Posts Tagged ‘Encouragement’
Ernie Fitzpatrick asked:
Why would God create something for destruction, let alone eternal destruction? Why would God create anything that’s less than perfect? Why would God say that man was created in his image and then say that it’s evil? Why would God say mankind (can you say ALL?) that he created is GOOD and then interpret that as the moment we come into the world we’re full of SIN because of something a metaphorical (as in not historical-literal) man did in an allegorical garden setting some eons ago?
What IF God didn’t do some of the stuff that humanhood has attributed to Him? And why is it that much of Christianity (less and less each decade thankfully) speaks of unmerited GRACE as the character of God, and then turn around and say that we have to EARN his favor, or something? How’s that work? Once we comprehend that we are “accepted in Christ”, we must grant that fact to all others as well.
Can I be “accepted” any way other than by GRACE?
Michele O’Donnell puts it well in her book, “When The Wolf Is At The Door” by writing “We don’t have anything to do with being accepted in Christ. But, this drives people crazy who think they had something to do with becoming the Holy Sons of God. They like to see themselves as separate and apart from others who didn’t do whatever they think they did to earn this state of being. It is the ‘we/they’ doctrine.”
Isn’t the principle, the encouragement, and the promise that, “I will pour out my Spirit upon ALL mankind.” I know it’s difficult when one tries to balance the Scriptures when one verse says God is ALL in ALL and that Jesus came to save ALL mankind and then we have other verses that say unless one does x and y, it’s not going to happen. So, where do you want to land?
Do you want FREE GRACE for ALL or do you want GRACE only for those that “DO” certain things in which case isn’t the definition of grace now no longer grace but “conditional grace”? I wonder where one came up with that concept? Could it be the “reward-punishment/ sin management” church preaching?
But the GOOD NEWS is that you don’t have to embrace anything but God is LOVE!
That’s where I’m camping out. God’s LOVE is JUSTICE! God’s JUSTICE isn’t man’s justice, much like God’s ways are not our ways. When will we step back from the precipice of imperialism and haughtiness and SEE that God doesn’t just love US (whomever you put in the “us” category), but ALL!
Why would God create something for destruction, let alone eternal destruction? Why would God create anything that’s less than perfect? Why would God say that man was created in his image and then say that it’s evil? Why would God say mankind (can you say ALL?) that he created is GOOD and then interpret that as the moment we come into the world we’re full of SIN because of something a metaphorical (as in not historical-literal) man did in an allegorical garden setting some eons ago?
What IF God didn’t do some of the stuff that humanhood has attributed to Him? And why is it that much of Christianity (less and less each decade thankfully) speaks of unmerited GRACE as the character of God, and then turn around and say that we have to EARN his favor, or something? How’s that work? Once we comprehend that we are “accepted in Christ”, we must grant that fact to all others as well.
Can I be “accepted” any way other than by GRACE?
Michele O’Donnell puts it well in her book, “When The Wolf Is At The Door” by writing “We don’t have anything to do with being accepted in Christ. But, this drives people crazy who think they had something to do with becoming the Holy Sons of God. They like to see themselves as separate and apart from others who didn’t do whatever they think they did to earn this state of being. It is the ‘we/they’ doctrine.”
Isn’t the principle, the encouragement, and the promise that, “I will pour out my Spirit upon ALL mankind.” I know it’s difficult when one tries to balance the Scriptures when one verse says God is ALL in ALL and that Jesus came to save ALL mankind and then we have other verses that say unless one does x and y, it’s not going to happen. So, where do you want to land?
Do you want FREE GRACE for ALL or do you want GRACE only for those that “DO” certain things in which case isn’t the definition of grace now no longer grace but “conditional grace”? I wonder where one came up with that concept? Could it be the “reward-punishment/ sin management” church preaching?
But the GOOD NEWS is that you don’t have to embrace anything but God is LOVE!
That’s where I’m camping out. God’s LOVE is JUSTICE! God’s JUSTICE isn’t man’s justice, much like God’s ways are not our ways. When will we step back from the precipice of imperialism and haughtiness and SEE that God doesn’t just love US (whomever you put in the “us” category), but ALL!
Christian asked:
A free inspirational e-card is a wonderful way to spread the spirit of encouragement and love to your fellow believers as well as for those who do not believe. Free inspirational e-cards are written and thought of in a beautiful fashion that shares the love of Christ through a story or a poem. A free inspirational e-card works as a sharing tool and an encouragement all rolled into one. Free inspirational e-cards are truly the best option for any card that you can send but they are also cards that you can add your own flair to when you send one.
In order to add to a free inspirational e-card, you have to think about the person that you are sending it to. If this person knows the Lord, then you may want to write about how you have seen the Lord work in their life. Free inspirational e-cards are a place to voice your thoughts. In order to write a good free inspirational e-card, you must be connected to the persons heart that you are sending it to. Free inspirational e-cards are truly one of the ways to open your heart to someone and let them know how they have touched and affected your life.
The best way to pick a free inspirational e-card is to know who you are buying it for. Free inspirational e-cards come in many different shapes and sizes. This means that the person may receive it differently than another card that you will send. Try to find a free inspirational e-card that will say something specific to them. Free inspirational e-cards will speak volumes to a persons heart and soul if they are sent from the bottom of your heart. People will receive them well and love what you have to say to them in your free inspirational e-card.
A free inspirational e-card will help you share the Lord will someone also. As Christians we are supposed to be showing Christ in our actions. Free inspirational e-cards will help you do that. “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” (Acts 14:27) This will be a way to share your faith with an unbelieving world. It is also a way for you to share your love with those who are in your community.
For more information about free inspirational e-card, visit: http: //www.christianet.com/christianecards http://www.christianet.com/christianecards/inspirational http://www.christianet.com
A free inspirational e-card is a wonderful way to spread the spirit of encouragement and love to your fellow believers as well as for those who do not believe. Free inspirational e-cards are written and thought of in a beautiful fashion that shares the love of Christ through a story or a poem. A free inspirational e-card works as a sharing tool and an encouragement all rolled into one. Free inspirational e-cards are truly the best option for any card that you can send but they are also cards that you can add your own flair to when you send one.
In order to add to a free inspirational e-card, you have to think about the person that you are sending it to. If this person knows the Lord, then you may want to write about how you have seen the Lord work in their life. Free inspirational e-cards are a place to voice your thoughts. In order to write a good free inspirational e-card, you must be connected to the persons heart that you are sending it to. Free inspirational e-cards are truly one of the ways to open your heart to someone and let them know how they have touched and affected your life.
The best way to pick a free inspirational e-card is to know who you are buying it for. Free inspirational e-cards come in many different shapes and sizes. This means that the person may receive it differently than another card that you will send. Try to find a free inspirational e-card that will say something specific to them. Free inspirational e-cards will speak volumes to a persons heart and soul if they are sent from the bottom of your heart. People will receive them well and love what you have to say to them in your free inspirational e-card.
A free inspirational e-card will help you share the Lord will someone also. As Christians we are supposed to be showing Christ in our actions. Free inspirational e-cards will help you do that. “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” (Acts 14:27) This will be a way to share your faith with an unbelieving world. It is also a way for you to share your love with those who are in your community.
For more information about free inspirational e-card, visit: http: //www.christianet.com/christianecards http://www.christianet.com/christianecards/inspirational http://www.christianet.com
David Seragih asked:
The word of God is like a piece of soap. The purpose of the soap is to wash away all dirts from your body. But it does not serve its function if it is not used or applied. Similarly, the word of God is useless if you do not apply it into your life. In this article, we will talk about the Holy Spirit and I hope in so doing, it will educate your mind, move your heart, and motivate your will to inspire you to represent Jesus in the marketplace in a new way with a renewed mind.
Acts 9 & Luke 4
In Acts 9, it provides a background to the conversion of the Apostle Paul. Paul, before he was converted, he has a passion of killing Christians. His mission was to source out the Christians and gets rid of them. On the road to Damascus with a mission to kill Christians, Jesus got hold of him. He had a personal encounter with Jesus and this turned his life around. In Acts 9:31, it stated that as a result of Paul’s conversion, he started to preach about Jesus being the Christ. The churches throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria were greatly edified by Paul’s teaching. The churches became united and multiplied. They became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Notice that there were two things at work here in the churches to give them strengths and increase. It was:
1. Fear of the Lord
2. Comfort or Encouragement of the Holy Spirit
What do you mean by the fear of the Lord? This fear is not talking about being frightened. It is about reverence, a reverential fear and respect of God. The believers were living in that mindset of reverential fear, honor and respect for God. It was this reverential fear, honor and respect for God that guided their daily lives, their choices, their relationships, their speech, and their thoughts. It means that their daily lives were lived in constant awareness of honor and respect for God. They lived in an awareness and consciousness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Because of these two things, the church multiplied and grew in the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, Peter said quoted the words of the Prophet Joel that in the last days, God would pour out His spirit upon all flesh. Through that very event, it introduced us to a new season in which the Holy Spirit will be the Administrator of the presence of God. Jesus called the Holy Spirit, the Lord of the Harvest – the saving of souls, the redemptive works of God, and the transformation of individual hearts. Without compromising your values and your conviction, the Holy Spirit is the one who seizes and arrests the hearts of individual. He is the One who cause the transformation of the hearts of the individuals.
Is this any different in the ministry works of Jesus? No. In Luke 4:18, Jesus announced that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him and He has anointed Jesus to preach the gospel to the poor, to set the captives free, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the season of God’s grace. Before Jesus began His ministry, God announced him as His beloved Son and He was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus was brought under specific tests that are critical to every leadership. The success and effectiveness of Jesus’ ministry in the next three years was because of the power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
What is true for the success of Jesus’ ministry is true of the success of any ministry today. The Holy Spirit comes to anoint the leadership and the ministry. God began to move us in the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit in order to give it the strength and the increase. You cannot do any ministry and be successful without the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is important that we give Him as many tools as possible to use us. Hence, education and training are important. Those these tools, the Holy Spirit show us the opportunity to move up in our career so we are in places of influence to cause change.
How does the Holy Spirit use these tools in us to cause change? Look at this in the part 2 in the Sermon Alive at http://www.sermonalive.com
The word of God is like a piece of soap. The purpose of the soap is to wash away all dirts from your body. But it does not serve its function if it is not used or applied. Similarly, the word of God is useless if you do not apply it into your life. In this article, we will talk about the Holy Spirit and I hope in so doing, it will educate your mind, move your heart, and motivate your will to inspire you to represent Jesus in the marketplace in a new way with a renewed mind.
Acts 9 & Luke 4
In Acts 9, it provides a background to the conversion of the Apostle Paul. Paul, before he was converted, he has a passion of killing Christians. His mission was to source out the Christians and gets rid of them. On the road to Damascus with a mission to kill Christians, Jesus got hold of him. He had a personal encounter with Jesus and this turned his life around. In Acts 9:31, it stated that as a result of Paul’s conversion, he started to preach about Jesus being the Christ. The churches throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria were greatly edified by Paul’s teaching. The churches became united and multiplied. They became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Notice that there were two things at work here in the churches to give them strengths and increase. It was:
1. Fear of the Lord
2. Comfort or Encouragement of the Holy Spirit
What do you mean by the fear of the Lord? This fear is not talking about being frightened. It is about reverence, a reverential fear and respect of God. The believers were living in that mindset of reverential fear, honor and respect for God. It was this reverential fear, honor and respect for God that guided their daily lives, their choices, their relationships, their speech, and their thoughts. It means that their daily lives were lived in constant awareness of honor and respect for God. They lived in an awareness and consciousness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Because of these two things, the church multiplied and grew in the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, Peter said quoted the words of the Prophet Joel that in the last days, God would pour out His spirit upon all flesh. Through that very event, it introduced us to a new season in which the Holy Spirit will be the Administrator of the presence of God. Jesus called the Holy Spirit, the Lord of the Harvest – the saving of souls, the redemptive works of God, and the transformation of individual hearts. Without compromising your values and your conviction, the Holy Spirit is the one who seizes and arrests the hearts of individual. He is the One who cause the transformation of the hearts of the individuals.
Is this any different in the ministry works of Jesus? No. In Luke 4:18, Jesus announced that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him and He has anointed Jesus to preach the gospel to the poor, to set the captives free, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the season of God’s grace. Before Jesus began His ministry, God announced him as His beloved Son and He was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus was brought under specific tests that are critical to every leadership. The success and effectiveness of Jesus’ ministry in the next three years was because of the power and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
What is true for the success of Jesus’ ministry is true of the success of any ministry today. The Holy Spirit comes to anoint the leadership and the ministry. God began to move us in the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit in order to give it the strength and the increase. You cannot do any ministry and be successful without the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is important that we give Him as many tools as possible to use us. Hence, education and training are important. Those these tools, the Holy Spirit show us the opportunity to move up in our career so we are in places of influence to cause change.
How does the Holy Spirit use these tools in us to cause change? Look at this in the part 2 in the Sermon Alive at http://www.sermonalive.com