14th July, 2008
The Difference
What is the difference between the Church and the secular society that claims “an open Jesus”. That is, a “Jesus” that just understands the maters of life and will not ever be judging the soul as He has been “taught” by many to judge. Sort of a “marshmallow” savior that is so soft that one can just lean in and be comforted but never challenged to be like the “real” Christ of the Gospels. It really matters when you come into a relationship with God. He has brought every solution to every problem. The conduit for for this absolute “set free” attitude is Jesus’ purpose and placement in and on this earth. He came to set us free from the “stuff” that we are so readily to carry around. The solution to the incorrigible attitudes that we confront daily, from the morning mirror to the evening “wink”. These attitudes feed off the secular, carnal, adeptness that comes from being overburdened by a problem. Each human being takes the approach of independence from God as the problem or confrontational aspirations bring an effectual response from the inner-man. However, man is not created to last in such a battle when the Lord puts His mercy as a “weight” on the heart which controls the inner-man and the will. The immediate creative response which is uncovered by mercy is to place the solution as a oil upon a wound. Knowing this brings out the “attitude” of change and the tilling of the heart’s fallow ground to receive the “seeds” of the Word of God. The difference is simple, secular response to a holy God is a matter of time and strength compared to the “hunger” of a person’s heart that responds to the burden and weight of mercy.
Best
Dennis
Posted at 11:22 pm | Comment (0)
13th July, 2008
Moving Into His Solutions
The beginning of all blessing must come by the premier activity of “belief”. I really like the fact that Hebrews 11:6 just puts it all into perspective:
But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].
We truly serve the God of solutions. We praise the God of possibilities. We worship the God of promise(s). We are living in a day of great turmoil and absolute doubt of a caring God who is the answer to life’s difficulties. That same God is willing through grace to abolish all doubt by activating the miraculous through those who would just believe.
Ponder for a moment that your ears would hear the solution and not problem. Ponder also, that you do not have the answer to your problem but you could find the solution through a relationship with a Holy God! Ponder now that even though life’s difficulties may arise at the most inopportune time you would have the faith to be the overcomer and have the “more than conqueror attitude”.
When you look into the Word of God you will find that every difficulty had a solution from the Creator of the heavens and the earth. From the moment of Adams and Eve’s fall in the garden to the moment that is passing you by right now God has the solution for your difficulty. He is able, yes, exceedingly abundantly more than able to take care of all that we ask or think! (Ephesians 3:20).
I really like the story of Abraham who was as dead and Sarah had a womb that was dry, yet, God spoke to him about being a father of many nations with descendants! Instead of denying that miracle he embraced the God of miracles and believed! He grew strong in faith and gave glory to God! He gave respect to the promise of God! (Romans 4:17-21).
Now activate your faith and believe right now that God will perform in you that which He has promised.
Best
Dennis
Posted at 11:40 pm | Comment (0)
2nd June, 2008
Being A Caring Person
Caring is a very difficult word to define in a world where being self-centered is in vogue. When one stops and ponders on the events of the time it is not to long before it is noticed that people need to be cared for. When the Lord, our God, looked across the heavens and saw us in the future He knew we needed to be gently delivered from our worries and fears. God knew and He cared! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, NKJV) He took a step into time in the form a man who was took on our infirmities. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:5-7, NKJV) He took on our infirmities…”that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”” (Matthew 8:17, NKJV) As He became our likeness we became His when we received Him in our hearts. That same character or attitude for caring now resides in a believer’s heart. In one sense it is as though once we did not care but now we do! We care for the hurting, sick, the lost and one another. Being a Christian is not just a title but an honor that bears responsibility. In another sense we are to bear one another’s burdens as Christ bore ours. He was nailed to a cross…”who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, NKJV) When He appears we are to be like Him…”Beloved, now…we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2, NKJV) This matter of caring begins with relationships being built. The relationship with the Lord has been solidified through belief, repentance and confession. He listens to the Christian as supplication our made. He listens because He cares. The Christian prays knowing that God will listen. As you enter into each day have a listening ear. People have burdens to share and their heart is burdened with pain and troubles. Just by stopping and listening you could make a difference in the life of another person. You could build a friendship that would bring someone into the moment of repentance. By caring and bearing someone’s heart-felt pain you would show Jesus’ love and compassion. Just ponder for a moment on what He saw from the cross! He was in His own anguish yet He saw you and the world in pain. He looked past His own pain to the joy of care.
Best
Dennis
Scriptures used in this blog post are from The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Posted at 10:21 pm | Comment (0)
27th April, 2008
Stages In Life
Man, it is really hard lately to even embrace all the “change” that is going on! What I mean by this is that one must be careful not to embrace falsehood. The enemy can counter with really good stuff that sounds good. He tried that with Jesus in the desert, remember? This kind of change comes when people become really frustrated or even weary trying to accomplish what is believed to be “Godly” desires. Often they are, but, the darkness begins to act like light and BAM, oops there it is, loss and failure. Yes, failure to continue in what your goal was! Just keep a knee bent and a heart lifted to Him who can show you the tomorrow before it comes.
God wants success for His people (Church) not failure! I know that stages come through out life that offer perfect platforms to perform on. The question is this: Does He want you to perform on that platform or is there another just for you? His voice and His text is the ruling factor in every decision for change. Listen for Him, He is calling to all of us! These stages will pass! I hope and pray that we all will be ready for the next ones.
My Heart To Yours
Dennis
Posted at 9:02 pm | Comment (0)
26th April, 2008
Tweaking Christianity
Yep, that is what the title states. Ever since Jesus took off in the sky we have been trying to tweak Christianity. Trying somehow to make it better than when Jesus was here. Kind of weird I think! Jesus twisted the Pharisees one day by stating:
“‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”” (Matthew 15:8-9, NKJV)
Letting them know that all their precepts and laws that they had created were causing difficulty in worshiping God. And that truly is what has been happening throughout the history of the Church. Even today as we look at the different movements and associations that are birthed in this pot-modern society. All these new ideas and quite frankly really bad ideas they are, are making it difficult for people to even get to know the real Jesus. Sometimes I just want to shout out, “Will the real Jesus please stand up and tell everyone again that their hearts are far from Him. I just want everyone to stop tweaking what does not need to be tweaked. Individuals should tweak there own thoughts about their relationship with God. Working out your own salvation with fear and trembling. You cannot make better what God has already made perfect. The goal is to mature into the fullness of Christ. Not tweak this relationship so that there really is not a relationship but a translucent image of some surrealistic Jesus that cannot be reached because the relationship “thing” is not tweaked enough. Right now I feel like playing Pink Floyd’s Wish You were Here at full decimal sound with my head stuck inside the speaker!
My Heart To Yours
Dennis
All Scripture used in this blog are from the The New King James Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Posted at 10:22 pm | Comment (0)