Every Christian is pretty well aware that they never want to be considered a hypocrite by a closely watching world.
The only problem is that many of us have been duped into thinking hypocrisy is something that is really isn't. Many times we believe the enemy's lies when he calls us a hypocrite for worshiping in church when we don't feel like it or sharing our faith inspite of being fearful or not feeling this supernatural down load of love for the person we are sharing Jesus with.
Hypocrisy is NOT when a person's actions are inconsistent with their feelings but when a person's actions are inconsistent with their convictions.
Beliefs are things people argue over...convictions are what people are willing to die for. It is more important for me to get my actions tied to my convictions and let the feelings follow...
Side note: It's vital for each of us to stay teachable and live as lifetime learners. A wise man once said, "Every person I meet is superior to me in some way." Every person we meet has the ability to teach us something. This provoking thought on hypocrisy was passed onto me by a son in the faith...who happens to be 17.
What kind of wisdom and revelation is hidden inside the people that surround you everyday??
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
humility: all the way down to the top
It's been said that the truth of God's grace humbles a man without degrading him and exalts a man without inflating him.
Many of us within Christian culture have misunderstood the true meaning of humility. We've convinced ourselves that humility is about living a life bound to smallness.
"The consequence is that we've shrunk men below the size of their devil and so they are left to face him without the full benefit of their true identity and authority." -Kris Vallotton
Humility is not thinking less of ourselves but thinking of ourselves less. Humility is not demeaning ourselves but exalting our God.
Proverbs 15:33 says that humility comes before honor. Those two virtues are greatly needed in our culture and lives. It is very interesting how tightly connected honor and humility are. I'll take some time to write about honor in an upcoming blog.
Many of us within Christian culture have misunderstood the true meaning of humility. We've convinced ourselves that humility is about living a life bound to smallness.
"The consequence is that we've shrunk men below the size of their devil and so they are left to face him without the full benefit of their true identity and authority." -Kris Vallotton
Humility is not thinking less of ourselves but thinking of ourselves less. Humility is not demeaning ourselves but exalting our God.
Proverbs 15:33 says that humility comes before honor. Those two virtues are greatly needed in our culture and lives. It is very interesting how tightly connected honor and humility are. I'll take some time to write about honor in an upcoming blog.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Preoccupied with purpose
Life can be distracting. In fact, if the enemy cannot defeat you, he will settle for distracting you from your divine assignment.
He tried to do this to a man of God from the Old Testament named Nehemiah, and he'll try to do the same to us. An adversary was attempting to taunt and distract Nehemiah from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. We can learn a lot from Nehemiah's answer. He didn't react out of fear and anxiety; he responded in faith and clarity of focus....
"I am doing a great work and I cannot come down to you."
"Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer." (Nehemiah 6:3-4)
The same power that caused Nehemiah to become preoccupied with his purpose is available to each of us today. We must learn to not lower ourselves to the taunts of our adversaries.
You can always tell the size of a man's identity by the size of the problem it takes to discourage him or break his focus.
He tried to do this to a man of God from the Old Testament named Nehemiah, and he'll try to do the same to us. An adversary was attempting to taunt and distract Nehemiah from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. We can learn a lot from Nehemiah's answer. He didn't react out of fear and anxiety; he responded in faith and clarity of focus....
"I am doing a great work and I cannot come down to you."
"Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer." (Nehemiah 6:3-4)
The same power that caused Nehemiah to become preoccupied with his purpose is available to each of us today. We must learn to not lower ourselves to the taunts of our adversaries.
You can always tell the size of a man's identity by the size of the problem it takes to discourage him or break his focus.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
He's Just That In To You!
Recently I found myself watching a movie with my wife. It was one of those chick flicks that was worth watching and not a waste of my time simply because my beautiful wife, Anna, was in the room with me and because the Holy Spirit reminded me of a simple and yet continually revelatory truth...."He (God, my Father) is just that in to me!
The movie was all about this guy teaching a girl to read the signs that men give women when they are just not that into them. Reasons why their phones never ring, second dates never happen and their dreams of a fairy tale wedding will never materialize....at least with the guy who they are waiting days for him to call them back.
One of the main ideas of the movie was this: If someone is really into, really loves you, really wants to be with you....He will do whatever it takes to make that happen.
WOW!!! If that doesn't remind you of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I'm not sure what will. Even when I was far from God, blinded by my sin and selfish way of living, He came and gave it all to have relationship with me.
God is just that into us.
Into us enough to do whatever it takes to have relationship with us(I John 3:16) .
When it comes to Jesus, you never have to wonder how He really feels about you....just take a look at the price He willingly paid to pursue us.
The movie was all about this guy teaching a girl to read the signs that men give women when they are just not that into them. Reasons why their phones never ring, second dates never happen and their dreams of a fairy tale wedding will never materialize....at least with the guy who they are waiting days for him to call them back.
One of the main ideas of the movie was this: If someone is really into, really loves you, really wants to be with you....He will do whatever it takes to make that happen.
WOW!!! If that doesn't remind you of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I'm not sure what will. Even when I was far from God, blinded by my sin and selfish way of living, He came and gave it all to have relationship with me.
God is just that into us.
Into us enough to do whatever it takes to have relationship with us(I John 3:16) .
When it comes to Jesus, you never have to wonder how He really feels about you....just take a look at the price He willingly paid to pursue us.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
An inside job
Enjoy this excerpt from a book I am reading by Kris Vallotton entitled "The Supernatural Ways of Royalty":
The mind has a power to affect our behavior either positive or negative. But it does not possess the power to change our nature. That alone is accomplished when we are born again. When people people are born again, they are transformed from the inside out. It is not the external things that are are likely to change first. God takes up residence in our hearts, transfroming us, as it really is an an inside job. On the other hand, religion works on the outside. While it can bring conformity, it is is powerless to bring transformation. (page 56)
Religion is all about how things look on the outside (form) but doesn't bring much transformation (power).
2 Timothy 3:5
Forget religiosity...let's keep helping one another experience Christ's transforming love!
The mind has a power to affect our behavior either positive or negative. But it does not possess the power to change our nature. That alone is accomplished when we are born again. When people people are born again, they are transformed from the inside out. It is not the external things that are are likely to change first. God takes up residence in our hearts, transfroming us, as it really is an an inside job. On the other hand, religion works on the outside. While it can bring conformity, it is is powerless to bring transformation. (page 56)
Religion is all about how things look on the outside (form) but doesn't bring much transformation (power).
2 Timothy 3:5
Forget religiosity...let's keep helping one another experience Christ's transforming love!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
