Hey, it's Halloween.
Yes, my brothers and sisters in Christ, it's Halloween.
Some of you took your kids trick or treating. Some went to a church harvest festival. Some went to private parties. And some of you stayed home.
Some are probably horrified that I was out giving candy to little trick or treaters (LOL, some weren't so little).
Look, my brothers and sisters, there are WAY more important things to worry about than a defunct "holiday" that's been transformed into a night of giving out candy. (Praise God that we are still fighting to keep Christ in Christmas -- a far more important issue if you ask me!)
Let's worry about the evil that walks in the daylight every day, setting out to fool you and yours.
Crooked contractors taking advantage of the elderly.
Dishonest lenders taking advantage of homeowners.
Lying politicians and their mud-slinging campaigns.
False prophets.
People who may be sitting right next to you in church on Sunday, and plotting to steal your money, your home, your job, maybe even your family on Monday.
The evil one is out there every day, bedeviling you.
That off the cuff comment that makes you wonder.
That snide little remark that cuts you to the heart.
That knowing look that makes you doubt.
When you begin to doubt, the evil one starts working on your fears.
No, Halloween is the least of our worries.
It's far more important to don the armour of the Lord and set out to battle against principalities, than to worry about the motives of the little princess at the door, asking for candy.
I think we need to stop being distracted.
Yes, distracted.
The evil one works with smoke and shadows, distractions and lies.
Don't be distracted. Don't be drawn off track by trickery.
There is work to be done, and it's up to us to do it.
There are seeds to be planted, watered, prepared for the Harvest.
There are people to be helped, children to be taught, poor to be sheltered and fed, elderly to be cared for with all respect, sick to be healed.
There are battles to be fought and won by the Faithful.
As for tonight, hey, it's Halloween.
Have a piece of candy and thank Him for it.
And get ready for the Work to be done tomorrow, and the next day, and the rest of your tomorrows.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Life Doesn't Revolve Around Me
We are but a breath of air, a bit a dust in the wind.
Our lives are very short.
It came to me last week that I, like all too many, live for the weekends.
Life is too short to live for the weekends.
I need to make a change in my attitude and if I can't make that change at this job, I need to change my situation.
Life is too short to live for the weekends.
As the Chaplain told us at the Stand Down, living life outside of ourselves, that's what God wants for us. He wants us to not live for ourselves, but to pick up our own personal crosses and labor on His behalf.
Living for the weekend is "me" centered, not God centered.
I am wrong in how I've been living.
I repent of my selfishness.
It will take much prayer and work on my inner self to repair the damage I've already done to my Spirit. Yes, it damages me. It damages you. It hurts us all when we don't step outside of our selfish little lives and work for Him.
Living for the weekends, oh my, what have I done? Old habits are HARD to break, but I'm going to start working on that flaw in my thinking.
Life does not revolve around me.
Life is not fair.
It's up to me to get God centered and work on His projects, His Plan, follow His Word in all things.
Life doesn't revolve around me.
I have much work to do.
And life is short, I'd better hurry up and get those paintings painted, that Christian novel finished, that spiritual book I have in my head written, I have much to do. It can't wait until the weekends, I need to start working on it all today, tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday...
As long as I think life revolves around me and my needs, health, financial, spiritual, things aren't going to go the way I think they should.
But my opinion doesn't matter anyway. Life doesn't revolve around me.
It's all about Him.
Not me.
Him.
Our lives are very short.
It came to me last week that I, like all too many, live for the weekends.
Life is too short to live for the weekends.
I need to make a change in my attitude and if I can't make that change at this job, I need to change my situation.
Life is too short to live for the weekends.
As the Chaplain told us at the Stand Down, living life outside of ourselves, that's what God wants for us. He wants us to not live for ourselves, but to pick up our own personal crosses and labor on His behalf.
Living for the weekend is "me" centered, not God centered.
I am wrong in how I've been living.
I repent of my selfishness.
It will take much prayer and work on my inner self to repair the damage I've already done to my Spirit. Yes, it damages me. It damages you. It hurts us all when we don't step outside of our selfish little lives and work for Him.
Living for the weekends, oh my, what have I done? Old habits are HARD to break, but I'm going to start working on that flaw in my thinking.
Life does not revolve around me.
Life is not fair.
It's up to me to get God centered and work on His projects, His Plan, follow His Word in all things.
Life doesn't revolve around me.
I have much work to do.
And life is short, I'd better hurry up and get those paintings painted, that Christian novel finished, that spiritual book I have in my head written, I have much to do. It can't wait until the weekends, I need to start working on it all today, tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday...
As long as I think life revolves around me and my needs, health, financial, spiritual, things aren't going to go the way I think they should.
But my opinion doesn't matter anyway. Life doesn't revolve around me.
It's all about Him.
Not me.
Him.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Honor Your Mother And Father
Even Jesus honored His earthly parents.
He followed the commandment: "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." (Exodus 20:12)
Sure, He had his moments, like when He was at the Temple and they had to go back for Him. He honestly didn't get it, He was about His Father's business. But you'll note, He went home with Mary and Joseph. (Luke 2:41-50)
A better example is John 2:1-8, when the wine at the wedding ran out. Mary told Jesus, "They have no wine."
His response, "Woman, what have I do do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come."
Yes, He then turned the water to wine.
So, He told Mary that it wasn't time yet for miracles, but for His mother, He did one anyway.
Jesus always honored His earthly parents, and even in His last moments on the Cross, He provided for His mother, seeing His disciple and telling them. "Woman, behold thy son! Behold thy mother." And the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26-27)
Jesus always honored His parents.
Now, He didn't always do what they wanted Him to do.
But He always honored them.
He followed the commandment: "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." (Exodus 20:12)
Sure, He had his moments, like when He was at the Temple and they had to go back for Him. He honestly didn't get it, He was about His Father's business. But you'll note, He went home with Mary and Joseph. (Luke 2:41-50)
A better example is John 2:1-8, when the wine at the wedding ran out. Mary told Jesus, "They have no wine."
His response, "Woman, what have I do do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come."
Yes, He then turned the water to wine.
So, He told Mary that it wasn't time yet for miracles, but for His mother, He did one anyway.
Jesus always honored His earthly parents, and even in His last moments on the Cross, He provided for His mother, seeing His disciple and telling them. "Woman, behold thy son! Behold thy mother." And the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:26-27)
Jesus always honored His parents.
Now, He didn't always do what they wanted Him to do.
But He always honored them.
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