Thoughts From God
November 6th, 2008
What have you done for me lately?
With the election finally over and life seemingly back to order I am left with the question of what have I done for God lately. Have I shared his love with someone? Have I been a good witness to his saving grace? Unlike the world around us, one thing God has shown me is that his love for us is not dependent on what we have accomplished for him lately. His love is unconditional. The only thing that should concern us is did we spend our time with him lately to allow him to speak into our lives, or, were we too busy to make time for him. Job was a man that learned to listen to God even when everything in his life fell apart he still found time to listen.
Job 32:9-10 (New International Version)
9 It is not only the old who are wise,
not only the aged who understand what is right.
10 "Therefore I say: Listen to me;
I too will tell you what I know.
March 29, 2008
Who's Your Hero in the Faith?
All throughout the Bible we find many heroes. In Hebrews 11 we read about the heroes of faith.
Hebrews 11
1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
4By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain...
5By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death...
7By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household...
8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance..
11By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age...
17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac...
20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph...
22By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents...
24By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin...
27By faith he forsook Egypt...
28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood...
29By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land...
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.
31By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe...
32And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35Women received their dead raised to life again.
Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
39And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
These men and women were all examples of great faith. Some have heroes that are parents, relatives, friends, teachers, pastors, etc. Although these can all be great examples of faith heroes, one of the greatest faith heroes thought nothing of his own life. He was willing to give all even though it could have been for only one person. John 15:13 tells us that "greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend." In Jesus, some see a teacher, some see a healer, some see a dreamer, some see a fool, some saw a prisoner, some saw a victim, some saw a martyr, but I see a hero who set his people free. Jesus lived John 15:13 all for each and every one of us and Hebrews 12:22 shows us that he is the hero to follow that our faith might be perfected, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Jesus died on the cross that we might have life. And not just some plain ordinary life but a life full of the abundance of his grace.
If this is your first time to visit this page I hope this has been an inspiration to your life. If you are not currently following Christ let me encourage you to seek after him today, for today is the day of salvation. Allow Jesus to become your own personal savior and your life will never be the same.
The plan of Salvation is simple. All you have to do is to ask Jesus to come into your life and forgive you for anything or any way that you have failed him. To forgive you for all your sins and to cleanse your heart. If you pray this and believe it in your heart then you are saved.
We would like to hear from you if you have prayed this prayer for the first time.
Brother Troy
December16, 2007
Just a healthy reminder that Jesus is the reason for the season.
Matthew 1:23 (King James Version)
23Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Luke 2:7-14 (King James Version)
7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
August 19th, 2007
Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Acts 4:13-17 (New International Version)
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16"What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."
God can use the ordinary person in all of us to accomplish great things for Him when we trust in him. A formal education is not always necessary, we just need God's power and presence in our lives to help us accomplish the task He has set before us. Oh that we would be like Peter and John that the world would be asking what they were going to do with us. We must trust in Him and be willing to step out in faith so that He may use us to reach a lost and dying world.
Let go and let God's Holy Spirit guide you and he will never let you down.
In Service for the King,
Bro. Troy