Monday, June 26, 2017

Selfishness

Selfishness 

Human beings are flat out selfish.  Don't argue with me on this because you will just be proving my point.  And yes I know what an argument is remember I spent thirteen years at a call center dealing with people arguing about everything under the sun.  Had a few with my wife as well.  
Let's get to the root problem and that is selfishness.  We want our own way in any argument and most of the time we may not be wrong or right.  We need to shut up and calm down.  In James 4:1-3 the apostle gets right down to the nitty gritty.  "What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?  Don't they come from the evil desires that war within you?  You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it.  You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them.  Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it.  And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong---you only want what will give you pleasure."  If you still want to argue and tell me humans aren't selfish let me direct your attention to a baby.  Why a baby?  Cute, innocent, sweet right?  Take anything away from that kid and their world is on the verge of imploding.  Arguing is selfish.  You as a person are trying to A. Get your way, B. Convince party number two you're right, C.  Win the argument at all cost.  When you read in Galatians 5:19-21 it lists the desires of your sinful nature.  Here's a few listed that end up in an argument that proves what I'm saying about it being selfish.  "Quarreling, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division".   I pray a lot about the communication between my wife and I because we're stubborn, headstrong, selfish and are a work in progress.  Christians are supposed to exhibit the fruit of the spirit and we don't always get it right.  What do we need to show? Galatians 5:22-23 "But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. There is no law against these things."  
Like i said we get it all wrong more than we get it right.  I've been asking God to make me less selfish and argumentative because I don't like the person I am.  The apostle Paul didn't either.  Romans 7:21-25 is as loud as dropping the toilet seat in the middle of the night while everyone in the house is sleeping!  "I have discovered this principle of life--- that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.  I love God's law with all my heart.  But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.  Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?  Thank God!  The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.  So you see how it is: in my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin."  
So we're going to fail we're going to be selfish and argumentative.  We can seek forgiveness from God and the other party.  But you're here for hope and there is some.  Even though we're going to fall and there is forgiveness "each night begins a new day."  Lamentations 3:22-27 "The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my inheritance; therefore I will hope in him!'  The Lord is good to those who depend on him to those who search for him.  So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.  And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline."  


 

Sandi Patti - Hand On My Shoulder

Sandi Patti - Hand On My Shoulder Album: Le Voyage Year: 1993 label: WORD [VHS Rip Edited]



 

Rich Mullins - We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are

ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO ARISTA RECORDS From his 1996 hits collection: Songs To order a copy: http://www.amazon.com/...


 

Love & The Outcome - King of My Heart - (with lyrics)

I don't own any rights, for entertainment purposes only.


 

Margaret Becker performs 'Clay and Water' at His Gifts and Presence...

Margaret Becker performs 'Clay and Water' at His Gifts and Presence New England Arts Festival on June 27...


 

DC Talk - What if I stumble W/Lyrics

DC Talk - What if I Stumble I put this video together for our praise and worship at church . Enjoy!

Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Thrill

Thrill

Tonight at work I've been keeping an eye on the trajectory of the moon.  I can't exactly say why but when you work nights it's pretty fascinating to walk out and see.  I shared a verse this week on Facebook and also sent it to my friend David.  You see sometimes the New Living Translation says surprising things.  Psalm 92:4 is awesome.  "You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!  I sing for joy because of what you have done."  I guess I look a lot at the moon and water and sunrise because this stuff doesn't happen by accident it's a constant reminder that God is still on his throne and in control.  Here's your spiritual vitamin of hope.  Maybe you are stressed out like I have been and maybe you need to leave it with God and trust him.  But maybe you're asking why.  1 Timothy 4:10 is your reason why.  "This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers." See our hope is in the living God and it thrills us because of the things he has done and will continue to do for his people.  The ride isn't over. 
 "So let hope rise,
And darkness tremble
In Your holy light,
And every eye will see
Jesus, our God,
Great and mighty to be praised."

Speaking of the moon and not chicken fried steak this reminded me of one of my favorite songs that speaks of the moon and God's creation. 
This is the Color Green by Rich Mullins

"And the moon is a sliver of silver
Like a shaving that fell on the floor of a Carpenter's shop
And every house must have it's builder
And I awoke in the house of God
Where the windows are mornings and evenings
Stretched from the sun
Across the sky north to south
And on my way to early meeting
I heard the rocks crying out
I heard the rocks crying out

Be praised for all Your tenderness by these works of Your hands
Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless and bring to life Your land
Look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that You have made
Blue for the sky and the color green that fills these fields with praise

And the wrens have returned and they're nesting
In the hollow of that oak where his heart once had been
And he lifts up his arms in a blessing for being born again
And the streams are all swollen with winter
Winter unfrozen and free to run away now
And I'm amazed when I remember
Who it was that built this house
And with the rocks I cry out

Be praised for all Your tenderness by these works of Your hands
Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless and bring to life Your land
Look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that You have made
Blue for the sky and the color green

Be praised for all Your tenderness by these works of Your hands
Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless and bring to life Your land
Look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that You have made
Blue for the sky and the color green that fills these fields with praise"




 

Hillsong United From The Inside Out and With Everything Aftermath Live...




 

The Color Green by Rich Mullins with Lyrics

Fantastic song by Rich Mullins. Made with Lyrics for you to enjoy. All pictures come from Public Domain and Crea...



 

Because of Who You Are - Sandi Patti

A collection of Ian Ong's photograph of different sceneries in the Philippines. While looking at these photo...


 

Michael W. Smith - Great Is The Lord (Live)

Michael W. Smith - Official Video for “Great Is The Lord (Live)", available now! Buy the full length DVD/CD...



 

Rich Mullins - Sing Your Praise To The Lord - Live

Rich Mullins - Sing Your Praise To The Lord - Live

 
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, June 12, 2017

Revolutionary

Revolutionary 

There's a song I quote often by Aimee Allen and it says this.  "I'd start a revolution if I could get up in the morning."  Tuesday night I was reading in John 18 and something caught my attention.  It was leading up to the crucifixion of Christ.  John 18:39-40 "But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover.  Would you like me to release this 'King of the Jews'?"  But they shouted back, 'No! Not this man.  We want Barabbas!'  (Barabbas was a revolutionary.)". Here's the crazy thing that struck me about that.  When you read through the gospels the teachers of the law were constantly trying to convince Roman rulers that Jesus was stirring up revolts wherever he went.  Then you get to Pilate's court and these same leaders of the law demand an actual revolutionary to be released to them.  In Matthew 26:55 read Jesus exact words.  "Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?  Why didn't you arrest me in the temple?  I was there teaching everyday."  The very crime they accused Jesus of that he didn't do they demanded that type of person to be released to them.  Here's the irony of it. After the Resurrection in Acts 17:1-9 Paul and Silas were accused of causing trouble all over the world and disturbing the city.  Hmm sounds like another revolutionary accusation to me.  In Luke 23:19 we find out more about Barabbas.  "(Barrabas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.)". The same info is provided in Mark 15:7.  Did you know that Jesus not only died for our sins but he took Barabbas place on the cross that day?  The murderer and revolutionary was replaced. Here's the thing though Barabbas could have been any one of us.  "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard."  But there was hope that day in that substitution before the death penalty.  In Romans 5:8 "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."  It's love that replaced the revolutionary that gives us life. "We need a love revolution ."  Scripture doesn't say what happened to Barabbas after that day that I know of but I can guarantee you one thing his life and ours will never be the same once we encounter Christ and let him change our lives.  
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 "And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.  And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him.  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.  So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us.  We speak for Christ when we plead, 'Come back to God!'  For God made Christ, who never sinned to be the offering for our sin so that we may be made right with God through Christ."  



Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)