Archive for Biblical Journey
The Book of Acts Is Still Disturbing November 12, 2008
God is continuing to rock my world on my journey through Acts…here are a few things that are standing out to me personally.
- The church had to let go of the comfortable and the familiar in order to fully follow Jesus and advance HIS Gospel.
- The church was passionately obsessed with seeing more and more people come to faith in Christ.
- The message of the church was Jesus…nothing political or social, they didn’t try to legislate morality…simply Jesus!
- God kept raising up gifted leaders who were willing to embrace their calling…one group of people were not expected to do it all…and when people embraced God’s calling on their lives–the church grew!
- The people in the church were willing to work hard AND beg God to intervene on their behalf.
- The crowds opinion can change often…the early church leaders knew that and were obsessed with Jesus and not with the opinions of others.
- A praying church is unstoppable! (Acts 12!)
- God reigns…despite circumstances…HE REIGNS!
- The wisdom needed for leadership in the local church is plentiful and available if we will only seek His face and beg Him for it! I believe He will often allow us to expereince things that seem “impossible” just so we will continually learn that it is HIS church…and that we should seek HIS guidance!
- Repentance must be taught…churches that do not preach and teach repentance are not being true to the call of God!!!
- God wants the church to grow!!!
- Vision that comes from the heart of God to the heart of a leader is what the church needs! I WANT THIS!!! If Jesus isn’t setting me on fire then the fire will go out!
Those are some personal thoughts…don’t know if they will help anyone out…but they are challenging the heck out of me.
My Bible Journey June 7, 2008
Continues…
- Revelation 10:5-7, God isn’t playing games–there will come a day when all He has said will come to pass–I’m ready, are you?
- Revelation 10:11, God has stirred up an urgency in me to preach…and HE must be my passion until Christ comes or until He takes me home.
- Revelation 11:3, ALL authority belongs to God…and I can walk in His authority and be blessed…or rebel against Him and ultimately be destroyed. Pretty simple really!
- Revelation 11:15, One day He WILL become in everyones eyes what the universe already knows Him to be–KING!
- Revelation 12:10-11, satan is a nerd who got his butt kicked out of heaven…and one day will ultimately be destroyed…but until that time…we as believers will always have a war on our hands–see Revelation 12:17
- Revelation 14:6-7, Even in the last days God is going to make sure the world hears the Gospel! Please notice–THE GOSPEL…not issues, not agendas–THE GOSPEL!
- Revelation 15:3-4, WHAT A SONG!
- Revelation 17:14, Jesus doesn’t lose!
- Revelation 17:17, God reigns in ABSOLUTE POWER…I need to continually be reminded of that!
My Bible Journey… May 19, 2008
Continues…
- Revelation 1:3 - God is pretty serious about His Word!
- Revelation 1:10 - Talk about “the order of worship” being disrupted!
- Revelation 1:17-19 - Often I hear people say, “When I get to heaven I have some questions for Jesus!” Uh…yeah…according to this we will all be speechless!
- Revelation 2:4 - It is possible to work for Jesus and not be in love with Him.
- Revelation 3:1 - God doesn’t have to guess if we’re really committed or not!
- Revelation 3:6 - I pray this for myself often!
- Revelation 3:8 -When God opens a door–NO ONE CAN SHUT IT!
- Revelation 3:20 - God’s invitation to us all!
- Revelation 4:1 - Jesus drew John to Himself…and He’s still drawing people 2k years later.
- Revelation 4:11 - I was created for Him!
- Revelation 5:9-10 - Notice that this was a NEW song…I pray the Lord will continue to allow me to experience new ways of worshiping Him.
- Revelation 5:13 - The day is coming when everyone will recognize Him for who He is!
- Revelation 7:9 - WOW…looks like heaven is going to be crowded…hope it’s not “too big” for some people! ALSO it looks like there aren’t going to be just a bunch of white American’s there!!! Looks like a lot of people who do here church in America might hate heaven!!!
Think that’s a good place to end right now…more next week! :-)
My Bible Journey… May 13, 2008
Continues…
- Jude 1:3 - The faith is worth fighting for…unfortunately too many Christians are consumed with fighting against one another!
- Jude 1:4 - Seems to me that there has always been a problem with people who continually sin and then use the grace of God as justification!
- Jude 1:5 - Here God’s grace and God’s wrath are clearly seen!
- Jude 1:20 - This is a command in Scripture…this needs to be my daily focus!
- Jude 1:22 - What a challenge…it does not say to yell at those who doubt, or protest and picket those who doubt, or exclude those who doubt…but have mercy on them!
- Jude 1:23 - Evangelism, at times, calls for passionate aggression!
- Jude 1:24 - My salvation is not in my hands…it’s in HIS!
- Jude 1:25 - YES!!!
My Bible Journey… May 5, 2008
Continues…
- I John 1:4 - John wrote so that our joy would be complete…I want that!
- I John 1:9 - THANK YOU JESUS!!!
- I John 2:2 - According to John there IS evidence as to whether or not we belong to Him.
- I John 2:3-6 - Keep in mind this was written by the Apostle that many would argue knew Jesus the best while He was here on earth…this is STRONG!
- I John 2:15-17 - This passage reminds me not to love stuff!!! I can have stuff…but if at any time He says, “Give it up,” I DO!
- I John 2:25 - Jesus promises eternal life…it isn’t conditional!
- I John 2:28 - Meeting Christ is the first step–I need to constantly strive to remain in Him.
- I John 3:5 - Once again, THANK YOU JESUS!
- I John 3:8 - The devil is so limited–Jesus DESTROYED his work on the cross…the only way he has power over a Christian is when we allow it.
- I John 3:17-18 - “I’m praying for you,” doesn’t work in God’s sight when we have the ability to meet a need for someone else but do nothing about it.
- I John 4:4 - Once again, THANK YOU JESUS! I need to understand where I am from and who I have victory over!
- I John 4:9 - God MADE His love obvious to us…we should strive daily to make our love obvious back to Him (by giving Him our first and our best!)
- I John 5:12 - It doesn’t get much more simple than this–thank you JESUS that I have life!
- I John 5:13 - Eternal life is something we don’t have to wonder about–we can know!
- II John 1:6 - John is pretty much dead set on the fact that if we say we love Jesus…we need to live like it.
- II John 1:9 - DANG!
- III John 1:4 - I pray DAILY for Charisse’s salvation…it’s not in my hands…but when it happens I will rejoice like a madman!
My Bible Journey… April 21, 2008
Continues…
- II Peter 1:5-8, IF I possess these qualities then the Bible says I will not live an unfruitful life…this is quite a list! :-)
- II Peter 1:12-15, As a pastor I don’t need to fear the thought, “But people have heard this before.” (More on this later this week.)
- II Peter 1:21, God’s Word is reliable!
- II Peter 2:4-10, God doesn’t play games…He will not be mocked.
- II Peter 3:1, Peter was obsessed with reminding people about the things he had already taught them…something I believe every pastor should focus on.
- II Peter 3:9, For those who have people they are praying that Jesus will save…I would memorize this verse!
- II Peter 3:14, How I live really does matter to God.
My Bible Journey… April 14, 2008
Continues…
- I Peter 1:3-4, I am so glad that salvation is a promise and not a “probably!”
- I Peter 1:13, I need to constantly prepare my minds for action!
- I Peter 1:18-19, Jesus Christ was the perfect payment for my sins!
- I Peter 1:24-25, God’s Word will always be!
- I Peter 2:1, Here are some things I need to constantly make sure are not in my life.
- I Peter 2:9-10, I am to DECLARE His praises because of all He has done for me…shame on me if I stay quiet.
- I Peter 2:11-12, I REALLY want to be able to do this!
- I Peter 2:13, Critics will eventually be silenced not because I respond to them but because I live my life to honor Jesus!
- I Peter 2:22-25 = THE GOSPEL!
- I Peter 3:7, I am to live in such a way that it shows my wife honor!
- I Peter 3:9, This is tough…but is commanded in Scripture & should be followed.
- I Peter 3:18 = THE GOSPEL…Jesus paid for my sin…I am not required to pay…I am FREE!
- I Peter 4:1-2, I am not to live for myself…but rather be passionate for God’s will!
- I Peter 4:10, Jesus gave me gifts to serve and be a blessing to others…not myself.
- I Peter 4:11, This verse has brought me much comfort and challenge…God wants His ministers to speak with clarity and confidence.
- I Peter 4:14, YES!
- I Peter 5:1-3, I am commanded to lead by allowing Jesus to lead me!
- I Peter 5:5, I never want to be opposed by God! (He always wins!)
- I Peter 5:6-7, I can give Him EVERYTHING!
- I Peter 5:8-9, This is a promise…the enemy has no hold on me, in Christ I can resist Him!
- I Peter 5:10, This is a promise as well!
- I Peter 5:11, YES!