Just 12 Men
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter's brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James's brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the Zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). Matthew 10:1-4
What an interesting and amazing group to choose if your goal is to forever change the world. Twelve men who, because of Jesus' life and resurrection and the power of the Spirit, forever changed the history of our planet. We have such a great temptation to offer honor to these men because of the good they did. While we must be grateful of those who were faithful and paid the ultimate price for their discipleship, we must also realize that the glory of their service is found in their Master.
What makes them special is that Jesus called them and gave them authority to do great works to bless others. I wonder what he wants to do with us? I wonder what role he wants us to play in his great work of redemption?
The Need for Workers
He said to his disciples, "The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields." Matthew 9:37-38
COME-Be-My-Disciple
http://denniscesone.blogspot.com/2005/04/come-be-my-disciple.html
Dear Lord,
Please give me the heart to follow Jesus, the faith to expect his great works to be done through me. Allow me to give Him all the glory for what happens that is good. Thank you, Father, for your love and everlasting grace.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart. -John Bunyan
Friday, April 29, 2005
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Friendship
Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear him. With them he shares the secrets of his covenant. Psalms 25:14
God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9
http://marklowenstein.blogspot.com/2005/04/friend-that-stays.html
Mark, thanks for your BLOG on Friend-That-Stays!
There is more to friendship than just having fun.
A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17
Friends knows the importance of friendship and the responsibility that goes along with having a friend. Friends aren't just for doing fun things. Friends are there to help when you need them and need help themselves sometimes, too. Jesus teaches to care for others more than you care for yourself and the love and caring that you share with friends.
What kind of friend are you? There is a difference between knowing someone well and being a true friend. The greatest evidence of genuine friendship is loyality ( loving at all time ) and being available to help in times of distress or personal struggles. Too many people are fair-weather friends. They stick around when the friendship helps them and leave when they are not getting anything out of the relationship. Think of your friends and your loyality to them. Be the kind of true friend the Bible encourages.
The more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others. God gives us spiritual gifts to our loves on earth in order to build up, serve, and strengthen fellow Christians.
God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9
http://marklowenstein.blogspot.com/2005/04/friend-that-stays.html
Mark, thanks for your BLOG on Friend-That-Stays!
There is more to friendship than just having fun.
A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17
Friends knows the importance of friendship and the responsibility that goes along with having a friend. Friends aren't just for doing fun things. Friends are there to help when you need them and need help themselves sometimes, too. Jesus teaches to care for others more than you care for yourself and the love and caring that you share with friends.
What kind of friend are you? There is a difference between knowing someone well and being a true friend. The greatest evidence of genuine friendship is loyality ( loving at all time ) and being available to help in times of distress or personal struggles. Too many people are fair-weather friends. They stick around when the friendship helps them and leave when they are not getting anything out of the relationship. Think of your friends and your loyality to them. Be the kind of true friend the Bible encourages.
The more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others. God gives us spiritual gifts to our loves on earth in order to build up, serve, and strengthen fellow Christians.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Examine Yourself
Examine yourself during the Lord's Supper.
And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ's. 1 Corinthians 11:1
So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. But if we examine ourselves, we will not be examined by God and judged in this way. But when we are judged and disciplined by the Lord, we will not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Paul gave specific instructions on how the Lord's Supper should be observed:
We should take the Lord's Supper thoughtfully because we are proclaiming that Christ died for our sins. We should take it worthly, with due reverence, and respect. We should examine ourselves for any unconfessed sins or resentful attitude. In reality, no one is worthy to take the Lord's Supper. We are sinners saved by grace. That is why Paul wants us to observe the Lord's Supper with respect and thoughtfulness.
Remember, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
When Paul said unworthy manner, he was referring to church members who were rushing into without thinking of it's meaning.
Father, thank you for leaving us a reminder of Jesus's sacrifice, his life-giving grace, and our responsibility to keep his memory and ministry alive as his Body, the Church. Thank you so much for Jesus. Thank you for blessing me with a spiritual meal which reminds me and proclaims again that Jesus died, offering his body and blood as the sacrifice for my sins.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
Remember Jesus! Remember his great sacrifice and his imcomparable love for you!
And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ's. 1 Corinthians 11:1
So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God's judgment upon yourself. That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. But if we examine ourselves, we will not be examined by God and judged in this way. But when we are judged and disciplined by the Lord, we will not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Paul gave specific instructions on how the Lord's Supper should be observed:
We should take the Lord's Supper thoughtfully because we are proclaiming that Christ died for our sins. We should take it worthly, with due reverence, and respect. We should examine ourselves for any unconfessed sins or resentful attitude. In reality, no one is worthy to take the Lord's Supper. We are sinners saved by grace. That is why Paul wants us to observe the Lord's Supper with respect and thoughtfulness.
Remember, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
When Paul said unworthy manner, he was referring to church members who were rushing into without thinking of it's meaning.
Father, thank you for leaving us a reminder of Jesus's sacrifice, his life-giving grace, and our responsibility to keep his memory and ministry alive as his Body, the Church. Thank you so much for Jesus. Thank you for blessing me with a spiritual meal which reminds me and proclaims again that Jesus died, offering his body and blood as the sacrifice for my sins.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
Remember Jesus! Remember his great sacrifice and his imcomparable love for you!
Thursday, April 21, 2005
GOD'S MISSION
God has a MISSION for you in the world. You were made for a MISSION.
Jesus prayed to his Father:
In the same way that You gave Me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.
John 17:18
Through Christ God has made peace between us and Himself and He gave us the work of telling everyone the peace we can have with Him. So we have been sent to speak for Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:19-20
If you want God's blessing and power on your life, you must care about what God cares about most. The biggest concern of God's heart is bringing his lost children back home to Him.
The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me, to tell people the good news about His grace.
Acts 20:24
Our mission on earth is to be ambassadors for God. God loves people so much that he has sent us to represent Him to those who do not know him. This is your mission to the world.
God created you to have a ministry in the church and a mission in the world. Both are urgent! Fulfilling your mission in the world is called Evangelism. Once you become part of God's family it is your mission to tell others the Good News about Jesus.
Through Christ, all the kindness of God has been poured out upon us and now He is sending us out around the world to tell all people everywhere the great things God has done so they too, will beleive and obey Him.
Romans 1:5
Jesus prayed to his Father:
In the same way that You gave Me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.
John 17:18
Through Christ God has made peace between us and Himself and He gave us the work of telling everyone the peace we can have with Him. So we have been sent to speak for Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:19-20
If you want God's blessing and power on your life, you must care about what God cares about most. The biggest concern of God's heart is bringing his lost children back home to Him.
The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me, to tell people the good news about His grace.
Acts 20:24
Our mission on earth is to be ambassadors for God. God loves people so much that he has sent us to represent Him to those who do not know him. This is your mission to the world.
God created you to have a ministry in the church and a mission in the world. Both are urgent! Fulfilling your mission in the world is called Evangelism. Once you become part of God's family it is your mission to tell others the Good News about Jesus.
Through Christ, all the kindness of God has been poured out upon us and now He is sending us out around the world to tell all people everywhere the great things God has done so they too, will beleive and obey Him.
Romans 1:5
Monday, April 18, 2005
Come, Be My Disciple...
Authority
As Jesus was going down the road, he saw Matthew sitting at his tax-collection booth. "Come, be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax-collection booth. "Come, be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. Mark 2:14
If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26
I will prove that I, the Son of Man, have the authority on earth to forgive sins." Luke 5:24
Jesus have the authority to forgive sins. He has the authority to command sinners to follow and they follow. They respond with a change of heart and behavior. An example, Matthew the tax collector - tax collectors in Jesus day were renown for using their position for personal gain and were associated with traitors who sold out to the Roman occupiers. He is a great witness that Jesus cares for all and goes in search of all. He is a great reminder that redemptive love allows no cultural and social barriers to love.
Matthew's response is the great reminder that many sinners are looking for a Savior. All they need is someone to show them how to get him.
Prayer:
Dear Father,
Thank you for coming to this world to save sinners. Thank you for your son, Jesus. I thank you for the grace and mercy you've given to me. Please help me be more gracious to others and come closer to your grace and forgiveness.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
As Jesus was going down the road, he saw Matthew sitting at his tax-collection booth. "Come, be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax-collection booth. "Come, be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. Mark 2:14
If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26
I will prove that I, the Son of Man, have the authority on earth to forgive sins." Luke 5:24
Jesus have the authority to forgive sins. He has the authority to command sinners to follow and they follow. They respond with a change of heart and behavior. An example, Matthew the tax collector - tax collectors in Jesus day were renown for using their position for personal gain and were associated with traitors who sold out to the Roman occupiers. He is a great witness that Jesus cares for all and goes in search of all. He is a great reminder that redemptive love allows no cultural and social barriers to love.
Matthew's response is the great reminder that many sinners are looking for a Savior. All they need is someone to show them how to get him.
Prayer:
Dear Father,
Thank you for coming to this world to save sinners. Thank you for your son, Jesus. I thank you for the grace and mercy you've given to me. Please help me be more gracious to others and come closer to your grace and forgiveness.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Real Friends
Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Take heart, son! Your sins are forgiven." "Blasphemy! This man talks like he is God!" some of the teachers of religious law said among themselves. Matthew 9:1-3
Dear brothers and sisters, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and the reward for my work. So please stay true to the Lord, my dear friends. Philippians 4:1-9
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. Roman 5:2
Real friends are friends that help us find Jesus and let him minister to our needs and full of obstacles. Like the unnamed friends in this story, we must come to realize that the best thing we can do for a friend is help that friend lead to Jesus. Our faith can make a huge difference in the lives of those closest to us. What's so amazing about Jesus is that he ministers to our real need, not just our apparent need. The key is seeking him, and helping others find him. He'll do the rest, working his will in our lives if we're truly willing to let him take control of our own. Of course, he will work on what we most need, not necessarily what we most want. Unfortunately, there will always be those who will criticize us, along with Jesus, for doing his work. "It doesn't fit the way things are normally done," they would accuse. "Exactly," I imagine Jesus saying, "something needs to be done differently enough to be truly redemptive. That's why I came!"
It is written to Timothy, my true child in the faith. May God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. 1 Timothy 1:2
Prayer:
Dear Father,
I surrender to you all of my life. I confess that there are parts of my life and my heart that I sometimes try to keep hidden from you. But this story of Jesus reminds me that the only person I'm fooling and hurting is myself. Heal what is broken in me. Take a look at it all, and humble me gently and anew me by your salvation grace. I thank you for being present to comfort, protect, lead and empower me to face each situation with confidence. Because you are with me, I know I will have all I need to live victoriously for you until the day I go to share with you in your glory.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and the reward for my work. So please stay true to the Lord, my dear friends. Philippians 4:1-9
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. Roman 5:2
Real friends are friends that help us find Jesus and let him minister to our needs and full of obstacles. Like the unnamed friends in this story, we must come to realize that the best thing we can do for a friend is help that friend lead to Jesus. Our faith can make a huge difference in the lives of those closest to us. What's so amazing about Jesus is that he ministers to our real need, not just our apparent need. The key is seeking him, and helping others find him. He'll do the rest, working his will in our lives if we're truly willing to let him take control of our own. Of course, he will work on what we most need, not necessarily what we most want. Unfortunately, there will always be those who will criticize us, along with Jesus, for doing his work. "It doesn't fit the way things are normally done," they would accuse. "Exactly," I imagine Jesus saying, "something needs to be done differently enough to be truly redemptive. That's why I came!"
It is written to Timothy, my true child in the faith. May God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. 1 Timothy 1:2
Prayer:
Dear Father,
I surrender to you all of my life. I confess that there are parts of my life and my heart that I sometimes try to keep hidden from you. But this story of Jesus reminds me that the only person I'm fooling and hurting is myself. Heal what is broken in me. Take a look at it all, and humble me gently and anew me by your salvation grace. I thank you for being present to comfort, protect, lead and empower me to face each situation with confidence. Because you are with me, I know I will have all I need to live victoriously for you until the day I go to share with you in your glory.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Friday, April 01, 2005
Praise God for His Holy Spirit
According to the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit, sent by God, is the divine principle of activity in the world. For Christians the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity, which is three aspects of God, consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit comforts us. Jesus called Him the Comforter.
But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you. John 14:26 How wonderful that God loves us enough to send His Spirit to comfort us.
The Holy Spirit convicts us of wrongdoing. He convicts us of wrongdoing but he does not condemn us for it. There is a great difference. Once leads to restoration and the other leads to defeat. "When He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement." The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God's justice and the judgment. John 16:8
The Holy Spirit enables us to obey God. It is impossible to obey God in all things without the enablement of the Holy Spirit. "We have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter." But the Law no longer rules over us. We are like dead people, and it cannot have any power over us. Now we can serve God in a new way by obeying his Spirit, and not in the old way by obeying the written Law. Romans 7:6
The Holy Spirit guides us. We cannot get to where we need to go without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak and He will tell you things to come." The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. John 16:13
The Holy Spirit comforts us. Jesus called Him the Comforter.
But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you. John 14:26 How wonderful that God loves us enough to send His Spirit to comfort us.
The Holy Spirit convicts us of wrongdoing. He convicts us of wrongdoing but he does not condemn us for it. There is a great difference. Once leads to restoration and the other leads to defeat. "When He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement." The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God's justice and the judgment. John 16:8
The Holy Spirit enables us to obey God. It is impossible to obey God in all things without the enablement of the Holy Spirit. "We have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter." But the Law no longer rules over us. We are like dead people, and it cannot have any power over us. Now we can serve God in a new way by obeying his Spirit, and not in the old way by obeying the written Law. Romans 7:6
The Holy Spirit guides us. We cannot get to where we need to go without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak and He will tell you things to come." The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. John 16:13
The Holy Spirit teaches us. What the Holy Spirit teaches us is far beyond what we can learn from man. "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name. He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you. John 14:26
There is so much to be grateful for which regard to the Holy Spirit and praise to God for GIVING US His Spirit. Praise God everyday for the Holy Spirit's appearance in your life.
Ask yourself, "what would my life be like without the Holy Spirit?"
Jesus,
Thank you for sending me the Comforter and Helper to teach and guide me everyday. Thank you, Holy Spirit, that You enable me to do what I could never do on my own. I praise you for the wisdom, revelation and knowledge that You communicate to me. I love You and the joy You bring into my life.
In Jesus's name,
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)