GOOD WORKS

So I have been reading the Timothys and Titus the past couple of weeks. Finishing up Titus today, Paul makes a point about "maintaining good works". (Titus 3:8,14). So my question to you is what does that mean? What does it mean to maintain good works? I don't have my answer yet. Maybe after I read your responses I will:o) Looking forward to it!

PONDERINGS

I hope you enjoyed Deliberate. Well I don't know if hope so much you enjoyed it as much as I pray God met with you and dealt with you. That out of it came a deeper relationship with our Savior Christ Jesus and a burning desire to deliberately follow hard after Him, to touch the hem of His garment and to sit at His feet. To desire and choose a relationship with Him above all else.
Today I have a question for you. A point to ponder and I pray for some discussion.
I have been reading the letters to Timothy. One of the verses that I have heard often is verse 12.
"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity."
We appear to have an abundance of "young " pastors heading up or starting up churches across this land. I am not against "young" pastors. However, I think many of them forget the second half of the verse. To be examples in word, in conduct, in love... Arrogance seems to be very prevalent. Arrogance that dismisses the wisdom of elders, not just church appointed elders, but even elder men & women within the church. Arrogance that dismisses anyone who disagrees with them or challenges them on any point. Arrogance that presents a hip young leadership to the public. Full of compassion and grace to those who are lost. Yet it is a leadership that has the "my way or the highway" mentality. A leadership whose grace and compassion runs out when they are questioned or disagreed with.
I know there are many "young" pastors across this land who are doing exactly what Paul had instructed Timothy to do. Who are humbly accepting the great gift God has placed within them and acting in a manner that reflects that humility. I am not saying if you pastor is young (or older for that matter) that you should be disagreeing with them on every point and challenging their authority. But how your pastor responds when you do ask questions should tell you a lot. Arrogance on either side destroys relationships. Arrogance will always find its way out into the public eye. That is the thing about arrogance - it wants to be seen and heard.
So what do you think about this verse? Do you see it differently? Please share if you do. Otherwise it is just my ramblings. Granted I could ramble for a while but it is so much more fun if you join in.
Looking forward to hearing from you!

FOR YOU AND FOR ME

We have talked this week about the choices Christ made. Growing up under the subjection of His earthly parents. Spending time alone with God and constantly pointing us back to God and His glory. Today I would like to sum it up in two verses.

1. Look up and summarize John 3:16 & Mark 10:45.

Everything Christ did stemmed from the Father's love for us. He did not need to rescue Rahab. He did not need to get His house in order. He did not need to be restored as our sinful woman did. We are the ones who needed that. Our Father in Heaven desired for us to brought back into fellowship with Him. He desired His Son to be a willing sacrifice and His Son obeyed. WHY?
So that the Father would be glorified!
This is the ultimate call on our lives. To choose to be in such fellowship with the Lord God that we willingly do His bidding in order to bring Him glory. No pride or self-serving motives. Only desiring to please our heavenly Father and bring others to know Him as well.

2. Look up John 15:13 and write it down.

When we choose to follow after God, to be trained by Him, to glorify Him, to lay aside our selfish needs and desires, we are laying down our lives for our brothers. May we choose today to be living testimonies of that.

Close today by looking up John 15:15-17. Meditate on that word today.
Choose Christ!For He has surely chosen you.

GLORY

Yesterday we ended up by focusing on good or bad, God can and should be glorified.
In John chapter 8 verse 50, Christ tells us He is not seeking His own glory. He is seeking for the Father to be glorified in Him. The Lord's prayer ends with giving God the glory.

1. Please read John 12:28 & John 21:19. What was the purpose of Jesus going to the cross?

His very death was to bring glory to the Father.

2. Read John 11. Make note of verses 4 & 40.

One of saddest times in the life of Jesus. His dear friend has died and his siblings are distraught. Yet, even in the sorrow, Jesus points them back to the glory of God.

3. Look up Matthew 5:16. What is the two fold purpose of letting our light shine?

4, Please read John 15:8. Why is it desirable for us to bear much fruit?

5. Now read John 14:13. Why did Jesus say He would answer our prayers?

The point of our lives is to bring glory to the Father. When people see Jesus in us it points to His glory. In good or bad times, letting Christ reign in us will only draw people to Him.

Take a moment today and reflect on someone who pointed you to the glory of God. How did it impact your life? Feel free to leave a comment about it!

Then look for opportunities for you to be that to someone else today. Not only look, but be deliberate in acting upon them. Whether it is a child at home, a co-worker or a cashier, the light you shine has eternal ramifications.
Shine brightly, my friends, shine brightly!

ALONE WITH THE FATHER DAY 3

Hope you had a good weekend. Mine had an unexpected turn of events, but was blessed by the Lord the entire time! You can click here to read about it.
Now let's get back to the Word - for it is good & timely!
The third time in Scriptures Christ goes away to pray is found in Luke 6:1-16.

1. Go ahead and read that passage. Jot down a synopsis in your notes (aka the short version).

Christ had just healed a man and was about to name the apostles. Again, He goes to the Father. He does not call a group meeting and ask for input. He goes to the giver of all wisdom. I am asking myself now - how often do I go to God after I have done some part of His will? How often do I go to Him before I start to name people? Do I go before Him when I have finished something He wanted me to do? Do I go to Him BEFORE I make a decision about people? Christ did, why don't I?
I am sure you could ask yourself some of the same questions.
Christ took timeouts in His day and His life to be alone with God. Christ was alone with God when things were bad. Christ was alone with God when things were good. Christ was alone with God when important decisions needed to be made.
See by drawing away with God, we put the focus back on Him. If things are good, it is to His glory. If things are going badly, they can be turned to His glory. We will be unable to see that for ourselves unless we get alone with Him and talk one on one.
I challenge you today (and everyday) to make time to be alone with Christ Jesus. No structure, no time limit, no agenda.
Just you and Him.
One on one.
Have a blessed week!

ALONE WITH THE FATHER DAY 2

I hope you had yourself a good long time out yesterday. If not, try again today! Today we are going to look at the second time Christ takes a retreat.

1. Please read either Mark 14:32-42 or Matthew 26:36-46.
Summarize what is about to happen in your notes.

Christ has just finished the Last Supper with His disciples. He and Peter had gone through the whole denial bit. Jesus knew what was coming. He most definitely noticed when Judas left the table (John 13:30). He knew the end was near and things were going to get tough.
Did He stay in the company of His friends?
No.
He went to be alone with God.
I can think of a couple of times in my life when I have made that choice to physically isolate myself. To just be alone before the Father with literally no one else around. Before we had our oldest son, I miscarried a pregnancy. I remember telling my husband when I left the doctor's office I wanted to go to the church. I sat in the sanctuary all by myself. No one else around and just cried. I wanted to be alone with my Dad. Now, even with people around, I can be alone with the Father. This alone is different. This alone is gut wrenching, where you lay it all out. You don't care what people think or say, because no one is around to think or say.
When was a time you had an alone time like that?
Are you in need of one now?
Do you need to have yourself a good cry - a gut wrenching, cleansing cry?
Those tears are cleansing. Don't keep them bottled up.
Maybe you don't need to cry. Maybe you just need to withdraw from all the "good" you are doing and sit before the Good.
Perhaps you need to withdraw because you know the road ahead is going to be tough. Maybe you don't know the road at all, and that is the tough part.
Try to find time today to sit alone, not only before but with, the Lord Jesus. Sit with Him, fellowship with Him, talk with Him. He is waiting for you. He is longing to be with you. He will meet you where you are.
Have a blessed day.

ALONE WITH THE FATHER

Hope you have had a good week so far. Sorry for the delay. We have had a few changes around here and that has caused some computer down time.
Let's dive in.

1. Look up John 1:1-2 and read it.

Imagine a time when you had to be separated from someone you loved very much. How hard was it not to talk to that person face to face? How hard was it to not be able to hug them or touch them or hold their hand?
Our Christ did the very same thing. He had been with God from the beginning. Him and His dad. Together. Inseparable. Then the Word became flesh (John 1:14). Jesus walked away from His home to dwell among us. I know He longed to be reunited with His Father. I am sure Jesus dialogued with God all day. However, like us, times to talk to God one on one were precious to Him.
In the gospels, I found three different times when Christ went off alone to pray. The first is buried in Matthew chapter 14 verses 23-26 and retold in Mark chapter 6 verses 30-52.

2. Choose either passage and read it. Write down a summary of it in your notes.

Christ had just performed a miracle and was about to do another. His prayer was kinda like a time out. How many times have you and I wished for a time out? I tend, and probably we tend, to go from one project to another, one meeting to the next, etc. How often do we stop to regroup? How often do we stop to get our bearings straight and our heads on right?
Christ made the decision right then to separate Himself from the multitude and His disciples to be with God. He removed Himself from the busy attention craving world to get before the throne one on one.

3. What do you need a time out from? When was the last time you took a time out with God?

Look at you answers and then put yourself in time out. Seek the silence of a time out that will allow the sweet voice of the Spirit to speak to you.
If you can, let us know what He says.