Slipping Ladders

Ever have a ladder slip out from under you? I have. God is good. I only ended up with skinned shins, a sore foot and a bum elbow. Which brings me to today's post.

Ever try to do something with a body part out of whack. You never realize how much you need your elbow until you hurt it. Even something as simple as tying shoes becomes a slower process. I like to be doing things so having am elbow slowing me down is not in the game plan.

Reminds me of Paul's words in 1st Corinthians 12:12-27.

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

The body of Christ is awesome when we are all doing our part! Our experience, in this walk with God, should be so much more than just sitting in Church. While that is good and necessary there is so much more. In the analogy of a body we find a picture of action. Christianity is not to be lived as some kind of passive, minimal effect on my life, existence. Our walk with Jesus ought to intertwine and impact every area of our lives.

Going back to the body. My wife has done a lot of work helping people who have lost their hearing. We take our hearing for granted until we lose it. But lose it and you will miss it.

When a member of the Body of Christ doesn't function according to God's calling for their lives we all suffer. The Body is weakened.

What's your calling? What does God have for you to do? The Body of Christ needs you! A lost and dying world needs you. Don't let anything rob you of your special place in the Body of Christ.

Meteor Over Edmonton

A police camera in Edmonton caught a meteor falling to the earth. This is a pretty impressive video. Enjoy.



And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev. 6:13

Revelation Song

Just heard this the other day. What a powerful worship song. Enjoy and be blessed.

Producing Fruit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23

Fruit occurs when the conditions are right. Have you ever seen an apple tree straining to produce fruit? When a healthy tree gets enough sun and water and when the soil conditions are good the tree will produce apples.

In our own walk with the Lord there are times when we just have to do the right thing. Paul admonishes us in to put on Christ (Romans 13:14), to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:34), and to put on a host of attitudes ranging from mercy to love (Colossians 3:12-14). The exhortation in all these passages is about doing what the Lord would have us do regardless of how we feel.

But the fruit of the Spirit is different. The fruit of the Spirit is not produced by a specific decision to do a specific thing. The fruit of the Spirit is produced out of relationship. Out of who we are and who we are becoming in our walk with the Lord. When the conditions in our relationship are right fruit will be produced.

I've always found the fruit of the Spirit to be a good check on my heart. Am I walkng in peace? Do I have joy? Am I patient? When there's a break there I ask myself where am I missing it. You see, I've never found God to be the one who moves or changes.

It's always me.

Watching The Rain

We've had one of the biggest stretches of hard rain that we have had in quite some time. Working at my computer this morning, sipping a cup of coffee, and seeing the rain come down (this computer sits right under a window facing out) I'm reminded of the story Jesus told about the two house builders in Matthew chapter 7. The first man built his house upon the rock. The rains and wind came and the house stood. The second man built his house upon the sand. The rain and winds came and his house collapsed.

We often refer to Jesus as the rock and the Word compares Him to one in places like 1st Corinthians 10:4 but in this passage when Jesus talks about the two men, one who built his house on the rock and one who didn't, let's look closely at what he says.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:24, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock." and in 7:26, "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand."

The dividing line in these two lives is not what they hear but what they do. It's the response to the Word of God (Jesus is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us). James tells us that if we hear the Word and don't do it we can actually become deceived.

What does it mean to be a doer of the Word? A good place to start is in our attitudes when we read it.

What happens when the Word of God challenges some aspect of your life? Maybe you have a really nasty temper. What happens when you read that as believers we should be patient and self-controlled or that we are to cease from anger? What's your response? Are you going to set your heart to be a doer of the Word or make excuses like "I can't help myself" or "it's just the way my family is"?

Become a doer of the Word. Build your life upon the rock!

Thankfulness

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Phil. 4:6-7

I love this passage for the promises and comfort found within -- confidence as we pray and peace as we wait. In everything (there is no issue too big or too small for the Lord) we bring our requests to the Lord with thanksgiving.

Being thankful is powerful. Thankfulness fuels faith. Grumbling and whining have the opposite effect. Thankfulness adjusts our perspective, particularly when we are going through a rough time. Thankfulness keeps the enemy from getting a foothold and running us down with doubt and depression and fear.

We have so much to be thankful for. If Jesus had done nothing more than die for us and made a way for us to have eternal life we have eternity to be eternally and fully grateful but we have so many other things to be thankful for too. He's given us His presence, His Word, His body, His love, His care and provision. We can pray in faith and see answered prayer. We can lay hands on the sick and see them recover. He transforms us and never lets us go. We can live a life, filled with His joy and peace, participating in His plans and purposes. We can be instruments of His glory and honor.

Be thankful today. All things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes! Take some time to count your blessings today. God is so good!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1)

The Goodness of God

As I write this I can look out my window and see the incredibly gorgeous leaves of our big Elm (at least that's what I've been told) that overlooks the side of our property. The cellphone picture doesn't do it justice. The leaves turn to a pretty spectacular golden color in the fall. Nature has always been a reminder to me of the wonder and awe of the mighty God that we serve. Whether standing on the seashore and looking out over the ocean or admiring the foliage in the fall or looking at the stars on a dark clear night creation has spoken to my heart since I was young. The heavens truly do declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1).

Don't forget to thank the Lord for His goodness to you today. It is so easy to get caught up in the stress and worry of life and forget what really matters.

Jesus said that we are to seek first the Kingdom of God. Life, stress, busyness and our very real enemy conspire to reorder our priorities -- to get them out of line with what God has for us.

Make some time for the Lord. You'll be glad you did.