Tuesday, March 19

Tag: paul

Personal Life

Look Up!

"You know the saying, '4 months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and LOOK around. The fields are already ripe for harvest." Luke 4:35 Looking up changes perspective. From then to now. From earth to heaven. From down to up. From sick to healed. Peter and John said to the lame man at the temple "look up at us!"  They were taking the man's eyes off the expectation of a financial report and onto Jesus, a change report. The shepherd's in the fields of Bethlehem, looked up for a weather report and saw angels and got a praise report. Their lives were forever changed. Look up and worship. Look up and see people, everywhere. Ready! Barnabas looked up and saw Paul when none else wanted anything to do with Him.  Look up and see others potential. Every human being is worth
Personal Life

Your Story

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. 15This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17All honor and glory t
Personal Life

Don’t give up on them …

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. Isaiah 59:1 It never ceases to amaze me the sort of people God uses to build His Church and establish His Kingdom. Paul, public enemy number 1 to the Gospel. Gideon, full of fear, hiding in the wine press. Moses, an orphan to his culture, a murderer and refugee. Jesus Himself came from Nazereth, the place they said 'can anything good from Nazereth'. God specialises in being able to reach the difficult, the unlikely, the rejected ... And turns them into world changers. King Saul becomes Number 1 enemy of David, God's anointed. Saul appears impossible to reach. He's in a moment of murderous anger toward David, yet the Spirit of God falls on Him on one occassion and he begins to prophecy (1 Samuel 19:23)....
Personal Life

A Disciple’s Confidence

1 Timothy 4:12-15 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.  13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you … 15 … that your progress may be evident to all. Paul nearing the end of his life, knowing he had fought the good fight, knew he had to leave disciples behind. He left a charge to Timothy to 'be a good minister'.  A charge to us all. Be a Minister - We are all called to minister.  However, the thing that will rob us is our self-perception - the punch is in Paul's statement: “Let no one despise your youth …” Despise = reject, undermine or put down, think little of When we despise something we give it no value or power to achieve i