Always be willing to share!

I've mentioned this before but I had an experience the other day that prompts me to talk about it again.

I had a passenger the other day who was going to Battle Creek.  We started out just having a normal chat but somehow one thing led to another and we were talking about God.

Now that one thing that led to another was me simply sharing and being transparent.  I don't really even know how it progressed.  It was just a natural progression of the conversation. 

Anyway I was able to give a little comfort to a somewhat troubled soul.  I asked if I could pray for her when I dropped her off and she said yes.  I prayed for her, we said our goodbyes, and went our separate ways.

Never underestimate the impact you can on others for Christ!

A simple credo to live by!

Colossians 3:17(NKJV)

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Can't really think of anything to add!  :)

Does God hate?

There are some who believe that God is love and therefore God doesn't hate anyone. 

Unfortunately as is often the case, Scripture says differently.  This passage is God speaking in the first person through His prophet Hosea.

Hosea 9:15(NKJV)

    “All their wickedness is in Gilgal,      For there I hated them.     Because of the evil of their deeds     I will drive them from My house;     I will love them no more.     All their princes are rebellious.

God clearly says that He hated these people.  God tells why he hated them.  And then God reinforces the notion by clearly stating that He will love them no more. 

That must come as a surprise to those who seem to think that God will love them and take them back no matter what they do, even if they don't repent, because God is love. 

What does Paul have against dogs?

There is some good stuff in Philippians 3.  One of my favorites is the "press towards the goal" quote.

Philippians 3:13-14(NKJV)

Brethren, 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, 

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

What caught my eye today though is this one.

Philippians 3:2(NKJV)

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 

What does Paul have against dogs?  :)

I've always found this a bit puzzling

Philippians 2:12-13(NKJV)

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 

for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Not sure what Paul means by that.  Work out my own Salvation?  How does that work exactly?  I thought the only way to Heaven (salvation) is through Jesus?  At least that is what Scripture says.  So instead of working out my own salvation I think I will do it the way Jesus says.  :)

As Christians, are we required to be accepting of everyone?

Often times when a Christian disagrees with someone who isn't a Christian we are accused of not being very accepting.  So that prompted my question.  Are we required to be accepting of everyone and their behavior? 

I believe Scripture gives us the answer and it is definitely no.  What makes me so sure?  Because Scripture tells us that God doesn't accept everyone in to Heaven. 

Therefore it makes sense to me that we as Christians don't need to accept those who have declared themselves enemies of God.  I'm not talking about judging others.  I'm talking about those who by word and action have made it clear that they have rejected Jesus. 

Now should those who rejected Jesus accept Him at a later day then I believe they should be received into fellowship with open arms.  But while they are in open rebellion against God, I don't believe we have to be accepting of that.  And I don't believe we should feel any guilt at all for not accepting evil in others. 

Every now and then you run across something that makes you go, hmm.

Every now and then you run across something that makes you go, hmm.  I've read it many times but never noticed this part.  Take a look. 

Ephesians 4:9-10(NKJV)

(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 

He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

For some reason I have always thought of Heaven as the ceiling.  I had never thought of anything "beyond that".  But here we have Paul telling us that Jesus ascended above all the Heavens.  So the fact that there is something beyond Heave was a new concept to me.  The other thing of note is Heavens as in plural, more than one. 

I vaguely remember seeing other references to multiple Heavens but I'll have to look into that one some more. 

Exceedingly Abundantly! I've always loved that phrase.

Ephesians 3:20-21(NKJV)

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

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

I love the word picture that brings to mind.  Exceedingly abundantly!  God can meet out expectations, not just minimally.  Not just averagely.  God can meet our needs exceedingly abundantly!