Friday, November 29, 2013

Wight [James 2:14-26]

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “wight.”  Sometimes Christianity can get a little bit confusing.  We see that the apostle Paul tells us that we need to have faith in Jesus, and that it is the most important piece of our Christian walk.  Then we see the passages below that make us scratch our heads and wonder if we are on the right track…

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”
~Jam 2:17-18


So which one is it?  Funny enough, this is the age-old battle between Bible scholars.  My question for you is: do you show your faith in God by the way that you live?  It's tough sometimes to do what God wants us to do.  But, my prayer is that each of you remembers that your life is not to be lived for you, but for the glory of God.  Always remember to be wight, or active and nimble, in your faith.  You never know when someone needs your encouragement and affirmation that there is a God working in their lives.

Praying for you,

Mo 

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Gelt (Ecclesiastes 7:11-12)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is "gelt."  Accumulating wealth seems to be a pretty common theme throughout the Bible.  People in the Old Testament were often deemed successful by the kind of inheritance that they left to future generations.  It wasn't always necessarily money, a lot of times it was posessions, land, and livestock.  This passage below relates the need in our lives for wisdom, as it pertains to the desire for wealth and security.

“Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.”
~Ecc. 7:11-12


My question is: what are the steps you are currently taking to gain more wisdom?  I remember years ago my pastor's wife gave me one of the most important pieces of advice I would ever receive.  She said that in the morning when I rise, and at night before I go to sleep I should always pray for both wisdom and discernment.  I feel that over the years God has answered those prayers.  I'm don’t always make the best decisions, but as I walk this journey with the Lord, he has increased my wisdom quotient.  My prayer is that each of you yearns for wisdom and discernment in your relationship with God.  He will give you all that is needed to set yourself up to leave a spiritual inheritance after you leave this earth.

Praying for you,


mo

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Wroth (Proverbs 10:25)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “wroth.”  Nobody said that life was going to be easy.  In fact, I would say that most people understand that life is going to have a ton of stuff in it that causes pain, trials, and tribulation.  The writer here in Proverbs also understood that life would have its ups and downs.

When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
~Pr. 10:25


My question is: where are you when the whirlwind passes?  A lot of times we get caught up in everything that's going on in life, and we forget to realize that it is the foundation inside of us that allows for us to get through tough times. I told my church the other day that I have a hard enough time getting through trials and tribulations now… and I have Jesus on my side!  I could imagine what it is to be without a higher being with whom to walk these crazy tribulations.  My prayer is that each of you remembers that even during the most intense and wroth circumstances of life, God will continue to let you prevail, as you stand upon his foundation.

Praying for you,


Mo

Friday, November 22, 2013

Con amore (1 John 4:16)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is "con amore.”  Okay, so it's two words… Italian of course.  Most of you have taken some kind of language in high school, so you can probably deduct what this means.  A lot of times younger Christians who are new in the faith will come to me and ask what they should read in the Bible.  I always tell them that they should read 1 John.  For one, it's really short.  But I would have to say that in this short letter describes God's love very specifically and concisely.

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
~1 Jn. 4:16


My question is: what are you doing currently that reminds you of God's love?  I know that as I spend time with people who are like-minded and want to serve God, it causes me to understand his love for me.  My prayer is that you come to know and believe that God loves you unconditionally.  He wants the best for each of us and asks only, con amore,  that we allow for his presence to be in our lives.

Praying for you,


Mo

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Snarky (Philippians 2:14-15)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is "snarky."  This is one of my favorite words, both to say and to hear.  The reason I like the apostle Paul also much is because he was a pretty down to earth kind of guy.  The way that he lived his life before he accepted Christ was to be much different than after his revelation.  I think God knew what he was doing by getting a guy like Paul to be his ambassador.  It must've been so hard for Paul to put up with the early Christian church based on the way he lived his old life.

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…”
~Phil. 2:14-15


My question is: what is it mean for you to live a life such as mentioned here?  I know that when I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior in high school that there was no way I thought that I could ever live up to Christian expectations.  But that's where I think most people get it wrong.  We are not supposed to live up to other people's expectations, only to serve God.  As you can read in today's passage, there are many similarities with the generation then, and the generations now.  What hasn't changed is God's mandate to each of us.  As believers in Christ is our duty and responsibility to live lives that are blameless and innocent, avoiding snarky dispositions that would cause others to be turned off to JC.  My prayer is that you take some time to ask God to make you such a person.

Praying for you,

Mo



Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Subjoin (Revelation 22:17-20)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is "subjoin."  I remember when I became a new Christian some years ago.  The book of Revelation was always pretty intriguing.  None of us really wanted to read it by ourselves, but we all wanted to learn about it.  Finally, one of my mentors decided to take us boys through it in our specific group.  It was a pretty intense book.  I remember towards the end of it God's explicit instructions through John not to add anything to the words written on those pages.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book…
~Rev 22:18


My question this morning is: how do you see yourself fitting into God's plan?  I remember when I first realized that as a Christian I had a stake in claim to God.  It's pretty neat to know that God has made you and I part of his family.  My prayer this morning is that each of you thanks God for something specific in your life that is directly affected because of your choice to follow him.  For instance, is there a friendship that has come about because of your choosing to follow God?  Maybe some of you have changed specific thoughts, actions, or directions in your life because of your decision to follow Christ.  Or, maybe you're just seeking and don't know if you really even want to follow God, and that's okay too.  Just remember that God always wants to give you moments of clarity and understanding, and when it comes to knowing him, he is willing to do what is necessary for you to receive the blessing that he freely gives.

Praying for you,


Mo