Matthew's Gospel shows that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and everything Jesus said was true. One thing that Jesus said a lot of was to forgive. Forgiveness was talked about in every Gospel and is a matter that people tend to take too lightly.
(NLT) Matthew 18:21-22 - "Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone* who sins against me? Seven times?" "No!" Jesus replied, "seventy times seven!*"
This verse isn't telling us to forgive someone only 490 times, but rather that we shouldn't even keep track of how many times we forgive people. Have you ever felt like you were holding on to something that happened in the past and you just couldn't let it go? Talk to God about it, let him know how you feel and ask for forgiveness, but also let him know you forgive those who have hurt you. Do you ever feel like you just can't forgive someone? It's difficult sometimes to let go of the issues that distract us from God. Those issues can cloud our minds and pull us away from what God has for you today. Forgive and be forgiven.
(NLT) Mark 12:25 - But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.*"
- Alex
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Honoring One Another
The book of James is written by James to show a lot about how Christians ought to live. It was written to encourage Christians to be vibrant in their faith through concrete action, honoring one another with the right motives. James calls us to be authentic Christians by honoring one another, by loving everyone we come across equally.
(NLT) James 2:2-4 - "For instance, suppose someone comes into your meeting* dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor"- well, doesn't this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives?"
Unfortunately so many people show their love more for some people rather showing equal love for everyone. People tend to judge each other by their actions, thinking you can only judge by words. This is dishonoring. Has there ever been a time where you just felt a friend was more loving towards other people? We should be an example by striving to be more honorable than our friends. Has there ever been a time in your life where you just felt out of place and unloved because people just didn't act the same around you as they do with their other friends? Now, has there ever been a time where you acted more excited to see someone and less excited to see someone else within the same day?
(NLT) Romans 12:10 - "Love each other with genuine affection,* and take delight in honoring each other."
- Alex
(NLT) James 2:2-4 - "For instance, suppose someone comes into your meeting* dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, "You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor"- well, doesn't this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives?"
Unfortunately so many people show their love more for some people rather showing equal love for everyone. People tend to judge each other by their actions, thinking you can only judge by words. This is dishonoring. Has there ever been a time where you just felt a friend was more loving towards other people? We should be an example by striving to be more honorable than our friends. Has there ever been a time in your life where you just felt out of place and unloved because people just didn't act the same around you as they do with their other friends? Now, has there ever been a time where you acted more excited to see someone and less excited to see someone else within the same day?
(NLT) Romans 12:10 - "Love each other with genuine affection,* and take delight in honoring each other."
- Alex
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Unity in Heart
Philippians is a letter that Paul wrote in the New Testament while he was in prison. Paul writes to the church of Philippi and in the letter encourages the Philippians to have unity with love. He wants them to keep growing as one by loving and caring for each other. Even in prison he is still content that his brothers and sisters are rejoicing in unity under God. Pauls passion and life was "to know God," and he found that living in unity is how we can grow closer to God.
(NLT) Philippians 2:2 - "Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose."
Unity means the state of being united into one. As Christians we need to live as one. Living for God means having the same purpose, to strive to be like Christ. Christians are all fighting the same battle against the flesh and against the same enemy. There are always people out there who feel alone, and they need Christians to be there for them, to be God's light.
Has there ever been a time when you just needed someone to be there for you in person and just listen or tell you something good? As Christians we need to be the light for every person we come across. How do we be the light? Tell me how you have been the light. How can we apply this verse to our lives? Sometimes it's so obvious as to how we can apply this verse that people forget that we aren't alone. Unfortunately, I see people not being a light and just focusing on their own lives, forgetting to be there for their brothers and sisters. Don't forget we are all brothers and sisters under God and loving each other is the best way to come together in unity.
If you want more on Unity and the Heart keep reading Philippians 2:1-11
- Alex
(NLT) Philippians 2:2 - "Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose."
Unity means the state of being united into one. As Christians we need to live as one. Living for God means having the same purpose, to strive to be like Christ. Christians are all fighting the same battle against the flesh and against the same enemy. There are always people out there who feel alone, and they need Christians to be there for them, to be God's light.
Has there ever been a time when you just needed someone to be there for you in person and just listen or tell you something good? As Christians we need to be the light for every person we come across. How do we be the light? Tell me how you have been the light. How can we apply this verse to our lives? Sometimes it's so obvious as to how we can apply this verse that people forget that we aren't alone. Unfortunately, I see people not being a light and just focusing on their own lives, forgetting to be there for their brothers and sisters. Don't forget we are all brothers and sisters under God and loving each other is the best way to come together in unity.
If you want more on Unity and the Heart keep reading Philippians 2:1-11
- Alex
Monday, September 6, 2010
Guard your Heart
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 4:23 (New American Standard Bible)
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23 (New Living Translation)
When Nehemiah began rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, it was about restoring the people of Israel. After the walls were completed the Law of Moses, given by God, was declared (Neh. 8). God has already begun the work of restoring us, and if we hope to keep it going we must protect ourselves. Reading Nehemiah chapter 4, you can see the opposition the Israelites faced in the form of irreverent merchants, traitors, and threat of an attack. In the same way we must be on our Guard so God can continue the great work in us. If we are so naïve to think the enemy doesn’t have plans to derail us, we will go down even faster.
As Proverbs 4:23 commands, guard your hearts. Everything comes from your heart. Every relationship takes root in your heart, and every lie and manipulative act has a spot in your heart. The thing about your heart is that those things don’t just leave until you get rid of them. Sometimes, people who have had chaos throughout their lives will often remain in that pattern of thinking even after they accept Christ. It’s something rooted in their heart. That’s why you still see Christians who have constant drama in their lives. Sure, there will be trouble times, but before any of that happened there was already trouble in their hearts. We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control what happens in us.
Our hearts are but a container for what we store inside.
Life in God is about a restoration to being all He has made us to be. At the end of Nehemiah the walls are rebuilt, but there is trouble inside Jerusalem, still. Even after this amazing story of restoration for Israel, Nehemiah must return to Jerusalem to rebuke the elders and set things right (13:7). Trouble remains on the inside.
We wonder why we constantly feel the way we do. It’s because we may still have old ways of living and thinking in us. We have to give our hearts and everything in us to God. It’s a process, but we must learn to recognize the wrong things and thinking that we still do, and give it to God.
The day your done growing is the day you’re done.
Ask God to show you what remains, which isn’t of him. This is something that never ends as long as we live.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2 (NLT)
-fonzi
Friday, July 16, 2010
Nehemiah 7-9
We pick up in Nehemiah 7 when the wall has finally been rebuilt, the gates put in, and guards assigned to their posts.
In chapter 7, Nehemiah writes of how many citizens had fled the city, during the attacks. He makes a compiled list of all the families and priests that lived in the city to call them back to begin rebuilding the homes inside the city walls. The governor of Jerusalem, Nehemiah, gives gold to help with rebuilding and many heads of their families give as well. Now, with people, finances and motivation, Jerusalem can start to be rebuilt.
In chapter 8, Ezra the priest begins reading the Books of Moses, starting on the first day of the seventh month and ending eight days later. It also writes about how many Levites and ones returning from exile make temporary houses out of olive branches. They make these houses near the main gate, where Ezra is reading the Law, as to not miss anything he says.
Chapter 9 is mainly a lengthy prayer to the Lord, explaining much of the past of the people of Jerusalem and asking for forgiveness on behalf of their ancestors and their people. The last few verses say that many agreed with this prayer and wished to make a binding agreement with the Lord and had many leaders and Levites seal this agreement.
-Alec
In chapter 7, Nehemiah writes of how many citizens had fled the city, during the attacks. He makes a compiled list of all the families and priests that lived in the city to call them back to begin rebuilding the homes inside the city walls. The governor of Jerusalem, Nehemiah, gives gold to help with rebuilding and many heads of their families give as well. Now, with people, finances and motivation, Jerusalem can start to be rebuilt.
In chapter 8, Ezra the priest begins reading the Books of Moses, starting on the first day of the seventh month and ending eight days later. It also writes about how many Levites and ones returning from exile make temporary houses out of olive branches. They make these houses near the main gate, where Ezra is reading the Law, as to not miss anything he says.
Chapter 9 is mainly a lengthy prayer to the Lord, explaining much of the past of the people of Jerusalem and asking for forgiveness on behalf of their ancestors and their people. The last few verses say that many agreed with this prayer and wished to make a binding agreement with the Lord and had many leaders and Levites seal this agreement.
-Alec
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Nehemiah 4-6
There is so much packed into this weeks devotional and I want you guys to read it and get out fo it what you can and post to share and glean for others.
Chapter 4 is about the opposition that Nehemiah and the Israelites faced during the reconstruction of the wall. It starts off with the ridicule they took from all the neighboring governors opposed to the reconstruction of the wall and their plot to attack and destroy all the Israelites and their work on the wall. The second half of the chapter is about the workers and how they were planning to defend themselves while working and how they would rely on God to pull them through.
Chapter 5 shows the humility and lack of greed on Nehemiah's part as he was doing all he could to help the Israelites in need. The officials and nobles who owned their land and charged them heavily for everything listened to Nehemiah and his wisdom and lifted the taxations and interest that they were charging the Israelites. Even when he became the governor he maintained his integrity and humility and did not take from the people because he knew it would be to hard on him. That is a great example of trying to bring justice to the people by not taking and giving plentifully.
Chapter 6 has even further threats and intimidation of Nehemiah about the rebuilding that failed and God had carried Nehemiah through the finishing of the walls and setting the doors in their place. Many of the surrounding territories were in fear because they realized it was finished because the God of heaven was with them. The wall and gates were completed in 52 days.....let me rephrase that; the completely demolished and burned walls of Jerusalem surrounding the ENTIRE city was rebuilt in 52 DAYS!!!11 What an incredible and powerful God we serve.
Please post with your responses and what you got from these chapters because I for sure would LOVE to learn something you got from this devotional and your point of view.
-Billium
Chapter 4 is about the opposition that Nehemiah and the Israelites faced during the reconstruction of the wall. It starts off with the ridicule they took from all the neighboring governors opposed to the reconstruction of the wall and their plot to attack and destroy all the Israelites and their work on the wall. The second half of the chapter is about the workers and how they were planning to defend themselves while working and how they would rely on God to pull them through.
Chapter 5 shows the humility and lack of greed on Nehemiah's part as he was doing all he could to help the Israelites in need. The officials and nobles who owned their land and charged them heavily for everything listened to Nehemiah and his wisdom and lifted the taxations and interest that they were charging the Israelites. Even when he became the governor he maintained his integrity and humility and did not take from the people because he knew it would be to hard on him. That is a great example of trying to bring justice to the people by not taking and giving plentifully.
Chapter 6 has even further threats and intimidation of Nehemiah about the rebuilding that failed and God had carried Nehemiah through the finishing of the walls and setting the doors in their place. Many of the surrounding territories were in fear because they realized it was finished because the God of heaven was with them. The wall and gates were completed in 52 days.....let me rephrase that; the completely demolished and burned walls of Jerusalem surrounding the ENTIRE city was rebuilt in 52 DAYS!!!11 What an incredible and powerful God we serve.
Please post with your responses and what you got from these chapters because I for sure would LOVE to learn something you got from this devotional and your point of view.
-Billium
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Nehemiah 1-3
As you may know, we have just wrapped up 1 Timothy. Which means, it's time for a new book! We have decided to go into the Old Testament with Nehemiah. We are going to be going through three chapters a week, so make sure that you are on top of that. Nehemiah was written in first person, which means it was written by Nehemiah himself. He wrote it from Jerusalem when he returned with the third group of exiles. He writes to tell us about the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and the faith that was rebuilt alongside the walls. He will face opposition and scrutiny from enemies. Knowing this, he still completes what God has called him to do, even though he was fearful of what might happen. While reading these first few chapters, I encourage you to look at the situations around you that you may be fearful of. What are you doing with this? Are you going after Gods calling regardless? Are you seeking His heart even when your in despair?
In chapter one, Nehemiah learns about the state that Jerusalem is in. His brother came to visit, and when Nehemiah asked how Jerusalem was, his brother told him things were not well and that the wall of Jerusalem had been torn down. Nehemiah wept for his people. In his despair, he looked to God and sought His counsel. Nehemiah he fasted and prayed for days asking Him to remember what God told Moses. He wanted nothing more than to rebuild the Wall that was gone. For that, he needed the King's favor.
Chapter two and three goes on to explain to us Nehemiah's actions. He was a cup bearer to King Artaxerxes's during his reign. While bringing the King wine, the King asked him why he was so sad looking. He explained what had happened and the King gave him permission to go help rebuild the cities walls. When Nehemiah entered, he spoke to the city officials and Jewish leaders. He told them of the trouble and told them what God had said. They replied instantly saying to rebuild the wall. In Nehemiah 2:19, Nehemiah receives some opposition, but quickly replies telling them that God will help them succeed. This is proven when high priests began rebuilding and dedicating the gates and walls.
-Bridget
In chapter one, Nehemiah learns about the state that Jerusalem is in. His brother came to visit, and when Nehemiah asked how Jerusalem was, his brother told him things were not well and that the wall of Jerusalem had been torn down. Nehemiah wept for his people. In his despair, he looked to God and sought His counsel. Nehemiah he fasted and prayed for days asking Him to remember what God told Moses. He wanted nothing more than to rebuild the Wall that was gone. For that, he needed the King's favor.
Chapter two and three goes on to explain to us Nehemiah's actions. He was a cup bearer to King Artaxerxes's during his reign. While bringing the King wine, the King asked him why he was so sad looking. He explained what had happened and the King gave him permission to go help rebuild the cities walls. When Nehemiah entered, he spoke to the city officials and Jewish leaders. He told them of the trouble and told them what God had said. They replied instantly saying to rebuild the wall. In Nehemiah 2:19, Nehemiah receives some opposition, but quickly replies telling them that God will help them succeed. This is proven when high priests began rebuilding and dedicating the gates and walls.
-Bridget
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