Be an Example to the Believers

2 Kings 8-9; 2 Chronicles 21; 1 Timothy 4

1 Timothy 4:11-14 ¹¹Command and teach these things. ¹²Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Timothy was a young disciple of Paul. During those times it was rare to have such a young pastor or teacher of the word because the rabbis and teachers were older men who have studied all their lives. Timothy was younger than other leaders and maybe felt like that was a negative aspect of his ministry. But Paul, a man of discernement, a man of faith and strength saw something in Timothy that he knew he could persevere and lead people to the Lord.

There are many ways for us to lead by example. There are many ways for us to live and show others who we are in Christ. But Paul set out specific ways for us to live...live by example. Show others who we are in

Speech: If I in the morning are worshipping God and reading the Word and doing my journal and telling my friends and family about Christ than going out at night and swearing all the time..what kind of example am i?

Matthew 15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.'
Life: The decisions I make in life don't only affect me but those around me. Especially because I am a Pastor and even if I wasn't, they still affect my family & my friends. The person I decide to be is the person that other people will want to or not want to be around. So if I am a grotesque person than I will have grotesque friends. But If I am a kind person than I will attract kind people.

1 Kings 21: 17 ¹⁷ Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: ¹⁸ "Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. ¹⁹ Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!' "

Love: It is easier to be mad at someone than to love them. But God calls us to love everyone even our enemies. To treat them right, no matter what. Because that is how God treats us.

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'^a]">[a] ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'^b]">[b] ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Faith: As followers of Christ we are pushed to live by faith. How can I not have faith if I am loving, worshipping a God that I cannot see. If I believe in God I have faith and if I don't believe in Him my faith perishes.

Hebrews 10:35-38 Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember your reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God's will if you want Him to do for you all that He has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God's sight must live by faith, trusting Him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them.

Purity: In a world that depends on itself and wants to destroy others to get ahead, its tough to live in not only sexual purity but also mental purity. It is a command from God to keep ourselves pure because than God can speak to us and keep us strong from the temptations of the world.

Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Lord,
Thank you for guiding me to you. I know that I can learn about life and how to live it to the fullest through you. You are the Almighty and wonderful God and I am nothing without you.
I forever love you always
Amen

6/18/10 Stop Comprimising

1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18-19; Colossians 4

2 Chronicles 19:1-3 But Jehoshaphat king of Judah got home safe and sound. Jehu, son of Hanani the seer, confronted King Jehoshaphat: "You have no business helping evil, cozying up to God-haters. Because you did this, God is good and angry with you. But you're not all bad—you made a clean sweep of the polluting sex-and-religion shrines; and you were single-minded in seeking God."

God created us to follow Him. He created us to be one with Him and see Him. However once people get older and start seeing things differently they either choose right or left. There are others that go right than left than right again than left again. There are some that choose right and never look to their left and vice versa. Jehoshaphat was on the right path and to please the king he looked left. He could have been like Micaiah, but he didn't want to be looked down upon. So he was known as a man of God yet there were things he compromised with.

As a Christian and human I can be easily swayed. Knowing I stand for Gods goodness yet have the temptation of the world on my shoulders, I can be white yet be able to try black. Doesn't make it right that i make an excuse, doesn't mean I won't pay the consequences even I know Gods grace, it just means I have to search my heart. Jehoshaphat could've been killed by God because he was luke warm. But he wasn't because God saw his heart. It didn't make it right, but God saw that he truly loved God.

I truly love God and my heart is always thinking of Him and making sure I do the right things, but I don't always do that. There are times when I look to the left and move towards bad things for selfish reasons. Because that's all sin is...selfishness. Why did Jehoshaphat love God yet allow himself to be swayed by evil men? Selfishness. Why do I love to worship God yet don't do it as much as I should? Selfishness. And I can come down on myself but I know that God knows my heart and if I keep my heart good before God, that's what matters.

Lord,
Thank you for searching my heart and seeing that I truly love you. Forgive me for looking to the left for being selfish and not thinking of you first. Forgive me for not being stronger knowing that you made me strong in you. Thank you for giving me my place in your kingdom.
I forever love you always
Amen

I Am because You Are

1 Kings 20-21; 2 Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

Colossians 3:22-25 ^22-25Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work.

There are many people in this life that have worked hard to where they got. They weren't lazy nor made excuses for themselves. They looked life in the face and conquered every tribulation that came in front of them. Paul was one of those men. He killed Christians before he converted. He was a hated, despised, feared man from the people that he eventually was trying to reach. He could've looked away and felt sorry for himself saying that there was nothing he could do because people didn't trust him. He could've said sorry God, but my past is too gruesome and painful, I just won't do it. But instead he knew what he did and he knew his obstacles and instead of freaking out....He went face to face with his maker and his enemy.

There are many people who follow and don't follow God that make excuses for life. They think they're life is too hard and they step away from they're once spoken goals. But the moment that things get cloudy it is our duty to step up and not be afraid.

v.12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

I am a chosen one from God, my Father, my Creator, my Maker, my King, my Friend. He told me what I needed to do and where I needed to go. His map is His word and I have no excuse to fall away from Him. I understand the words and I understand that my Lord loves me unconditionally with mercy and grace. I know that I am only human but I can love like He loves. I can be gentle and humble like Him. I am able to forgive others and have my strength come from the inside. I am capable of being disciplined and disciplining myself. I Am.

Lord,
Thank you for having me part of your team, part of your world. Thank you that you have chosen me to be with you and allowing me to show the world who you are through me. I Am because You Are. It is you and only you that can show me the truth to what I need to know.
I forever love you Always
Amen

How He Loves Us

1 Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

1 Kings 19:11-12

^11-12 Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by."

A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.

When people think of God, they think someone who is always mad, who is a tyrant, someone they are afraid of. And then God reveals Himself and they get proved wrong. God is mercy and knows His children. He knows that if He presents Himself as an angry tyrant king I would be mad at Him and not listen & just not care about the Word. But God being gentle and forgiving, presenting Himself as such, is why I am still in love with Him.

"He is jealous for me Loves like a hurricane I am a tree Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by Glory And I realize just how beautiful you are and how great your affections are for me"
His love is like that hurricane, earthquake, and fire. Its intense. God is intense. His love will move mountains and destroys things to make sure we know how much He loves us.

"We are his portion and he is our prize Drawn to redemption by the grace in his eyes If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking So, heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss And my heart turns violently inside of my chest I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way "

Gods love is beyond all knowledge. Gods love is something I will never understand and may always question in one way or another. But whatever I think about it, its always there. He is always there.

Father,
Thank you for your unconditional love for me and your people. Thank you that I can share your love and proclaim it to others and show it through who I am. You are love and mercy and grace and through you I am free. Through you I am Me. I am who you created and I am here for you.
I forever love you always,
Amen

Live a worthy life

Ecclesiastes 7-9; Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:2-6 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all

Each of us has a calling. They are either being a prophet, evangelist, teacher, apostle, or pastor. Some people think they don't have any of these gifts, but God implanted in us something special. Paul, here, gives us some tips to make sure we are ready for Gods calling and ready to hear Him say to go out and show others what are calling is.

1. Be Gentle
In this step when someone is gentle they are humble enough to show others the true love of Christ. When I'm at the doctors office i would rather have a nurse that is gentle than poke me with needles.When someone is gentle they are also patient. They understand that not everyone is the same and some need more time than others. A gentle person is also filled with love. Love for others and love for themselves.

2.Be Peaceful
It has been prophesied over me that I am a peace maker. When someone wants peace it means they don't want to fight about things.They like to work things out in the nicest way possible. When someone hurts someone of peace, it aches inside their soul because all they want is to have peace with others and not have any trouble. To remain in peace is a tough thing to do yet it surprises others because its not the usual way to handle things.

3. Be One
Know who God is and He will show you who you are. There are other people living in this world that know God yet those people think they are better. God made us equal in His image, once we learn to be gentle and peaceful than God can truly show us who He is and who we are worshipping and serving. If I know God than I'll know His calling and His will for my life.

Lord,
Thank you for allowing me to know what you want for my life. Thank you for choosing me to be with you and to follow you and to know you. Reveal yourself to me all the days of my life that even when I look away from you, You remain looking at me.
I forever love you always
Amen

Get your Act together

Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalm 18; Ephesians 3

Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20 After looking at the way things are on this earth, here's what I've decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that's about it. That's the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what's given and delighting in the work. It's God's gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It's useless to brood over how long we might live.

God gave each of us life. Yes there are people who have a better life than others, however, He gave us this life. And what should we do with it? Enjoy it. There are some that live longer and some that have more money. There are others that die young and waste away in their sorrows. But as people who live by the Bible, God is telling us to take our life and live it to the fullest.

Psalm 18:20-24 God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start. Now I'm alert to God's ways; I don't take God for granted. Every day I review the ways he works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
There are times in life when mistakes make me feel like i don't deserve this life. There are times when I sin and I need to hide myself from God. But reading this i see that God, no matter what I have done, wants me to persevere in Him. That He gives me a second chance to redeem myself in Him because He died for me and made me complete again.

Lord,
thank you for giving me a second chance and for making me whole in you. All the wholes in my heart have been filled by your love and grace for me. I can look at you and see a complete vision that you made me a part of. Thank you for loving me unconditionally.
I forever love you always
Amen

Grace

Proverbs 22-24; Romans 14

Romans 14:2-4 (The Message) For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.

Paul was someone who got it. He understood the purpose, the idea, the concept. He knew what it meant. He wasn't perfect and may have messed up here and there but he lived it. Grace. Grace is about showing the other person you love them NO MATTER WHAT.
You a satanists...I love you.
You a homosexual...I love you.
You curse God...I love you.
Does that mean I approve of the way your living...absolutely not.
Grace means that I accept you, that I wont judge you, I won't hate on you because your not living the right life.
It means I will listen to you and if you need my advice be prepared to hear something you may not want to hear.

v.17-18 God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness' sake. It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you'll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you.

I am not the one to set your foot back on path. I can help you get there but its God that puts things back in control.
God has called me to serve Him. And serve Him only. I am not to worship my parents or any other thing on this earth, but look to Him and know who He is at all times.

Lord,
Thank you for creating me to serve you. Thank you that I can see you in things and find you. I know i have sinned and ask for your forgiveness in my life and those times that i have judged others and looked at the speck in their eye when there was a brick in mine. Lord you have always shown me ultimate grace and I want to take your path to show others what you have always shown me.
I forever love you always
Amen