EARTHLY IMAGE OR GODLY IMAGE?

A few months ago as I was in Tulsa sitting at a store waiting for my sister to pick me up I was observing the shoppers going in and out of the store. Designer handbags, beautiful makeup and hairstyles, nice clothes. Basically the things of the outward appearance or the shell we live in. The real true man or woman lies underneath this facade.

When you go about your day are you more concerned about your earthly image or your godly one? In other words is it more important how you look or how you act? Of course we have to present a clean image especially if you have a job. But the outward man or woman is not what is the most important. You have heard someone say someone has a good personality and does not comment on anything else? Truly it is this inner person that is the most important.

1 Samuel 16:7(NIV) says 'But the Lord said to Samuel "do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does look at the things people look at. People look at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."' 1 Peter 3:3-4(NASB) says 'Your adornment must not be merely external-braiding the hair and wearing of gold jewelry, or putting on dresses, but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.'

Remember your heavenly image is much more important to the Lord.

PRAYER: I seek to be more like you and "clothe" myself in righteousness each day. Sometimes I am too concerned of others opinions. Help me be reminded only what I do for God counts. In Jesus' name. Amen.

LIONS, TAINTED LETTUCE, TSUNAMI'S, OH MY!

Being afraid of disasters and what "could happen" is probably pretty common with some people. Like in the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz" the late actress Judy Garland who played the main character Dorothy who was on her way to Emerald City going through a scary forest. She chanted "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" as a way to possibly take care of her fears. I have to admit when I was a child it was those flying monkeys that scared me.

Turn on your nightly news and no doubt you are inundated with news of murders, wars, rapes, floods, fires, recalled food, failing schools, sex scandals, financial ruin, drought, riots, and on and on the list goes. If a person feeds their mind with nothing besides bad news all the time then what do you suppose they will do? Probably worry and speculate when something is going to happen to them. Certainly they will have a difficult time having peace.

Then there is Hollywood, bless their sweet little hearts. When I was growing up all the television shows were mostly happy and family friendly. Bonanza, My Three Sons, Lassie, Lawrence Welk, The Ed Sullivan Show, No Time For Sergeants, The Lucy Show, Andy Griffith, Gun Smoke, Batman, Donna Reed, Flipper, Mickey Mouse Club, Leave it to Beaver, and The Monkees to name but a few of the choices on only three channels. Many of you reading have no idea what on earth I am talking about. I am talking about decent, wholesome television that taught values and didn't create fear. The movies were basically the same. The slippery slope we have gone down since the 60's continues. Today we have crime dramas, implied sex on television, alternative families, murders, lawyer shows, reality shows and on it goes. Most likely the best viewing will be not the mainstream channels with a very few exceptions.

What do we as a Christian do? We do not act holier than thou, but we really need to ask ourselves if what we are about to watch is suitable if Jesus were your guest. No one needs to have a steady diet of profanity and violence in their heads. The infamous F word has become like slang and some are not even phased by its' use.Even government officials have been caught on open mikes using it.

Do we purposely and intentionally go to things that scare us or do we practice discernment? Some say "It is only a movie". So what do we do?

Let me give you a few verses to ponder. The first is Romans 12:2(NIV) which says 'Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is God's will-his good, pleasing, and perfect will.' Next is a verse found in Psalm 101:3(NIV) 'I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The deeds of faithless men I hate, they will not cling to me.' Finally Isaiah 41:10(NIV) says 'So do not fear, for I am with you.Do not be dismayed for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.'

We are to be in this world but need to be different in our choices of things based on our walk with the Lord. The whole point is that it is the enemy who wants you fearful of things in your every day life. It is Jesus who brings peace. Turn off the bad news and fearful things around you and turn on to God instead.

PRAYER: Lord forgive me when I have intentionally gone to a movie knowing it was not going to be good for me to see. Convict me Lord when there are things around me that seem popular and I may want to fit in but these things I know deep down in my heart are not right. I want to be your witness and therefore keep me on the right path. In Jesus' name.Amen.

KEEP THE FAITH

Have you ever felt we are in the center of a culture war and the
Christian side is losing? That is what our enemy wants us to think. We
are truly in a battle of good and evil but if you read the end of the
Bible you know the "good guy" wins.

God is supreme. He will not be mocked by a corrupt government. He will
not be "redefined" as His word is yesterday, today, yes, forever
unchanging. He will not be ruled "unconstitutional" as He is God. Many
may try to ignore Him trying to defend their way of life but He is
still here and He represents truth and forgiveness for those who
repent of their sins.

I drive home the point allot in my writings of how important it is to
know the word of God for in it lies truth and the answers to many of
life's issues. God is so much bigger and powerful than puny mere men
who try to legislate Him away.

When we ignore him doing our own thing and listen to the lies of the
enemy, Satan, he is sad.

A good Bible verse for this modern "do my own thing" era is found in
the book of Romans chapter 12 verse two and it says simply 'Do not
conform anymore to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind then you will be able to test and approve what
God's will is.His good, perfect, and pleasing will.' In other words
you have to be a non conformist to things you know are not right. This
does not mean start fights but this means to speak up in love and do
not allow God's word to be mocked.

Galatians 6:7(NIV) says 'Do not be deceived. God can not be mocked for
whatever a mans sows that will he reap.'

Whose voice are you listening to today?

PRAYER: Today I pray for a soft pliable heart so that I do not become
desensitized to sins around me or in my own life. Keep my eyes opened
to your truth. Give me Holy boldness to speak the truth in love. In
Jesus' name, Amen.

Click on link for a powerful song.
http://youtu.be/MpWozyQ2QH4

THOSE PESKY WEEDS!!

This past week I discovered what happens when you forget about your strawberry patch. It gets choked and buried under weeds. You have to work for hours to bring it back to life and make it look pretty again. Then it is necessary to keep weeding it so the plants do not get "choked" and not grow.

Our spiritual life is like that. In previous devotions I have mentioned pulling the "weeds" out and referring to them as sin in our lives. These "weeds" keep the fruit of the spirit from growing in our daily lives. You may think you have yanked them out by the roots but lo and behold they crop up again and again and keep choking the plants. Sometimes they are vines with thorns that stick you when you try to get them out of the ground.

Sin in our life can keep us in bondage. Like these weeds, it grabs hold of you and unless it is dealt with and uprooted completely it will come back again and again. How do you get these devastating things out of your life? It is as simple as not conforming too much to this world and reading your Bible and meditating upon its' truths daily. The world can lure you into many "briar patches". By getting into the word of God you are putting on the "armor of God" to protect you from the attacks of our enemy, Satan. The more you read it you are able to "kill" those "weeds" that are choking your spiritual growth.

Certain things may tempt you and deep down you know you should not do them but that old devil tricks and deceives you and you cave in. Some sins are harder to escape from but you can not quit. God is on your side and He can help you get those roots of sin completely pulled up if you ask Him to.

Is sin choking out God and His word in your life? Make up your mind today that you will do what is necessary to not allow Satan to gain a foothold and become a stronghold of weeds in your life.
James 4:7(NIV) says 'Submit yourselves then to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.' This might mean saying no to something friends want you to do. It might mean being careful what you read and watch on TV and in the movies. It might be that you need to start a regular time with the Lord. You can not be strong and attempt to defeat the enemy if you do not hide God's word in your heart.

Psalm 119:11(NIV) says 'I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.'
PRAYER:Lord I need to be more like you and less conformed to the world around me. Help me Lord to impact the world you have placed me in. Forgive me when I have allowed sin to seep into my life and have done nothing to stop it. Give me your strength Lord to resist temptations the enemy throws at me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click on link for a powerful song to get your day started:

http://youtu.be/mSF8YzUzZmY

 

Additional reading: Read Ephesians 6:10-18

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ARE YOU CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD?

Truly think about that question for a while. Do you let the world squeeze you into what is popular and cool? Do you often go against what you know to be right only to please a crowd or someone? Do you catch yourself doing something you know will not make you closer to the Lord? If Jesus were here to see you right now would what you are doing or believing make Him sad? Remember He is here. These are just some questions to ponder. 

We live in this world but if you name the name of Christ you are to be different and set apart for kingdom work. This does not mean you have to act and dress alike and get self righteous. 1 Peter 3:15(NIV) says 'But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to give a reason for  the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect.'  Do you think people know you are "different" or do you pass by opportunities to speak out for Christ or set an example because of fear or embarrassment? Mark 8:38(NIV) says 'Anyone who is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with His Holy angels.' 

The following verse is good to end on. It was one of the first Bible verses I first  learned when i rededicated my life to Christ back in 1975. See if you can memorize it. Romans 12:2(NIV) 'Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will.' 

PRAYER: Lord I daily need my mind renewed so I can recognize if I am slipping into the pattens of this world. I know I am sent here to be your ambassador. Give me discernment of right and wrong and good and evil. Help me shine your light and show love to others. In Jesus' name. Amen.

WORLDLINESS OR GODLINESS

Do you have one foot in the world and it's passing pleasures and lusts
and the other foot into "church things"? Is your mind filled with
desires other than Jesus? Do you feel more excited about the things in
this world than you do having a relationship with Jesus?

First off as a reminder, we are only on the earth a very short amount
of time. What are you doing with that time to spread God's love and

impact the world and leave a legacy even when you are long gone?

Do you find "religious" things boring? Maybe it is time for a "heart
check up" to see how your love meter for Jesus is. When you accept
Christ into your heart you are to serve Him where He has you. When you
go out to eat and decide to pray do you sort of "hold your head" like
you are not really praying so you will not be embarrassed? I heard
someone once call this the "headache prayer". In Mark 8:38 it tells us
to 'not be ashamed of Him'. Think about that and ask yourself if you
have ever been ashamed of Jesus. Then look up and read that entire
verse. What if your children turned their back on you acting like you
embarrassed them? Well imagine how Jesus must feel if you say you live
for Him then act ashamed.

1 Timothy 6:6(NIV) says 'Godliness with contentment is great gain.'

Does it make you happy to serve the Lord and read your Bible? Are you
drawn into worldly activities more than Godly activities? For
instance, if the Bible and People magazine were side by side in a
doctors office waiting area which would you tend to grab for first? Is
your "ashamed meter" going off? I am not saying People magazine is bad
but what does it do for you? You learn all about what is happening in
Hollywood but why does that even matter? You get the point. I
challenge you to use your doctors' office time by picking up the
Gideon's Bible, which is usually in most waiting areas, and read
Psalms or Proverbs while you wait for your appointment.

We are in the last days, just look around you. This is not to say
Jesus is coming back tomorrow but if He did what would you be doing
with your time? Nothing wrong with going to movies and such just do
not let the "world" consume and shape your life.

Romans 12:2(NIV) reminds us 'Do not conform anymore to the pattern of
this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what God's will is- His good,
perfect, and pleasing will.'

A new year is upon us and yet another opportunity to make sure Christ
is truly first and the world second.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I love you. I confess at times I have let the world
influence me. I know I am to be different and set apart and shine for
you. Forgive me if I have ever acted embarrassed. Thank you for loving
me and forgiving me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 

 

THE PUMPKIN

Recently one of my cousins emailed me this thing about pumpkins and God. Basically it went something like this.

"We are all like pumpkins. God picks us from the patch, brings us in, and washes all the dirt off of us. Then He cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff in our life. This part can at times be painful as He chisels away using the  trials in life. Next, He removes those seeds of doubt, hate, and greed in our life. Then He carves us a new smiling face and puts His light inside of us to shine for all the world to see." What  a tremendous illustration of a jack o lantern from a Christian perspective!

With this being fall and the season where the leaves are turning gorgeous shades of red and yellow, many minds turn to decorating in a harvest theme. What better time to relay this story of the Pumpkin. I only wish I knew who to credit it to.

How is your life today? Do you feel like their are lots of 'slimy strings and seeds'  inside you that need to get rid of?  Maybe these things are keeping Christian Devotions, Inspirationyou from a closer walk with Jesus. Do you shine for Jesus and does your Christianface reflect joy or sorrow?

God can take all the bad stuff in your life and use it for good. When we are in the midst of a trial we certainly do not think of God's goodness. We just want to have relief from our pain. The enemy, Satan, may try to get you to believe God caused your pain.

James 1:3 says "the testing of your faith produces endurance."  Friend, would you like to get rid of those 'bad seeds' weighing you down that do not produce a good harvest for God? Cry out to Him today. He is waiting to transform you.

2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us " yet if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. Behold the old has come and the new has come."

PRAYER: Lord Jesus it is my desire to bear good fruit for the kingdom of God. If it is necessary, 'carve out' those yucky things in my life that keep me from reflecting your glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

IS GOD MOLDING YOU?

Disappointments, problems, hurt, being ignored or overlooked, rejection, fear. Who or what is shaping you? Are you being squeezed into the worlds' mold or are you trying to be molded by the spirit into a vessel for the Lord? Oftentimes the 'world' with its images of success confuse us and make us feel discontent. God created each person for a purpose and it was not to covet other peoples' things or desire to be like a Hollywood Star, Wall Street Mogul, or NY Model. Each of us has a place where God wants us to be. If you are in a certain place in life others look up to and which you no doubt worked hard for, stay humble and stay pliable for God. The main thing is we should desire to be formed and molded into a Christlike image. It should be our all consuming desire.

It says in Isaiah 64:8 that "He is The potter and we are the clay." Think about that for anyone who has ever done pottery. You take a big chunk of clay and start slapping it around to form the image you want before you put it in a kiln to fire it. So it is slapped and kneaded and then set in a very hot oven. Our trials we go through in life may not seem pleasant but they are used to conform us to His image.

Are you able to praise God through hardships of life? Death, illness, job loss, rejection by peers, and many other devastating things? These are all things occurring on the 'potter's wheel' of life. In the end all that matters is our relationship with the Lord.

PRAYER: Lord sometimes it hurts to be shaped and molded on your Potters' Wheel but I am thankful for everything in my life for it is making me into the person you want me to be. Help me Lord keep on the track of life that molds me into your image and not the worlds'. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Click on the link below and worship the Lord in song.

http://youtu.be/0ojULQaVoaw

Reading assignment: In the Old Testament Jeremiah Chapter 18

WORLDLY OR GODLY?

 We live in this world but are not to be of this world. (See Romans 12:2). What does that mean exactly you might wonder. The world through television,magazines, and movies primarily, tries to tell us how we should be or what we should do or wear to be 'cool' and popular. Seemingly it affects younger people more than older ones. These are the people whose minds are  being influenced and shaped by popular culture. Unless there is more of a God culture inside of them and a desire for righteousness it would be easy to fall for the lure of the New York or Los Angeles scene. Cool, popular,chic, the in crowd, famous, well liked, lots of money, big homes, lots of clothes and shoes, a fancy new car, parties  and on it goes. It is as if the culture wants us to buy into their lie of happiness. In Psalm 32:1 it says " Happy is the man whose sins are forgiven." Certain things seem to make us happy but does your happiness include the joy of the Lord which is where true happiness is found?

 Mark 4:19 tells us "the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires or other things come in and choke the word and make it unfruitful." Think about it. If your life is consumed with keeping up with others all the while squeezing out time with the Lord you will end up with lots of stuff but as a spiritual weakling. What is more important to you? Acquiring wealth and going to parties or building up a life that will bring glory,honor,and praise to God? If you acquire riches be sure to share and help others. There is nothing wrong with money but it is when it controls us that is bad.

There are many well to do Christians who know how to manage their life and do not let their wealth lure them into sin. You have to determine when God has blessed you to not forget Him. It is He, after all, who gives the power to gain wealth and blesses us with gifts and talents. (See Deuteronomy 8:18).

PRAYER: You oh Lord Give me the power to achieve and create and gain wealth. All things are from you. Help me to commit to staying away from the pattern this world wants to shape me into and instead seek to be more like you. In Jesus name  Amen.

Click on link for a song of praise.
http://youtu.be/5xvtDi0x6P4

THIS WORLD OR GOD'S WORLD?

Who do you live to serve? God or man? Do you wear a cross around your neck but it is meaningless, just jewelry? There is an old hymn that says "this world is not my home I'm just a passing through" and oh how true that is. Scripture tells us in James 4:14 that "Our life is like a vapor".  So many people live as if this world is the final hurrah for them. If you are a believer you should be finding ways each day to make a difference in the world around you or someones life. Perhaps a smile at a coffee shop to a stranger, holding a door open, offering to take a cart back for a total stranger at grocery. Be creative. Think of something.

 Romans 12:2 says "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and prove what God's will is.  His good, pleasing and perfect will." Are you conformed to the world 'according to TV talk shows, magazines, and movies' or are you living to be different and be a representative of Christ and His kingdom?

In scripture believers are referred to as strange, set apart, peculiar,and as  ambassadors.

 It is so easy to be molded into the worlds image even as a believer. If you watch all the talk shows, bad news, and feed your mind with worldly garbage they spew forth, sooner or later you will no doubt start changing your thinking. What is the purpose of going to church and reading the Bible if we do not lead a life that is somewhat different? We need to be reacting to problems differently and standing firm through trials. You are an example for others who may know you are a believer.

The world believes and operates by different standards. For you to assume everyone is having sex when dating is wrong because that is not true. There are those who believe and follow the Bible and have self control. It sure is easy to think it is normal to go out on a date and hop into the sack if you get a constant diet of some of the movies out of Hollywood. Do you use Hollywood's  standard or God's Standard? Even the way we dress should be different and reflect Christ. Do you ladies reading this tantalize the male employees in your office by wearing  low cut tops or shirts too short? Men are tempted by sight and as a woman of God you should be aware of how what you where affects others and try to dress more modestly. (See 1 Timothy 2:9).Just cause the world swears up a blue streak does not mean we should follow suit.  It is the end of tax season and as a believer I hope you did the honorable thing there too. You get the point?

Challenge yourself to be more God centered and less world centered. We are only
down here for such a limited time. Live for God's world and be a superb representative for Him.

PRAYER: Lord forgive me if I have ever let this world and not your word shape my thinking. I want to work more towards conforming to the heavenly kingdom. Help me as I seek to be your witness here on this earth. In Jesus name. Amen.