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Searching for "job" in the Quiet Time Archive
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2009-01-23 - Jesus with People - Touching the Untouchable

Jesus had compassion and healed the man with leprosy - Luke 5:12-18
Jesus is filled with compassion - Mark 1:41

Jesus was different:

  • He hurt for those whose lives were devastated by illness
  • He went to great lengths to be with them
  • Helped and encouraged them
  • Made himself available to them and spent many hours with them - Mark 1:32-34

What Jesus did we can also do (beside healing):

  • Include those who are sick when you can
  • Find ways to serve
  • Help and encourage

Society shrinks back - hospitals are not our favorite place
Jesus reached out his hand and touched
The sick need real involvement in their lives

Somehow, we think that the person is responsible for his or her condition
In some cases yes, but we can not oversimplify God's working in our world

Job "friends" did not understand what God was doing
How unsearchale his judgement and his paths beyond tracing out - Romans 11:33

How can I imitate Jesus by "reaching out" in compassion to the sick?



2009-02-20 - Jesus with People - People Pleasing Pilate
After having found Jesus innocent of the charges, three times Pilate "appealed to them"
In the end surrender Jesus to the will of the crowd - Luke 23:13-24

Jesus still let Pilate know that he was guilty of sin - John 19:11

Instead of seeking an escape, Jesus testified to the truth about God
He was still preaching and reaching out the lost - even his executor

Jesus had an impact - from then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free - john 19:12

Pilate lived and kept his job - for a little while, but his name was written in infamy

How do you fare under negative chatter about your Christian conviction?

2009-03-20 - Promises of God - Lord Delivers
May have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all - Psalms 34:19

Three types of trouble:

  1. Caused by our own bad behavior - the wicked have their fill - Proverbs 12:21
  2. Comes from doing what is right - Persecution because of the Word - Matthew 13:21
  3. Trouble that we all face because we live in this world
    • Each day will be trouble - Matthew 6:34
    • In this world you will have trouble - John 16:33
It is not about taking trouble away but overcoming trouble

Our job is to trust God - John 14:1, 27
He may deliver us from trouble or he may deliver us by using the trouble to teach us important lessons

Our eternal glory far out weights our momentary troubles - 2 Corinthians 4:17


2009-04-13 - Promises of God - God Passes the Test
God Passes the Test:
  1. Does he have a proven record? Yes, Joshua 21:45; 1 Kings 8:56; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Hebrews 6:13-20
  2. Does he have a genuine concern for my life? Yes, Exodus 2:25; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalms 55:22
  3. Does he understand me and my current crisis? Yes, Job 31:4; Psalms 139:1-18; Matthew 6:7-8; Hebrews 4:13
  4. Do he have the power to bring change in my life? Yes, Romans 4:18-21; 1 Corinthians 1:25; Ephesians 1:18-22; Ephesians 3:20; 2 Peter 1:3-4


2009-06-28 - A Life of Impact - Discernment and Productivity

Discernment

Mark 4:14-20

  • We are not to pronounce judgment but announce His judgment.
  • Types of people at work:
    • Non-ambitious - Putting in their time, staying out of trouble, receiving a paycheck
    • Overly ambitious – position only a stepping stone, self and not the organization
    • Employees that just want to an excellent job – may turn bitter after a while because of others around them.
    • Those who hold to their ideas and maintain an “all for one and one for all” attitude – will produce beyond own expectations

Productivity

  • Jesus was concerned with people’s spiritual productivity
  • Apple seed – would you expect one apple from an apple tree? No hundreds each year


2009-07-13 - A Life of Impact - Communicator

Communicator

Mark 7:31-37

  • Jesus did not use slang word that his audience could not understand.
  • Jesus found a way to get to all types of people’s heart.
  • His method was an overwhelming love for all people – communication that fit the individual

A standard of excellence

  • Jesus never did a shoddy job.
  • He never quiet halfway.


2009-09-08 - Wild at Heart - The fathers voice (part 1)
A man needs to know his name - He needs to know he has got what It takes
Can not know who we are until we know God
Adam knew Eve intimately - this how we need to know God.

Deep knowledge comes from a process of initiation. You have to know where you come from.
Some try to get their identity from others – girlfriend/wife, friends, job, and hobbies
Who can we turn to for this need?

God could take him on that journey, provide what is missing

Who will give your name and mean something? God!
There is a terrible assault

Adam was created for adventure and battles; he created us for a unique place in his history
Abram becomes Abraham, Jacob becomes Israel, and Saul becomes Paul

2009-09-24 - Wild at Heart - The Enemy (part 5)
Not every thought that crosses your mind comes from you
  • Where are those ideas coming from?
  • Where are those feelings coming from?
  • We are unaware of his schemes – 2 Corinthians 2:11
  • We look for a psychological or a physical explanation for every trouble we meet

Who caused the Chaldeans to steal Job’s herds – Satan Job 12,17
Anaias and Sapphira – Satan
Heartache keeps us from praying
Satan is behind that brutal assault on your on strength
There is a whole lot more going on behind the scenes of our lives than most of us have been led to believe

Behind the world and the flesh is an event more deadly enemy, one we rarely speak of and are even less ready to resist

2009-10-19 - Wild at Heart - An adventure to live (part 2)
Most spend the energy of their lives trying to eliminate risk
Their children hear “no” far more than they hear “yes”
If a man succeeds in securing his life against all risk, he will wind up in a cocoon of self-protection and wonder why he is suffocating
Seizing upon some sort of competence and rejecting anything that cannot be controlled

This a refusal to trust God and reach out for control – runs deep in every man
False self’s desire is to have power over experience – to control events and consequences - Mark 8:36

Too may men forsake their dreams because they aren’t willing to risk or fear they aren’t up to the challenge or are never told that those desire of the heart are good

Soul of a man isn’t made for controlling things
His job is charter to explore, build, conquer, and care for all creation
If you had permission to do what you really wanted to do, what would you do?

"How" is a faithless question – How is God’s department… Ask "what"
What is written on your heart?
What make you come alive?
Don’t ask yourself what does the world need. Ask yourself what make you come alive and go do that because what the world needs is people who have come alive

I’ve met men who’ve used advice like it was permission
They are deceived about what they really want
Goal of Christian discipleship is the transformed heart
We move from boy who needs the Law to the man who is able to live by the Spirit of the Law
Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit then you won’t feed on compulsion or selfishness

2009-11-29 - Master Plan - Church is the continuing fellowship (part 2)
  • Consequences for not following up
    • The other choice is for the convert to find solutions to innumerable problems in on their own
    • Haphazard follow-up could mean disaster for their faith
    • Fall ways - come about more often be not getting with them enough
    • There is not substitute for getting with people
  • No such thing as assembly line discipleship
  • You must be a personal guardian to those you lead.
  • It is your job to:
    • Stay with them as much as possible
    • Study the Bible and pray together
    • Answer their questions
    • Clarify the truth
    • Seeking together to help others
  • If it took three years to develop His disciples by getting with them, how much more should we get together with those that have not physically have seen Jesus? How much longer will it take (not seeing them all the time)?


2009-12-13 - Master Plan - Supervision (part 2)
  • On the job training – let followers have experience or make some observations of their own
  • Gave them greater awareness of their deficiencies
  • Kept disciples going toward the goal He had set before them.
  • He did not expect more from His disciples than they could do
  • He did expect their best
  • We never assume the work is done. Ask lots of question / probe.
  • There are many things that can happen to frustrate, discouraged or defeated.
  • The goal is world conquest.
    • Never dare to let a lesser concern capture us.
    • No further training or inspiration needed.
    • Focus can easily be on us.
  • The ability of a worker is not developed if there is no supervision
  • Our little efforts can be a excuse for not doing more.
  • We can lose the advantage years of hard work and sacrifice.
  • Disciples must be brought to maturity
  • We have not been called to hold the fort but storm the heights.


2009-12-15 - Master Plan - Reproduction (part 2)
  • The Test
    •  Could His disciples do a good job without His bodily supervision as they could with it?
    •  Human point of view: Never could be sure that His investment in their lives.
  •  Life-sustaining power of the vine was not to be given to endlessly upon lifeless branches
    •  A barren Christian is a contradiction.
    • A tree is known by its fruit
  • Principle throughout His ministry
    • Reward of His own sacrifice for the world - John 12:24
    • Distinguishing work of those who did the will of His Father - Matthew 7:16-23
    • Wages given to His disciples for their work in the harvest - John 4:36
    • What was lacking in the Sadducees and Pharisees - Matthew 3:7-8


2010-03-29 - Life to the Full - Crown not Frown (part 3)
God does not work to ruin our lives but to improve us - James 1:16-18
Don't accuse God of wrong doing like Job did - Job 1:22

Our fate is in God's hands, not in the stars - v. 17

God's goodness is his gift of rebirth
Peter makes this clear - 1 Peter 1:23

James moves to relationships with one another
Don't retaliate when times are tough - James 1:19-21

James' wisdom would transform many a relationship if put into practice

Natural Reaction Jesus' action
Be quick to speak Be quick to listen
Don't listen Slow to speak
Be first to become angry Slow to become angry


2010-04-08 - Life to the Full - Two Wisdoms (part 2)
Teaching is one of the few gifts mentioned in both in the lists of Ephesian 4 and 1 Corinthians 12

What exactly is a teacher?
  • Primary job is to teach the scriptures
  • They need to teach the truth
  • False teachers are always out there
    • OT = Jeremiah 8:7-8
    • NT = 2 Peter 2:1
  • Are need to arrange biblical themes - Ecclesiastes 12:9-10
  • Teacher are primary instructional while preachers are more inspirational
  • Teachers must have deep convictions - allow those without is dangerous
  • Teachers must be on the cutting edge - teacher not at their best -> teaching becomes effected


2010-04-14 - Life to the Full - Got to Pray (part 2)
James 5:7-11 - Addresses patience in peace and in suffering

Two examples of patience in suffering:
  • The prophets - Suffered because they were opposed by the religious
  • Job - Maintained his integrity despite not understanding why he was suffering
James 5:12-13 - what is meant by "do not swear"
Jewish were very fond of oath-taking - Matthew 5:33-37
James may have been referring to rash oath-taking - Ecclesiastes 5:4-7

Rather than swearing (v12), we should pray (v13)
No true disciple should need to take an oath since we must be men and women of our word
Simply let our yes be yes and our no be no

2010-06-03 - Desire's Journey - Hardest Lesson to Learn

God promises evern man futility and failure
God guarantees every woman relational heartache and loneliness

We spend much of our time attempting to end these curses
We say, "I can make it work" and "I won't do what they did, I will overcome"

It can not be done
No matter how hard we try or have a clever plan - we can not arrange the life we desire

Will life ever be what I so deeply want it to be?

We must have life - we can not arrange for it

People avoid the lesson:

  • Changing jobs
  • Changing mates
  • Changing direction in life

...rather than facing the truth - Isaiah 57:10

Some have seen that this will not work, yet they have faded into resignation, bitterness or dispair
They take their revenge on God by killing their desire

How do we accept that it can't be done with an open heart?
How do we sustain desire in the face of failure and loneilness.... Hope



2010-07-10 - Desire's Journey - The Adventure Begins (part 2)
The first thing in the Bible is God working
The morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy - Job 38:7

Jesus said his Father is always at work to this very day and he too is working - John 5:17

  • Thunderclouds gather over the prairies
  • Plant grow or start to grow and lift heavenward
  • Maple leaves are woven
  • New stars are born every day
  • There is always a sunset and sunrise somewhere on the Earth

God loves his work
God delights in doing tall these things

2010-08-12 - Waking Dead - Myths (part 3)

Myth tell us three truths, this third one is:

3. In this desparate hour, we have a crucial role to play

Neo sees himself as Thomas Anderson, but he was the one
Dorthy see herself as just a farm girl from Kansas but Joan of Arc was also on the farm but saw much more

People in the scriptures that saw this:

  • Little boy slays the gaint
  • Loudmouthed fisherman who can not keep a job to lead the church
  • Sinful woman with a golden heart became a example of humility to the Pharisees

This eternal truth is the most difficult for us to believe
Our days are extraordinary but most don't see it this way
It is the 'veil of familarity' - you are not what you think you are

There is a glory to your life that your enemy fears

The one who knows what you could be, fears it
The whole world lies under the power of the evil one - 1 John 5:19

Things happen to you and we question why
There is a bigger story going on

If believe we have a crucial role to play and come to know it is true, everything would change



2010-10-21 - Dealing With Debt (Part II)
  1. Why Get Out of Debt?
    1. It hinders us from being able to give generously. When we are paying 18%+ interest on top of the principal, it is difficult to have anything left to share with others.
    2. It is wasteful. The exorbitant interest we pay on our credit cards is totally wasted.
    3. The balance is probably there because you were not following God's plan for your finances.
  2. How to Get Out
    1. You must be radical (Matthew 5:29-30)
      1. Cut up all your credit cards (if you have outstanding balances that you have not been able to pay off for 3 months or more).
      2. Call your credit card companies and cancel the accounts.
      3. Work out your budget with the goal of removing your debt. Do not buy anything that is not necessary. Cut all unnecessary expenditures out of your budget (e.g. cable TV, newspaper).
      4. Get input (Proverbs 15:22)
      5. Commit your plan to the Lord (Psalms 127:1-2)
    2. Finish the job (Luke 14:28-30)
      1. Let godly sorrow lead you to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10-11). You must take responsibility for your debt.

QUESTIONS

  1. Am I in sinful/foolish debt? If so, why?
  2. Am I willing to apply the principles set forth to get out of debt?
  3. What will be the hardest thing for me to change to get out of debt?
  4. Who do I know that will be able to help me with my plan?


2010-10-22 - God and Your Job
  1. God's Plan for Your Life - Genesis 3:19; Ecclesiastes 3:13, 22; 2 Thessalonians 3:10
    1. It is God's will for us to work hard in order to earn the bread we eat.
    2. God wants us to find satisfaction in our work.
    3. If a person will not work, he cannot eat.
  2. Responsibility of the Employee - Colossians 3:22-25; Ephesians 4:28; Acts 5:29
    1. Obedience: We are to be a disciple to our boss on the job. God expects us to obey our boss not just to win his favor, but out of reverence for Christ.
    2. Wholeheartedness: God expects us to put our whole heart into our work. As Christians, we should be the most sincere and hard-working employees on the job.
    3. Do not steal from your employer (e.g. receiving pay for work you did not do, taking supplies, submitting false or exaggerated expense reports).
    4. Obey God first. If asked to do something that is illegal, unethical, or sinful - obey God over men.

QUESTIONS

  1. What do I need to repent of in relation to my job? Be specific.
  2. Am I doing anything as a part of my job that is sinful or goes against my conscience?


2010-10-23 - Decisions
  1. Honor God with your Wealth - Proverbs 3:9
    1. Will I obey the scriptures
    2. Will I, as a mature Christian, increase my weekly giving?
  2. Guard Your Heart - Proverbs 4:23
    1. What sins of the heart have I confronted and repented of in regard to my finances?
    2. Am I ready to give out of a pure heart and a sincere love for God?
  3. A Living Sacrifice - Romans 12:1
    1. In what ways am I going to live a more sacrificial lifestyle in order to advance God's kingdom?
  4. Give and It Will Be Given To You - Luke 6:38
    1. Have I made decisions to give by faith and to give joyfully to the Lord?
  5. A Spirit of Self-Discipline - 2 Timothy 1:7
    1. Have I prepared a budget that I am ready to live by? If not, when will I have it completed?
    2. Have I sought input?
  6. Free At Last - Romans 13:8
    1. Have I gained deep convictions about getting out of debt?
    2. What is my plan to eliminate sinful/foolish debt from my life?
  7. A Light to the World - Matthew 5:14
    1. How am I going to work at my job in such a way that my life is an upward calling to everyone around me?
    2. Am I fulfilling my financial responsibilities as a disciple in the areas that God expects?


2011-01-01 - Discipleship (part I)

Acts 11:25-26

  • To call oneself a Christian can mean many different things to people today.
  • The name “Christian” was applied for the 1st time to disciples at Antioch, about 7 years after the beginning of the church.
  • How many times is the word “Christian” used in NT? (Three times.)
  • How many times is the word “disciple” used? (About 300 times.)
  • What is a disciple? A disciple is a learner who strives to conform his thoughts, words and actions to those of his master.
  • To understand what it means to live as a Christian today, we will start by looking at Jesus’ expectations for those who would be his disciples . . .

Mark 1:16-20

  • Call of the first disciples: “Follow me.”
  • A disciple asks himself, “What would Jesus do?” then strives to do it - regardless of the cost.
  • A disciple of Jesus has the same purpose as Jesus: to be a fisher of men.  What does this mean?
  • What did they abandon to follow Jesus? Everything! (job, possessions, family)


2011-02-07 - Christian Joy (part II)
What is your personal yoke?
Who or what are you yoked to?
  • Job
  • Money
  • Internet
  • Pain
Being yoked with Jesus means joy

What burdens you about Christianity?
  • Evangelism? Jesus' reason for being here
  • Quiet Times? Jesus got up early and make effort to get away to do so
  • Christian Fellowship? Jesus was a friend even to Judas
Matthew 23:25-26
  • We are concerned with how we look
  • Jesus is concerned with your heart
How much do you want to be joyful?
Matthew 13:44-46
  • They found the most important thing and sold it all to find it
  • They knew what they wanted
How desperate are you?
What is stopping you? You are

2011-04-19 - Names of Jesus (part XIII)
Reading through the Bible relating to Jesus' names:
  • Plant of renown - Ezekiel 34:29
  • Prince of life - Acts 3:15
  • Prince of peace - Isaiah 9:6
  • Prince of the kings of the earth - Revelation 1:5
  • Prophet - Luke 24:19; John 7:40
  • Ransom - 1 Timothy 2:6
  • Redeemer - Job 19:25; Isaiah 59:20; 60:16


2011-05-18 - Names of Satan (part V)
Satan's names study:
  • Prince of this world - John 14:30
  • Prince of the devils - Matthew 12:24
  • Prince of the power of the air - Ephesians 2:2
  • Ruler of the darkness of this world - Ephesians 6:12
  • Satan - 1 Chronicles 21:1; Job 1:6


2011-06-14 - Mind of Christ - Intro (part VII)
He is worth following:
  • Peter and his brother Andrew left their jobs - Matthew 4:18
  • Must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me - Matthew 16:24
  • I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you - John 13:15
  • God always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ - 2 Corinthians 2:14
  • You will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord - 1 Peter 2:21
  • Follow others as they follow Christ - 1 Corinthians 11:1
  • Follow His example in both in both negative and positive area
    • He never did a wrong thing.
    • He always did the right thing.


2011-06-15 - Mind of Christ - Intro (part VIII)
Following Christ is more than merely adding a few new habits and activities to our lives.

It is changing our total person from what we have been into what He is!

Thus, to follow Christ I must be a student of His life.
  • Fix your thoughts on Jesus - Hebrews 3:1
  • Let us fix our eyes on Jesus - Hebrews 12:2
  • Come to me - Matthew 11:28-30
  • Study His life so devotedly that I am able to see
Our transformation is an inside out job. I can put on the outside habits, activities, traits, behavior patterns without ever changing the inside of me. The great endeavor is to transform the inner man for when the inner man changed the outward man will have to change!

2011-08-04 - Daughter Needs - Mr. Success (part II)
We often set high achievements goals that takes away from our family
Excuses often made:
  • It is just a temporary job that is away from home
  • It does not matter if I spend a lot of time at my job
  • I will make this much, then I will have more time to spend
  • Organizing this church event won't take that much time
We need to think through the implications of our vows - think how it will impact our daughters
You may be sacrificing your daughter by saying yes to too many "good" projects even if they are "spiritual"

Consider your plans' impact to your family before you move forward with them - Luke 14:28-30

2011-08-06 - Daughter Needs - Sugar Daddy
It is the Father's duty to provide for the material needs - 1 Timothy 5:8
But if all we do as fathers i provide, we will miss other important parental responsibilities

A Sugar daddy is the one who spares no expense to but her toys and gifts
Her affection is his reward - likes the rush of her admiration and appreciation
Many times it comes from guilt after having spent too many hours on the job
Also comes from our emotional inability to give ourselves to our daughter

Daughters can begin to believe that the most important things in life are financial
They say "It is important to daddy, I like material things too"

Matter if adjusting our priorities
If she sees that he really values his relationship with her - she will value relationships
Give yourself to your daughter and you will teach her the value of real love

2011-08-24 - Fearing God - His rule
Job's attitude toward God in the beginning: It profits a man nothing when tries to please the God - Job 34:9
The Lord confronted him, "I will question you and you shall answer me - Job 38:2-3

Job 38-41 is a gallery of God's creative wisdom and power

What was Job's response?
I am unworthy - Job 40:4

God cares for His creation

He gives all men life and breath - Acts 17:25
He endows the heart with wisdom and gives understanding to the mind - Job 38:36

God governs His universe
He is the ruler of all things - 1 Chronicles 29:12
He does as he pleases - Daniel 4:35
Our plans depend entirely on him - Lamentations 3:37

God's rule is universal and absolute
A sparrow can not fall to the ground without His will - Matthew 10:29
Not one drop of rain falls without His command - Amos 4:7


2011-09-28 - Proverbs on Advice - Without Instruction
4. Without instruction, you hurt others

Proverbs 10:17 - He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray

John Donne wrote, “No man is an island entirely to himself, every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main”

When (in our independence) we disregard godly advice, we hurt others as well as ourselves. We set an example which by action and attitude say that we do not need others in our lives

5. Without instruction we are stupid

Proverbs 12:1 - Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid

The Bible uses the word “stupid”. It’s found only four times in the NIV (Job 18:3, Proverbs 12:1, Ecclesiastes 10:3, 2 Timothy 2:23)
  • In proverbs it refers to the person who hates correction (pride makes us stupid)
  • When we are unwilling to receive godly correction we are trusting our own way over that of our advisors (this type of pride makes us stupid)
Example:
  • Physically: We have an illness = we go see an expert doctor, to ignore his advice and handle the situation on our own would be stupid
  • Spiritually: We face temptations and challenging situations = we should seek advice from spiritually minded people (they may advice us something simple like, read these scriptures or something radical like change jobs) but to ignore experienced spiritual advice would be stupid. Even if you don’t like it (pray about it, get another “experienced” opinion)
Victory comes from this approach to solving our spiritual problems.

Challenge: How do you respond when someone challenges you?
  • Type A: Listens on the outside (even nod your head “yes”) but on the inside all systems are shut down.
  • Type B: You are calm on the outside but on the inside you’re steaming mad ready to explode and interrupt (who do they think they are)
  • Type C: Listens and really tries to understand (learn) not just say OK but embrace the input to become a better disciple
Proverbs 27:5, Proverbs 15:31, Proverbs 29:1

2011-09-30 - Proverbs on Laziness (part II)
How do I overcome being lazy (How do I become disciplined)?

1. Carpe Diem = Seize the Day

We are only given a certain amount of time in a day (and on earth)
  • The challenge of life is not that we have too little time, but in how we are going to spend the time we do have.
  • We need to make the most of every day (make a to do list to get yourself started)
2. Beware of the little things

Being disciplined is about the little things in life.
  • Anyone can have a job but do we do the little things that make us a great employee
  • Anyone can have a child but do we do the things that make us a great parent
Examples of little things to be disciplined in
  1. Punctuality
  2. Paying bills on time
  3. Sending birthday (Father’s Day, Mother’s Day cards)
  4. Picking up after yourself
  5. Keeping your room/car clean
  6. Returning phone calls
  7. Looking presentable
3. Don’t over commit
One thing that can hurt your discipline is if you over commit
  • Discipline is being able to decide what can be done and doing it the right way
  • It’s better to do three (3) things well than ten (10) things half heartedly
An important thing to do is to spend time thinking about what needs to be done and how to do it.
  • You don’t have to say “yes” to everyone and everything (our people pleasing nature will end up making us overwhelmed, stressed)
4. Worrying Won’t Work

Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything
  • Worry is an unproductive emotion (it won’t change anything)
  • Worry is like a rocking chair (gives you something to do but gets you no where)
1 Peter 5:7 - Cast all your anxiety on him (God) because he cares for you

Tips
  1. Buy things that are useful instead of buying for status
  2. Do not buy anything that is producing an addiction in you
  3. Develop a characteristic of giving things away
  4. Develop a deeper appreciation for God’s creation
  5. Stay away from things that take your focus off of God
  6. If anything comes before you having QT’S in the morning then fast from that thing (activity) until you control it instead of it controlling you.


2011-10-01 - Genesis 1 - Creation & Recreation

Summary

God created the heavens, the earth and everything that lives. He made humankind in his image and gave them charge over the earth.

Observations

Genesis 1:1 - the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep,
Without God we formless, unfocused, and empty. We try to create our own heaven-on-earth but never succeed without him. We try to "eat" junk food to fill us up but all they contain is empty calories. Without God there is no light and only darkness. Without light, we do not know what is going on around us nor what direction to go.

Genesis 1:4 - separated the light from the darkness.
It is important to understand that light and darkness were separated from the beginning. They can not both exist in the same location. It is even more important find out with side you are on.

Genesis 1:16 - He made the stars also.
Oh, by the way, God created all the countless numbers of stars, planets, galaxies, and other objects of the universe. So much matter that we can not even begin to see with a telescope. But God does not focus on matter, he focuses on what matters. The Bible is focused on God and his relationship with mankind. Like Jesus' miracles described in [John 20:30], the amount of God's acts are too great to be counted. Can you image the amount of books that could be written about what God created?

Genesis 1:26 - so they may rule
God entrust us to rule over all all other living things. But many we times we are ruled by our sinful natures. If we can not even control ourselves, how can we "rule" over other things?

Genesis 1:27 - God created humankind in his own image
Sometimes we mistake us being an exact copy of God verses a reflection of God. We should be a photo copy and not try to replace God in our lives. We must be become more reflective of God like a mirror. Constantly cleaning off the smudges of sin with the blood of Jesus.

Personal Application

God is bigger than I think he is. I have made him too small in my mind and do not allow Him to take control -- this is absurd since he has control over the universe and does a perfect job at it. My actions show that I don't fully trust God in this way.



2012-01-26 - Ministry - Producing a Harvest
Matthew 13:1-23

How fruitful have you been in the last year? Are the worries of this life making you unfruitful? There are so many things that we could worry about: our school, spouses, dating life, children, money, jobs, etc. Do we get so consumed with ourselves and our lives that we forget our purpose in life? Nothing will come of our efforts to save the lost if we are filled with stress and worry. We will choke out the power of the word and of God we focus on our worries. God wants us to have a fruitful life! When we really hear God's word and embrace it, we will produce a harvest beyond our wildest dreams.

Have you let stress and worry in your life choke out the word?

Make a prayer list of all the things you are worried about and pray through them.

Pray with faith and see how God moves in your life when you cast your anxieties on Him.

2012-02-13 - Ministry - Are You Willing to Keep Praying?
Luke 18:1-8

Jesus tells this parable to show us something. The scriptures even go so far as to tell us exactly what that something is that we should always pray and not give up. Have you ever decided to pray about a specific situation and not stopped until it has changed? What if it took a year to change? Five years? Ten years? Twenty years? Jesus says to never give up! Too often we get discouraged and want to quit-even on God-because something doesn't change. Maybe we haven't been fruitful for a while or we don't have a dating relationship yet. Maybe things have not changed in our marriage fast enough or our job situation is still not working out. Maybe we are just not changing our hearts the way we should. The answer is not to give up but to keep on praying. Jesus ends the parable questioning whether there would still be faith on earth when he returns. Our lack of prayer is a sign of a lack of faith! To keep praying and not give up is a sign of great faith.

Write down three things you have quit praying about and recommit yourself to be faithful in prayer. Decide to trust.

God and be in the kingdom for the long haul-no matter how many decades of prayer it takes!!

2012-02-23 - Fear of Failure - God Always Sees the Humble Heart
by Gene Kim - Ministry Intern: San Francisco Church of Christ

1 Kings 21

Ahab really wanted Naboth's vineyard, and so he was willing to do anything to get it. He kept on sinning until he got the vineyard - discouragement, self-pity, anger, and eventually murder. There are "vineyards" in everyone's lives nowadays, jobs, relationships, or successes. Ahab was so consumed with what he wanted that his marriage was ungodly. I see how I don't lead my wife because I get consumed with my job and success, and my relationship with God goes the same way as my marriage. I get so guilty that I lose confidence in how God can use my life.
What encourages me about this scripture is how God uses people to confront others with the truth and how He is hoping for people to humble themselves and turn back to Him. Ahab was described as a man who "sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord" (v. 25). Elijah warned Ahab of the impending disaster because of his sin. Ahab took God's warning seriously and humbled himself before God, and the Lord noticed and blessed him! I can feel at times that I have messed up so much that God would never believe in me again, and yet God is merely looking for a heart that is humble, broken, and grateful. He hopes that I would have the courage to see my sin. God notices and moves on behalf of a humble heart!

2013-01-06 - Prayer of the Righeous - God is a Consuming Fire (part II)

We must totally aware of our own unworthiness

It took a while, but Job finally understood this: "My ears heard you but now my eyes...and repent in dust and ashes" - Job 42:5-6

This is the reaction we should have when sinful selfs meets a pure, holy and prefect God

David understood our unworthiness: "But who I am... Everything comes from you" - 1 Chonicles 29:14-15

Solomon aware of his own afflicions, asked God to hear men's prayers - 1 Kings 8:38

Jesus warned that we need to be careful to not be proud based off anything we have or done - Revelations 3:17
But to have the attitude of the tax collect who prayed "Have mercy on me, a sinner " - Luke 18:13

Our good deeds or possessions in no way make worthly of coming in the presence of the holy one



2013-09-12 - A Man Embraces Responsibility

Men are happiest and at their best when they are responsible

We must resolve to fully embrace all of our responsibilities before God

Responsibility = you are being entrusted and empowered by a higher authority to care for something or someone

The first thing God did after creating Adam, was to give him responsibilities. He placed him in the garden “to cultivate it and keep it” - Genesis 2:15

Sin makes men tend to resist responsibility, but embracing it is part of our manhood

It is a relatively modern invention that establishes teen years as a moratorium on responsibility and prolongs childhood indefinitely.

When a young man is passive and irresponsible, he greatly limits his freedoms, opportunities, and successes.

Responsibility calls us to action and tests us. It reveals our character.

The more maturity a man has, the more responsibility God can trust him with.

Embrace responsibility! Love it. Live it. Teach it to your children.

If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward” - Luke 12:42-43



2013-10-09 - Resolve to Lead Your Family

When Moses died, God turned to Joshua and told him it was now his job to lead

He promised him four spiritual resources to help him

  • He gave him God-ordained AUTHORITY to “cross this Jordan - Joshua 1:3
  • He gave him God’s WORD to meditate upon “day and night” - Joshua 1:8
  • He gave him God’s PRESENCE as a reliable companion, guide, and shield - Joshua 1:9
  • He gave him God’s PEOPLE to support and encourage - Joshua 1:16-18

Again and again Joshua heard: “Be strong and courageous!”
God knew that a leader tends to become overwhelmed, afraid, and passive.
Leaders are not leaders because they’re smarter, more talented, or more organized
Leaders take courage by repeatedly step up and use their influence to move others in the right direction.

Leadership is about courage - the courage to trust God, to do the right thing, to stand alone, and to maintain forward momentum



2013-10-23 - Protect Them

Fathers are the primary protectors - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
When walking down the isle

  • The father is saying he has guarded her moral purity throughout her life for her husband - 2 Corinthians 11:2
  • And the man she is marrying is proven morally, financially, and spiritually qualified to lead her, provide for her, and protect her from that day on

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed - Luke 11:21

You should not only guard your own heart but your wife’s as well
Your children need help making the right decisions. That is why you are still their dad.
Being active on the front end as a father will pay off well and save you time and heartache on the back end.

Teaches your children to love wisdom instead of developing a greater appetite for the world.
Your job is not just to give your children boundaries but to use God’s Word to teach them how to think wisely
Train them to fear and love God and not to “set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.” - Proverbs 4:14–15

The older your kids get, the more they will need to understand the rationale behind your rules.
They willthen  discern why certain things are right and wrong, wise and unwise, better and best.
This requires your courageous leadership!



2014-04-04 - Disciplining Your Children (part I)

A major part of your role as a father is to disciple your kids

Discipling your kids requires discipline on our part

Discipline doesn’t feel good, nor should it - Hebrews 12:11

Discipline should be more on the father’s shoulders than the mother’s because of who we represent.

Loving discipline prepares our kids to respect and obey their heavenly Father

We had earthly fathers to discipline us, for they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good - Hebrews 12:9-10

It is the father’s job is to take the long view, not the short one.

Withheld discipline may seem momentarily pleasant to the child and the parent but it takes no skill or courage to be a passive father

Not disciplining guarantees that uncorrected sin will follow his child into adulthood and follow his family into the coming generations

Its momentary discomfort - knowing that sin will harm a child in far worse ways than even the painful discipline of a loving father.

He who loves him disciplines him promptly - Proverbs 13:24

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it - Proverbs 22:6

IT is a lie from the Enemy to believe that rebelling against and dishonoring authority brings more freedom and peace

Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord - Ephesians 6:4

 

 



2015-01-08 - Genesis 25 - Death of Abraham (part I)

Summary

Abraham died and was buried with Sarah

Observations

Genesis 25:7 - lived a long and satisfying life
Don't we all want a long and satistying life? We all seek it but do not always find it. Because we are not searching for it correct place. We need seek God with all of our heart and we will find everything we need and some of what we want. In the end and after it is all finished, we want to hear great jobmy faithful servant [Matthew 25:23]

Genesis 25:18 - There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives
Mentioned only for brief time, but the scripture says so much. Just because we are family, does not mean we just get along. Relationships - no matter who they are require work, patience, and understanding. There could be open hostility in our family but more likely hidden anger, hate, or bitterness toward one another. Just because others are family, it does not mean we should be an less kind



2015-03-31 - Eyes Have It

I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman - Job 31:1

Sexual temptation burns many men simply because they are careless

Job took some time for self-examination

He knew that

  • God's gaze penetrated far deeper than his own
  • The importance of keeping his body aways from sexual sin

Those who have no interest in pleasing the Lord will say, "Hey, there's no harm in looking" but the man commited to God knows better

Job's advice if you want to keep your body and mind pure: Don't even look

 



2015-04-02 - In Control

Joseph: So it was God who sent me here, not you! - Genesis 45:8

Joseph's hear and mind had made peace with his treacherous brothers

He firmly believed that the God who remains in control of all things had sent him to Egypt

When one of your kids defies everything you save or your job moves in a different direction, how do you react?

Do negative emotions to rule the day or take refuge in God who is in control?

God has an amazing way of using even the worst circumstances for your good

Like you, Joseph did know the events ahead of him, he had to move forward by faith



2015-04-07 - Clear Conscience

I will maintain my innocence without wavering. My conscience is clear fpr as long as I live - Job 27:6

How oftern do we long for a quiet conscience when what we really need is a clean conscience?

Job did a quick personal inventory - He had a completely clean conscience

Though Job didn't know why he was suffering, he knew that it hadn't come as a result of sin

God called Job "blameless" a man of complete integrity - John 1:8

Do you enjoy a clean conscience? Are you at peace with God? with the people around you?



2015-04-26 - Delegation

Why are you trying to do all this alone? - Exodus 18:14

A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Nobody lives long enough to make them all himself.

Moses filled hs plate to overflowing - working from dawn to dusk

This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself - Exodus 18:17-18

Jethro's advice: Slow down and let someone who feared and loved God do a part of the work

As a priest of Midian and successful businessman, Jethro had a lot of wisdom to share

Your mistakes can be put to good use by encouraging others to not repeat them



2015-05-13 - Wise and Humble Leadership

He had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall - 2 Chronicles 26:16

It takes a man of true humility to keep his feet on the ground over the long haul when he is given power and authority over others

Uzziah, Judah's tenth king, was not such a man

His long and sometimes distinguished reign came to an unfortunate end because of his arrogant thirst for power

Uzziah expressed his arrogance by entering the sactuary though this job was reserved for his priest

Had Uzziah remained humble, he might have become one of the nation's greatest kings - instead, he spent his later years shut away from people in a leper colony

Do you understand your place in the big picture?



2015-08-01 - Listen

No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words - Job 2:13

Many men struggle with just listening - why God gave us two ears and only one mouth

At first Job's friends were the exactly the kind of friends he needed

After Job had spoken, they began speaking but instead of comforting him they tried to fix his problems - which made things worst

Sometimes it is best to just listen instead of trying to fix things



2015-08-04 - Appearance

Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife - Matthew 1:20

It's hard to imagine Joseph not making some assumptions when his fiancee told him she was pregnant

Joseph onlyknew two things:

  1. Mary was pregnant
  2. He wasn't the father

What would his family think? Would they buy the story? Would he buy his own story?

God saw his heart and knew that he was the right man for the job

As Joseph slept, God confirmed Mary's story and told Joseph to not be afraid to marry her

God allowed Joseph the privilege of caring for the most important child ever born



2015-08-31 - Unexpected Wisdom

I am full of pent-up words and the spirit within me urges me on - Job 32:18

Job's three friends felt that God was punishing Job for some hidden sin - he rejected this

Job thought God was treating him unfairly

All four of them had it wrong

Elihu: God repays people according to their deeds. He treats people as they deserve - Job 34:10-11

His knew Job's suffering could not be in vain. Job shouldn't see his affection as God didn't care about him rather as a tool in God's hand to teach Job more



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