Open Minded or Spiritual Harlot?

Interesting question isn't it?  There are a lot of Christians who think it is a good thing to be "open minded" and to pick and choose from other religions and astrologers and things like that.

I wonder what God thinks of that?

Hosea 4:12(NKJV)

    My people ask counsel from their wooden idols,     And their staff informs them.     For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray,     And they have played the harlot against their God.

Hmm.

Goals without action are just wishes according to Paul. I happen to agree with him on this.

I found this today.  I think it really speaks to the part of human nature that causes many to fail.  That cause is lack of action.

2 Corinthians 8:10-11(NKJV)

And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 

but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 

In other words goals without action are simply wishes.

Scripture tells us that God will give us visions and dreams of the plans He has for us.  Many people experience this and get all excited.  They tell you how committed they are.  I think that is what the Scripture above means with this phrase: "there was a readiness to desire it".

So how come so many people never achieve those dreams?  I believe what the Scripture above is describing is lack of follow through.  "You must also complete the doing of it".  And what is the biggest indicator of lack of follow through? 

Lack of action!  There is an old saying that has a lot of truth in it.  "What you do speaks so loudly that I can't hear what you say".  Lack of action on goals practically screams "lack of follow through".

I think one of the reasons that this caught my eye is that it is particularly relevant in my life today.   As we go through a change of season and embark on new adventures I find that action is the key to determining on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis whether we have advanced towards our goals or not.  That is why I set concrete action goals for each day and week.

Do you want to succeed in life?  Grab a Bible and read it.  All you need to know about how to succeed is in there.  All you have to do is read it……AND TAKE ACTION!   :)

It's OK to not do everything you are told?

There are some pastors and some churches out there who take the view that if you don't follow all of your pastors orders you are guilty of not submitting to authority.  I happen to disagree with that view. 

I think pastors are a good source for guidance but if I have a pastor telling me to do one thing and the Holy Spirit telling me to do something else, who do you think I am going to listen to?  I'm going to listen to the Holy Spirit every single time! 

Do I have a Scriptural basis to back up my belief?  Well as a matter of fact!  :)

I found this recently.

1 Corinthians 16:12(NKJV)

Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brethren, but he was quite unwilling to come at this time; however, he will come when he has a convenient time.

Here we have Paul "strongly urging" Apollos to do something according to Paul's schedule.  Now when your mother "strongly urged" you to do something, wasn't that a polite way of saying she ordered you to do it? 

But what did Apollos do?  He refused to do it Paul's way and stuck to his own schedule.  And did Paul get mad?  Not at all.  He allowed Apollos the freedom to follow his own plans.  Now this part is conjecture but I would think that at least part of the reason for that was that Paul was confident that Apollos was being guided by the Holy Spirit.  Paul didn't feel the need to micromanage and override the Holy Spirit. 

Some pastors today might want to consider that approach.  :)

Another example that we are not all equal in Christ in my opinion.

I have pointed out before that some people are under the misconception that we are all equally valued under Christ.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  We are all saved under Christ but Scripture is very clear that our rewards in Heaven (which I believe indicate our value to God) will be based on the amount of service that we provide to God. 

I had not noticed this Scripture before.  It raises an interesting point, if you accept Paul's teaching anyway.  Paul is talking about our gifts and how we use those gifts.  Paul very clearly says that God values one gift over another and Paul explains why that is.  Take a look.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5(NKJV)

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 

For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 

But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 

He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 

I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

Isn't that interesting?  Think about that.  God gives us our gifts.  So if some gifts are valued higher than others isn't God automatically giving some a head start?  Maybe, maybe not. 

Now how does the system work?  I will be the first to admit that much of this is conjecture on my part but this is what I think.  I first believe that God is a just God.  Therefore I think that the fact that one person is given a gift that is valued higher than another gift means very little.  I happen to think that the biggest determining factor is where our heart is and what we do with the talents we are given. 

I think the Parable of the Talents illustrates this perfectly.  

Matthew 25:24-30(NKJV)

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 

And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 

So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 

So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 

And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

I think what this is saying is that those who don't use their gifts will lose them.  God takes it personally when we waste the gifts He gave us. 

I think the part about "he who has, more will be given" simply means that those who use their initial talents will be given greater talents as they earn them.  While those who refuse to use their talents will lose the talents they were given. 

I have seen it in my own life.  As I have answered God's call and used my talents in one area I have seen God give me talents in new areas.  Talents that I never knew I had.  And as I used those new talents I was blessed with even more.  Pretty cool!

Would you like to experience that as well?  It starts with accepting Jesus.  Have you done that yet?  Just ask Jesus to come in to your life and lead you.  Have a conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…."

 

Once again that whole balance thing!!!

I've mentioned before that I believe the Bible is a book of balance.  You have to take it in its entirety.  Here is a great example.

Ecclesiastes 7:9(NKJV)

    Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry,     For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Now is this verse condemning ever getting angry or is it just a caution to be slow to anger?  How do we tell.  I would suggest that we look to the rest of Scripture. 

Take note of what I have highlighted in yellow above.

Exodus 4:14(NKJV)

So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 

1 Kings 11:9(NKJV)

So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 

Hmm, did Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes just call God a fool?  Solomon said that anger rests in the bosom of fools.  I have supplied two Scriptures (and there are many more) that tell of God's anger.  Do you think that is what Solomon meant?

This is where the whole balance thing comes in.  Here is my interpretation of it.  I don't believe the Bible tells us to never be angry.  In fact Ecclesiastes actually says there is a time for anger which makes Solomon's verse above that much more weird because if Solomon said there is a time for anger then why would he then say anger rests in the "bosom of fools"?

I believe the Bible is simply warning us to be slow to anger.  Don't take offense at every little thing.  Be ready to let things slide.  Be forgiving.  But there is a point where enough is enough.  There is a point where righteous anger is justified. 

How do we determine that point?  Through the study of God's word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  I believe that the more effort we put in to drawing closer to God the easier it is to determine these things.

So start your journey today.  Get in to God's Word on a daily basis.  Now life will occasionally get in the way.  Don't beat yourself up over that.  God knows your heart.  As long as you are sincere in your desire to draw closer to God you aren't going to be punished for missing a day or anything like that.

Please join me in seeking God and I hope you enjoy the journey!

Laughter and a smile should lead to hope…and hope does not disappoint!

Every hear that laughter is the best medicine?  I think there is a lot of truth to that…within context. 

For example if I get shot I think I would rather have them stop the bleeding and remove the bullet…not stand around laughing….but you get my point.  :)

I thought maybe we could change it to laughter is the best medicine for the Spirit but then I thought of something else that is even more important and it is something I have been pondering lately.  Take a look at these two Scriptures and I will pick it up on the other side. 

Proverbs 15:13(NKJV)

    A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,      But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Proverbs 17:22(NKJV)

    A merry heart does good, like medicine,      But a broken spirit dries the bones.

First the merry heart part.  If you want to see physical proof of this it is easy.  For those of you who work out, when you catch yourself maybe getting a bit tired put a big, genuine smile on your face.  You will feel your body change state (Tony Robbins concept) and you will feel a charge of energy.  A changing of the spirit if you will.  It works for me every time.

The one thing however that I think is more important to the spirit than laughter is hope!

What brings this to mind is that we are going through a change of seasons in our lives and I was puzzling the other day about why I feel so calm about the whole thing.  (And once again just to make sure all understand I am sharing this not to show how great I am but to show what great things God can do in our lives if we will only let Him!)

The first part of that answer is that I have Jesus to lead me so I have the "peace that surpasses all understanding".  And then to go along with all of that I have hope, and I think that is the key difference between me and someone in the same situation who has a negative outlook on things. 

Now why do I have hope?  Because I believe God always keeps His promises.  Plain and simple.  Here is one of my favorite foundational verses and you have all see it before.

Romans 5:1-5(NKJV)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 

through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 

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

and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 

Now 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.

Hope does not disappoint!!!!!

Now let me tie this all together.  The part I have highlighted in yellow is one of the most concise success formulas that I know of.  But pay attention to the first requirement because I believe it  is the foundation that the rest of the formula is built on. 
 

We are told to "glory in our tribulations".  What might that look like?  Maybe smiling and laughing in the face of adversity?  Hmm???

Different Gifts-But Do They Ever Change?

I love this passage about us all having different gifts.  I would like to go in a slightly different direction here however. 

The question I have is this.  Are our gifts the same throughout our life and ministry?

1 Corinthians 12:4-11(NKJV)

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 

There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 

And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 

for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 

to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 

to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

I haven't found anywhere in Scripture that addresses this yet but here is my view based on what I have seen in my own life. 

I believe that some of our gifts change over time.  Not all but some.  I think it is based on our life's experiences.  We may go through something in life that all of a sudden gives us understanding or empathy that we didn't have before.  That understanding or empathy can lead us to discover new gifts.  Does that make sense?

Now to argue the other side it is possible that you always had that gift, you just hadn't recognized it yet.  Sort of a which came first, the chicken or the egg scenario. 

Hmm, something to ponder!