daily walk Posts

TEN Questions for 2010

05 Jan , 2010 No Comments

10 questions to ask at the start of 2010 (Dr. Don Whitney)

Take some time to consider these thought provoking questions and how 2010 might be different for you than previous year:

1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?

TOP TEN in 2010- my New Year’s resolutions

30 Dec , 2009 2 Comments

TOP 10 for 2010

1. I will wake up every day and pursue Christ.

2. I will bring my best energy to the people I love the most (remembering that nothing makes up for failure in the home).

3. I will let grace rule in all of my relationships.

4. I will keep “prayer and ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4) my first ministry priority.

5. I will graciously and patiently lead us forward, recognizing the fact that there will always be naysayers (some people’s default mode is “no”) and that God often calls us to move ahead with those who will come.

6. I will constantly lead our church to rethink how we engage an ever-changing culture with the Gospel (so that we will not drift into irrelevance).

7. I will not let the regrets of the past or worries of the future impact my decisions in the present.

8. I will delve deeper and deeper into the mind of Christ to discover more clearly what He envisions His Church to be.

9. I will do what I do best and encourage and empower others to do what they do best.

10. I will daily live an authentic and contagious Christian life (and have lots of fun doing it).

… all by the grace of God.

Lessons from the life of Hosea

07 Nov , 2009 1 Comment

HoseaThroughout the Old Testament one of the primary analogies/images of God’s relationship with His people is that of marriage.   In fact, the Jewish interpretation of the Sinai covenant is that of a betrothal ceremony- an interpretation that is found throughout the Old Testament (Jer. 2:2, 3:8-14, 31:32, Ez. 16:8).  Israel’s idolatry- their worship of other gods is most often referred to as “adultery”.  God says He will rejoice over His people as a groom rejoices over His bride. The Song of Songs is an entire book committed to the intimate marriage of God and His people.

In the Book of Hosea, God uses the prophet’s real life experiences and circumstances (namely his marriage) to “preach” His message to the people of Israel.  The terrible truth about Israel’s religious promiscuity and coming destruction is being played out in Hosea’s life for all to see.

Lessons from the life of Hosea

1.  Our relationship with God is like a marriage. This is a powerful and guiding thought for us all- singles, young people, and married adults- you will never find one like Jesus.

2.  God uses our struggles to display His power through us. If we truly live to bring glory to God, it changes everything.  Regardless of what life brings our way, God can be glorified if we remain faithful to Him.

3.  God uses our challenges in relationships to reveal His love to others. Jesus calls us to love our enemies- (anyone can love their friends).  If you’re in a difficult relationship, even now, God wants you to show others a real life parable of His stubborn, redeeming love.

4.  God calls us to love the unlovely- even those who have hurt us. God hates sin; it grieves His heart; He cannot condone it; His perfect righteousness and justice demand that He deal with it.  But He still loves the sinner and diligently seeks us out and offers us His loving forgiveness.  We need to love like that.  We need to forgive like that.  We need to drag the festering hurts we have been harboring in our hearts to the cross of Christ- where we laid our own burden of guilt one day and where we found God’s loving forgiveness- and we must leave them all there.  When we fully forgive, our minds are released from the bondage of resentment that has been building a wall between us, and we are free to grow in our relationships with each other.

5.  Our disobedience to God brings judgment and severe consequences. Clearly, the majority of the book of Hosea is about the coming judgment of God upon Israel.  Like He does with us, He gives them evidence of their unfaithfulness, He warns them of coming destruction, offers an opportunity for repentance, then He holds true to His word.

6.  God calls us into a covenant relationship with Him. It all starts as we realize how much God has done for us in Christ. Renew your covenant marriage to God.  If you have never entered into that eternal covenant (made possible only through the Cross of Christ), say, “I DO” right now.

Let Justice Roll

22 Oct , 2009 3 Comments

Our God is a God of justice. We often speak of His righteousness, but “righteousness” and “justice” are actually interchangeable words. Matthew 6:33 could be rendered, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added to you as well.” Obviously, justice is a big deal to God. At it’s core, doing justice means doing the right thing. In so many ways we have missed the mark. Listen to the His words in Amos (an entire book on justice):

“I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to me? Do you know what I want? I want justice- oceans of it. I want fairness- rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.” Amos 5:21-24 (The Message)

Are you just doing church or do you practice justice? Do you simply offer commentary on the plight of the poor, the oppressed, the under-resourced, or are you actually doing something about it? If so, then you are a kingdom person; if not, read those words above again- and again- until you’re moved to action. Let justice roll in your life.

Mercy triumphs over judgment!

18 Oct , 2009 No Comments

Our God is a God of mercy.  In its simplest form, mercy is an act of love to someone who does not deserve it.  At its root it means that there is some punishment or wage to be paid but it has been pardoned or paid for.  If we are to be kingdom people, we must learn to be merciful toward others.

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:4-5

The problem is that we are too just.  We like justice too much.  We think, “I can’t offer mercy to them, they don’t deserve it” (They should get what they deserve).  But James tells us (2:13) that mercy triumphs over judgment (in fact, the NIV adds an exclamation point)!  Judgment, like justice is when we get what we deserve.  Mercy is when we don’t get what we deserve (judgment/punishment).  And grace is when we get what we don’t deserve.  So, mercy trumps judgment but grace trumps even mercy!  Wow.  Who are you prone to judge?  To whom do you need to show mercy?  Do it today.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7