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Not multi-tasking

24 Aug

Not multi-tasking

Colossians 3:2   Set your mind on the things above, not on things on the earth.

Where is your minds set to? Is it like mine and seems to constantly being re-adjusted to focus on another tasks outside the primary tasks at hand? I am very self motivated and it seems the older I get the less I desire to multi-task. I seem to have the desire to do only one thing at a time as well as I possibly can. But those distractions come every time to draw my attention away.

Colossians is where the apostle Paul was dealing with many problems in the church. False teaching was distracting from Christ’s deity, and Paul was warning them of their error. Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Paul knew the followers of Christ were becoming distracted from the messages of Grace; and they were led astray by false teachers in the early church. Paul spends much of this epistle pointing to whom Christ is, and how our lives should be focused on Him.

The entire 3rd chapter of Colossians is the application of living for Christ. Of a mind that is focused on the things above, and not the lusts of this world. Of a life before Christ and the death of that life. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. There is an ‘BC (before Christ) and an AD(after death) in the timeline of your life. When you heed God’s call on your life, and accept the free gift of Grace He offers through Christ; your life before that moment in time dies. The life after that mark should be a life focused on serving Him with a heart of thanksgiving for what He has done for you. That focus should not be distracted by the things of this world, but focused on eternity and the things above. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. This is the life of a disciple; one that is focused on Christ, and the things above.

 
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Posted by on August 24, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Now that He has your attention…..

23 Aug

Now that He has your attention…..

Jonah 1:1-3 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

Many people stop at the book of Jonah and just think of the ‘fish story’. The depth of this small prophetic book in only three chapters is much more. Jonah speaks to me in the sphere of running from God as in these scriptures above. It then speaks of obedience, faith, self-denial, and repentance. Christ quoted Jonah in Matthew 12:39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. Jonah was an example of Christ in the Old Testament, and led Nineveh to repentance of their sin.

God has a way of getting our attention. We may hear from God, but not like what we hear so we deny we ever heard it at all. We may flee like Jonah and run from what we heard, or turn our attentions to other things that make us feel good about ourselves. Do we really think like Jonah we CAN run from God? He is looking upon our actions and thinking we just don’t get it. God may not put a fish in your path, but he may close doors to redirect it. He may put people and events in your life to change its direction. He may press down on your heart and mind in these tests of faith. Moses and Jeremiah questioned God’s call too, but they did not flee. Jonah did, and God’s Will for His life was still accomplished through the fish and Jonah’s ultimate obedience.

What is God telling you? Are you even listening for Him? It does not come in in billboards, emails, or a Facebook status. It comes only through a heart seeking Him in prayer and His Word. The static of this world will dull your senses to God. The static of busyness and technology have created barriers in your mind that your heart can only tear down. God may use a really big event in your life to get your attention, but what do you do with it? Do you see Him in it? These are the game changers that He uses to tear down those barriers instantly to gain our attention. Then we must approach Him Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! When He has your attention don’t flee as Jonah, but be obedient as Moses and follow God’s Will for your life.

 
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Posted by on August 23, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Arrrrrrggggggg

22 Aug

Arrrrrrggggggg

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Some days our minds get the best of us. The weights of our world play out scenarios between our ears that will consume our day. It seems that no matter what we do, the battle continues and many time escalates. When I have days like that I just want to scream STOP! It is an inner battlefield, and our outer actions may only temporarily distract from the war in our heads. I am always quoting “a lot on my mind”, and many times that may be a huge understatement. Yesterday was one of them.

Stress and anxiety, are rooted in fear and fear is straight from Satan. Our world is full of stress, and it is a powerful tool of Satan to keep our eyes off God. On days like yesterday I want to cry out to God to make it stop. I found that encouragement studying this scripture this morning. Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Instead of screaming “Arrrrrggggg” or worse, go to your Father in prayer for strength, guidance, and thanksgiving for whatever the battle may be. Where Satan may be trying to draw your attention away, turn your attention to God. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

I sometimes wish I could open the doors to my inner battlefield to let you in. But my struggles are no worse than yours, and I pray that my willingness to put them on paper will encourage you to seek God for help too. I had never battled anxiety until these recent years. I have labeled it my “thorn in the flesh to torment me” as the Apostle Paul spoke of in 2 Corinthians. There is a power and peace that comes through taking this battle to God’s Word. Spending time there is like gathering your heavenly army to fight a defeated foe. When you struggle, and I know you do, lean on God and the promises He gives us in His Word. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 
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Posted by on August 22, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The time is near

21 Aug

The time is near

Revelation 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants–things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

The book of Revelation is the most fascinating and the most misunderstood book in the bible. It is an ‘apocalyptic’ literature, or an unveiling, or disclosure. So this book is about Christ, from Christ as the author. The apostle John was given these visions and words to pen for us to read. The summary of this book is found in verse 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. For the “time is near’. You must realize as a believer in Christ the state of the world around you, and you must realize the importance of these days to share the Gospel of Christ to those around you who do not know Him.

We live in a fallen world, and the world’s sin seems to be escalating again. Throughout history their have been evil men who did horrible things, yet society condemned them for it. Society as a whole seems less likely to condemn now, but to blame and let it pass on the merits of where that blame is placed. There seems to be less power in the condemnation of judgement. The book of Revelation speaks to that coming judgement upon Christ’s return, and the eternal sentence. Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

Is your name written in the Book of Life? Do you know Christ as your Savior from the pit of Hell as the only Way(John 14:6)? Do you confess him before men? Matthew 10:32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. You cannot simply deny these coming days, for the book of Revelation speaks clearly of them. All roads do not lead to God and heaven; and living as a good person without the understanding of the Gospel will lead you down the path of destruction. The days you spend here on earth are the paths you prepare for eternity. The time is near; are you prepared?

 
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Posted by on August 21, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Time management 101

20 Aug

Time management 101

Mark 13:33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

We all have the “to do” lists. There are multiple lists for work, play, and even the dreaded ‘honey do’ lists at home. We are bombarded continuously in every arena for precious amounts of our time. We are expected to pack eight days into a seven day week in todays society. And mostly because of the instantaneous satisfaction this world demands, we are expected to do it now. Time management is at the top of every to do lists. I have to explain my time management as a ‘triage’ list like the TV show MASH many times: consistently re-prioritizing. This does not fair well in a self centered society.

Does God and the things of God make your lists? Do you make time for Him? What will you say before Him when He asks you how you managed your time? How will you explain all the things that were more important than Him? His return could be at any time, but His return will be a surprise and not predicted as some have tried and failed. Mark 13:32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. In the book of Revelation Christ is speaking to John about the church at Sardis and of their dead faith. Many had backslidden away from their church and into the world. Their focus was not on Christ and He strongly warned them of their hypocrisy. Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

God knows your heart and there is nothing you can hide from Him. There is a day coming that everything will be refined by fire. We all must account for our every action, word, deed, and thought. I dread that day, but I rest in the assurance of that day that Christ has covered all my sin at Calvary by sacrificing Himself for me, and you. How can we not seek to honor the ultimate sacrifice by sacrificing our time and putting Him at the top of all lists? I would hope to stand before God and say I tried, rather than ‘well you see I had to _______” . Make today a day you manage some time to spend seeking Him in His Word and prayer.

 
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Posted by on August 20, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Will ya?

19 Aug

Will ya?

Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

I cannot accurately tell you the peace I have in this chair early every morning. Of how God meets me here, and we spend time together in His Word and in prayer. Of how He never fails me, always there waiting on me to draw near to Him. I can tell you the days I miss it, are incomplete. That word is a very simple summary; somethings missing and I feel it all day. We just returned from a great vacation, but this time was sporadic, and the enemy took every opportunity to make it difficult, or even almost impossible to be honest. I felt the world creeping in.

I bet you have a daily routine. The alarm clock,  breakfast, and most likely the news in some way. Out the door to face the world you go with all the pain of society placed in your mind first by either the newspaper or a local media. Your mind has been dulled to the things of God in less than an hour from getting out of bed. Christ spoke of this in His ministry fulfilling a prophecy of Isaiah. Matthew 13:15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’  Christ is speaking of those who cannot hear Him due to their attention to things of this world and closing their minds to the things of God. Matthew Henry says of that heart; “denotes sensuality and senselessness.”

Would you pursue a routine, that will become a habit, that will move to a labor of love? Will you make the conscious effort to pray for the strength to change how you start your day? That change will be more than just the removal of the evil, but the injection of the love in it’s place. The time spent with God alone first thing every day will give you a different outlook on the day, and an awareness of Him around you that you have never noticed before. God has given you free will. What will you do with it? “Seek Ye first the kingdom of God…..” Matthew 6:33

 
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Posted by on August 19, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Friends

17 Aug

Galatians 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.I am almost scared to begin here again. I lost this devo twice yesterday and I cannot describe the disappointment I went to bed with. I laid there this morning thinking about the events of the past few days realizing my enemy hates theses days. I have been spending quality time with a man my own age who gets it. That is gets the scripture above; and is totaly selling all and out for Christ to dedicate his life in the mission field of Indi. Satan is not pleased with the influence he is having on me and my family. Satan knows my wife is headed on herfirst mission trip next year too. Why would theses days be easy? I had one of the most edifying phone calls yesterday from another man of God who’s ministry lies in the trucking field. He boldly shares his faith and lives as a fisher of men on our highways and the airways of a CB radio. Both of these men were sent by God into my life for a purpose anthose purpose will be found by the time I spend with God. Does the company you keep build you up or drag you down? Do you hear Godly wisdom coming from the lips or worldly garbage? The importance and influence of those you surround yourself with shows where your heart lies. 1 Corinthians 5:33 “Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habiyou’ll You cannot surround yourself with people who do not believe in Christ as you do without Godly influences also. You can share your faith with your old friends but you cannot allow them to be the predominate influence in your life. Seek building relationships with those who have a heart for God and the things of God to help you AND THEM along this road of liheaded axed home.

I apologize for this mess below.   Part of the problem I have been having.
1:1-2. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
When I go to the beach or the mountains my spirit is usually stirred by God’s creation. Their is always something that grabs me about it’s beauty; of its majestic scope of the size, and the awe of the details. I do not argue evolution for I feel evolution isn’t worth argument. God could have created it in a big bang or let it just per chance happen, but He chose to take 6 days and do it perfectly. Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was good.
Do you ever sit back just marvel at God’s creation? This time spent in awe of all that is around you will humble you before the Creator. You cannot help but be overwhelmed by the complexity of creation and moved to a state of thanksgiving to Him. Time spent alone in nature will provide a great means of connection with God in these prayers of adoration and awe of all that surrounds you. A great way to get close to our great God is to get alone with him in the midst of his creation and just be still. He will meet you there.
Sent from my iPhone

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 14, 2012, at 8:29 AM, michael anderson <woodsracer2001@yahoo.com> wrote:
It changed that day Matthew 4:19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” As I sit here in the peace of the beach in the early hours I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving for all this place brings to me. Of His creation of the tides, rising and falling only feet all over the world. This done for centuries with little variance and to a pof that He is askto change pray to Him for that binder to be revealed and removed. There might be a day in your history that you look back and reflect on the day everything changed in your relationship with the Creator of it.

=

 
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Posted by on August 17, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Sit in alone in awe

15 Aug

Sit in alone in awe

Genesis 1:1-2. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

When I go to the beach or the mountains my spirit is usually stirred by God’s creation. Their is always something that grabs me about it’s beauty; of its majestic scope of the size, and the awe of the details. I do not argue evolution for I feel evolution isn’t worth argument. God could have created it in a big bang or let it just per chance happen, but He chose to take 6 days and do it perfectly. Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was good.

Do you ever sit back just marvel at God’s creation? This time spent in awe of all that is around you will humble you before the Creator. You cannot help but be overwhelmed by the complexity of creation and moved to a state of thanksgiving to Him. Time spent alone in nature will provide a great means of connection with God in these prayers of adoration and awe of all that surrounds you. A great way to get close to our great God is to get alone with him in the midst of his creation and just be still. He will meet you there.

 
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Posted by on August 15, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

It changed that day

14 Aug

It changed that day

Matthew 4:19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.”

As I sit here in the peace of the beach in the early hours I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving for all this place brings to me. Of His creation of the tides, rising and falling only feet all over the world. This done for centuries with little variance and to a predictable timetable. I watched the shad running up and being gobbled up by larger fish right below me and thought of many years ago it may have been a morning like this for Peter, Andrew, James, and John when they were fishing. They left everything THEN and followed Christ. They stepped out in faith. Their lives were never the same as the became disciples and fishers of men.

Is Christ tugging at your heart asking for more from you? What is holding you back? The parable of the rich young ruler speaks clearly to many of us today that covet our money and “stuff”. “You cannot serve God and mammon(money).” (Matthew 6:24) If He is tugging at you it may be that He is asking simply what do you put before Him. If you truly want life to change pray to Him for that binder to be revealed and removed. There might be a day in your history that you look back and reflect on the day everything changed in your relationship with the Creator of it.

 
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Posted by on August 14, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

What comes First?

13 Aug

What comes First?

John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

You’re a Christian and you want to be closer to God right? You sporadicly pray or read the bible, and go to church on Sunday’s most of the time. Is any of this honoring God, or giving God your left-overs? John 15:4 shows us clearly we must seek to abide in Him first. He will reward us with a heart that seeks Him every day in all things. This is from my research paper:

One cannot abide without a consistency of time spent in God’s Word. One cannot claim an intimate relationship with someone they invest little or sporadic time with. Intimacy is found through invested time and communication. Intimacy with Christ is found in time, and the communication is found through prayer and His Word. As His disciple we take the lessons learned there and apply them to our lives though fellowship and obedience. “A Christianity that does not have as its primary focus the deepening of passions for God is a false Christianity, no matter how zealously it seeks conversions or how forcefully it advocates righteous behavior.” (JD Greear) You cannot abide without a humble obedient heart that obeys His words. A heart that is moved to obedience from love is a heart that abides. A heart that does this from duty is a works driven faith, and self reliant and prideful.

Matthew 6:33 Seek Ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.  It starts today with your pursuit, or lack thereof. Will today be the day that changes the rest of your life, when you change your habits and move to seeking God consistently? You will keep getting what you have been getting if you keep doing what you have been doing. (Alan Higgins)

 
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Posted by on August 13, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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