MERRY CHRISTMAS!
We would like to thank Pastor Rick for authoring The Daily Compass this week.
Monday December 20, 2010
Remember The Food
Read John 4; Isaiah 55:1-2; Matthew 5:6
We hope you enjoyed the Christmas play Sunday. We wanted to make it fun for the family but like Uncle Rick I hope you thought about the things that make Christmas special to you. I think it was perfect that the play took place at a diner having a Christmas meal. When I think about Christmas one of the things I think about is food, of course I think about food on any occasion. Jesus was into food too. We have recorded in the bible the wedding feast in Canaan of Galilee, the feeding of the 4,000, the 5,000, eating at Zacchaeus’ house, the banquet at Matthew’s house, Jesus eating at the Pharisees house, and of course the Lord’s Supper. I think it is interesting that Jesus was born in Bethlehem which means the house of bread. He said He was the bread that came down from heaven. We have all been created to hunger after certain things but God wants to satisfy that hunger with something more than food. God wants to fill that emptiness in us with His Word, His Spirit and His purpose for our lives. He wants us to be satisfied with more than good food but a satisfied soul. I pray that this Christmas God would give you a hunger for God and the good things He gives to satisfy your hunger. May you enjoy the things that really satisfy. Like the woman at the well ask Jesus to give you that gift that will satisfy what you hunger and thirst for. We serve the Word of God every Sunday. Come and join us this next year and find satisfaction for your hungry soul.
Tuesday December 21, 2010
Remember the Gifts
Read Luke 11:11-13; James 1:17; Romans 8:32
Like Uncle Rick we are reminded about giving and receiving gifts. All of us like Uncle Rick can remember that special gift that we wanted. God has created inside of each of us a desire to receive reward, to receive gifts. We have a God given desire for things in our lives but most of the time we desire gifts that only give us temporary pleasure. God has given us a gift that will keep on giving every day of our lives. This gift has the ability to give us every other good gift we could ever really want. This gift is his Spirit, the presence of God who is the great giver. Like we love to see our children get those special gifts that give them pleasure, God wants to give us gifts that please us. He knows exactly what we are searching for and what it takes to satisfy us. We not only have a need to receive gifts but a desire to please others by giving. There is nothing that satisfies our heart like giving a child that special gift they are longing for. This Christmas remember to receive God’s gift and be a cheerful giver to others. Enjoy the gifts.
Wednesday December 22, 2010
Remember Christmas is about Family
Read Luke 15:11-32; Hebrews 10:22-25
Uncle Rick said the most important thing to him was love, family and being together on Christmas. All of us have a desire to be with others because our creator made us that way. Christmas is a time when family and friends gather to gather to share and celebrate. Christmas is about families and family gatherings. God’s purpose for creating us was to make us a part of His Family. It’s so sad to see people who spend Christmas alone. God wants His family to come together often to celebrate and enjoy the pleasure of being home with their father and His children. Christmas is a time to remember to gather with your family and to come and be a part of the gathering of the family of God. Is there someone in your family that needs to be restored invite them back to be a part of the family again? Do you know someone that will spend Christmas alone? Invite them to spend Christmas with you. We invite you to be a part of our church family. We gather and celebrate every week. Come join us. It will not be Christmas without you.
Thursday December 23, 2010
Remember Christmas is about the birth of a Child
Read Luke 2:1-20; John 3:1-18
Uncle Rick remembered the re-enactment of the nativity scene. Christmas is really about children. It is the story of the birth of a child. Jesus said you have to become as a little child to enter the Kingdom of God. A child is helpless, trusting, loving and exploring and discovering life. They are in wonder over the world around them. They are having fun and enjoying life and trusting those around them to take care of them and provide for them. We need to become childlike again and trust God to provide and take care of us as we enjoy life. Christmas is about the birth of the Christ Child. God came as a child to people just like us. We need to become like a child and have faith in God to bring a new birth in us that will give us the joy and wonder of Christmas in our hearts. Invite this child into your heart this Christmas. Enjoy this Christmas with a child.
Friday December 24, 2010
Remember Christmas is about Singing
Read Luke 1:46-55; Luke 1:67-69; Luke 2:13-14; Luke 2:29-31
Uncle Rick wanted to hear caroling. Christmas is all about sights and sounds. There is something about a song that opens up our heart and changes our mood. We are created with the ability to hear and verbalize our feelings. The Song carries the message we are hearing to our hearts. Maybe that’s why we have Songs in the Christmas story. God wants the joy of his message to get to our heart so we can celebrate it with Him and it becomes a part of us. Luke records four Christmas songs in the first 2 chapters of his book. Read them and as you do let the message God was saying get in your heart. Luke 1:46-55 – Mary’s Song; Luke 1:67-69 -- Zechariah’s song; Luke 2:13-14 – The Angel’s song; Luke 2:29-31 – Simeon’s song. Let’s take time to sing this Christmas.
Weekender December 25, 2010
Remember Christmas is about Joy
Read Luke 1:14, 44, And 58, 2:10: John 15:9-13
Like Uncle Rick, we get so busy at Christmas we forget to enjoy it. The one who started Christmas wants us to take time and enjoy it. Don’t be so busy preparing the food that you forget to enjoy it. Don’t get so carried away with the gifts that you forget to enjoy the giver. Don’t worry over the details of Christmas so much that you forget to laugh, have fun and enjoy Christmas like a child again. Don’t get gloomy but be joyful and help other’s enjoy this season that is all about joy. Nehemiah’s words to God’s people are still true for us at Christmas today.
Nehemiah 8:10
And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
December 20, 2010
December 13, 2010
December 13 - 18, 2010
Monday December 13, 2010
From The Beginning
Read John 1:1-5
John does not start "the story of Jesus" in the usual way. He says nothing about the way Jesus was born. Rather, he takes us back in time to "the beginning." In the beginning, he says, was "the Word." Modern readers may not know at first what this "Word" is, but it becomes clear in verse 14: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." The Word became a human being, a Jewish man named Jesus. When John talks about "the Word," he is talking about a Person who existed in the beginning with God, and he was God. He was not a created being; rather, it is through him that all created things were made. The question that I’d like to comment on now is, Why does John tell us this? Why do we need to know that Jesus was originally a Person who was not only with God, but he was also God?
By using the word Word, John was using a term that had rich meaning to Greek and Jewish philosophers. They also believed that God had created everything through his word, or his wisdom. Since God was a rational being, he always had a word with him. The "word" was his power to think—his rationality, his creativity. John takes this idea and gives it a radical twist: The Word became flesh. Something in the realm of the perfect and the eternal became part of the imperfect and decaying world. That was a ridiculous idea, people might have said. That did not fit their idea of what God was. John may have agreed with them: This was quite unexpected. God did not act the way we thought he would. Indeed, as we read John’s Gospel we will find that Jesus frequently did the unexpected. He was not acting the way that people expected a man of God to act—and that is part of the reason that he came, and part of the reason that John tells the story. We had wrong ideas about God, and Jesus came to set us straight. Jesus did not just bring a message about God—he himself was the message. He showed us in the flesh what God is like. Shortly before Jesus was killed, Philip asked him, "Lord, show us the Father" (14:8). And Jesus answered: "Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you for such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father"
If you want to know what God is like, then study Jesus. Jesus shows us the love that God has for us; he freely gave his life to save others. When the Word humbled himself to become a flesh-and-blood human, it was a change—something God had never done before—but it was not a change in God’s nature. Rather, it was a demonstration of his unchanging nature—his unchanging faithfulness to us. It showed us the love that God has for us all the time.
Tuesday December 14, 2010
The Word Brings Relationship
Read Mark 4: 1-20
The Word has relationship with God because the Word is God. Nothing was made without the Word being spoken. The Word gives life and the Word gives light. The Word revealed gives life. Jesus was the Word of God made flesh that which was written and spoken now comes to life as a person. God is calling us to release the Word and that will change the world we live in. Jesus said what I have said to you in secret proclaim from the rooftops. You have to hear it before you can proclaim it and you have to proclaim it before it can be manifested. The book of John is the book of the Spirit. In John the Spirit and the Word are connected. You can’t have the Word without the Spirit and the Word can’t be manifested without the Spirit. The Word and the Spirit are in relationship together. We are talking about the Spirit and Word having relationship to produce. Relationships take time to produce.
Relationships like everything in the Kingdom take time to cultivate. We are an instant society and want everything yesterday if not sooner but with God there is seedtime and harvest and seasons in our life. In the 4th chapter of Mark, Jesus gives parables about the production of the Word of God in our lives. You have to sow the word – get it in your heart, You have to have the right soil, You can’t hide the word forever one day it will be seen in your life. Whatever measure of the word you put in your heart is the measure you get out.
Wednesday December 15, 2010
Spending Time In The Word
Read John 5:46; Matthew 4; Acts 6:2; Romans 3:2
Many Christians rightly believe that they need to read the Bible. Such Christians have reading plans and study the Bible themselves. Many other Christians though, tend to focus on reading the Word of God without application. Finally, many Christians read the Bible more like it’s a book of stories than the inspired Word of God. Understanding how to hear the Word of God, read the Word of God and study the Word of God is vital. One Tuesday night at prayer as Ms. Cecilia was sharing the word we noticed that she had marked in and written throughout her Bible, what this represented was the relationship that she has with God, what she had marked represented how God has spoken to her, words that changed her life and it also represents how she honors and reveres the words that God has spoken to her.
If you don’t know the recorded word of God then you will walk away from the living Word of God – That’s what Eve did. In the Old Testament Every time the Word of God was found and honored in the nation there was revival. Jesus did not defeat the devil by using his relationship with God, ritual, or tradition but the scriptures to overcome the temptations of the devil. The Apostles put the ministry of the Word and Prayer above the ministry of the daily needs of people. The most important ministry of leadership is the Word of God. Paul reminds us that Israel has a very special place because they were entrusted with the very words of God. You must realize you have a special place with God because He is revealing His Word in your life. To be a voice for God we have to spend time in the written Word of God.
Thursday December 16, 2010
Jesus: The Living Word
Read John 17:6-9; John 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:9-15
The Word is with God and is God. Jesus the living Word spent time with the Father listening to his words. If we don’t spend time in relationship with the living Word we will not experience the revelation of the Written Word. Revelation is never just to give us knowledge but to lead us into an experience with God. Revelation without experience just makes us religious.
Jesus said The Father who sent me has instructed me as to what I should tell you. I know that his words lead to everlasting life; so whatever he tells me to say, I say. These words that I speak are not my own, but come from the Father who has sent me. They that hear the words that I speak, and believe in Him, who has sent me, will have everlasting life. They will not be condemned but will pass from death to life. God reveals His secrets to us as we spend time with Him building our relationship with Him. You don’t tell your secrets to strangers but to intimate friends. It’s called Revelation of the Spirit. You must spend time with God to have the same spirit. You can’t have what you don’t know and you can’t have what you don’t know without spending time with the one who knows.
Are you spending time with the one who knows?
Friday December 17, 2010
Speak THE WORD!
Read John 15:3-4; Ephesians 5:26; Matthew 17:20; Isa 6:5-7
Father God spoke the earth and all its contents into being, not by his hands, nor by a magic wand, but by speaking them into existence. Speech looses angels to work or binds angels from working. What we say is, in fact, what we get, blessings or curses, our choice. Constantly repeating or retelling, injuries or injustices of the past only strengthen the harm. Critical and/or victimization evil spirits and their relatives need that divisive venom for food; they get fat and powerful on our unauthorized speech. Remember, the Holy Spirit says and does what He sees and hears The Father saying or doing. A child of God needs to filter, like water, everything entering his mind and leaving his mouth. Otherwise, we are polluting not only the atmosphere, but also our lives with bad breath! Spirits ride on our breath and speech. Let us be in praise and worship. Let us repeat what God says in scripture. If we are repeating what the enemy or bad circumstances are presenting to us, then they can reproduce, thanks to our unchecked words. Instead, copy Jesus' example.
The Spoken word cleanses us. The Spoken words bath us. The Spoken Word moves the Mountains in our Lives. God wants to touch our lips so we can speak what He is speaking. When we say what God is saying we see results. Your mouth is taking you were you are going. We must keep speaking what God is saying till we see it come to pass.
The Weekender December 18, 2010
Doers Of The Word
Read Matthew 7:27-29; John 2:5; Hebrews 5:11-14
When Jesus was on the earth as the Son of man, He was a doer of the Word. He always listened to the Father and obeyed what the Father told Him. Jesus always wanted to do what was pleasing to the Father. He never reasoned, he never made excuses, because He wanted to do the Father’s will not his, so He did it. Jesus knew the danger of just being a hearer. 23For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; 24For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.
Jesus knew who he was, he did not have to keep trying to know who He was, He was confident in being a doer of the Word. He also new what manner of man He was. The disciples asked this question. Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? They did not have a clue, but Jesus knew.
The Word says that Signs and wonders follow those who believed. Jesus believed and signs and wonders followed him. Jesus went about everywhere doing the Word. He cast out demons, He healed the sick, and He raised people from the dead. He gave sight to the blind, and healed the broken hearted. He took 2 fish and couple of loaves of bread and multiplied them to feed 5,000 men. He spoke to the storm and told the wind to be still and guess what? It stood still. Jesus also turned water into wine. Those are just a few things that He did. Wouldn’t you say He was doing the Word? He was not sitting back hearing the word about casting out demons and saying to himself, “ I do not know if I can do that, I sure hope I can do that someday. Jesus just did it.
Practice makes perfect. With anything in life wither natural or spiritual you have to do it for it to work. We can’t just be talkers we have to be doers. The advice of Mary is still good for us today. “Just do what He says”(John 2:5). We are trained by practice in the use of the word.
You believe what you practice (do) and you practice (do) what you believe. Revelation without practice only makes you religious and religion only makes you angry and mean. Revelation with practice gives you experience and experience causes love and joy. Jesus didn’t teach the word like the scribes and Pharisees, but with the authority of the Spirit that changed the lives of the hearers. Let us be leaders of the Word and Spirit.
From The Beginning
Read John 1:1-5
John does not start "the story of Jesus" in the usual way. He says nothing about the way Jesus was born. Rather, he takes us back in time to "the beginning." In the beginning, he says, was "the Word." Modern readers may not know at first what this "Word" is, but it becomes clear in verse 14: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." The Word became a human being, a Jewish man named Jesus. When John talks about "the Word," he is talking about a Person who existed in the beginning with God, and he was God. He was not a created being; rather, it is through him that all created things were made. The question that I’d like to comment on now is, Why does John tell us this? Why do we need to know that Jesus was originally a Person who was not only with God, but he was also God?
By using the word Word, John was using a term that had rich meaning to Greek and Jewish philosophers. They also believed that God had created everything through his word, or his wisdom. Since God was a rational being, he always had a word with him. The "word" was his power to think—his rationality, his creativity. John takes this idea and gives it a radical twist: The Word became flesh. Something in the realm of the perfect and the eternal became part of the imperfect and decaying world. That was a ridiculous idea, people might have said. That did not fit their idea of what God was. John may have agreed with them: This was quite unexpected. God did not act the way we thought he would. Indeed, as we read John’s Gospel we will find that Jesus frequently did the unexpected. He was not acting the way that people expected a man of God to act—and that is part of the reason that he came, and part of the reason that John tells the story. We had wrong ideas about God, and Jesus came to set us straight. Jesus did not just bring a message about God—he himself was the message. He showed us in the flesh what God is like. Shortly before Jesus was killed, Philip asked him, "Lord, show us the Father" (14:8). And Jesus answered: "Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you for such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father"
If you want to know what God is like, then study Jesus. Jesus shows us the love that God has for us; he freely gave his life to save others. When the Word humbled himself to become a flesh-and-blood human, it was a change—something God had never done before—but it was not a change in God’s nature. Rather, it was a demonstration of his unchanging nature—his unchanging faithfulness to us. It showed us the love that God has for us all the time.
Tuesday December 14, 2010
The Word Brings Relationship
Read Mark 4: 1-20
The Word has relationship with God because the Word is God. Nothing was made without the Word being spoken. The Word gives life and the Word gives light. The Word revealed gives life. Jesus was the Word of God made flesh that which was written and spoken now comes to life as a person. God is calling us to release the Word and that will change the world we live in. Jesus said what I have said to you in secret proclaim from the rooftops. You have to hear it before you can proclaim it and you have to proclaim it before it can be manifested. The book of John is the book of the Spirit. In John the Spirit and the Word are connected. You can’t have the Word without the Spirit and the Word can’t be manifested without the Spirit. The Word and the Spirit are in relationship together. We are talking about the Spirit and Word having relationship to produce. Relationships take time to produce.
Relationships like everything in the Kingdom take time to cultivate. We are an instant society and want everything yesterday if not sooner but with God there is seedtime and harvest and seasons in our life. In the 4th chapter of Mark, Jesus gives parables about the production of the Word of God in our lives. You have to sow the word – get it in your heart, You have to have the right soil, You can’t hide the word forever one day it will be seen in your life. Whatever measure of the word you put in your heart is the measure you get out.
Wednesday December 15, 2010
Spending Time In The Word
Read John 5:46; Matthew 4; Acts 6:2; Romans 3:2
Many Christians rightly believe that they need to read the Bible. Such Christians have reading plans and study the Bible themselves. Many other Christians though, tend to focus on reading the Word of God without application. Finally, many Christians read the Bible more like it’s a book of stories than the inspired Word of God. Understanding how to hear the Word of God, read the Word of God and study the Word of God is vital. One Tuesday night at prayer as Ms. Cecilia was sharing the word we noticed that she had marked in and written throughout her Bible, what this represented was the relationship that she has with God, what she had marked represented how God has spoken to her, words that changed her life and it also represents how she honors and reveres the words that God has spoken to her.
If you don’t know the recorded word of God then you will walk away from the living Word of God – That’s what Eve did. In the Old Testament Every time the Word of God was found and honored in the nation there was revival. Jesus did not defeat the devil by using his relationship with God, ritual, or tradition but the scriptures to overcome the temptations of the devil. The Apostles put the ministry of the Word and Prayer above the ministry of the daily needs of people. The most important ministry of leadership is the Word of God. Paul reminds us that Israel has a very special place because they were entrusted with the very words of God. You must realize you have a special place with God because He is revealing His Word in your life. To be a voice for God we have to spend time in the written Word of God.
Thursday December 16, 2010
Jesus: The Living Word
Read John 17:6-9; John 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:9-15
The Word is with God and is God. Jesus the living Word spent time with the Father listening to his words. If we don’t spend time in relationship with the living Word we will not experience the revelation of the Written Word. Revelation is never just to give us knowledge but to lead us into an experience with God. Revelation without experience just makes us religious.
Jesus said The Father who sent me has instructed me as to what I should tell you. I know that his words lead to everlasting life; so whatever he tells me to say, I say. These words that I speak are not my own, but come from the Father who has sent me. They that hear the words that I speak, and believe in Him, who has sent me, will have everlasting life. They will not be condemned but will pass from death to life. God reveals His secrets to us as we spend time with Him building our relationship with Him. You don’t tell your secrets to strangers but to intimate friends. It’s called Revelation of the Spirit. You must spend time with God to have the same spirit. You can’t have what you don’t know and you can’t have what you don’t know without spending time with the one who knows.
Are you spending time with the one who knows?
Friday December 17, 2010
Speak THE WORD!
Read John 15:3-4; Ephesians 5:26; Matthew 17:20; Isa 6:5-7
Father God spoke the earth and all its contents into being, not by his hands, nor by a magic wand, but by speaking them into existence. Speech looses angels to work or binds angels from working. What we say is, in fact, what we get, blessings or curses, our choice. Constantly repeating or retelling, injuries or injustices of the past only strengthen the harm. Critical and/or victimization evil spirits and their relatives need that divisive venom for food; they get fat and powerful on our unauthorized speech. Remember, the Holy Spirit says and does what He sees and hears The Father saying or doing. A child of God needs to filter, like water, everything entering his mind and leaving his mouth. Otherwise, we are polluting not only the atmosphere, but also our lives with bad breath! Spirits ride on our breath and speech. Let us be in praise and worship. Let us repeat what God says in scripture. If we are repeating what the enemy or bad circumstances are presenting to us, then they can reproduce, thanks to our unchecked words. Instead, copy Jesus' example.
The Spoken word cleanses us. The Spoken words bath us. The Spoken Word moves the Mountains in our Lives. God wants to touch our lips so we can speak what He is speaking. When we say what God is saying we see results. Your mouth is taking you were you are going. We must keep speaking what God is saying till we see it come to pass.
The Weekender December 18, 2010
Doers Of The Word
Read Matthew 7:27-29; John 2:5; Hebrews 5:11-14
When Jesus was on the earth as the Son of man, He was a doer of the Word. He always listened to the Father and obeyed what the Father told Him. Jesus always wanted to do what was pleasing to the Father. He never reasoned, he never made excuses, because He wanted to do the Father’s will not his, so He did it. Jesus knew the danger of just being a hearer. 23For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; 24For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.
Jesus knew who he was, he did not have to keep trying to know who He was, He was confident in being a doer of the Word. He also new what manner of man He was. The disciples asked this question. Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? They did not have a clue, but Jesus knew.
The Word says that Signs and wonders follow those who believed. Jesus believed and signs and wonders followed him. Jesus went about everywhere doing the Word. He cast out demons, He healed the sick, and He raised people from the dead. He gave sight to the blind, and healed the broken hearted. He took 2 fish and couple of loaves of bread and multiplied them to feed 5,000 men. He spoke to the storm and told the wind to be still and guess what? It stood still. Jesus also turned water into wine. Those are just a few things that He did. Wouldn’t you say He was doing the Word? He was not sitting back hearing the word about casting out demons and saying to himself, “ I do not know if I can do that, I sure hope I can do that someday. Jesus just did it.
Practice makes perfect. With anything in life wither natural or spiritual you have to do it for it to work. We can’t just be talkers we have to be doers. The advice of Mary is still good for us today. “Just do what He says”(John 2:5). We are trained by practice in the use of the word.
You believe what you practice (do) and you practice (do) what you believe. Revelation without practice only makes you religious and religion only makes you angry and mean. Revelation with practice gives you experience and experience causes love and joy. Jesus didn’t teach the word like the scribes and Pharisees, but with the authority of the Spirit that changed the lives of the hearers. Let us be leaders of the Word and Spirit.
December 6, 2010
December 06 - 11, 2010
Monday December 06, 2010
The Image of God is Corporate
Read Acts 2: 1-21; Genesis 5:1-2; Galatians 3;26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:11
What is the image we are made in look like? It is corporate. It does not say look at me but look it says at we. It takes all of us to make up the image of god. The language of creation gives us the picture of what that image is like. God said “let us” and then “let them”. We together make up the image of God. In all our diversity there is found the strength and beauty of God. God sees unity in diversity. We see division but God sees completion. We need each other for completion. None of us is as good as all of us. When we are along something is missing but when we are unified by the same Spirit there is completeness. The completing factor is the Spirit of God that makes all of us one.
One of the most frustrating parts of decorating the Christmas Tree is trying to put the lights on finding that one of the bulbs is missing, therefore preventing the lights from shining. Like the bulbs of the Christmas lights we can’t shine if one of the bulbs is missing. We are not really together til we are all together. Now if God gets frustrated I can imagine that this would be one thing that would frustrate Him, He has repeatedly given us the keys to a better life and existence and we continually try to do it alone.
Cain where is your brother. Cain did not see that he needed his brother. Do we see we need our brothers and sisters? We shine our brightest when we shine together. (Matthew 5:14-16) It takes all of us to make up the image of God. The hand can’t say I have no need of you. (1 Corinthians 12:21) Like putting a puzzle together we can’t know our place till we put others in their place.
How do you see others in the Body of Christ? Hindrances, Nuisances or Necessities.
Tuesday December 07, 2010
The Image of God Is Male and Female
Read Galatians 3:26-29; Genesis 1:26-27
Everyone agrees: whatever being created in the image of God means, it is very, very significant! Clearly, in Genesis chapter one, the progression of creation builds throughout the six days, culminating in the final creative act, in the second part of the sixth day, to create man as male and female in the image of God. Some key internal indicators signal the special significance of man's creation: are as follows, as just noted, man is the pinnacle of God's creative work, only after which God then says of all he has made that it is "very good". The creation of man is introduced differently than all others, with the personal and deliberative expression, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." The one God who creates man as male and female deliberately uses plural references of himself (e.g., "Let Us," "Our image," "Our likeness") as the creator of singular "man" who is plural "male and female." The "image of God" is stated three times in 1:26-27 in relation to man as male and female but never in relation to any other part of creation. The special term for God's unique creative action, is used three times in 1:27 for the creation of man in his image as male and female. Man is given a place of rulership over all other created beings on the earth, thus indicating the higher authority and priority of man in God's created design.
God is gender friendly. We struggle with the role of men and women because we don’t see them as God sees them, He sees them as one (Galatians 3:26-29). Where would we be without the woman and where would women be without the man. We see in God’s original design male and female ruling and reigning together, they are not competing but completing. Jesus prays for our oneness. Father, I pray that they may be one as we are one. I in you and you in me – (John 17:22-23) marriage is the perfect picture of this. I know at least in my marriage and I would guess in most that where we are deficient in an area our mate makes up for it, this is a prime example of how we need each other to be complete. Just as Jesus prayed for oneness let us seek oneness.
Wednesday December 08, 2010
We Not Me
Acts 2:1-4; Matthew 18:20
There is a popular video gaming system called a wii. It has been all the craze for the past couple of years. In order to play the game it is necessary to create a character or avatar called a mii (pronounced me). We see in today’s society that we can be self-centered and driven by a me mentality. In the game of Wii it is our Mii’s goal to succeed and win the game, to face an unknown opponent with no prior knowledge of who you are facing. That can be a daunting challenge, the same can be said for life we face multiple challenges and often we do not know much about our opponents or how to win. The thing is we were created to have individual personalities and gifts and yes God created us as unique individuals, but he also created us to compliment and complete each other.
Ezekiel 37 tells us we are dried up without being brought together and being filled with the Spirit. That was the power of Pentecost they were together in one place and the Spirit came. It took together, in one place and the Spirit to manifest God’s power (Acts 2:1-4) Where two or three are gathered their am I (Matthew 18:20). When we come together there is a corporate manifestation of the power and presence of God. The truth is we are better together. Any job becomes easier and more enjoyable when we have more people do it. We need to lose the me mentality and gain the we mentality. God does nothing alone why would we?
Thursday December 09, 2010
In Our Weakness He Is Strong
Read 2 Corinthians 12:8-10; Romans 15;1-4
We all have weaknesses in certain areas and we need each other so one can be strong where another is weak. We need each other to make up the differences or deficiencies that we have. God wants us to make up for the weaknesses of others. The enemy attacks through our weaknesses but God works in our weaknesses to show His Strength (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). If we let Him God will be strong for us when we are weak. God makes up for our weaknesses. We all have weaknesses in some area and that is why When we look at the weaknesses of the parts of the Body of Christ we miss the opportunity to see the power of God’s grace to overcome weaknesses of their leaders or members of the body of Christ but just because we have weaknesses does not mean we can’t be used to manifest God’s strengths and Glory.
There is no shame in being weak; because the power of God’s grace overcomes our weakness and allows us to show off His strength in us. This lets others see how God’s image in us overcomes any weakness in us. The bible tells us that in our weakness He is strong!
Friday December 10, 2010
Strength & Beauty
Read John 1:18; 1 Peter 4:10
When God made Adam male and female he joined Strength and beauty together to manifest the image of God. When we see them we see the power of God and the love of God manifested in covenant relationship and it gives us the picture of God. It takes opposites to produce. The man was to reveal the woman and the woman was to be his helper making him known. It is called intimate relationship and when that happens it reveals the one you are connected too. (John 1:18) Only the one that is at your side can make you known. The man knows the woman and the woman makes known the man. The truth is that it takes male and female in the ministry of God to administer the grace of God in all its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10) God loves to show Himself off in diversity working in unity.
The Weekender December 11, 2010
We, We, We All the Way Home
Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 1 Corinthians 11:29; Matthew
It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough! Two in a bed warm each other.
Alone, you shiver all night. By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12(The Message)
The image of God is found in being a part of one another. When we don’t give recognition to the parts of the Body of Christ we lose the blessing and we fall under the curse. (1 Corinthians 11:29) When we don’t recognize and give proper honor to the other parts of the body we lose the benefits of that part of the Body. If we don’t recognize the gifts around us we lose their benefit to us. We can only receive from what we recognize. (Matthew 10:41) For example if we don’t receive a medical doctor in the name of a medical doctor we lose the advantage of his contribution to our health. We need each other and it is vital that we receive the other parts of the Body of Christ for who and what they are. The reality is that we can do life best when we do it with others.
As I was talking to Pastor this week prior to sitting down and writing the Daily Compass, we were sharing with each other our take on the notes he had given me on this week’s message, my thoughts jumped to the video game “Wii” as I mentioned in one of the topics earlier this week, but Pastor’s thoughts were with a nursery rhyme and game that is often played with babies which most of us or familiar with “This Little Piggy”. In the last scenario the last little piggy cried wee, wee, wee all the way home. Whether it is Wii or Wee, Wee, Wee, WE all need each other and we all need each other all the way home!
The Image of God is Corporate
Read Acts 2: 1-21; Genesis 5:1-2; Galatians 3;26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:11
What is the image we are made in look like? It is corporate. It does not say look at me but look it says at we. It takes all of us to make up the image of god. The language of creation gives us the picture of what that image is like. God said “let us” and then “let them”. We together make up the image of God. In all our diversity there is found the strength and beauty of God. God sees unity in diversity. We see division but God sees completion. We need each other for completion. None of us is as good as all of us. When we are along something is missing but when we are unified by the same Spirit there is completeness. The completing factor is the Spirit of God that makes all of us one.
One of the most frustrating parts of decorating the Christmas Tree is trying to put the lights on finding that one of the bulbs is missing, therefore preventing the lights from shining. Like the bulbs of the Christmas lights we can’t shine if one of the bulbs is missing. We are not really together til we are all together. Now if God gets frustrated I can imagine that this would be one thing that would frustrate Him, He has repeatedly given us the keys to a better life and existence and we continually try to do it alone.
Cain where is your brother. Cain did not see that he needed his brother. Do we see we need our brothers and sisters? We shine our brightest when we shine together. (Matthew 5:14-16) It takes all of us to make up the image of God. The hand can’t say I have no need of you. (1 Corinthians 12:21) Like putting a puzzle together we can’t know our place till we put others in their place.
How do you see others in the Body of Christ? Hindrances, Nuisances or Necessities.
Tuesday December 07, 2010
The Image of God Is Male and Female
Read Galatians 3:26-29; Genesis 1:26-27
Everyone agrees: whatever being created in the image of God means, it is very, very significant! Clearly, in Genesis chapter one, the progression of creation builds throughout the six days, culminating in the final creative act, in the second part of the sixth day, to create man as male and female in the image of God. Some key internal indicators signal the special significance of man's creation: are as follows, as just noted, man is the pinnacle of God's creative work, only after which God then says of all he has made that it is "very good". The creation of man is introduced differently than all others, with the personal and deliberative expression, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." The one God who creates man as male and female deliberately uses plural references of himself (e.g., "Let Us," "Our image," "Our likeness") as the creator of singular "man" who is plural "male and female." The "image of God" is stated three times in 1:26-27 in relation to man as male and female but never in relation to any other part of creation. The special term for God's unique creative action, is used three times in 1:27 for the creation of man in his image as male and female. Man is given a place of rulership over all other created beings on the earth, thus indicating the higher authority and priority of man in God's created design.
God is gender friendly. We struggle with the role of men and women because we don’t see them as God sees them, He sees them as one (Galatians 3:26-29). Where would we be without the woman and where would women be without the man. We see in God’s original design male and female ruling and reigning together, they are not competing but completing. Jesus prays for our oneness. Father, I pray that they may be one as we are one. I in you and you in me – (John 17:22-23) marriage is the perfect picture of this. I know at least in my marriage and I would guess in most that where we are deficient in an area our mate makes up for it, this is a prime example of how we need each other to be complete. Just as Jesus prayed for oneness let us seek oneness.
Wednesday December 08, 2010
We Not Me
Acts 2:1-4; Matthew 18:20
There is a popular video gaming system called a wii. It has been all the craze for the past couple of years. In order to play the game it is necessary to create a character or avatar called a mii (pronounced me). We see in today’s society that we can be self-centered and driven by a me mentality. In the game of Wii it is our Mii’s goal to succeed and win the game, to face an unknown opponent with no prior knowledge of who you are facing. That can be a daunting challenge, the same can be said for life we face multiple challenges and often we do not know much about our opponents or how to win. The thing is we were created to have individual personalities and gifts and yes God created us as unique individuals, but he also created us to compliment and complete each other.
Ezekiel 37 tells us we are dried up without being brought together and being filled with the Spirit. That was the power of Pentecost they were together in one place and the Spirit came. It took together, in one place and the Spirit to manifest God’s power (Acts 2:1-4) Where two or three are gathered their am I (Matthew 18:20). When we come together there is a corporate manifestation of the power and presence of God. The truth is we are better together. Any job becomes easier and more enjoyable when we have more people do it. We need to lose the me mentality and gain the we mentality. God does nothing alone why would we?
Thursday December 09, 2010
In Our Weakness He Is Strong
Read 2 Corinthians 12:8-10; Romans 15;1-4
We all have weaknesses in certain areas and we need each other so one can be strong where another is weak. We need each other to make up the differences or deficiencies that we have. God wants us to make up for the weaknesses of others. The enemy attacks through our weaknesses but God works in our weaknesses to show His Strength (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). If we let Him God will be strong for us when we are weak. God makes up for our weaknesses. We all have weaknesses in some area and that is why When we look at the weaknesses of the parts of the Body of Christ we miss the opportunity to see the power of God’s grace to overcome weaknesses of their leaders or members of the body of Christ but just because we have weaknesses does not mean we can’t be used to manifest God’s strengths and Glory.
There is no shame in being weak; because the power of God’s grace overcomes our weakness and allows us to show off His strength in us. This lets others see how God’s image in us overcomes any weakness in us. The bible tells us that in our weakness He is strong!
Friday December 10, 2010
Strength & Beauty
Read John 1:18; 1 Peter 4:10
When God made Adam male and female he joined Strength and beauty together to manifest the image of God. When we see them we see the power of God and the love of God manifested in covenant relationship and it gives us the picture of God. It takes opposites to produce. The man was to reveal the woman and the woman was to be his helper making him known. It is called intimate relationship and when that happens it reveals the one you are connected too. (John 1:18) Only the one that is at your side can make you known. The man knows the woman and the woman makes known the man. The truth is that it takes male and female in the ministry of God to administer the grace of God in all its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10) God loves to show Himself off in diversity working in unity.
The Weekender December 11, 2010
We, We, We All the Way Home
Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 1 Corinthians 11:29; Matthew
It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough! Two in a bed warm each other.
Alone, you shiver all night. By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12(The Message)
The image of God is found in being a part of one another. When we don’t give recognition to the parts of the Body of Christ we lose the blessing and we fall under the curse. (1 Corinthians 11:29) When we don’t recognize and give proper honor to the other parts of the body we lose the benefits of that part of the Body. If we don’t recognize the gifts around us we lose their benefit to us. We can only receive from what we recognize. (Matthew 10:41) For example if we don’t receive a medical doctor in the name of a medical doctor we lose the advantage of his contribution to our health. We need each other and it is vital that we receive the other parts of the Body of Christ for who and what they are. The reality is that we can do life best when we do it with others.
As I was talking to Pastor this week prior to sitting down and writing the Daily Compass, we were sharing with each other our take on the notes he had given me on this week’s message, my thoughts jumped to the video game “Wii” as I mentioned in one of the topics earlier this week, but Pastor’s thoughts were with a nursery rhyme and game that is often played with babies which most of us or familiar with “This Little Piggy”. In the last scenario the last little piggy cried wee, wee, wee all the way home. Whether it is Wii or Wee, Wee, Wee, WE all need each other and we all need each other all the way home!
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