|
Anticipation
|
Mar 4, 2011 5:15 am
1664 Views
|
Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
I will come again and receive you to Myself.
—John 14:3
Bible in a year:
Numbers 31-33; Mark 9:1-29
At the beginning of March, my friend began a countdown. Marked on the calendar in her office were the 20 days left until the first day of spring. One morning when I saw her, she volunteered, “Only 12 more days!” A few days later, “Only 6!” Her enthusiasm started to rub off on me, and I began to keep track as well. “Just 2 more days, Jerrie!” “I know!” she beamed.
As believers, we have something to look forward to that is even more exciting than the anticipation of budding flowers and lots of sunshine after a long winter. God has made many promises in His Word, and each one has been or will be fulfilled. But the certainty that Christ will return is one of the greatest promises of all. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. . . . Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,” and we’ll be with Him forever (1 Thess. 4:16-17).
Although no one can know the exact day, we have God’s promise that Jesus will come back Acts 1.7-11. As we celebrate the spring and coming Easter season, let’s encourage each other in anticipation of that day!
He is coming! Oh, the rapture
To behold His lovely face,
And to tell Him how I love Him,
Who has saved me by His grace.
Christ is coming—perhaps today!
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Who And How
|
Mar 3, 2011 4:38 am
1616 Views
|
Read: Mark 8:27-33
You are the Christ. —Mark 8:29
Bible in a year:
Numbers 28-30; Mark 8:22-38
Whenever I read the Gospels, I identify with the disciples. Like me, they seemed slow to catch on. Jesus kept saying things like “Don’t you understand it yet?” and “Are you still so dull?” Mark 7.18. Finally, however, Peter “got it,” at least one part of it. When Jesus asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ” (8:29).
Peter was right about the “who”—Jesus—but he was still wrong about the “how.” When Jesus predicted His death, Peter rebuked Him for it. Jesus, in turn, rebuked Peter: “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (v.33).
Peter was still thinking in human ways of establishing kingdoms. One ruler would overthrow another and set up a new government. He was expecting Jesus to do the same. But Christ’s kingdom was going to come in a new way—through service and the sacrifice of His life.
The method God uses today hasn’t changed. Whereas Satan’s voice tempts us to gain power, the voice of Jesus tells us that the meek will inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5). To gain citizens for God’s kingdom, we must follow the example of Jesus, who set aside selfish ambitions, served others, and called people to repent of their sin.
We say we love humanity,
But can we really claim
A readiness to sacrifice
For them in Jesus’ name?
A Christian is an ambassador who speaks for the King of kings.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Win Or Lose
|
Mar 1, 2011 5:01 am
603 Views
|
Read: 2 Timothy 4.1-8
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
—2 Timothy 4.7
Bible in a year:
Numbers 23-25; Mark 7:14-37
During the 2009 college football season, University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy began every post-game interview by thanking God for the opportunity to play. When he was injured early in the national championship game, he was forced to watch from the sidelines as his team lost.
The apostle Paul experienced God’s deliverance many times, but he didn’t insist on things going his way. From prison in Rome he wrote to Timothy: “I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand” (2 Tim. 4.6). Some might say that Paul had failed to accomplish his goals and that his life was ending in defeat. But he saw it differently:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” v.7. He looked forward to an eternal crown v.8.
As we walk with God, we can praise Him for His faithfulness—win or lose.
I can always count on God, my heavenly Father,
For He changes not; He always is the same.
Yesterday, today, forever, He is faithful,
And I know He loves me, praise His holy name!
In every change He faithful will remain.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
The Core Of The Problem
|
Feb 28, 2011 5:38 am
570 Views
|
Read: Romans 3:10-18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
—Romans 7:18
Bible in a year:
Numbers 20-22; Mark 7:1-13
One of my favorite television cartoons as a boy was Tom Terrific. When Tom faced a challenge, he would put on his thinking cap and work through the matter with his faithful sidekick Mighty Manfred, the Wonder Dog. Usually, those problems found their source in Tom’s arch-enemy, Crabby Appleton. To this day, I remember how this villain was described on the show. He was “Crabby Appleton—rotten to the core.”
The fact is that all of us share Crabby Appleton’s primary problem—apart from Christ, we’re all rotten to the core. The apostle Paul described us this way: “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God” (Rom. 3:10-11). None of us are capable of living up to God’s perfect standard of holiness. Because of our condition of being separated from a holy God, He sent His Son Jesus to give Himself to die on the cross for the punishment we deserve, and then rise again. Now we can be “justified freely by His grace” through faith in Him (v.24).
Jesus Christ has come to people “rotten to the core,” and makes us “a new creation” by faith in Him (2 Cor. 5:17). In His goodness, He has fixed our problem completely—all the way down to our core.
I know I’m a sinner and Christ is my need;
His death is my ransom, no merit I plead.
His work is sufficient, on Him I believe;
I have life eternal when Him I receive. —Anon.
We need more than a new start— we need a new heart
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Perfect Peace And Rest
|
Feb 25, 2011 3:53 am
591 Views
|
Read: Psalm 71:19-24
You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again. —Psalm 71:20
Bible in a year:
Numbers 12-14; Mark 5:21-43
The psalmist had seen “great and severe troubles” (Ps. 71:20). Yet hovering in the back of his mind was the thought that God would “revive” him again. The literal meaning of this phrase is “bring him to life again.” He elaborated: “[You shall] bring me up again from the depths of the earth [the grave]. You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side” (vv.20-21). If the troubles didn’t end in this life, certainly in heaven they would.
This thought—that someday we shall be in God’s presence and enjoy Him forever—crowns many of the psalms and is an assurance that helps life’s present troubles fade away (see Ps. 16,17,49,73).
Perhaps no one but God knows the trouble you’ve seen, but this is not all that shall be. Someday, your Father will “increase [your] greatness”—you will be clothed with unspeakable glory. There will be comfort “on every side.” His presence and love will bring perfect peace and rest.
Richard Baxter writes, “O what a blessed day that will be when I shall . . . stand on the shore and look back on the raging seas I have safely passed; when I shall review my pains and sorrows, my fears and tears, and possess the glory which was the end of all!”
When all my labors and trials are o’er,
And I am safe on that beautiful shore,
Just to be near the dear Lord I adore
Will through the ages be glory for me.
When God wipes our tears, sorrow will give way to eternal song.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
What Really Matters
|
Feb 24, 2011 4:11 am
565 Views
|
Read: Matthew 16:21-28
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? —Matthew 16:26
Bible in a year:
Numbers 9-11; Mark 5:1-20
Several years ago a friend of mine visited an exhibit of relics from the infamous Titanic voyage. Exhibit visitors were given a replica ticket with the name of an actual passenger or crew member who, decades earlier, had embarked on the trip of a lifetime. After the tour group walked through the exhibit viewing pieces of silver dinnerware and other artifacts, the tour ended with an unforgettable twist.
A large board listed the names of all the passengers, including their status—first class, second class, crew. As my friend looked for the name of the person whose ticket he was holding, he noticed a line across the board dividing the names. Above the line were the names of those who were “saved” and below the line all those who were “lost.”
The parallel to our life on earth is profound. It really doesn’t make any difference how the world ranks your status. The only thing that ultimately matters is whether you are “saved” or “lost.” As Jesus said, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matt. 16:26). Perhaps you’ve already trusted in Christ for your salvation. But what about your fellow passengers? Instead of sizing them up by the externals, talk to them about their ultimate destination.
It’s not what I achieve that qualifies,
It matters not if I gain wealth or fame;
The only thing I must be certain of
Is “Have I put my trust in Jesus’ name?”
In light of eternity, what one believes is far more important than what one achieves.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
The Variety Of Creation
|
Feb 23, 2011 4:06 am
595 Views
|
Read: Job 12-13
In [God’s] hand is the life of every living thing. —Job 12:10
Bible in a year:
Numbers 7-8; Mark 4:21-41
Have you ever stopped to consider the amazing features God placed in the animals He created? Job did, and one of the most interesting he wrote about is the ostrich. Despite its apparent lack of good sense and its eccentric parenting skills, its offspring survive (39:13-16). And despite its membership in the bird family, it can’t fly—but it can outrun a horse (v.1.
Another remarkable creature is the bombardier beetle. This African insect shoots two common materials, hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinone, from twin storage tanks in its back. Apart, these substances are harmless; together, they blind the beetle’s predators. A special nozzle inside the beetle mixes the chemicals, enabling it to bombard its foe at amazing speeds! And the little guy can rotate his “cannon” to fire in any direction.
How can this be? How is it that a rather dull-witted ostrich survives despite a seeming inability to care for its young while the bombardier beetle needs a sophisticated chemical reaction to ensure its continued presence on earth? It’s because God’s creative abilities know no boundaries. “He commanded and they were created,” the psalmist tells us (148:5). From the ostrich to the beetle, God’s creative work is clear for all to see. “Praise the name of the Lord” (148:13).
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful;
The Lord God made them all.
The design of creation points to the Master Designer
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Greater Compassion
|
Feb 22, 2011 6:52 am
569 Views
|
Read: Isaiah 49:13-18
Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. —Isaiah 49:15
Bible in a year:
Numbers 4-6; Mark 4:1-20
I first met my wife, Marlene, in college. I was majoring in pastoral studies, and she was working on a degree in elementary education. The first time I saw her working with children, I knew what a natural fit this was for her. She loved children. It became even more obvious when we got married and had children of our own. Seeing her with them was an education in unconditional love and acceptance. It was clear to me that there is nothing in all the world like the tender love and compassion of a mother for her newborn child.
That’s what makes Isaiah 49:15 so remarkable. It’s here that God told His people, who were feeling forsaken and forgotten (v.14), that His compassion is even greater than a mother’s: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.”
Sometimes we face struggles in life, and we are tempted to think that God has forgotten us. We may even believe that God no longer loves us. But God’s love for us is as expansive as the open arms of Christ on the cross. And the tender compassion of our heavenly Father is more dependable and more enduring than the love of a nursing mother for her infant. Be comforted—His love never fails.
God will not forget His children
Nor will He forsake our care;
His compassion is enduring—
Even when we’re unaware.
God’s love for us is as expansive
as the open arms of Christ on the cross
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Resolution
|
Feb 21, 2011 4:38 am
585 Views
|
Read: Acts 15:36-41
The contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. —Acts 15:39
Bible in a year:
Numbers 1-3; Mark 3
In May 1884, two young parents disagreed about what middle name to give their newborn son. The mom preferred Solomon; the dad, Shippe—both family names. Because John and Martha couldn’t agree, they compromised on “S.” Thus Harry S. Truman would become the only US president with an initial for a middle name.
Over 120 years later, we still know about this conflict—but we also know that a reasonable resolution was reached.
In the New Testament, we read about another disagreement that has lived on in history. This one was between two missionaries: Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15). Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them on a trip to check on some churches they had helped previously (v.37). But Paul did not trust Mark because of an earlier incident v.38. Paul and Barnabas disagreed so sharply that they parted ways (v.39).
We still read about this argument 2,000 years later. What’s important is not that it lived on in history, but that it didn’t leave permanent relationship scars. Paul apparently reconciled with Barnabas, and in his final days asked for Mark to be with him because “he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11).
Arguments happen. But let’s make sure they are resolved. Grudges are a burden too heavy to carry.
Arguments can lead to grudges,
Which, if left, will cause a rift;
But if we bring resolution,
Our relationships won’t drift.
A grudge is one thing that doesn’t get better when it’s nursed
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
|
Dreams Or Choices?
|
Feb 18, 2011 5:12 am
616 Views
|
Read: Philippians 1:1-11
Approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense. —Philippians 1:10
Bible in a year:
Leviticus 23-24; Mark 1:1-22
I’ve received a lot of good advice in my life. Near the top of the list is this wise observation from a friend: “Life is not made by the dreams that you dream but by the choices that you make.”
He’s right—your life today is the sum total of all the choices you’ve made up to this point. The apostle Paul gave similar advice in Philippians 1:10, when he said to “approve the things that are excellent” (1:10). In any given situation, we have a whole continuum of choices—ranging from really rotten choices, to the mediocrity of average choices, to choices that are good, and then to those that are excellent. God wants to move us across the continuum, past our natural impulses, all the way to excellent choices.
Often it’s challenging to make the most excellent choice, especially if there aren’t many others joining us. Sometimes it may feel as if our desires and freedoms have been suppressed. But if you follow Paul’s advice, you’ll notice some really positive outcomes—like being pure and blameless and fruitful (v.11).
Make the choice to live a life filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Then revel in the result!
The little choices we must make
Will chart the course of life we take;
We either choose the path of light,
Or wander off in darkest night.
Make an excellent choice and watch the ripple effect of blessing.
|
|
|
0
Comments
|
|
To link to this blog (miriana51) use [blog miriana51] in your messages.
|
|
|
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
| |
|
11
|
21
|
31
|
41
|
5
|
6
|
71
|
81
|
91
|
101
|
111
|
12
|
13
|
141
|
151
|
161
|
171
|
181
|
19
|
20
|
211
|
221
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
Most Recent Comments by Others
|
