Sunday, November 28, 2010

Poor in Spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Matthew 5:3

In our walk with Christ, the way we begin is the way we are to continue on. We entered into the kingdom by humbly receiving the Lord's sacrifice for our sins. We began with humility. We saw ourselves as sinners needing the hand of a merciful God. We are to continue in our walk with the Lord through an attitude of humility.

We are to see ourselves as poor spiritually apart from Christ. Without Him we can do nothing of eternal significance. The word humility comes from the root word “humus”. Humus is fertile soil. Adam was created from the earth by the hand of God. We are to remember our origin. All of us are made in the image of God, but we were originally made from the earth. We are vessels of clay who carry within us the glory of God.

We also receive God's word in the soil of our hearts. It is through humility that we receive the Lord's wisdom from the Scriptures. It is through a spirit of meekness that we see God's promises fulfilled in our lives.

Humility also displays itself in our relationships. When we allow the Holy Spirit to give us an attitude of humility, it will cause us to consider others as better than ourselves.

Let's humble ourselves before the Lord and each other. Let's allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and teach us to continue down His road of blessing by being poor in spirit.

Lord of Heaven,

Deliver us from pride, arrogance, and self promotion. Help us to cultivate a heart of humility. Let the fruit of Your Holy Spirit abide within us and fill us with Your meekness. Open our eyes to see who we are in You as well as who we would be without You. Let us live to bring You glory. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thank You

Two words that say so much
Thank You
For all He's done
For all He's yet to do
For the essence of His character

We are grateful to the One
Who first loved us
Who saved us from destruction
Who watches over each of us
With vigilance and care
Who forgives our every sin
And heals our diseases

We are grateful for
Loved ones and friends
Family near and far
All of God's blessings
Little and large
Seen and unseen

Lord we thank You
You are forever worthy of
Our praise and Thanksgiving

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

No Longer From a Distance


When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. 2 Samuel 6:6-7

In the Old Testament, followers of Yahweh could not enter into the presence of God; they had to worship the Lord from a distance. When David was bringing the ark to Jerusalem, the priests placed it on a cart. The ark was the physical house of the Lord's presence, and the priests were instructed by the Lord to hold the ark of God with special poles. When the ark slipped, Uzzah lunged forward to catch it. The Lord then struck Uzzah down: he died instantly.

Christ's sacrifice on the cross forever changed the landscape of faith. When Jesus hung against the darkened sky and breathed his last, the veil of the temple tore in half. The temple veil provided a barrier between the worshipers and the holy of holies, where the ark was kept. No one was allowed to enter into the holy of holies except the the high priest, and he was only allowed to enter into this sacred place once a year. The priests even tied a rope to the high priest's ankle. If the high priest tried to approach the room where the ark lay without properly following the Old Testament laws pertaining to this annual encounter, he too would be killed in the presence of the Lord. But when the veil split in two, a new way was opened for those who put there faith in Christ.

Now we, who have been born again, can enter freely into God's presence by the blood of Christ. The ark of God no longer holds the presence of God here on earth. Instead, those of us who have entered into a relationship with the Father through Jesus have the Holy Spirit living in us. We are temples of the Holy Ghost. Now we can come boldly into the throne of grace to obtain favor and God's blessing. We no longer need to worship from afar. We can draw near to God. We can worship the Lord with passion and true intimacy.

Let's approach the Lord with reverence, awe, and full surrender. He is holy, but He is also loving. He is just, but He is also merciful. Let's bow before the One who made a way for us to come to Him. Let's kneel before the Father who sent His one and only Son to die in our place so that we could know Him intimately.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Grace

Grace - a foundation strong and stable
All that's profitable rests upon it

Faith in Christ's finished work
From this cruel cross blossoms grow
Like Aaron's rod
Its petals are life-giving

When we build upon a faulty foundation
When our works attempt to pave the way to God
We are unfulfilled

Our feverish efforts produce only death
It is by grace through faith that we are saved
It is by grace through faith by which we grow

We are like seeds underneath the Sun
Of His grace
The Holy Spirit waters us
His love attends to our every need

We are blessed when we choose the path
Of unmerited favor
All we have and all we are
And all we will become
Is a gift from our benevolent King

Friday, November 5, 2010

The Need Within

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:13

One of man's greatest physical needs is to drink water. The human body cannot function without it. Our bodies are composed of 55-78 percent water, depending on our weight. When Jesus met the woman at the well, he asked her for a drink of water. But then Jesus offered her another kind of drink, namely eternal life.

Inside each of us is an empty void that we try to fill. It is a need within. Some of us attempt to satisfy our heart cry with material things. Others pursue pleasure. Some look to drugs, alcohol, and sex to fill their inner thirst. Some seek after relationships. Still others try to find contentment in various forms of religion, but wonder why their hearts do not find satisfaction.

Jesus offers us all living water to satisfy our souls. When we come to Him, we find all that we need. A relationship with Him meets all the deep needs of the heart. To come to Him, we must acknowledge our sinfulness and receive His gift of eternal life. He purchased our salvation by dying for us on the cross. We can come to Him and receive His complete forgiveness for our sins.

When we embrace Jesus, we enter into an eternal relationship with Him and with our Heavenly Father. This relationship is like water for our thirsty souls. When we come to Christ we find satisfaction within, and we inherit an eternal home in heaven. If you haven't come to the One who will bring you everlasting contentment and joy, then come and pray a prayer like the one below....

Dear Jesus,

I have tried to satisfy my need within by filling up on other things. Now, I realize that You are the One I desire. Lord, I admit that I am a sinner. I ask you to forgive me of my sin. I thank you for helping me to begin a relationship with the Father. Thank You for Your gift of eternal life. Lord, I choose to folllow You all the days of my life. Amen.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

God Answers Prayer

God answers prayer
Sometimes in a whisper
Sometimes with a shout

Sometimes in ways imagined
In ways specifically desired

At other times, His answer can try us
We may not always like the way He moves
But the Father has our best in mind
He fosters character within us

Yes, God answers prayer
Sometimes in a whirlwind
Sometimes in a wisp

He still heals the sick
And sets the captives free
He still forgives
And ransoms you and me

God answers our every prayer
Let's believe Him for the best
Let's set our sights high
God is faithful
He will cause us to be blessed
And to be a blessing