Stand for Truth or Sit Down

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“"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. "              - Galatians 1:10

  Have you ever been in a situation where you had to make the decision for a group of people? You know, regardless of the decision you make someone is not going to like it. You can't please all the people all the time, yet we find ourselves trying over and over again. Going through life with humility and a servant's heart doesn't at all mean going through life wimpy and indecisive. A mentor of mine once told me, "Have an opinion, know why that's your opinion and stand behind it." Wimpy waffling is a major pet peeve of mine, but is also something that may be one of my biggest weakness'. Often times I find myself trying to please multiple people on separate sides of an issue. If you've ever been there you know it's impossible.

  It's also impossible to gain the approval of those around you when you are seeking God's truth. You must agree that we, as a society, are far away from God's truth in many areas. Do you find yourself agreeing with atheists or Muslims or even other Christians just to get along and not rock the boat, when you know what they are saying is blatantly misleading and wrong? How far will you go? Many people are willing to accept some pretty far fetched opinions, simply because they aren't strong enough to stand up for what they believe in.

  This scripture from Paul's letter to the Galatians clearly tells us that we are not to worry about the approval of men, but rather to be busy serving Christ. The next time you find yourself in the middle and confronted with a discussion on the right and wrong side of an issue, be bold enough to stand up for the right side. Remember, it is not man's approval you are seeking, but that of Christ.  Follow God’s Word in all things, for it is the single voice of truth in a world of deceit and lies.  You are an example of righteousness and therefore must be willing to stand for His truth, not tolerate the opinions of the masses simply to get along.  Think and pray about it today.
 

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com

Break the Chains

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“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” – 1 John 2:16

What is it that separates you from God?
We say all the right words, on the outside we portray the part and make sure that those around us all know we believe in God, but what’s on the inside?  What is in your heart, your soul and filling your mind each and every day?  The essence of walking in the light and living for Christ requires that each of us evaluate our true motives, intent and reason for what we believe in. 

At one point in your life you came to an understanding that God was real, and that He alone held the keys to your eternal existence.  For the average person, overwhelmed by the busyness of life, the very next question would be, “What must I do to secure my place in God’s eternal heaven?”  The motive was right, unfortunately the execution (for most of us) has been unquestionably way off base.  You see, it’s not a checklist that gets you into heaven, nor is it a to do list that you can project manage.  It’s building a relationship, an intimate relationship with the Creator of all things.  It’s putting aside your desires, your dreams and your passion and picking up His. 

We are all addicted to something.  For some it’s money, others it’s sex, or pornography, drugs, alcohol, work, food, material possessions, time and having control.  It’s that thing that draws you away from executing what God has placed on your heart to do with your life.  We read the words of scripture, focus our effort in prayer and quiet time to draw closer to God and then go about the rest of our day as if that is all He requires.  Sitting in a church pew, singing hymns and raising hands, praying earnestly on Sunday and then chasing after our own dreams and life throughout the rest of the week without any consideration for His call is nothing more than a game of charades. 

So what is it that captures your mind on Monday morning through Saturday night that draws you away from God?  What is it that you are lusting after, that is separating you from spending time pursuing His purpose and making an impact for His Kingdom?  This is going to be a week of self evaluation as we start 2013.  It is my hope that we can all draw from this week and grow together as a body of Christ to change.  We need less focus on the world’s offering and more focus on what He has already given us.  We have allowed the world to draw us away from our Father and this is the year, we break that addiction and rekindle our first love.  Please take this opportunity to join me in looking deep inside of yourself and asking the hard questions.  If you know someone who can also benefit, please forward this on and share it with them. 
             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com

Can't Buy Me Love

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“Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil?  Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” – Micah 6:7

Many will try, but most will end up with the same rejection they have always had.  You can’t buy someone’s love, despite how desperately we often try.  Gifts, trips, dinner or a luxurious life style will only satisfy one’s desires temporarily.  Most of you have likely experienced this at one point or another in your life.  You have shopped for that perfect gift at Christmas.  The gift that you are sure will change the way someone else feels about you, and perhaps even cause their love for you to become stronger.  After opening the gift, their expression is one of wonder, amazement and joy.  Their face beams with happiness and often times their excitement leads to an embrace and the words, “It’s perfect. Thank you, thank you.”  You have brought them happiness for a period of time, but what happens 3 weeks later or 3 months later?  Has the shine worn off, and life ended up right back where it was prior to the gift giving?  Do they love the thing you bought, yet their feelings remain static towards you?  Within each of us is this belief that in giving we can alter one’s feelings, and in the big picture it doesn’t.

How is it with God?  Can you give to Him and gain more love from Him?  Is His love measurable and driven by your offering to Him?  Does He need anything that you can bring to Him as a gift?  Think about that for a few moments.  What could you possibly have that the Creator of the Universe might need or be impressed by?  Is God impressed by your actions or is it expected?

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  Matthew 22:37 were Jesus’ words to the Pharisees.  This is the greatest commandment and what God expects from His children.  You cannot increase the amount of love God has for you, nor can you decrease it.  You cannot increase the amount of salvation you will obtain, for Christ has already purchased that, and it can only be bought once. Prior to his death and resurrection, mankind was held accountable to bring a sacrifice to the alter of the Lord for the redemption of the sins of their family. This practice was abolished by God himself though, in the birth, life, death and resurrection of His only Son; the perfect Lamb of God.  He took all of the sins of mankind upon Himself and was slaughtered as a sacrifice, so that we in turn can walk in the love and mercy of God Almighty. 

If by chance there are those who believe that they must “do” certain things to “earn” God’s love, they are sorely mistaken.  The sacrifice on the cross that day was sufficient for all of your sins and mine.  God’s did this as a free gift to you, with no expectation in return other than your acceptance of it.  There is nothing you can do to bring more to the Father in redemption of your sin, than Christ has already done.  You simply must accept that His death and resurrection are sufficient.  This is the ultimate act of grace from God the Father.  In your sinful nature, your unrighteousness and filth, He still loved you enough to provide a way for you to be renewed and made righteous.  You don’t deserve it, let’s face it, we are a pretty sorry lot when it comes to living the perfect, holy life.  His grace not only covers our sins but gives us eternity with Him as well.  So quit trying to earn His love or demonstrate to Him how righteous and holy you can be.  In His eyes, I believe, we are all equally loved and justified through Christ our Savior and there is nothing we can do to increase or decrease that sacrifice.  We must simply accept it.  

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com

Don’t Complicate It

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“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.” – Hebrews 2:1

It came quickly, and then it was gone.
They said it would change everything, but they were wrong.
When the experts stood before man and claimed it to be truth, it gave the writers something new to capture the whimsical mind of mankind for a short period of time.
Some waited, some held parties, some built shelters, some said prayers and some just went to bed only to wake up on the 22nd of December, 2012 to discover the end did not come, and the world is still spinning at 23.4º and rotating around the sun, despite what the experts said.

Today, is January 2^nd, 2013 and we are down the path of the next rotation around the sun for the next 364 days.  What will be the next fantasy that mankind creates to distract the population from the truth?  The truth that walked amongst us, helped set us on a path of righteousness and was willing to sacrifice everything He had to ensure that we were allowed eternity with Him one day.  His truth was rejected by many in those days and is still being rejected today, because it is so simple.

What He came to this world to tell us, was demonstrated by His walk and His character and His sacrifice.  In all of time it has never changed, despite our attempts to complicate it and try to make it unobtainable.  It’s about time we spread the message of His truth or get out of the way and be willing to accept our fate without Him.  You see the message is simply Believe, Accept, Repent and Serve.

Believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sent to die for our sin and to redeem us before the Father.

Accept His sacrifice as the only way to eternity with God the Father, and that we are forgiven for our transgressions, through the sacrifice that God, Himself, provided.

Repent of those things that separate you from receiving God’s grace and turn from your sinful nature, which exists in each of us from the moment of our birth.  You cannot live a perfect sin free life, but through accepting Christ’s love and forgiveness, you can be renewed and your sins forgiven.

Serve others, and help them better understand the message of God’s grace and mercy.  Demonstrate to the world the love that God has for mankind as it was demonstrated to us through His own Son – Jesus Christ.  Stop focusing on yourself and learn to focus on helping your fellow man come to the Father.

Will Christ return in 2013?  Who knows but God the Father?  If someone is telling you the date, you can be assured they are mistaken.  You have a New Year to create a new you.  I’m not talking about losing that extra 10 pounds around the waistline, I’m talking about a new spiritual you.  One day your mind will cease to function, your heart will stop beating and your flesh and bones will dry up in the grave.  At that moment the real you will live for eternity (infinitely longer than this life) in the presence of God or the presence of evil.  Make this the year that you become firmly committed to eternity in heaven with the Father.  Don’t over complicate it, yes you’ve done some bad things, and yes God’s grace is big enough to overcome every single one of them.  You simply need to Believe, Accept, Repent and Serve Him going forward, forgetting what has been buried behind you.  Then, it doesn’t matter when Christ decides to return, you’re eternity will be set in place.

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com