Sunday, December 18, 2005

Personally Accountable; Jeremiah 31:29,30

Jeremiah 31: 29 & 30

The people will no longer quote this proverb "The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children's mouths pucker at the taste'. All people will die for their own sins- those who eat the sour grapes will be the ones whose mouths will pucker. The people tried to blame God's judgment on their sins of their parents. One person's sin does indeed affect other people, but all people are still held personally accountable for their own lives and their own actions, both the good and the bad. (Deuteronomy 24:16, Ezekiel 18:2 )

Examine your own heart... What excuses do you use for your own sin ?!?

Lord God we know that through your Word, you hold us each accountable for our own actions. Father this day we ask for your cleansing on our hearts, our lives, and our minds. Lord show us any areas of unconfessed sin and guide us each to make choices that will glorify you. For we pray these things in your Son's Precious and Holy Name, Amen..

Friday, December 16, 2005

Running Away -2 Tim 2:22

2 Timothy 2:22

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

Running away is sometimes considered cowardly. But wise people realize that removing themselves physically from temptation often can be the most courageous action to take. Timothy, a young man, was warned to run from anything that produced evil thought.Do you have a recurring temptation that you find hard to resist ?Remove yourself physically from any situation that stimulates your desire to sin.
Knowing when to run is as important in spiritual battle as knowing when & how to fight.Lord, we thank you that you are our refuge and our strength in times of trouble. God we ask you to lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Guide us to stay away from those things which tempt us. And lead us onto the path of righteousness for your names sake. In Jesus Name, Amen..God Bless You !

CHRIST IN ME

CHRIST IN ME - - - - -by Max Lucado

Like Mary, you and I are indwelt by Christ. Find that hard to believe? How much more did Mary? No one was more surprised by this miracle than she was. And no one more passive than she was. God did everything. Mary didn't volunteer to help. What did she have to offer? She offered no assistance.
And she offered no resistance. Instead she said, "Behold, the bond-slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word"(Luke1:38).
Unlike Mary, we tend to assist God, assuming our part is as important as his. Or we resist, thinking we are too bad or too busy. Yet when we assist or resist, we miss God's great grace. We miss out on the reason we were placed on earth-to be so pregnant with heaven's child that he lives through us. To be so full of him that we could say with Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." (Gal. 2:20)
What would that be like? To have a child within is a miracle, but to have Christ within?

To have my voice, but him speaking.
My steps, but Christ leading.
My heart, but his love beating
in me, through me, with me.
What's it like to have Christ on the inside?
To tap his strength when mine expires
or feel the force of heaven's fires
raging, purging wrong desires.
Could Christ become my self entire?
So much him, so little me
That in my eyes it's him they see.
What's it like to a Mary be?
No longer I, but Christ in me.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Psalm 86:11-13

Psalm 86:11-13

Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth ! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever,
for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death. This prayer within a prayer captures a glimpse of vibrant spiritual vitality.

Two requests are made :"teach me your ways" and "grant me purity of heart". Each request has a God centered purpose : that the person praying would "live according to your truth" and "honor you".

No matter how well we know and follow God, we can always ask Him to increase our awareness and improve our obedience. Jesus echoed one of these requests in the sixth beatitude, "God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God"(Matthew 5:8)

Commit this prayer to memory & use it often to draw nearer to the Lord. Father we thank you again today for your Living Word. We come to you this day in humble prayer and ask for more and more of you in our lives. We love you Lord and we long to draw near to you. Wrap us in your love and write your Word on our hearts we pray, In Jesus Name, Amen...God Bless You !