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COLEMANSR's Recent Blog Entries
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Monday, January 26, 2009
January 26, 2009
Created to Praise
Psalm 103
Do you ever wonder why you exist? Day-to-day activities and worries pull in so many directions that most people seldom think about what the goal of life is. But our Creator made us with a purpose: to glorify Him (Isa. 43:7).
In His Word, God is emphatic that we're to testify to His faithfulness and mighty works. Jesus obviously considered this important as well--when teaching His disciples how to communicate with God, He began His well-known prayer with adoration (Matt. 6:9).
Why, then, do we give so much attention to petitions but so little to praise? Perhaps some believers consider themselves too busy to spend "extra" prayer time praising the Lord. Others may feel awkward expressing their gratitude. Yet no excuses are acceptable. Psalm 103:2 warns us to remember God's benefits so we will humbly glorify Him. The Psalm also explains how to lift Him up with our words--specifically, we should praise God for His character and for His work in
the past, present, and future (vv. 2-8, 19).
We can also exalt the Lord in other ways. The Old Testament's three primary words for "praise" refer to music, spoken words, and gestures like raising hands and dancing. But we can also glorify Him through our actions, thoughts, and creativity.
Praise may be something of a foreign concept to you. But it's the very purpose for which you were created. Notice how the Father is exalted in the Psalms. Then worship Him with praise as you spend time in His presence today.
I wanted to Share. This from Dr. Charles Stanley.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
"Love must be sincere." Romans 12:9 (NIV)
The Pharisees had their own system of religion. They strived to be God's servant but were a hundred miles off. We say to ourselves, "We would never do that!" After all Christianity is about love, not rules and regulations and yet we can be just as self absorbed about how we should love than the Pharisees ever were.
We need to love God in certain ways. We create rules about the different kinds of people we should and shouldn't love and fall into a "religious" lifestyle. Should of, could of, must; pretty soon we end up with a system instead of a lifestyle. Paul was telling the Romans that their love must be sincere. Dr. Benner in his book, "Desiring God's Will" writes, "To really receive love - to become love we must be prepared to surrender the keys of the kingdom of self.
Intuitively we believe the lie, that the route to personal freedom and fulfillment is through self-assertion and self- determination - through grasping and control. The way that has its roots in the nature of the Father God whose name is Love is totally different. We become love only by surrender and self-sacrifice." Sincere love is not about rules and regulations, it is about living for God everyday and following Him as He leads us.
Most of you know me, real well, I do tend to put in my blogs, things I run across.
Have a great Sunday.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, 'A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.' And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief." Matthew 13:57-58 (NLT)
There is doubt, then there is unbelief. Doubt comes from many different places. It could be feeling of not being loved that would cause a person to doubt whether God would love them or not. An unanswered prayer could cause someone to doubt the next time they go to pray for God's intervention. There are many variables that can cause us to doubt God's ability or desire to work on our behalf. This is where faith and hope come in. Then there is unbelief. Most of the time unbelief comes from our presuppositions, traditions or allegiance to an ideology or group. The Pharisees had their own beliefs and nothing could cause then to reconsider Jesus. So did those in Jesus' own home town. He came back home and all the talk of Jesus being the Messiah was too much for them to bare. You see they had their religious and political vision of who the Messiah would be and it certainly wasn't the Jewish boy who grew up down the street. Matthew says they were "deeply offended and refused to believe in Him." The result was tragic. They missed the biggest blessing of their life. Jesus had transformed towns and villages all throughout the region by teaching and healing. His own home town could have used His touch, but instead they had beliefs that got in the way. Today, ask yourself, "What keeps me from trusting in Jesus?" If it is doubt, talk to God about it. Ask Him for the faith and hope that you need. If however, it is hardcore unbelief, ask God to expose traditions and false doctrines that get in your way of believing in Him. Bring them to Christ and trade them in for faith.
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Have a blessed night and great weekend.
