Christ?  If not, then why not start today.  Remind yourself throughout the day that everything you do is for Jesus and then ask yourself, am I striving for excellence in His name? 

Have a blessed day!

Exceedingly Abundantly

Wow that sounds like a lot doesn't it?  Exceedingly abundantly.  I don't know about you but I like the sound of that.

Have you ever had ideas pop into your head that just seemed too grand to ever really imagine accomplishing?  Whether it's an idea for ministry, a business, personal growth, or whatever, the idea pops into your head and you think "wow that would be so cool" but at the same time there is a small part of you that right from the start says "unfortunately there is no way I could do that". 

As an example, how many of us have had the experience of thinking up a cool idea for a product but never act on it.  Then the next thing we know we are seeing that product advertised on TV and we are left with "if only".  If only I had acted on that idea.

Where do those ideas come from and what are we supposed to do with them?

Ephesians 3:20-21(NKJV)

20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 

21to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Well the way I read this verse, I believe those ideas come from God.  God is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we ask or think.  As we ask for things God is thinking four and five and ten steps ahead of us.  The best analogy I can think of is that it is as if an adult is playing chess with a 5 year old.  While the 5 year old is contemplating his next move, the adult is contemplating his 4th or 5th move down the line. 

"Yeah, but"

The thing that stops most of us is the yeah, but.  Wow that's a great idea.  Yeah, but I don't have the time, know how, resources, or whatever excuse you chose to put in that spot.  And when we do that we are blocking out some of the greatest blessings God wants to bestow on us.   Here  is why I say that.

Ephesians 3:20-21(NKJV)

20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 

21to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Look at the highlighted part.  "according to the power that is in us".  When God gives us ideas or visions that are exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, He tailor makes those ideas or visions for us based on the power that is in us to achieve them. 

Now there are two important points to make here.  First is that God never sets us up for failure.  If He gives us a vision or a dream He does so "according to the power that works within us" meaning we already have the ability to accomplish the idea or vision successfully if we will rely on God. 

Secondly I want to focus on these words.  "according to the power that works within us".  There is power within us that we have to draw on to accomplish what it is that God has given us to accomplish.  To me that indicates that we bear some of the responsibility in this thing.  We have to draw on that power and take action and get started.  We have to take the chance.  We have to go talk to people, or write the check, or take the risk, or whatever else it is that is required to turn that God given idea or vision into a reality. 

This really ties in with what I wrote on Friday.  (http://randomobservationsofacommonchristian.blogspot.com/2012/07/what-is-deal-with-works.html) 

Ephesians 2:10(NKJV)

10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Once we have accepted Jesus and are saved (are you saved yet?  If not why not ask Jesus into your heart right now?) then we have work to do for God.  That is the purpose that He made us for.  He will give us all that we need, exceedingly abundantly,  to accomplish the ideas and the visions that He has prepared for us.  All it takes on our end is the guts to get started, and He'll provide that also if we only ask.

So do you have the guts to follow the visions that God has given you???

What Is the Deal With Works?

This is one that has been somewhat confusing to me in the past.   Are works needed to get to heaven?  Do we have to work?  Or because we are saved by faith, are works totally irrelevant?  This verse from Ephesians I think helps me understand it the best.

Ephesians 2:8-10(NKJV)

8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 

9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The first part of this Scripture makes it very clear that we are saved through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Flat out, that's it, period!

It's the second part that really helped me get an better understanding of this issue. 

"10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. "

While we are saved by our faith in Christ, it tells us that we were created in Christ for good works that God created for us to do.  So once we accept Christ, it's what God created us to do.  To fulfill God's will in our lives, if God the creator designed us to do good works, then we have to do good works to fulfill  that purpose that he designed us for. 

So in my view while good works are not any part of our condition of salvation, they are absolutely essential in our fulfilling God's purpose in our lives!

A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words

What are you thankful for today?

IF

Have you ever noticed that God's promises are conditional.  There is always an IF attached to them.  What's really cool is that God gives us a road map for our salvation as well as His favor.  Here are a couple of verses to illustrate the point.

Leviticus 26:3-4(NKJV)

3    ‘If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them,

4    then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

Here is where God said to His chosen people that if they followed God and did things His way, life would be good.  So as you can see God's promises weren't without strings attached.  There was a cost.  In this case it was following all of the laws that God had put in place through Moses.

  

As Christians we have it much easier.  As I pointed out yesterday, the Apostle Paul says that we gentiles are not bound by the law.  We simply have to follow Christ. 

Galatians 6:9-10(NKJV)

9And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 

10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Here is another good verse.  Sometimes we can get a bit tired helping others.  What is the promise here?  That in the proper time we will reap.  What is the IF?  That we not lose heart.  Another way of saying that is that we need to keep our hope alive.  If we do than we will reap the reward.  Pretty cool!

Does our salvation come with an IF?  It sure does.  Do you know what it is?  The IF is that you have to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.  Why?  Because God said so.  His game, His rules.  Have you accepted Jesus into your life?  Why not do it right now?  Just say a simple prayer, something like this: "Dear Lord, I'm kinda new to this and I don't get it all yet but the one thing that I do know is that I want Jesus to now be the Lord of my life.  Thank you so much for Him.  Amen!"

Led by the Spirit? Not Under the Law!

I've been reading Leviticus lately in the OT and several of Paul's letters in the NT.  What a stark contrast.  Leviticus is 27 chapters of do's and don'ts.  Twenty seven chapters of the law.  And if I am understanding Paul correctly, not a bit of it applies to us gentiles who are saved through faith in Christ, unless we volunteer to have it apply to us.. 

Galatians 5:1-6(NKJV)

1Stand£ fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 

2Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 

3And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 

4You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 

5For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 

6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

Galatians 5:18(NKJV)

18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

We are to live by faith first, foremost, and exclusively.  Maybe I'm misunderstanding this but it seems to be saying that if we try to conform to the law in any way we are then bound by the law in all things.  In essence we have thrown away the advantage we have in Christ.

Now Paul is very careful to say that our freedom in Christ doesn't give us the right to be lawless.  We just have a much simpler mandate from our Savior.

Galatians 5:13-14(NKJV)

13For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 

14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” £ 

So from here on out, if in doubt, ask yourself one question.  Am I being led by the Spirit?  If so then listen to Him!

Children of Promise!

Things not going your way?  Life got you down?  Are you facing challenges in your life?  If so then I've got a great Scripture for you today.

Galatians 4:28(NKJV)

28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 

Once we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become heirs in Christ.  We become Children of Promise.  God has made many promises to us.  All we have to do is learn what those promises are and then stand on those promises. 

What are some of those promises?  Let's list just a few.  Let's start with one of my very favorites.

Romans 5:3-5(NKJV)

3And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 

4and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 

5Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 

If we will bear our tribulations with grace, there are many life changing benefits that will come out of it.  It clearly says that if we have hope in our hearts, God WILL NOT disappoint us.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

God's plans for us are good.  They give us a future and hope.  And what did we learn about hope above?  That when God gives us hope, He doesn't disappoint. 

Now if you are thinking "ya but things really suck right now.  If God's plan for me is so good how come it sucks right now?"

Fair question.  There can be many reasons.  Sometimes its because God just needs you to go through some stuff to learn some new life lessons.  Sometimes we need to evaluate what we are doing right now and maybe change our approach.  Notice I'm not saying that what you are doing now is sinning and your not getting ahead just because of that (although that can sometimes be the case). 

What I'm saying is that sometimes we are just stalled because of our approach.  It may be something as simple as changing our thought patterns and speech patterns.  The great thing is that if you search for it, God will reveal the answers to you in His word.

Here are some others I find helpful.

Matthew 11:28-29

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives power to the weak

and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired,

and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.

John 14:27

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

The bottom line is that you are not powerless.  You have the ability to make your situation better.  It starts with accepting Jesus.  Have you done that yet?  If so then dig into the Scriptures with absolute faith that you are a Child of Promise.  God wants great things for you.  Take hope and let Him guide you, He will not disappoint!

Known By God

Galatians 4:9(NKJV)

9But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 

It's one thing to know God, it's a whole different thing to be known by God.  Think about it.  God knows who you are.  Let me illustrate it this way.

Have you ever had someone that you and many others really look up to greet you or acknowledge you by name?  Maybe at a conference or something like that.  They know you by name and even stop to talk with you.  Feels good doesn't it. 

How much cooler is it that God knows who we are.  Wow.  Does God know you?  Would you like Him to?   Then simply ask Jesus to come into your life today!

Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer!

Leviticus 22:20(NKJV)

20Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be acceptable on your behalf. 

I've been reading Leviticus lately and I've got to admit, there is a lot of stuff in there that seems to portray God as being very picky.  There are a lot of do's and don'ts that I just don't understand.  They conflict with my view of God the Father.

The verse above however, does not fall into that category.  I think it is just as applicable today as it ever was.  Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer.  That makes perfect sense to me. 

I don't know about you but God has done some incredible things in my life and I am very grateful.  Therefor, the things that I give to God to show my thanks should be the very best that I have to offer.  My first fruits so to speak.

In the OT, they would bring a male animal of some sort as a thanks offering, or a wave offering, or a sin offering, or whatever.  God was very specific.  Don't bring me any animal with a blemish on it.  It won't be accepted.  But we are no longer in OT times.  What is it that we bring to God to show our thanks?

Our very lives.  We are new beings in Christ.  It is therefore incumbent upon us to offer the very best of our lives to God.  The very best of our time, the very best of our efforts, and the very best of our fortunes.  In other words, the very best of all that we have.  Anything less is defective and unacceptable to God. 

Are you giving God the very best that you have to offer?  If not, there's no better time to start than the present.  What can you offer God today?

What Does Freedom in Christ Mean?

As we get ready to celebrate freedom and the 4th of July here in this country I was wondering what to write about.  One of the coolest things about writing this blog has been personally witnessing the many times God has just stepped in and taken over the keyboard.  Today is another such case.

As I wondered what to write, this headline came to me, as if out of thin air some might say.  Directly from God through the Holy Spirit would be my answer.  Then I was led to search the phrase "freedom in Christ" on Yahoo.  Then of the 117,000,000 results, the link I am going to provide was the very first one I clicked on, and no it wasn't the first one on the list.  I hope it blesses you as it did me.

As we celebrate the birth of America, please keep the guardians of our freedoms, our Armed Forces, in your prayers!  Happy 4th of July!!!

Freedom In Christ

You shall not be partial to the poor-Lev. 19:15

That sure seems contrary to what we have been taught in the NT.  What's the deal?  As I've said many times, the Bible is a book of balance.  Most people think of the verses in the NT that refer to the poor but they tend to ignore the OT verses dealing with the same issue.

Leviticus 19:15(NKJV)

15‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. 

 It seems to me that over the years there has been a transition from trying to help the poor to turning being poor into some kind of a virtue.  I think that is reflected in the Social Justice movement of the church today.  But look at what the Bible says in Leviticus 19:15. 

We aren't to favor the poor and we aren't to favor the wealthy either.  For justice to be served we are to treat them equally.  We are to give each a fair hearing and judge only on the facts, not on their social standing. 

So the next time you hear any of the get the rich rhetoric this campaign season, think back to Leviticus 19:15 and recognize it for what it is.