we need to remind ourselves…

we have been looking at the LORD’s prayer and the phrase, hallowed be YOUr name.  to those who are a part of HIS family we need to remind ourselves when we are striving to it alone that we are HIS child.

one way to do that is to write down something like i will act like GOD’s child by… what?  how do you need to act like GOD’s child this week?  by asking forgiveness of somebody in your family?  or forgiving somebody in your family?  GOD is forgiving so HIS children should act forgiving.  act like GOD’s child by taking a step of integrity at work?  even if that step of integrity means you might lose your job.  GOD has integrity.  HE expects his children to have integrity.  you may have been facing this integrity decision at work for a long time.  you know deep down if you take that step even if it has tough consequences you’re never going to regret it.  you’ll never regret doing the right thing.  maybe you need to act like GOD’s child this week just by realizing HE loves you even though you don’t feel like it right now.  GOD’s love isn’t dependent on my feeling.  there are many days i don’t feel like HE loves me but HE still does.  HE’s still there.

but then maybe you need to become GOD’s child today.  You are going it alone.  GOD doesn’t force any one into HIS family.  HE invites us all into HIS family.  maybe you need to take the step of faith to realize GOD wants you to be a part of HIS family.  HE sent JESUS CHRIST into this world to say, “I’m willing to open the door.  I’m willing to forgive you of the wrong things you have done if you’ll trust me to do that.  I’m willing to be your father and begin to lead and guide your life if you trust me to do that.”  as you trust HIM in that simple way through prayer, you come into GOD’s family. 

whatever step you need to take it’s going to involve trust because GOD’s children trust HIM.  that’s what marks one of GOD’s children.  psalm 33.21(lb), no wonder we are happy in the LORD for we are trusting HIM.  we trust in HIS holy name.

the result of trusting in GOD’s name, honoring GOD’s name, hallowing GOD’s name should be happiness.  GOD’s name is not meant to be a curse.  it’s meant to be a blessing as we honor it in our lives.

just a thought from the front porch…

being a part of GOD’s family makes a difference…

to be called by GOD’s name, CHRISTian, that should make a difference.  in fact, it should make a difference in two primary ways and don’t get these out of order.

one is to recognize and realize how deeply GOD, my FATHER, loves me.  i’m a part of HIS family.  i’m loved by HIM more deeply than i could ever imagine. 

secondly, it should make a difference in the way that i live. 

first in knowing how deeply i’m loved and then the way that i live.  don’t get those out of order.  you start by realizing how much GOD loves you.  then you live out that love in your everyday life.  

the bible tells us in ephesians 3.18 (lb) about how much GOD loves us.  may you be able to feel and understand as all GOD’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep and how high HIS love really is. 

i invite you to make it one of your life goals to understand how deeply GOD loves you.  you can exhaust your life trying to understand that and not get close to understanding how deep HIS love is for you.  that’s a great goal for any of our lives. 

then once you begin, as you begin to understand the depths of HIS love for you, then you live as a child of GOD.  you live out that love. 

ephesians 5:1-2 (nlt) says it this way, follow GOD's example in everything you do, because you are HIS dear children. live a life filled with love for others, following the example of CHRIST, who loved you and gave HIMself as a sacrifice to take away your sins.

we’re GOD’s children.  we represent GOD’s name.  we’re part of HIS family. 

just a thought from the front porch...

4 qualifications to make as much money as you can…

scripture says you can make as much money as you can in your life as long as you meet these four qualifications.

1.  as long as it doesn’t hurt your own health.   some people literally work themselves to death.  they amass a personal fortune and then have a heart attack.  scripture teaches that health must always take priority over wealth.  proverbs 23.4 (niv), do not wear yourselves out to get rich.  have the wisdom to show restraint.  there are so many people working themselves to death trying to afford things that really we don’t need.  don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich.  health must take a priority over wealth. 

2.  as long as it doesn’t hurt my family.  how many homes have fallen apart because kids are being ignored while parents are too busy making money to buy things for their kids?  i discovered early on that what my kids wanted was not so much things but me.  they just wanted me to spend time with them.  they’d rather have my time that anything i could afford.  we get so busy making a living that we forget to have a life.

3.  as long as it doesn’t hurt other people.  this is the exact opposite of the world’s view which says, it’s a dog eat dog world, get all you can get.  GOD demands that we make money honestly and fairly.  proverbs 22.20 (niv), a fortune can be made from cheating but there’s a curse that goes with it.  we are going to reap what we sow.  proverbs 16.8 (niv), it’s better to have a little, honestly earned than a large income dishonestly gained.

4.  as long as i keep my SPIRITual life on the same level.  the principle of balance.  as long as my spiritual growth is progressing at the level as my financial prosperity, go ahead and make what you can.  3 john 2 (niv), beloved i wish that you may prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers.  john says i pray that GOD will bless you financially as you are blessed SPIRITually.  i pray that you will prosper as much financially as you prosper SPIRITually.  GOD wants us to be in balance.  if my income and your income were at the same degree as your walk with the LORD would you be a millionaire or a pauper or somewhere in between.  there must be a balance.

GOD says if you’re going to set financial goals, you need to set SPIRITual ones too.  set some relational goals.  if all you do is set financial goals then you are out of balance and GOD says it’s wrong.

just a thought from the front porch…

doing the devils work for him…

what we are dealing with here in the 4^th chapter of james in the nt is something very serious.  we shouldn’t slander or judge people but so many do because it excuses their faults and because of pride.  but james then give us some reasons why we shouldn’t judge or slander.

one reason is found in the other part of  james 4.11.  it is unCHRISTian.  here is what it says in the new international version,  brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.  anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law… 

actually when it says, judges him it mentions the words brother or sister again.  brother or sister is used three times in this passage.  why?  it is because we shouldn’t judge one another because we’re all part of the same family.  we’re brothers or sisters.  when i see another CHRISTian stumble or fall or have a tough time, i shouldn’t rejoice in that because they’re family.  i should be concerned about it.  i think a lot of times we get a little bit of glee out of it.

i heard about a guy who came to a pastor one time and said, “i don't have but one talent.”  the pastor asked, “what's your talent?”  the man said, “i have the gift of criticism.” folks, the gift of criticism does not come from the HOLY SPIRIT but from the devil and the pastor was wise and thought about the parable in the bible and said, “the guy who had only one talent went out and buried it.  maybe that is what you should do with yours.”

notice it says, brothers and sisters, do not slander.  the word “slander” and the word “devil” are the same word in the greek.  the word devil means, “slander.”  the bible calls satan the accuser of CHRISTians.  he’s the slanderer of CHRISTians.  what does this mean? 

the devils number one activity is going around and putting people down, to slander them and malign them.  we are most like the devil when we slander, when we speak against somebody else (including all kinds of criticisms, maligning, judging) we’re doing the devils work for him.  that’s what the devil’s job description is. 

john 8:44 (niv), the devil is…the father of lies.  revelation says he’s the accuser of brothers.  it’s unCHRISTian to judge other people.

just a thought from the front porch…

joseph testing his brothers...

joseph has this test.  genesis 42.25-28 (niv),  joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. after this was done for them, they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. at the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. “my silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “here it is in my sack.” their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “what is this that GOD has done to us?”

that’s guilt twenty years later, unresolved guilt!  if you’re feeling that way every time something goes bad, get HIS forgiveness.  you don’t have to feel that, “GOD’s punishing us or what is this that GOD has done to us?”

so they go back to israel.  they eat the food.  they run out of food and they have to go back to egypt, the second journey.  joseph meets up with them again and gives them some food again.  and benjamin’s there.  genesis 43.15-16 (niv), so the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and benjamin also. they hurried down to egypt and presented themselves to joseph.  when joseph saw benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.”

so they have this great meal together.  joseph says, “let’s have the youngest served more food than anybody else – five times as much as anyone else’s.  then when they leave, let’s take some silver cup and put it in benjamin’s sack and let’s see what happens.”  they do that and they send them off.  they leave and they find this silver cup in benjamin’s sack.  genesis 44.11-34 (niv), each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.  then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. and the cup was found in benjamin’s sack. at this, they tore their clothes. then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.  

here’s the test: what are they going to do with the youngest?  perfect opportunity to throw him into the pit.  here’s the answer: joseph says, “what is this you have done?  you know that a man like me can find things out by divination.”  “what can we say?”  judah replied.  “how can we prove our innocence?  we are your slaves.”  joseph said, ‘i can’t do that.  only the man who was found to have my cup will become my slave.  the rest of you go back to your father in peace.” 

then listen to what judah says, please, let your servant speak.  don’t be angry, though you’re equal to pharaoh himself.  we’ve told you we have an aged father.  he’s going to die if we don’t bring our youngest back….  your servant, our father said, “you know that my wife bore me two sons.  one of them went away from me

what do you think joseph thought when he heard that?  and i said he’s surely been torn to pieces and i’ve not seen him since.  if you take this one from me too, harm will come to me.  …   so now, if the boy is not with us when i go back to your servant, my father is going to die.  your servant has guaranteed this boy’s safety…  please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave in place of the boy and let the boy return with his brothers.  how can i go back if the boy isn’t with me?’” 

that’s a long story that would make a great hollywood movie.  it’s told very quickly but it’s told for the ending.  judah says, “take me instead!”  years later, JESUS was going to say, “take me instead!” and HE died on the cross for us.  judah said, “i’ll be the slave in his place.”  JESUS released us from slavery.  judah is a forerunner of JESUS.

just a thought from the front porch…