Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

Identifying the Voice of God
MATTHEW 16:21-25

Somewhere around four months of age, a baby begins to identify her parents’ voices. Having heard them speak for weeks, the child can now distinguish that they sound different from other people. Similarly, God has supplied us, His children, with the capacity to recognize His voice.

Over time we can learn to distinguish Him speaking to us through His Word, His responses to our prayers, and godly people. To help identify God’s voice, ask :

1. Is the message CONSISTENT with the Word of God? By examining Scripture, we will know to reject the voice that tells us we are under condemnation (Romans 8:1) and accept the word that God forgives us.

2. Does God’s instruction CONFLICT with human reasoning? If so, it could be from Him—God tells us to turn the other cheek and to love our enemies; He also says the last shall be first.

3. Do God’s words CLASH with our fleshly wants? God wants us to have godly enjoyment but objects to our gratifying earthly desires outside His plan.

4. Are God’s words a CHALLENGE to our faith? He wants to build our faith so our relationship with Him will deepen.

5. Is COURAGE required to act on God’s words? When God speaks, a decision requiring a sacrifice or change in direction is often necessary.

God promises we can distinguish His voice so we can follow Him. He doesn’t want us listening to “strangers,” or we would go astray. (John 10:4-5)

---Early Lights Daily Devotional

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

Romans 1: God's Wrath Against Mankind

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

Originally posted by Compry:

We are called to do the will of God, but this only can be done at the feet of Christ.

Awesome!

[DC]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

When Jesus says " Come to me" he does not say come to a religion, come to a system or come to a certain doctrine. This is a very personal invitation to God, an invitation to a Saviour.

In essence, Christianity is nothing more, nothing less than a desire and effort to see Jesus. That's all it is.

We're trying to catch a glimpse of a man, not a program, not a plan, not a system, not a doctrine. We're trying to see a man who called himself the Son of God.

Max Lucado-Inspirational Study Bible

[Dwain]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2 Corinthians 4:8 - 9

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

Matthew 10

37"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me . 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.



When you have found Jesus Christ the command is clear "Take up your cross and follow me."
Not the world, not cleverly contrived doctrines of man, not even yourself or your own personal self gratification. No the command is "Take up your cross (die to yourself) and follow me" Who is the me spoken of but Jesus Christ? God has called us to come to Him, therefore let us all with one heart set on obeying His call take up our crosses, trusting Him to provide for all the externals and, and follow HIM . Anything less is still missing the mark.
Jedil

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

Daniel 3


The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet [1] wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 At this time some astrologers [2] came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon-Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego-who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up."
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"
They replied, "Certainly, O king."
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

The Man Who Thinks He Can

If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win, but you think you can’t it is almost certain you won’t. If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost. For out in the world you’ll find ‘success’ begins with a fellow’s will. It ‘s all in the state of mind. If you think you are outclassed, you are. You’ve got to think high to rise. You’ve got to be sure of yourself before you can ever win a prize. Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man, but soon or late the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.

--- Arnold Palmer, Professional Golfer.

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

Life is simply time given to man to learn how to live. Mistakes are always part of learning. The real dignity of life consists in cultivating a fine attitude towards our own mistakes and those of others. It is the fine tolerance of a fine soul. Man becomes great, not through never making mistakes, but by profiting by those he does make; by being satisfied with a single rendition of a mistake not encoring it into a continuous performance; by getting from it the honey of new, regenerating inspiration with no irritating sting of morbid regret; by building better to-day because of his poor yesterday; and by rising with renewed strength, finer purpose and freshened courage every time he falls.

--- William George Jordan

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

The Anvil? God's Word.

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith's door
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime:
Then looking in, I saw upon the floor
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

"How many anvils have you had," said I,
"To wear and batter all these hammers so?"
"Just one," said he, and then, with twinkling eye,
"The anvil wears the hammers out, you know."

And so, thought I, the anvil of God's word,
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;
Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unharmed . . . the hammer's gone.

---Author unknown

[Queen]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

Cultivating Community

Cultivating community takes courtesy. Courtesy is respecting our differences, being considerate of each other's feelings, and being patient with people who irritate us. The Bible says, "We must bear the 'burden' of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others" Paul told Titus, "God's people should be bighearted and courteous."

In every church and in every small group, there is always at least one "difficult" person, usually more than one. These people may have special emotional needs, deep insecurities, irritating mannerisms, or poor social skills. YOu migh call them EGR people... "Extra Grace Required."

God put these people in our midst for both their benefit and ours. They are an opportunity for growth and a test of fellowhip: Will we love them as brothers and sisters and treat them with dignity?

In a family, acceptance isn't based on how smart or beautiful or talented you are. It's based on the fact that we belong to each other. We defend and protect family. A family member may be a little goofy, but she's one of us. In the same way, the Bible says, "Be devoted to each other like a loving famly. Excel in showing respect for each other."

The truth is, we all have quirks and annoying traits. But community has nothing to do with compatibility. The basis for our fellowship is our relationship to God: We're family.

ONe key to courtesy is to understand where people are coming from. Discover their history. When you know what they've been through, you will be more understanding. Instead of thinking about how far they still have to go, think about how far they have come in spite of their hurts.

Another part of courtesy is not downplaying other people's doubts. Just because you don't fear something doesn't make it an invalid feeling. Real community happens when people know it is safe enough to share their doubts and fears without being judged.

excerpt from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself. No such conditions can exist as descending into vice and its attendant sufferings apart from vicious inclinations, or ascending into virtue and its pure happiness without the continued cultivation of virtuous aspirations. And man, therefore, as the Lord and master of thought, is the maker of himself, the shaper and author of environment. Even at birth the soul comes to its own, and through every step of its earthly pilgrimage it attracts those combinations of conditions which reveal itself, which are the reflections of its own purity and impurity, its strength and weakness.

Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. Their whims, fancies, and ambitions are thwarted at every step, but their inmost thoughts and desires are fed with their own food, be it foul or clean. The divinity that shapes our ends is in ourselves; it is our very self. Man is manacled only by himself. Thought and action are the jailers of Fate - they imprison, being base. They are also the angels of Freedom - they liberate, being noble. Not what he wishes and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns. His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions.

--- James Allen, As A Man Thinketh.

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

A gun cannot harm anyone unless there is a human being to pull the trigger. Ten million guns would be harmless unless some human became stimulated by hate, greed or prejudice. So, the gun controversy becomes a spiritual problem. While strict gun laws might have some effect in showing the world that we are concerned about the problem of violence, violence is really a thing of the human heart and conscience. If men harbor the desire to kill and maim, they will find a way, guns or no guns.

--- Rev. Billy Graham, November 1968.

[Vonnie]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

When we pray, it is far more important to pray with a sense of the greatness of God than with a sense of the greatness of the problem.

[Vonnie]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

Father, I receive, welcome and acknowledge each of our children as a delightful blessing from You. I speak your blessings upon them and over them.

Thank you Lord. Amen