Tag: Grow

Man Up!

Various Bible Passages

“Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.” – 1 Corinthians 14:20

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” – Psalm 1:1

“In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,” – Titus 2:7

“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” – 1 Corinthians 13:11

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” – Joshua 1:9

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” – Psalm 119:9

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.” – Psalm 37:23-26

Seeing Is Believing

Mark 4:35-41

What could possibly be better than hearing about miracles and other unbelievable moments that took place in the lives of others? Any story you could ever hear, or read about, pales in comparison to actually witnessing a miraculous event with your own eyes. A miracle can be defined as, a wonderous event, that cannot be explained by scientific or natural laws. For this reason, many conclude, miracles are the workings of divine agencies, or higher powers.

In our text, large crowds had begin to follow Jesus, because they had heard of the miracles brought forth by His hands, and were intrigued by His teachings, through the parables. Jesus was wise enough to understand those who gathered around Him, so much that He didn’t speak in ways to confuse them. Instead, His parables were a way to challenge His listeners to seek diligently, the meaning of His words. Not only were the words Jesus spoke undoubtedly profound, but the works He performed were undeniably miraculous.

As the sun began to set, and evening approached, Jesus desired to pass over on the other side of the water, from the ship He taught from. So, the men who were with Jesus, sent the multitudes away, and they set sail toward the other side. While on their way across the sea, the Bible mentions a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the ship, until it was full of water. Picture yourself on a ship, in the middle of a devastating storm, with some of your coworkers, friends, and family members. How would you react in this situation? Now, picture yourself in this same storm, but substitute your family, friends, and coworkers with Jesus, the Son of God. How would you react then? The men on the ship began to lose themselves for, fear that they would die. Fortunately, they were wise enough to acknowledge Jesus on the ship, but only to share their faithless cries. I’m certain these men were eyewitnesses of the miracles Jesus performed earlier in the Gospel of Mark, and had grown in wisdom and understanding from His teachings, so how could they allow fear to so easily beset them, knowing the man they saw perform miracles was on the same ship as they were? In any case, Jesus recognized their lack of faith, rebuked the wind, and spoke peace to the sea. Wow, what a guy!

As if they weren’t already fascinated by the works of Jesus before, this miraculous event caused exceeding fear to come over the men. They then begin to say to one another, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” I’ll answer that question for those faithless men. Jesus is a man, come to the earth from the third Heaven, sent by the Father, to save mankind from sin, and themselves.

God knew we would have storms in our lives, even to this day, and we can either cower in fear, as the men in our lesson did, or trust that Jesus cares for you, just as he did for the disciples on the ship, thousands of years ago. The men in our text spent countless moments with Jesus, yet they still underestimated Him. Don’t make the mistake of doubting what the power of God can do in your life. Instead, believe what you witnessed Him perform in your life, when He saved you from a miserable path of sin, cleaned you up, then set you on a path of righteousness, for His name’s sake.

“God still works miracles, but until He does again, keep the faith, and don’t fret when the storms of life beat upon your sailing ship.” – Ell

Who Said That?

Acts 13:1-5

When God speaks, can you tell whether it’s Him, or not? How do you discern the voices in your head, whether they are from the devil, the Father, or the spirit of your mind (conscience)? The best way to recognize when God is speaking to you (through His Spirit) is, to be in a position of proper posture, then you’ll be better prepared to discern what’s true, and what’s not.

As humans, we were created with intuitive minds, that have the capability of harboring endless thoughts in our brains. From those thoughts, we can discern what actions to take, based on the current situation we may be facing. Unfortunately, there’s also the devil, who oftentimes makes attempts to fill our minds with evil and wicked thoughts and vain imaginations. He does this in various ways, including infiltrating television shows, movies, music, and all other mediums to distract our attention from the things of God.

As a person matures in godliness, it becomes fairly easy for them to distinguish the different voices they hear. If at anytime, you are led to do something contrary to God, morality, or your sanity, then this voice is NOT from God. On the other hand, if you are striving to live holy, while keeping yourself pure and humble before the Lord, you’ll often hear clear and direct instruction, and revelation during times of prayer, fasting, or moments throughout your day.

God loves to have our attention tuned to Himself, because He alone knows what’s best for us, and how we can properly serve Him daily. It’s wise to follow and obey the voice of the Lord, but it’s foolish to place our own thoughts, or entertain thoughts from the evil one, over the Father. Pray to God for discernment and wisdom, so that you can always receive clear and precise instruction, on how to live your life with purpose.

If you die today, where will you spend eternity?

Ell

How Bad Do You Want It?

Proverbs 2:1-11

When we desire something, like we really really want it, we’ll go through great lengths to obtain it. A man who yearns to be with a specific woman, will do all he can to study her, so that he can do all the things she likes, in hopes of winning her favor. Men have been known for buying women cars, expensive clothing, and even jewelry, hoping they’ll eventually fall for them. Real women desire things that are more fulfilling, rather than material things, but men still try nonetheless. Another example is, how college scouts go over and beyond, to try and convince high school student-athletes to enroll in their school, and athletic program. They sacrifice time and money, to schedule visits to meet and greet with the child, and their family. Some have even been fined and put in jail, from taking risks like buying homes and cars, in order to convince the family that their university is worth attending. People have done strange things, to prove that what they desire, is worth fighting for. Unfortunately, most of those things offered little to no eternal value. If men sought diligently to learn the knowledge of God, more than they do worldly things, their lives would produce entirely different outcomes.

Many who claim to be Christians, struggle with understanding their purpose in life. One reason this happens is, they neglect to handle the first steps in growing, and maturing in God. The Bible teaches that we are to incline our ears unto wisdom, hide the commandments of God in our hearts, and seek after knowledge and understanding wholeheartedly. When it comes to understanding things like the stock market, politics, and other worldly interests, men go all out to understand all the juicy details, so they can gain an advantage in obtaining benefits for themselves. But, when it comes to pondering through verses of scripture, to gain a better understanding of what God expects from us, we automatically become lax, and prefer to hear sermons from televangelists, or YouTube. Why is it, when some people read the Bible, they always get sleepy? Hmm… in any case, it’s imperative that we obtain, and utilize the wisdom God gives, so that our souls can be kept, and our bodies preserved.

Do you desire God enough to spend at least an hour per day, meditating on His Word? If not, what is currently taking the place of the time God deserves? Always remember, only what you do for Christ, can impact your eternity in a positive way, but lacking a desire to grow in godliness, proves that the love you should have for God, is being invested in something else.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

The coming Day of the Lord

 

2 Peter 3:11-15, 17-18

The life of the disciple of Christ is a growth process. Every day God blesses one to enjoy, presents the opportunity for the believer to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ. Those who have invested numerous years of devoted commitment to godliness, should be to a point where they look for, and desire “the day of God”. During the baby stages of one’s conversion, it’s expected for a babe in Christ to harbor desires for those things they once enjoyed, including the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, but as one matures and develops a greater understanding of life’s purpose, they become transformed, by the renewing of their minds, and seek only a more permanent, and sustained future; one where God will make new heavens and a new earth, and only righteousness will dwell there. This present world offers things that will only be dissolved in the end, but what God has prepared for His children offers eternal benefits that will be enjoyed forever!

In the same way an athlete invests hours into intense and vigorous exercise, so that their bodies, and minds will be at tip-top shape when the time comes to perform, all children in the family of God should devote their time to studying, learning, and desiring more knowledge of the awesome God they’re awaiting to meet, so that they too can perform well on the earth, until He comes to deliver their reward.

Walk in love,

Ell