The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness.
Zephaniah 3:17
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
On my heart today
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Praise God for filling every moment with joy and purpose, that He has set before us a race that He strengthens us to run, and that the finish line is Jesus Himself.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Praise God for filling every moment with joy and purpose, that He has set before us a race that He strengthens us to run, and that the finish line is Jesus Himself.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Store up His Word in your heart
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion says my soul,
Therefore, I will hope in Him.
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him;
To the soul who seeks Him;
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:22-26
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion says my soul,
Therefore, I will hope in Him.
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him;
To the soul who seeks Him;
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:22-26
Monday, May 12, 2008
The Parable of the Sower
I wrote a devotional for my small group and wanted to share it here. Enjoy!
Text
Mark 4: 3-9, 14-20 (parable also recorded in other gospels)
Key Passage
Verses 18-19
And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Discussion
Mark 4 describes an instance that is not uncommon in the Gospels – Jesus speaking to the multitudes in parables. He teaches them, He in His boat, and they on the land, about the varying responses to the Word of God. It is a familiar parable – a sower sows seed (the Word). Some falls by the road and is eaten by birds. Other seed falls on shallow soil and does not take root. There is yet seed that takes root but is choked by thorns and remains unfruitful. And finally, there is the seed that falls on the good soil, yielding a bountiful crop.
In Christ’s exposition of the parable to the disciples, He explains more fully the meaning behind each these “environments” on which seed is sown. I want to focus in on the third “environment”, where the seed takes root, but is choked by thorns and does not bear fruit.
Christ explains that these “are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”
Now, I believe that the people Christ speaks of here are Christians, those who have truly received the word of God in faith and can be called His. But, there are three things in this passage that cause these Believers to not bear fruit – the worries of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things.
Scripture is clear that we are not to worry as the world does, for our Heavenly Father knows what things we need (Matt 6:31-33). He tells Mary that she is worried about many things when only one thing is needed (Luke 10:38-42). Paul commands us not to be anxious about anything, but to make our requests known to God in prayer (Phil 4:6). But here Jesus is explicit – if you concern yourself with the things of this world, His Word will be rendered powerless in your life, and you will not bear fruit.
Scripture also paints a vivid picture of the deceitfulness of riches and how money tends to cause people to forget about God altogether. It is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom (Matt 19:23). And there is something about money that it tends to master those who have it (Luke 16:13).
The last of the three things, “desires for other things”, is I think the most interesting and also the most frightening. These other things are not necessarily immoral, but they are those little things that drag us away from God’s Word into the realm of the mundane and meaningless. It is not just sin that can encumber us as we run the race (Hebrews 12:1). It could be TV, movies, sports, the social scene, exercise – anything that can distract from the power that is wrought by the Word.
It is the will of God that we bear much fruit for His name. May we strive to be people that yield fruit abundantly.
Text
Mark 4: 3-9, 14-20 (parable also recorded in other gospels)
Key Passage
Verses 18-19
And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Discussion
Mark 4 describes an instance that is not uncommon in the Gospels – Jesus speaking to the multitudes in parables. He teaches them, He in His boat, and they on the land, about the varying responses to the Word of God. It is a familiar parable – a sower sows seed (the Word). Some falls by the road and is eaten by birds. Other seed falls on shallow soil and does not take root. There is yet seed that takes root but is choked by thorns and remains unfruitful. And finally, there is the seed that falls on the good soil, yielding a bountiful crop.
In Christ’s exposition of the parable to the disciples, He explains more fully the meaning behind each these “environments” on which seed is sown. I want to focus in on the third “environment”, where the seed takes root, but is choked by thorns and does not bear fruit.
Christ explains that these “are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”
Now, I believe that the people Christ speaks of here are Christians, those who have truly received the word of God in faith and can be called His. But, there are three things in this passage that cause these Believers to not bear fruit – the worries of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things.
Scripture is clear that we are not to worry as the world does, for our Heavenly Father knows what things we need (Matt 6:31-33). He tells Mary that she is worried about many things when only one thing is needed (Luke 10:38-42). Paul commands us not to be anxious about anything, but to make our requests known to God in prayer (Phil 4:6). But here Jesus is explicit – if you concern yourself with the things of this world, His Word will be rendered powerless in your life, and you will not bear fruit.
Scripture also paints a vivid picture of the deceitfulness of riches and how money tends to cause people to forget about God altogether. It is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom (Matt 19:23). And there is something about money that it tends to master those who have it (Luke 16:13).
The last of the three things, “desires for other things”, is I think the most interesting and also the most frightening. These other things are not necessarily immoral, but they are those little things that drag us away from God’s Word into the realm of the mundane and meaningless. It is not just sin that can encumber us as we run the race (Hebrews 12:1). It could be TV, movies, sports, the social scene, exercise – anything that can distract from the power that is wrought by the Word.
It is the will of God that we bear much fruit for His name. May we strive to be people that yield fruit abundantly.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
This city
You're the God of this city,
You're the King of these people,
You're the Lord of this nation
You are
You're the light in this darkness,
You're the hope to the hopeless,
You're the peace to the restless
You are
You're the Lord of this nation
You are
You're the light in this darkness,
You're the hope to the hopeless,
You're the peace to the restless
You are
For there is no-one like our God
There is no-one like You, God
GREATER THINGS HAVE YET TO COME,
GREATER THINGS HAVE STILL TO BE DONE
IN THIS CITY
(Copyright Bluetree 2007)
Last week was the five year anniversary of our church, the Austin Stone Community Church. It was amazing to celebrate those five years with our Body. The longer that someone had been with our church, the greater the joy that they expressed as we worshiped together.
At the end of the service, we sang this song written by a band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The song was written about Belfast, but it was so appropriate for our five year celebration. God has been powerfully moving in our Body; he has transformed lives, redeemed relationships, cured diseases (literally), and captured hearts. But the words to this song are a challenge to me. Don't stop dreaming big about what God can do. Yes, He has done incredible things so far, but we must not stop dreaming and praying and longing for Him to do more. Greater things have yet to come in our city.
(I hijacked this picture from Sarena Green off of facebook. Isn't it amazing?! Thanks Sarena!)
At the end of the service, we sang this song written by a band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The song was written about Belfast, but it was so appropriate for our five year celebration. God has been powerfully moving in our Body; he has transformed lives, redeemed relationships, cured diseases (literally), and captured hearts. But the words to this song are a challenge to me. Don't stop dreaming big about what God can do. Yes, He has done incredible things so far, but we must not stop dreaming and praying and longing for Him to do more. Greater things have yet to come in our city.
(I hijacked this picture from Sarena Green off of facebook. Isn't it amazing?! Thanks Sarena!)
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