I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
[Psalm 121:1-2]
the second verse of Psalm 121 has been a favourite of mine for a long time. there are a few reasons why I like it. it's short and to the point, it tells me something about god: that he made heaven and earth, and it tells me something about myself: my help comes from the Lord.
People look for help in all kinds of places. Maybe they think if they have enough money it will solve all their problems. Or, they might think if they work hard enough they can solve all their problems. They might depend on friends to fix things for them, which might work for a while but in time even the best of friends will let us down if we totally depend on them for all our help, because there is only so much anyone can do. Some people have given up on solving their problems and gone to parties or the bottle or casual sex or even drugs for help to forget their problems, even temporarily. None of these things are much help and some are counter-productive.
But, there is one who can and will always help us in our time of need, if we ask him ... that is, God. The help he may give us isn't always what we expected, maybe not the help we wanted, but later on we will look back and see how God's help was most helpful after all.
The Psalm lists a few ways that god helps us and i will list them for you now.
- "he will not let your foot be moved..." [verse 3a]
This promises that if we keep walking in God's ways then the Enemy will not be able to pull the rug out from under us. Once we are in God's hands he keeps us safe, if we will stay as close to him as possible.
-- he who keeps you will not slumber. [verse 3b]
God doesn't have business hours. He's always available at any time. he doesn't sleep so even in the night if troubles come god is available, only ever a prayer away.
-- "The LORD is your keeper;" [v5a]
he is the one who keeps us safe. he is our great shepherd and he always watches over us, his flock.
-- " the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night."
The LORD will keep you from all evil; [V5b-7a]
This speaks of protection. God protects us from the enemy's schemes, he even protects us from our own folly at times. We must stay close and obey him. we have to realise that he sees the bigger picture and we don't so we must do what he says is best for us.
This reminds me of the Lord's prayer where it says
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
[Matthew 6:13]
The enemy will trap us any way he can and our flesh is often a willing accomplice. we need God's help to avoid the pitfalls the enemy leaves for us. God is willing to help us but again we must obey him and keep close to him. With god's help the enemy will not be able to get a foothold in our lives.
-- "he will keep your life.
The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore. [v7b-8] "
God watches over our lives and helps us to live them in the best way we can. He will help us make wise choices about our future. his word is full of principles that, if we follow them, will make our lives the best they can be, bringing glory to our god.
Of course, there are many other ways in which god helps us. The bible is full of stories about how God helped different people as they faced a variety of situations. So, if you need help today, turn to the one who is most able and willing to help you, even if it's not in the way you wanted or expected. Turn to God and humbly ask him for the help you need, then wait and see what he does. In time you will be able to say:
" My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth."
Prayer:
O god we thank you that you are willing to help us. You are so generous to us Lord. help us to remember, when things get crazy in our lives, that you are always there, reaching out your hand to help us if we will take it. May we glorify you in all that we do and may we choose to live in ways that are pleasing to you. In the name of your son, our Lord and saviour Jesus, the Messiah, the holy one, amen.
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Easter Reflections
I've been reflecting on the events of this week which is known as Holy week. One thing that really stands out to me is that so many things that happened were fulfillment's of prophecies written hundreds of years earlier. The Jewish leaders of the time who rightly prided themselves on knowing god's law should have realised what was going on, but they didn't because they chose to ignore some of the prophecies and think about Messiah as the conquering hero who would save Israel from the romans. Jesus will return as conquering king and deal with evil once and for all but the first time he came he came as a humble servant who would give his life as a sacrifice for sin.
let's look at a few of the prophecies and see how Jesus fulfilled them.
1. Zechariah predicted that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Here's how Jesus fulfilled this
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village
in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you
shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once." This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 "Say to the daughter of Zion,'Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of
the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and
that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" And when he
entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee."
[Matt 21:1-11]
Zechariah prophesied that the one who betrayed the Messiah would be paid 30 pieces of silver.
"So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
And the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’ -
that princely price they set on me."
(Zechariah 11:12-13)
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?" And
they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
Isaiah prophesied
that he would be despised and rejected:
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
[Isaiah 53:3]
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream." Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!"
[Matt 27:15-23]
Isaiah predicted that he would be so badly beaten and suffer so much that he wouldn't even look human anymore.
As many were astonished at you-
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind-
[Isaiah 52:14]
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped
him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before
him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked
him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
[Matthew 27:27-31]
Isaiah prophesied that the death of Jesus would be the sacrifice for our sins.
"But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, ...
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity [sin] of us all."
(Isaiah 53:5-7)
I don't have one specific scripture for this one, but if you read the crucifixion account in Matthew or any of the Gospels you will see how Jesus fulfilled it.
Isaiah prophesied that Jesus' back would be whipped and that this would be the means for us to experience healing:
And by His stripes [whip lashes] we are healed.
[Isaiah 53:5b]
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
[Mark 15:15]
And Peter, writing of this later in his life, confirmed the words of the prophet Isaiah:
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
[1 Peter 2:24]
David, in Psalm 22, gives us insight into the thoughts of Jesus when he died on the cross. He also predicted that Jesus' clothes would be divided among the men who crucified him.
"They divide my garments among them, and for My garments they cast lots."
(Psalm 22:18)
Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be laid in the grave of a rich man:
And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
[Isaiah 53:9]
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body
of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb,
which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting
opposite the tomb.
Isaiah also prophesied that Jesus would give his life as a sacrifice for sin:
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one,
my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
The writer to the hebrews talks about this:
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent ( not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify
our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
[hebrews 9:11-14]
This is by no means a definitive list of prophecies that were fulfilled at Calvary. All through his life and even to his last breath Jesus was focused on fulfilling the prophecies that had been made about him by god's prophets.
so why am I sharing all this with you? because there are a few things I want you to see.
1. It was god's plan from before the world was created that Jesus would die on the cross as a sacrifice for sin.
2. Jesus fulfilled every prophecy spoken about his first coming and he will fulfill the rest of the prophecies when the time is right.
3. If you ever doubted that god loves you, I hope that what I have done here will help you to see just how much he does love you. Look at the lengths Jesus went to so that he could save and redeem us! noone could ever love us as much as God does.
Let us reflect on these things this Easter season. I wish you all a very happy Easter.
let's look at a few of the prophecies and see how Jesus fulfilled them.
1. Zechariah predicted that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Here's how Jesus fulfilled this
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village
in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you
shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once." This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 "Say to the daughter of Zion,'Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'"
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of
the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and
that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" And when he
entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee."
[Matt 21:1-11]
Zechariah prophesied that the one who betrayed the Messiah would be paid 30 pieces of silver.
"So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
And the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’ -
that princely price they set on me."
(Zechariah 11:12-13)
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?" And
they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
Isaiah prophesied
that he would be despised and rejected:
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
[Isaiah 53:3]
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream." Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!"
[Matt 27:15-23]
Isaiah predicted that he would be so badly beaten and suffer so much that he wouldn't even look human anymore.
As many were astonished at you-
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind-
[Isaiah 52:14]
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped
him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before
him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked
him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
[Matthew 27:27-31]
Isaiah prophesied that the death of Jesus would be the sacrifice for our sins.
"But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, ...
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity [sin] of us all."
(Isaiah 53:5-7)
I don't have one specific scripture for this one, but if you read the crucifixion account in Matthew or any of the Gospels you will see how Jesus fulfilled it.
Isaiah prophesied that Jesus' back would be whipped and that this would be the means for us to experience healing:
And by His stripes [whip lashes] we are healed.
[Isaiah 53:5b]
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
[Mark 15:15]
And Peter, writing of this later in his life, confirmed the words of the prophet Isaiah:
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
[1 Peter 2:24]
David, in Psalm 22, gives us insight into the thoughts of Jesus when he died on the cross. He also predicted that Jesus' clothes would be divided among the men who crucified him.
"They divide my garments among them, and for My garments they cast lots."
(Psalm 22:18)
Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be laid in the grave of a rich man:
And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
[Isaiah 53:9]
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body
of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb,
which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting
opposite the tomb.
Isaiah also prophesied that Jesus would give his life as a sacrifice for sin:
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one,
my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
The writer to the hebrews talks about this:
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent ( not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify
our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
[hebrews 9:11-14]
This is by no means a definitive list of prophecies that were fulfilled at Calvary. All through his life and even to his last breath Jesus was focused on fulfilling the prophecies that had been made about him by god's prophets.
so why am I sharing all this with you? because there are a few things I want you to see.
1. It was god's plan from before the world was created that Jesus would die on the cross as a sacrifice for sin.
2. Jesus fulfilled every prophecy spoken about his first coming and he will fulfill the rest of the prophecies when the time is right.
3. If you ever doubted that god loves you, I hope that what I have done here will help you to see just how much he does love you. Look at the lengths Jesus went to so that he could save and redeem us! noone could ever love us as much as God does.
Let us reflect on these things this Easter season. I wish you all a very happy Easter.
Monday, 18 April 2011
Obeying god
Obeying God:
Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
[John 14:23]
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
[John 15:9-10]
I want to talk with you today about obedience. Early last year God alerted me that I have an obedience problem. I tried to resolve it on my own, when I failed to obey or deliberately disobeyed I insisted I wouldn't do that again. I read bible verses on obedience and tried to apply them to my life. I could see where I needed to be and where I was but how to get there was something I couldn't fathom. I still don't have all the answers but I want to share with you what God is teaching me. For some people obedience comes easily, but for those like me who are stubborn and self-willed it is a lot more challenging. Be encouraged though, we can get there with god's help.
First let's look at some points on why obedience is so important.
1: god deserves our obedience.
You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees,
for I am the Lord your God.
[Leviticus 18:4]
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;
our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
[ Isaiah 26:8]
he is the almighty, everliving God, creator of heaven and earth. more than that, he is the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave his life for us on the cross. We should obey our earthly parents so how much more should we obey our heavenly father our creator, our saviour, our Lord and king?
2. Obedience to God is a way of showing that we love him.
Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
[John 14:23]
by the same token, our lack of obedience shows our lack of love for him. Ouch!
Henry T Blackaby in his excellent book "experiencing God] tells us that if we have an obedience problem we have a love problem. No matter how you look at that we have a problem and need god's help to sort it out.
3: Disobedience shows a lack of trust in god.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;all his precepts are trustworthy;
Psalm 111:7
[ Trust in the LORD with All Your Heart ] My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
[ Proverbs 3:1]
if we don't obey the Lord we are basically saying that we don't trust God to know what is best for us, that we think we have a better solution. If we think that way it shows we have a problem with pride and need God's help to sort that out as well. God is our loving heavenly father and he sees things much more clearly than we do. he says:
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
[Isaiah 55:9]
and
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
[Jeremiah 29:11]
God knows all things and he has a plan for us. We need to trust him and obey even if we can't understand why or what's going on. We may not know all the answers this side of heaven but god is pleased when we obey even when we don't understand.
4: we are God's servants and we must do what he says.
You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees,
[Leviticus 18:4]
Can you imagine how it would be if everyone in a company refused to obey their superiors and just did their own thing? the company wouldn't last too long or all those employees would be fired. God is our king and our master and he deserves our obedience. he will help us to obey if we make a commitment to do it.
5: Whatever god may tell us to do is ultimately for our good even if it doesn't seem that way to us at first.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
[romans 8:28]
Anyone reading this who is a parent can identify with this one. A child may see nothing wrong with putting his hand on the fire but his mother or father knows it is very wrong and tells the child "get away from that!" The child doesn't understand why Mummy or Daddy is trying to spoil his fun but he figures he better do what he's told so he comes away from the fire.
God sees things much clearer than we do. He knows if a decision we are about to take is going to be bad or dangerous for us, like the child wanting to put his hand in the fire, and God will tell us no. We don't understand we think "That's ok why won't God let me do it?" but we figure we had better do what he says so we come away from that. Later on we look back and thank him for not letting us do what we wanted to in that situation. Even if we don't understand before we reach heaven, one day we will be so grateful to god for all the times he said no.
But how do we start obeying God? sometimes we can get discouraged when we see how far away we are from where we want to be. I encourage you to go before god in prayer and talk to him about your obedience issues, ask his help and he will show you what to do. There are no quick-fix solutions to a problem like disobedience, it's a process and there will be more falls than successes at first but if we keep going we are bound to see results in time.
Here are a couple of ideas that may be helpful to you.
1: pray about it. Yes that sounds simple but still, take some time each day to pray about it, talk to God about the times you didn't obey and why and ask his help to do better tomorrow. You may like to pick out a few minutes that you devote to praying about this each day. P.U.S.H. Pray until something happens. The bible says:
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks
finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
[Matthew 7:7-8]
2. Meditate on some bible verses dealing with obedience. this works just as well if you have other issues like fear or needing more faith but I'm using obedience as an example. you can go to
www.biblegateway.com
and do a search for obedience or obey and write down the scriptures that seem to speak to you. Then, ponder them. Go over them in your mind not just once but many times, trying to understand what they are saying and how you can apply them to your life. Speak the verses out loud if you can because the bible says:
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
[Romans 10:17]
You can even use those verses you find on obedience as part of prayer. Use your own words to pray but here's how it might work: "Father your word says "You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the Lord your God." so please help me to obey your commands and decrees, I ask in Jesus' name, amen.
3: ask someone to pray with you or for you about your obedience troubles, someone who is a Christian that you trust. The bible says:
Again I say to you, if
two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
If you like you can email me and I will be happy to pray with you as well.
Questions:
These questions don't need to be answered except between you and god if you choose to. They are meant to give you something to think and pray about.
1. Why do you think some people have a struggle with obedience?
2. If you have a problem with disobedience, what have you done about it so far?
3. If you don't' have a problem obeying god, maybe you know someone who does. Would you consider mentioning them in your prayers regularly?
I hope that something I have said has helped someone even a little. Thank you so much for reading this and may God bless you!
Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
[John 14:23]
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
[John 15:9-10]
I want to talk with you today about obedience. Early last year God alerted me that I have an obedience problem. I tried to resolve it on my own, when I failed to obey or deliberately disobeyed I insisted I wouldn't do that again. I read bible verses on obedience and tried to apply them to my life. I could see where I needed to be and where I was but how to get there was something I couldn't fathom. I still don't have all the answers but I want to share with you what God is teaching me. For some people obedience comes easily, but for those like me who are stubborn and self-willed it is a lot more challenging. Be encouraged though, we can get there with god's help.
First let's look at some points on why obedience is so important.
1: god deserves our obedience.
You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees,
for I am the Lord your God.
[Leviticus 18:4]
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;
our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
[ Isaiah 26:8]
he is the almighty, everliving God, creator of heaven and earth. more than that, he is the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave his life for us on the cross. We should obey our earthly parents so how much more should we obey our heavenly father our creator, our saviour, our Lord and king?
2. Obedience to God is a way of showing that we love him.
Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
[John 14:23]
by the same token, our lack of obedience shows our lack of love for him. Ouch!
Henry T Blackaby in his excellent book "experiencing God] tells us that if we have an obedience problem we have a love problem. No matter how you look at that we have a problem and need god's help to sort it out.
3: Disobedience shows a lack of trust in god.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;all his precepts are trustworthy;
Psalm 111:7
[ Trust in the LORD with All Your Heart ] My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
[ Proverbs 3:1]
if we don't obey the Lord we are basically saying that we don't trust God to know what is best for us, that we think we have a better solution. If we think that way it shows we have a problem with pride and need God's help to sort that out as well. God is our loving heavenly father and he sees things much more clearly than we do. he says:
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
[Isaiah 55:9]
and
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
[Jeremiah 29:11]
God knows all things and he has a plan for us. We need to trust him and obey even if we can't understand why or what's going on. We may not know all the answers this side of heaven but god is pleased when we obey even when we don't understand.
4: we are God's servants and we must do what he says.
You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees,
[Leviticus 18:4]
Can you imagine how it would be if everyone in a company refused to obey their superiors and just did their own thing? the company wouldn't last too long or all those employees would be fired. God is our king and our master and he deserves our obedience. he will help us to obey if we make a commitment to do it.
5: Whatever god may tell us to do is ultimately for our good even if it doesn't seem that way to us at first.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
[romans 8:28]
Anyone reading this who is a parent can identify with this one. A child may see nothing wrong with putting his hand on the fire but his mother or father knows it is very wrong and tells the child "get away from that!" The child doesn't understand why Mummy or Daddy is trying to spoil his fun but he figures he better do what he's told so he comes away from the fire.
God sees things much clearer than we do. He knows if a decision we are about to take is going to be bad or dangerous for us, like the child wanting to put his hand in the fire, and God will tell us no. We don't understand we think "That's ok why won't God let me do it?" but we figure we had better do what he says so we come away from that. Later on we look back and thank him for not letting us do what we wanted to in that situation. Even if we don't understand before we reach heaven, one day we will be so grateful to god for all the times he said no.
But how do we start obeying God? sometimes we can get discouraged when we see how far away we are from where we want to be. I encourage you to go before god in prayer and talk to him about your obedience issues, ask his help and he will show you what to do. There are no quick-fix solutions to a problem like disobedience, it's a process and there will be more falls than successes at first but if we keep going we are bound to see results in time.
Here are a couple of ideas that may be helpful to you.
1: pray about it. Yes that sounds simple but still, take some time each day to pray about it, talk to God about the times you didn't obey and why and ask his help to do better tomorrow. You may like to pick out a few minutes that you devote to praying about this each day. P.U.S.H. Pray until something happens. The bible says:
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks
finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
[Matthew 7:7-8]
2. Meditate on some bible verses dealing with obedience. this works just as well if you have other issues like fear or needing more faith but I'm using obedience as an example. you can go to
www.biblegateway.com
and do a search for obedience or obey and write down the scriptures that seem to speak to you. Then, ponder them. Go over them in your mind not just once but many times, trying to understand what they are saying and how you can apply them to your life. Speak the verses out loud if you can because the bible says:
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
[Romans 10:17]
You can even use those verses you find on obedience as part of prayer. Use your own words to pray but here's how it might work: "Father your word says "You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the Lord your God." so please help me to obey your commands and decrees, I ask in Jesus' name, amen.
3: ask someone to pray with you or for you about your obedience troubles, someone who is a Christian that you trust. The bible says:
Again I say to you, if
two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
If you like you can email me and I will be happy to pray with you as well.
Questions:
These questions don't need to be answered except between you and god if you choose to. They are meant to give you something to think and pray about.
1. Why do you think some people have a struggle with obedience?
2. If you have a problem with disobedience, what have you done about it so far?
3. If you don't' have a problem obeying god, maybe you know someone who does. Would you consider mentioning them in your prayers regularly?
I hope that something I have said has helped someone even a little. Thank you so much for reading this and may God bless you!
Sunday, 17 April 2011
He Chose to Die For Us, a poem
Easter is coming up so here is an easter poem:
he Chose to die for Us:
The holy king of glory
died upon a cross,
to ransom from this sin-sick world
Those who would believe.
We all had a part
In putting him on that cross,
Our sin, our rebellion and shame,
Our disobedience and rejection.
he chose to die for us,
He wanted to redeem us
It was god's will and plan to save us
And give us a hope and a future.
so the pure, holy lamb of God
Paid the price to set us free.
His blood has cleansed us from our sins
And his death has brought us eternal life.
but the good news is, o praise the Lord,
Jesus did not stay dead for long;
Death could not hold God's son captive,
On the third day he rose again.
the holy king of glory
died upon a cross,
And rose from the dead on the third day,
bringing us life and healing and hope.
he Chose to die for Us:
The holy king of glory
died upon a cross,
to ransom from this sin-sick world
Those who would believe.
We all had a part
In putting him on that cross,
Our sin, our rebellion and shame,
Our disobedience and rejection.
he chose to die for us,
He wanted to redeem us
It was god's will and plan to save us
And give us a hope and a future.
so the pure, holy lamb of God
Paid the price to set us free.
His blood has cleansed us from our sins
And his death has brought us eternal life.
but the good news is, o praise the Lord,
Jesus did not stay dead for long;
Death could not hold God's son captive,
On the third day he rose again.
the holy king of glory
died upon a cross,
And rose from the dead on the third day,
bringing us life and healing and hope.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Testify, a poem
This one oi hot off the pres. Thanks for reading.
Testify:
Most beautiful and glorious Lord
far above all others,
More precious than everything this world offers,
More lovely, more holy, more sweet.
yet you consider us valuable,
you willingly gave your life
And took all our sins on yourself, dear Jesus,
to redeem and ransom the lost.
You formed me in my Mother's womb,
You made me who you want me to be,
You drew me to you when I was just a child
And made me part of your family.
You gave me gifts and talents to use,
You gave me a new, clean heart,
You put me where you want me to be
And Lord I thank you for using me.
your spirit working in my life,
changing me from the inside out,
Fashioning Godly character in me,
Like a jeweler working with gold or silver.
yes there are trials and challenges to face,
yes there are temptations and battles,
No I will never be perfect
On this side of the grave.
But lord you are always near,
You never leave or forsake me,
Though I fail and though i fall
You never turn your love away from me.
So Lord I want to testify
Of your faithful love and mercy;
Of all you have done and are doing for me
Of the free gift of your grace.
And Lord I want to thank you
with an overflowing heart
for the work you are doing in my life
and the times when you use me.
for the Holy Spirit living in me
For your word which teaches me wisdom,
For making me part of your family
And most of all, for Christ who died for me.
Testify:
Most beautiful and glorious Lord
far above all others,
More precious than everything this world offers,
More lovely, more holy, more sweet.
yet you consider us valuable,
you willingly gave your life
And took all our sins on yourself, dear Jesus,
to redeem and ransom the lost.
You formed me in my Mother's womb,
You made me who you want me to be,
You drew me to you when I was just a child
And made me part of your family.
You gave me gifts and talents to use,
You gave me a new, clean heart,
You put me where you want me to be
And Lord I thank you for using me.
your spirit working in my life,
changing me from the inside out,
Fashioning Godly character in me,
Like a jeweler working with gold or silver.
yes there are trials and challenges to face,
yes there are temptations and battles,
No I will never be perfect
On this side of the grave.
But lord you are always near,
You never leave or forsake me,
Though I fail and though i fall
You never turn your love away from me.
So Lord I want to testify
Of your faithful love and mercy;
Of all you have done and are doing for me
Of the free gift of your grace.
And Lord I want to thank you
with an overflowing heart
for the work you are doing in my life
and the times when you use me.
for the Holy Spirit living in me
For your word which teaches me wisdom,
For making me part of your family
And most of all, for Christ who died for me.
Sunday, 10 April 2011
HeartSong Christian blog: Worship God Most high!
HeartSong Christian blog: Worship God Most high!: "Here is a poem I wrote today I hope you will like it. O Lord you are exalted, Far above all others, we bow down and worship You, th..."
Worship God Most high!
Here is a poem I wrote today I hope you will like it.
O Lord you are exalted,
Far above all others,
we bow down and worship
You, the king of glory.
O majestic and holy one
My father and my Lord.
King above every other ruler,
Reigning from eternity to eternity,
I lift my hands and raise my voice
to sing of your great unfailing love ,
for you Lord gave your only son
who died on the cross to set us free.
O God most high, lord of hosts,
O lover of my soul
I will celebrate your steadfast love
with thanks for all you've done for me
And I will tell those you bring my way
of your extravagant, boundless love!
Of the sacrifice of your only son
That brings forgiveness and liberty.
And when we stand before you Lord
And kneel at your glorious throne,
Our heart's desire will be fulfilled
for we will see you clearly.
And forever stretches out
Beyond the bounds of time,
where sin and death have been destroyed
And you will reign in victory.
We'll walk with you and talk with you,
We will dance on streets of gold,
we'll joyfully, willingly serve you
And behold you reigning in majesty!
O Lord you are exalted,
Far above all others,
we bow down and worship
You, the king of glory.
O majestic and holy one
My father and my Lord.
King above every other ruler,
Reigning from eternity to eternity,
I lift my hands and raise my voice
to sing of your great unfailing love ,
for you Lord gave your only son
who died on the cross to set us free.
O God most high, lord of hosts,
O lover of my soul
I will celebrate your steadfast love
with thanks for all you've done for me
And I will tell those you bring my way
of your extravagant, boundless love!
Of the sacrifice of your only son
That brings forgiveness and liberty.
And when we stand before you Lord
And kneel at your glorious throne,
Our heart's desire will be fulfilled
for we will see you clearly.
And forever stretches out
Beyond the bounds of time,
where sin and death have been destroyed
And you will reign in victory.
We'll walk with you and talk with you,
We will dance on streets of gold,
we'll joyfully, willingly serve you
And behold you reigning in majesty!
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