I take spells as it were to write here in this place where almost anyone can get too and read and make comments or pay no attention at all too. But it is my calling to proclaim my weakness as a sinner and yet shout the good news that God is a God of wrath but more than that God is a God of forgiveness and salvation. That is the Good News!
Scripture: Romans 4: 7 "Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed are those whose sin the Lord will never count against them."
Observation: Paul writes to the sinner, of which I am one myself, and he writes of grace and forgiveness as well as judgment, and I am thankful that this grace and forgiveness as well as the judgment is available to all.
Application: I don't know of any perfect people today except the one who lives in my heart and knows my every thought (good or bad) and searchs for my soul every minute of everyday.
I am thankful that it is God who does the saving and the forgiving and the judging because I don't think I can do it justice
Prayer: Lord my prayer today is for what I don't deserve but for what you give freely--forgiveness and hope--all wrapped up in your grace and your strength and you power to transform. Thanks for loving me, Stephen
Yieldedness: I must seek to apply God's grace to my life and encourage others to do so as well.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Holding Back
Scripture Matthew 23 ; Matthew 24 ; Matthew 25: 46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Observation: This sounds so final and unforgiving on the surface.
Application: The thing I have to cosider this Thanksgiving morning is whether I have fed the hungry, I have invited the stranger, clothed the naked, looked after the sick and those in prison. In my own mind I believe I have done most of that in one way or the other, but my delima is whether I have been found faithful in these works so that I may not "..go away to eternal punishment,..."
I past two beggars yesterday on my way without offering any assistance to their need, and my excuse was I had no change less than a $10, what should my response have been? Could I have parted with the ten spot, probably but I didn't.
Today I am wondering what I missed by not letting go of that I deemed more important than giving.
Prayer: LORD, I pray today that I would give rather than hold back, you gave so much for me and I should pass it on in whateve way I can, LORD help me be more like you. Love Stephen
Yieldedness: I will do my best not to hold to what is turing to rust.
Observation: This sounds so final and unforgiving on the surface.
Application: The thing I have to cosider this Thanksgiving morning is whether I have fed the hungry, I have invited the stranger, clothed the naked, looked after the sick and those in prison. In my own mind I believe I have done most of that in one way or the other, but my delima is whether I have been found faithful in these works so that I may not "..go away to eternal punishment,..."
I past two beggars yesterday on my way without offering any assistance to their need, and my excuse was I had no change less than a $10, what should my response have been? Could I have parted with the ten spot, probably but I didn't.
Today I am wondering what I missed by not letting go of that I deemed more important than giving.
Prayer: LORD, I pray today that I would give rather than hold back, you gave so much for me and I should pass it on in whateve way I can, LORD help me be more like you. Love Stephen
Yieldedness: I will do my best not to hold to what is turing to rust.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Weak Moments
Scripture: Matthew 17: 20 -21 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Observation: Jesus is the center of my hope and my faith in Jesus is what allows me to come to him in prayer and supplication with whatever joy I have and whatever anguish I have in my life that has to be dealt with immediately or soon.
Application: In this time of Thanksgiving, when everything should be in its place and all should be well, but sometimes stuff happens and problems pop up that were unexpected. I could say that there is some evil force out there that is trying to control my life and the life of the ones I love, but I know down deep in my heart that it is the human condition or brokenness that is at work here.
This commentary is about faith but along with it is confession and pardon and then of course as all of us know so well there comes the consequences of the actions taken. Sometimes when things are bad, stuff is happening there pops up a way out, a way to handle it--we think. It is really just instant gratification we are seeing, not a real solution. I say that because that quick decision to hide or cover over a sin always comes back to bite you and it has a damaging effect not only you but also on your circle of influence. That is where the confession and pardon come along side our faith, which was weak for a moment.
The confession and pardon is what has to happen in order to realize that our faith in Jesus is where we put our whole self. If we have faith in Jesus the size of a mustard seed, then instead of looking for a quick way to cover the sin, we come to Jesus and to those who love us and say I need help and here is why.
This may only make sense to me today and I hope to my LORD, but my concern today is those who have jumped to fast and left their faith in God and in those who love them for a fleating moment to cover a sin.
Prayer: LORD, thank you for your grace and your forgiveness and thank you never leaving us. I pray for those today who have gotten in a bind trying to be perfect in every way, who depended on their own understanding for a moment and now are seeking redemption. I know they will find it in you LORD and in those who love them. Thanks for loving me anyway, STephen
Yieldedness: I will do my best put my faith in Jesus in proper perspective in all that I say and do.
Observation: Jesus is the center of my hope and my faith in Jesus is what allows me to come to him in prayer and supplication with whatever joy I have and whatever anguish I have in my life that has to be dealt with immediately or soon.
Application: In this time of Thanksgiving, when everything should be in its place and all should be well, but sometimes stuff happens and problems pop up that were unexpected. I could say that there is some evil force out there that is trying to control my life and the life of the ones I love, but I know down deep in my heart that it is the human condition or brokenness that is at work here.
This commentary is about faith but along with it is confession and pardon and then of course as all of us know so well there comes the consequences of the actions taken. Sometimes when things are bad, stuff is happening there pops up a way out, a way to handle it--we think. It is really just instant gratification we are seeing, not a real solution. I say that because that quick decision to hide or cover over a sin always comes back to bite you and it has a damaging effect not only you but also on your circle of influence. That is where the confession and pardon come along side our faith, which was weak for a moment.
The confession and pardon is what has to happen in order to realize that our faith in Jesus is where we put our whole self. If we have faith in Jesus the size of a mustard seed, then instead of looking for a quick way to cover the sin, we come to Jesus and to those who love us and say I need help and here is why.
This may only make sense to me today and I hope to my LORD, but my concern today is those who have jumped to fast and left their faith in God and in those who love them for a fleating moment to cover a sin.
Prayer: LORD, thank you for your grace and your forgiveness and thank you never leaving us. I pray for those today who have gotten in a bind trying to be perfect in every way, who depended on their own understanding for a moment and now are seeking redemption. I know they will find it in you LORD and in those who love them. Thanks for loving me anyway, STephen
Yieldedness: I will do my best put my faith in Jesus in proper perspective in all that I say and do.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Promises and Commitments Made and Kept
Scripture Job 25 ; Mark 13 ; Mark 14: 31 But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same.
Observation:Good intentions do not go very far when put to the test most of the time. Peter meant well and all the rest too. But when the test came their humness and brokeness came shining through like a bright light, but not a light that would lead anywhere.
Application: I think about promises that I make sometimes and then when the time comes to keep that promise I find that I have misplaced what was needed to make it happen. Then, I have to ask myself, "why did I say I would do this or that?" Of course, the answer is not one I like either, it was to appease the moment or something even more lame than those words, which are full of excuses.
I must be careful what I say I will do and what I make promises to do about something or to do for someone. Peter and all the rest said that no matter what happened to Jesus they would never disown him....but they did.
If they were Jesus' closes friends and collegues where would I fit in to that mix?
Prayer: Lord, I pray today for all who it is my duty to pray for, and I pray also today that once in a while you would remind me about "promises made" and commitments that should be kept. Your promise to me I know will be kept to the inth degree because of who you are and what you have already done. Thanks for loving me anyway, Stephen
Yieldedness: I will work on being careful about promises and commitments.
Observation:Good intentions do not go very far when put to the test most of the time. Peter meant well and all the rest too. But when the test came their humness and brokeness came shining through like a bright light, but not a light that would lead anywhere.
Application: I think about promises that I make sometimes and then when the time comes to keep that promise I find that I have misplaced what was needed to make it happen. Then, I have to ask myself, "why did I say I would do this or that?" Of course, the answer is not one I like either, it was to appease the moment or something even more lame than those words, which are full of excuses.
I must be careful what I say I will do and what I make promises to do about something or to do for someone. Peter and all the rest said that no matter what happened to Jesus they would never disown him....but they did.
If they were Jesus' closes friends and collegues where would I fit in to that mix?
Prayer: Lord, I pray today for all who it is my duty to pray for, and I pray also today that once in a while you would remind me about "promises made" and commitments that should be kept. Your promise to me I know will be kept to the inth degree because of who you are and what you have already done. Thanks for loving me anyway, Stephen
Yieldedness: I will work on being careful about promises and commitments.
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