How do you heal an Unbroken Heart?

How do we react after we have been shown those rare glimpses. (read previous post) When we are shown the raw problems with this world and are invited in to help!? We cant be stirred that deeply and move on with life like usual. We need to go to God and pray for what He wants us to do when our hearts have been stirred.

When Priscilla did this, here is what God spoke to her.

Break my heart for what breaks yours

Everything I am for your kingdom cause

As I walk from earth into eternity

We need a heart that was broken, to ask God to break it. Now you think that sounds sad, why would we want a broken heart? She needed to be offended by the video of those hurt woman… and heartsick over the things that touch the heart of our Father. Asking God to shatter her heart was her way of saying all she wanted left was that which made her follow Him in the direction He wanted her to go. Can you imagine praying for that request!?

Have you ever considered that any disinterest you may feel in serving and caring and getting your hands dirty might really be because you never set your heart before Him and asked Him to break it, to make it more sensitive to the ailments of others? Most often we are asking Him to heal it, strengthen it, or restore it. SOmetimes we need to have a broken heart like Jesus did.

Jesus paid close attention to everyones problems. he was moved with compassion.

• When He saw the hungry, His heart was broken. (Matthew 15:32)
• When He saw the sick, His heart was broken. (Matthew 14:14)
• When He saw the emotionally devasted. His heart was broken  (Luke 7:13, John 6:35)
• When He saw the lonely and spiritually lost, His heart was broken. (Matthew 9:36)

When He wasn’t extending compassion; He was talking about showing compassion to others. Never turning a blind eye to anyones physical or especially spiritual needs.  Remember the woman by the well?! No one would talk to..but Jesus has compassion for all.

We need to be resolved to do the same. We are His church, and His people are starving, sick, devastated and lost. If when we leave a woman’s event, we just red some encouraging books, sang some beautiful songs, but did not break our hearts for His people we are living a watered down self absorbed walk. Although we benefit greatly from these things and they are important, we also need to seek for more. An outward focus.  His compassion manifested toward them through you.

Jesus did not just preach a gospel; He lived one. And now you are His hands and feet – hands that are for more than just writing checks, and feet for more than just walking to church. These things are needed, but need to dig deeper.

When Jesus felt empathy towards others, it wasn’t a cliched emotion, it was a deep, gut-wrentching reaction that, according to many commentators would affect Him physically . He went. He served. He listened. He healed.

What tugs at your heart?

What causes your stomach to feel uneasy?

Opportunities to serveer others come in all shapes and sizes, in all locations – none more valuable than another. When you see one that was meant for you, He will stir your heart, and draw you in all we need to do is obey with compassion.  When we do these things we are being changed into His image,  breaking your heart, and being broken.

We can all have that godly sympathy that leads to action. We MUST have it. The world around you in waiting to experience Christ through you. You are the solution the problem is waiting for. This is why your heart is hurting. This is why its so hard for you to look.  This is compassion.

So ask the Lord to break your heart to reveal a need in all its horrible actuality until He gives you the courage to respond

Resolution to care

Look Again*   How do you heal an unbroken heart?  * Mercy Me

 

It’s Good to Be a Girl W2D2

A Resolution to be Champion Biblical Femininity

Day 2

It’s Good to Be A Girl.

Can you list the first four books of the New Testament without looking?

A news program recently reported that agnostics know as much or more about God as religious people do. What about our knowledge and understanding of the biblical definition of womanhood?

The only possible way for us to live out and champion our Christian faith as women in a culture flooded  with feministic ideals is if we are aware of what this faith entails, if we are aware of God’s intention in creating us.

Why were we created in your words?

In Genesis when woman was created we were created to be mans partner. Maybe to be that other side of thinking to balance out man. 

What do you think the root of the feminist movement is?

Equality

This is specifically address in Scripture.

Genesis 1:27

New International Version (NIV)

27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

What do you get from this verse?

When God created mankind it was male and female, they were a them an it all together one. 

You, as a woman, are worth neither less nor more than your male counterparts. You are different, obviously, but only in function, not in value. 

What about being a woman; if anything, do you feel is less valued than men? and why do you think so?

Well woman always complain about being paid less than men. They say its a proven fact but I truthfully don’t know. If I gave the amount of work as the man physically and mentally I think they would be paid the same. Men and woman have different skills and parts to play. Some people see a woman who is a homemaker as being lazy and not a real job, when we work harder than most. Just because we are emotional beings doesn’t mean we can be take advantage of or that we are over reacting…. we are just reacting and God made us to. 

Can you find or think of a piece of scripture that counters this feeling?

Revelation 12:5 ESV

She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,

What is more important of a job than bring the Messiah to earth through a virgins womb. Childbearing is a gift that God gave to us woman and without it there would be no more mankind. 

You are not only an equal partner in the created order, you have been called “good” by God Himself.  You are not  just good but NECESSARY!

Adam alone couldn’t accomplish the tasks assigned to mankind by the Creator. Man was in need of a partner. Without her, these endeavors would go undone.

So from the beginning, God placed a mark of importance on women. They were good because they bore His image and necessary in the achievement of His purposes on earth.

Where has God has placed you that the circle of people and circumstances are in need of you?

My children need me as a mom, my husband as a wife and to show Him God. My church members need me to watch over their children and my creativity and loyal dependability. 

Choose one of the many roles you currently play in your life, and record for each one how you are….

good for it; necessary to it; an important component of it; worthy to be part of it, and trustworthy to fulfill your role in it.

Biblical Femininity W2D1

A Resolution to be Champion Biblical Femininity

Day 1

Purposefully Feminine

Pretty in Print?

This battle has raged for centuries within the hearts of women; this includes Christian women. For while we may possess an appreciation for many of the rights and recognition’s that have been hard won by courageous women of years gone by, we want to balance it with our simultaneous desires to protect the holy definition of womanhood as its represented to us in God’s Word.

It is a commitment to honor the One who created us female.

What is your take on a biblically based femininity in a postfeminist culture?

I think woman now (not all but a lot and especially the ones making a stink) think that by giving the  power to the men we are in turn saying that we are weak and powerless. Woman that lean on God know that we are never powerless because we have HIM. I feel God uses our best attributes to support and lift eachother. I choose to stand behind my husband not because I am powerless, but because I have enough faith and power in the Lord and in my husband to trust him. Isn’t it more courageous to stand in faith,  then to rebel in fear?!?

A biblical belief system built on the husband’s leadership role and the wife’s position as a yielded partner. – Priscilla Shirer

How easily do you fit into this yielded partner? 

It’s probably harder than I realize. I could use some help on my talk backs and belittling that I do. Not sure if its the flesh in me saying hey you aren’t the boss of me!!! I feel I do a pretty good job and building him up most of the time and supporting his decisions. 

Some of these changes have led to the correction of legitimate injustices towards woman, but many have robbed our gender of much of the uniqueness we’ve been created to exhibit and experience. This independent, autonomous, self-centered has blown up so much that we are unaware of its harmful effect on our choices until we are dealing with the consequences. 

What kind of things do you think Priscilla is talking about here? How are we making this unbalanced?

From reading the book, I think she is talking about our softness. Our approachability. Our ability to compliment other woman just to be sweet, not to make them feel better than other people. I also see woman talking badly about men to other woman and that could cause problems in a marriage that shouldn’t be there. We are to build each other up and God does not want us separate from our spouse, so I see that as a sin. Like when one person gets divorced she likes company. 

A Christian woman – one who proudly wears the badge of womanhood given by her Father – must resolve to go against the tide. She must return to God’s design and definition for women and then joyfully embrace, accept, and experience it’s blessings.

How would you describe a Christian woman, to God’s design?

A woman who stands by her man, but knows that God is first and His will is to be followed. 

We are designed both strong and vulnerable. Powerful yet tender. More than able yet willing to yield. We are smart, wise, capable, equal in worth, and secure in ourselves. 

We are always in the spotlight.We need to either champion or demote the beauty of the biblical femininity.  We will cause our daughters ether to desire it or fight against it. We will encourage our sons either to appreciate it or to take advantage of it. 

How do you see yourself or others championing or demoting the biblical femininity? 

Giving the respect our husbands need and the children need to see us doing so they can also learn to do it. If they cant respect their worldly father how can they ever for their Heavenly Father? 

What kind of woman are you going to be? A woman who loves God first, husband second and is unshakable. 

How have you seen feminist ideals affect women in the way they….

• Dress?
• Act?
• Make decisions?

What biblical principles of womanhood strike you as stifling or repressive? Why do you think you feel that way ?

I am all good living the domestic life and quiet happy with it, IF I could trust my husband to pay the bills and not complain about I need a real job every time it gets rough. If he is just going to complain anyways why do I want to go through all the work of cleaning the house greeting him nicely making a yummy dinner? My opions are important to me and that is what gets me in trouble sometimes when I do not relay them in a respectful manner. 

The Balancing Point

The Resolution for Women: Priscilla Shirer

Last post we read about the need to give to gain, the post before that we learned that we need to be satisfied with what we have, and the first post we learned that every moment should have meaning and should be enjoyed.  Now we talk about the balancing point. How do we balance all of life’s wants and needs? Some may feel like living satisifed with what God has already given is like admitting defeat, or a life of mediocrity. Being satisfied does not mean we do not hope for more. Contentment is the balance between the enjoyment of life now and the anticipation of what is to come. Being content keeps you from being controlled by your desires. What God has bestowed now is worthy of gratitude and appreciation, not merely because it is enough but because it is good.

Making this resolution of contentment will offer you an opportunity to look forward to tomorrow with peace and ease and an appropriate level of anticipation instead of the frustration and hurriedness that often comes with looking into the future. We do not need to sacrifice today’s blessings because of un-contentment or trying to rush our future gifts. Fully enjoy the things you have, the person you are, and the life you’re currently living with you strive to move forward with your dreams and future.

If you are single you need to take hold of everything you can do more easily when you are single. Traveling just as an example is so much more possible when you do not have the responsibilities of our spouse and children. Going to college or mission trips. There is so much more to do in this season of singleness that God has planned for you! Take the awesomeness of each season and run with it! You will have the young married life where you to get to know each other do not rush through this enjoy it!  Them the season of children which is amazing until you have gone through the previous season you may have not been ready! Then your children grow and leave the house, your time with your husband to grow old and see your grandchildren or possibly travel again! So many wonderful possibilities is we were just content with each season; content with the now.

It’s a balance. A holy equilibrium.

Contentment is not complacency. We just do not allow these issues to take away our joy. There is always going to be something in every season that will make you upset. You can still have contentment even with these every day irritations.

That’s a safe, healthy place when contentment allows you to take root and take up residence. Instead of being manipulated by unrestrained discontent, instead of allowing restlessness to hustle you into decisions, relationships, and opportunities that you’re unable to recognize as being faulty from the outset, contentment keeps your mine clear.

I do solemnly resolve to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it.. I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment. 

See all The Chapters 

Life’s Biggest Battles

Five Smooth Stones for Parenting

How to prepare your kids to win life’s biggest battles

God has been in the business of helping children defeat the “evil giants” in their world for a long time.

1. Teach Them to Suffer Well

A Theology of Suffering:

• Life is hard, but God is good! • Life is unjust, but God is sovereign. • Old Testament Roots – Joseph (Genesis 37-50) • New Testament Command – 1 Peter 2:21-23

Application: Help your child grow through suffering. Life message: Suffering is Normal!

2. Teach Them to Work “Unto the Lord”

A Theology of Work:

• Work is a “calling”, not a job • All work is sacred. • Our work is to flow from God’s unique design and purpose for our lives. • Work is for one audience; the “audience of one.”

1• Old Testament Roots – Genesis 2:15 • New Testament Command – Colossians 3:23

Application: Help your child discover “God’s calling” for their life so they can impact their world and beyond.

Life Message: You Were Created to Work!

3. Teach Them to Manage Their Lives Wisely

A Theology of Stewardship:

• God owns everything. • God has entrusted us “things” to manager for Him (time, talent, treasure) • God expects a positive return on His investment. • God will hold you accountable. • God wants you to share in His joy. • Old Testament Roots – Genesis 1:26-28 • New Testament Command – Matthew 25:14-30

Application: Help your child become faithful in the “little things” – Luke 16:10

Life Message: Your Life is a Sacred Stewardship!

Dedicated

 – Pastor Brad Grasley –

Click above to hear the Podcast.

Being Dedicated

Child dedications are NOT

• A recognition of God’s blessing
• A statement of trust in God
• A commitment to raise your children God’s way
• Claiming their promises future.

It is a covering over your children until the day comes where they can make the choice to be baptized. We cannot change their lives by dedicating them or christening them, only Jesus can change their lives and ours.

Let Jesus’ Story change our Lives.

Jesus came into this world so we could have a new life. Put the past behind us and be ready for a new life. Don’t get stuck focusing on what you were it will only keep you stuck. Give it to God.

Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop being hung up on what you THINK you are. HE knows who we were; that is why He sent Jesus to give us a clean slate. When you say you don’t know what I have done and who I was; God does!

Luke 2:22-24

(NIV)  Jesus Presented in the Temple

 ²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”^[a]), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

God’s asks us about two things when we are ready to dedicate

PRESENT:

(v.) To bring or introduce into the presence of some one, especially of a superior; to introduce formally; to offer for acquaintance; as, to present an envoy to the king; (with the reciprocal pronoun) to come into the presence of a superior. Easton’s Bible Dictionary

Who is more superior than God?!

Romans 12

A Living Sacrifice

 ¹ Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Lay ALL of ourselves down; not to die an earthly death like in the old testament, but to be a living sacrifice. Be willing to kill that sin – jealousy ect. This is WORSHIP.

Worship is not just songs and music. Being generous, giving time, reading the bible when you don’t want to, sacrifice the fight even when you are right, Killing those sinful thoughts these are all worship.

REMOVING POWER FROM THE FLESH

like in fasting as a simple option. Fasting shows we can have power over our flesh and still live.

WHAT YOU FUEL GROWS; WHAT YOU STARVE DIES. What are you feeding?

We need to fuel ourselves; read the bible, get in the word, look at your temptation and tell it NO you will not eat it, you will starve it out of your life!

CONSECRATED: to be Holy and set apart.

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Jesus is more than just the reason for THIS season. He is the reason for life EVERY season. When January comes around let Him still be what we value.

Separate yourself from sin. Jesus is the only one to worship. Not even our kids can be the example of our changed lives.  Be ready to share Jesus. Are you different from the world??

Romans 12 (MSG)

Place Your Life Before God

^1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Place your everyday life is God’s hands and God will give you the opportunity to share!

Acts 4

Peter and John imprisoned. (1-4) The apostles boldly testify to Christ. (5-14) Peter and John refuse to be silenced. (15-22) The believers unite in prayer and praise. (23-31) The holy charity of the Christians. (32-37)

We left off last chapter with Peter just telling these people off and then inviting them to repent. Now the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees all were upset about Peter and John speaking about Jesus resurrection so they arrested them.

⁴But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

This is proof that no matter how short a word that you give, people will hear you and they will believe! Their arrest did not stop God’s work.

So the big guns brought Peter and John in to question them.

V. 7 “By what power or what name did you do this?” …..V. 10 “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. “

Not only did this not stop God; it gave Peter and John an even bigger platform in front of the biggest religious figures. Peter stood his ground and started nailing it in! What did these priests think?…

¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Wow; jealous much? Ever had that person next to you speaking in tongues praying beautifully next to you with tears falling down their face obviously filled with the Spirit and you felt a little jealous flame light up?! I know I have! Why God can’t I have that overwhelming feeling!? We can; and the more we worry about others or try to think this are less than us the harder it will be to feel Him.

They had to believe them since the lame man was there walking. They gathered again to figure out what to do with these men in their city. They did not want the word of this miracle being spread around. They spoke to Peter and John and asked not to speak about this. Now how do you think Peter took that?!

¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! ²⁰ As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

This verse reminds me of this one; “But for me and my household we will serve the Lord.” You can do whatever you like; but we are here to bring glory to God not you! The priests let them go and knew not how to punish them The people were already praising God for this no longer lame man.

The Believers Pray

Peter and John returned home and told their fellow believers and they all worshiped God and prayed.

²⁹ Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Just to make sure they were supposed to continue to spread His word they went to the Lord for permission.

 ³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

The more we stick to the word, the bolder we get!! Can you imagine Peter and John being anymore bold!?

The Believers Share Their Possessions

They did not give 10% they gave it all! They didn’t even think this stuff as their own. Whoever needed something they should have it and vise versa. It makes my heart overfill with Joy. The selflessness that the Spirit can give us if we are willing.

 ³² All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. ³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all ³⁴ that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵ and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

 

 

Acts 2

The descent of the Holy Spirit at the day of Pentecost. (1-4)

This section is all so full of content! I could probably research and write pages on just this.

• Timing: Pentecost; a time where they came together to study the Word.
• Location: Jerusalem; Jesus previously in Acts 1 told them to stay there and wait for the Holy Spirit.

² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

Why violent wind?!?!

This was to signify the powerful influences and working of the Spirit of God upon the minds of men, and thereby upon the world. Thus the convictions of the Spirit make way for his comforts; and the rough blasts of that blessed wind, prepare the soul for its soft and gentle gales. There was an appearance of something like flaming fire, lighting on every one of them, according to John Baptist’s saying concerning Christ; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. The Spirit, like fire, melts the heart, burns up the dross, and kindles pious and devout affections in the soul; in which, as in the fire on the altar, the spiritual sacrifices are offered up. – Matthew Henry’s Commentary

What is speaking in tongues?

 Speaking in tongues is the New Testament phenomena where a person speaks in a language that is unknown to him.  This language is either the language of angels or other earthly languages (1 Cor. 13:1).  It occurred in Acts 2 at Pentecost and also in the Corinthian church as is described in 1 Corinthians 14.  This New Testament gift was given by the Holy Spirit to the Christian church and is for the purpose of the edification of the Body of Christ as well as for glorifying the Lord. …But there is an important point worth making here.  Some churches erringly maintain that you must speak in tongues in order to be saved.  This is a grave mistake since not all people speak in tongues because not all people are gifted by the Holy Spirit this way.- Matt Slick

The apostles speak in divers languages. (5-13) Peter’s address to the Jews. (14-36)

⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? …. ¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.

I think it is funny; Peter says its only 9am these people are not drunk!

Christ’s scholars never learn above their Bible; and the Spirit is given, not to do away the Scriptures, but to enable us to understand, approve, and obey them. Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Peter spoke about all God had done, and the Jesus was the one set apart and now we are to be that set apart person.

From the first delivery of that Divine message, it appeared that there was Divine power going with it; and thousands were brought to the obedience of faith. But neither Peter’s words, nor the miracle they witnessed, could have produced such effects, had not the Holy Spirit been given. Sinners, when their eyes are opened, cannot but be pricked to the heart for sin, cannot but feel an inward uneasiness. The apostle exhorted them to repent of their sins, and openly to avow their belief in Jesus as the Messiah, by being baptized in his name. Matthew Henry’s Commentary

 ⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common.⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Could you imagine a world like this?!?!?! I would LOVE it! It would make other nervous I could imagine.   The greatness of the event raised them above the world, and the Holy Ghost filled them with such love, as made every one to be to another as to himself, and so made all things common, not by destroying property, but doing away selfishness, and causing charity.

That sounds like heaven to me! I would give anything to help another while my husband and family would think I am dumb. They will just spend it on booze I hear a lot. It is not up to me to judge what they do with the help that I give; it is up to me to give that help that Jesus gave us!

Extraordinary: Pleasing God

Extraordinary Section 1 from Chapters 1 – 2

John Bevere

Extraordinary

Pleasing God

Chapter 3  in the Extraordinary Book

With the love of God as a foundation, let’s now discuss pleasing Him. So we know that we cannot do anything to make Him love us any less or more. And we should also know that we are responsible for how pleased God is with us. His pleasure in us is based on our choices in life.

2 Corinthians 5:9 (NIV)

⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

As human beings we have an inborn desire to please our father and mother. There is a mere reflection of our truest desires, which is to please our heavenly father. As a true child of God, your greatest satisfaction comes when you know God is pleased with us.  The second benefit of pursuing this supreme goal is that we’ll be rewarded greatly.

2 Corinthians 5:8 (NIV)

⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

So we know that Paul is talking to only believers of Christ, because when a person who’s not committed to the lordship of Jesus Christ departs this world in physical death, he or she is not in the presence of the Lord but in hell. Haven or Hell; the two places we are destined to go. I know many people have a problem with this…. “Why would a loving God send people to hell?” First, keep in mind that hell was not created for us but instead for Satan and his cohorts.

John 3:17-18 (NIV)

¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

God indeed is love, but He is also just, He never lies or bends the rules, so to speak. If He did, He would no longer be God, for God “cannot lie.” (Titus 1:2)   That is why He sent His son to take our sin so He could give us a way out. Jesus 100% God and 100% Human He could pay for mans great sin against God. So it was by one man, Adam, that sin came on all humankind, but it was by one man, Jesus Christ, that salvation from that death became available to all.   (Romans 5:18)

So to me after reading John’s comments it brought me back to another message about people wanting to reap the benefits but not put in the work. People don’t want to surrender to God, but they want His heaven. If you do not believe in God, why would you believe in His heaven or think you would have a place there?? Just thinking out loud…..

The Believer’s Judgement

Why are we believers told to be pleasing to God?

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (NIV)

⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

We are advised to please God because someday He will judge us.  Our sins will not be judged, rather we will be rewarded, or suffer loss, for our labor as believers in Jesus Christ.  These saints will not lose heaven, but they will lose their rewards… why? Scripture’s simple answer is they simply didn’t do what pleased God.

The simple and truthful conclusion is that what we do with the cross determines where we’ll spend eternity. However, the way we live as believers determine how we’ll spend it. 

God’s Goals for our Life

God has sent goals for each of our lives.. In fact, He recorded them in a book before time began. David writes:

Psalm 139:16 (NIV)

¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; 
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book 
   before one of them came to be.

Did you know there was a book written about you!? The author is none other than God, He wrote this book before you were conceived in your mother’s womb. God planned our paths beforehand, but the Holy Spirit didn’t say through Paul that we would walk in them …. Free will comes into effect here because fulfilling these assignments isn’t automatic. God has set the goals, but it is up to us to discover through prayer, reading His Word, and other Spiritual means what’s recorded for our lives.

Colossians 1:9-10 (NIV)

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Knowing God’s will for our lives gives us the ability to always please Him. However it is not inevitable. God has set extraordinary goals for us and they will not be accomplished without prayer, faith, and fervent labor.

Your life is unique, special, and by no means an accident or lost among the myriad details of the lives of other “common” folks. No one is common or menial. We wall were created for a unique path that is extraordinary.

Reflections for an Extraordinary Journey

In your life now, how are you pleasing God? How might you please Him more?

What do you believe are God’s special plans for you?

“The Resolution”