What is the abundant life?
. . . to have faith in God, hope for heaven and love for others. (I Corinthians 13:13)
8.15.2007
7.23.2007
Seven Words For Your Christian Journey
Our church was blessed by an interim pastor a little more than a year ago. He shared many life-changing spiritual lessons with us, and we were all inspired by his temporary leadership. One day he gave us a paper called "Seven Words For Your Christian Journey." I share his God-given wisdom here... May the thoughts written here, be as much of a blessing to you as they have been to me.
OMIT: If we are really to be reconciled to God, the Spirit will show us plainly the things which must go out of the life. "O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Purge me with the hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:1, 7
ADMIT: The Savior often stands outside the heart's door, knocking. He brings with Him a feast of good things. He will not force open the door. He waits for you to open it. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20 RSV
REMIT: Here we settle up old accounts: we get right with our fellow man. One way to do this is to humbly kneel at another's feet as Jesus did - and has asked us to do - and act of serving one another in love. Zacchaeus recognized that if he was to have the approval of Jesus, he must make wrongs right. He said to the Lord, "If I have swindled anybody out of anything I will pay him back four times as much. Jesus said to him; 'Salvation has come to this house today!'" Luke 19:8, 9.
SUBMIT: This is total dedication. "Be submissive then to God. Stand up to the devil and he will turn and run. Come close to God, and He will come close to you. Sinners make your hands clean; you who are double-minded, see that your motives are pure." James 4:7, 8 NEB
PERMIT: When I think of the word permit I think of the word let. Let is a permissive word. It does not imply a struggle nor does it allow striving - it is merely permit, allow or let. "Let the mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5
COMMIT: I like to think of this as a daily experience. "Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him; and He will bring it to pass. And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgement as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." Psalm 37:5-7.
TRANSMIT: It is almost paradoxical that when we commit all, then we are able to transmit. Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture says, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water." John 37:38.
OMIT: If we are really to be reconciled to God, the Spirit will show us plainly the things which must go out of the life. "O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Purge me with the hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:1, 7
ADMIT: The Savior often stands outside the heart's door, knocking. He brings with Him a feast of good things. He will not force open the door. He waits for you to open it. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20 RSV
REMIT: Here we settle up old accounts: we get right with our fellow man. One way to do this is to humbly kneel at another's feet as Jesus did - and has asked us to do - and act of serving one another in love. Zacchaeus recognized that if he was to have the approval of Jesus, he must make wrongs right. He said to the Lord, "If I have swindled anybody out of anything I will pay him back four times as much. Jesus said to him; 'Salvation has come to this house today!'" Luke 19:8, 9.
SUBMIT: This is total dedication. "Be submissive then to God. Stand up to the devil and he will turn and run. Come close to God, and He will come close to you. Sinners make your hands clean; you who are double-minded, see that your motives are pure." James 4:7, 8 NEB
PERMIT: When I think of the word permit I think of the word let. Let is a permissive word. It does not imply a struggle nor does it allow striving - it is merely permit, allow or let. "Let the mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5
COMMIT: I like to think of this as a daily experience. "Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him; and He will bring it to pass. And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgement as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." Psalm 37:5-7.
TRANSMIT: It is almost paradoxical that when we commit all, then we are able to transmit. Jesus said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture says, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water." John 37:38.
6.29.2007
Christian Ways to Reduce Stress
1. Pray2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and un-clutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow
extra time to do things and to get to places.9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it!
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.
- "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."
- GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
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