Without Murmuring

 Philip 2:14, Col 3:15
Do all things without murmurings and disputings:..And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Murmuring is a subdue or private expression of discontent or dissatisfaction. Complaining is also an expression of dissatisfaction, but is expressed more openly. Whether we find ourselves murmuring or complaining it is an indication that we are not content with the situation or how God is working on our behalf. Granted, there are levels of expression that don’t necessarily reflect on our trust in God. I often wake up in the morning with a headache, and complain about the pain. The weather is often a point of contention with many people. Many complain about being too cold, or too hot. Such expressions are acceptable unless they become excessive. Moving from the milk of the word to the meat of the word is learning how to shine for Christ. Learning to be thankful in all things and do all things without murmuring is to rethink and evaluate God’s purpose in our lives. We are the light of the world, a reflection of Jesus. How we react to negative and undesirable situations will cast a shadow on our witness for Christ. Paul goes on to say why it is important, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” (vs15). Let God’s peace rule in your heart. He alone can calm the storms of life and give peace. Next time we are tempted to murmur or complain, ask God to give you peace, submitting to His perfect will for your life.

Let God Speak Through You

 Matt. 10:20

For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you.

For some people like Peter, speaking out for the Lord is second nature, they have the gift of speaking. There are many like Moses that find it hard to speak in front of others. Most of us are somewhere in between these spectrums. Finding the right words to say without coming across too aggressive, or overbearing is always a concern. Not saying the right words for the situation is a fear that others may have. There are times that it is best not to say anything, and let your presence speak for you. But, there comes a time that God wants us to speak, He has something to say, and He wants to say it through us. We are His vessels of honor, we are the instruments that He has chosen. At that moment, we speak to Him in prayer. “Lord, may the Spirit of the Father help me to say what needs to be said, no more and no less.” We can take comfort in the words of Jesus, for He has promised when the time comes to speak, the Holy Spirit will speak for you.

Being Faithful

 John 1:41,42
 He first found his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ...And he brought him to Jesus…

It was not much, but Andrew’s witness to the work of Christ and telling his brother has impacted history. Peter became one of the main influential people in the New Testament Church. Andrew, only mentioned in the Bible as one of the Apostles, and only mentioned in relationship to the other Apostles. Yet, Andrew was faithful to spread the news, and he brought Peter to Jesus. It often appears that we are making very little, if any impact in the world that surrounds us. We are just common people living each day working to put a roof over our head, and provide food at the table. We seek to find meaning in life and what is God’s purpose for our life. We are one in billions of people that look to find answers. God, who knows our every waking and sleeping moment, watches over us and has an individual plan for each one of us. We may be invisible to the world, but God sees us, and He sees that we have been faithful in the little things of life.

Speak with Grace

 Colossians 4:6
 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Talking to people about Jesus can feel uncomfortable. People in our day and culture are weary of those who push their religion on others. We live in a country where we have access to a vast amount of knowledge and people’s ideas and beliefs are widespread. Anyone who is vocal about their faith is looked upon as fanatical or a religious freak. As believers in Christ, we are admonished to share the gospel of Christ. To let others know of the grace of God through Christ, who is able to bring real meaning and purpose into our lives. There are those who find it easy to turn every conversation into a spiritual one. I believe such is a gift that God gives. It is true that our lives speak louder than our words, but the words we speak tell the story of the life we live. We must stay alert to the opportunities God gives up to speak of the Grace of God. How important it is that our conversation always be seasoned with the salt of kindness and gentleness. As often as we interact with the world in business and social relationships, let us always remember that we are our ambassadors for Christ and witnesses to the life He has called us.

Sing Praises

Act. 16: 25  Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them…

Praise sets the captive free. When we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place, and have exhausted our resources, we can pray and praise our way through. The impact and influence of our lives often will reach beyond our personal hard times. How we face hardships is a witness to unbelievers that we have put our trust in something beyond our own resources. Our attitude and spirit in the times of trouble will be observed by others and will determine if living for Jesus really matters. Complaining about our plight in life does not bring glory to God. Praising God in spite of circumstances demonstrates that God is in control and we our submitted to His perfect will.

The Spirit Leads

Acts. 8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

One of the office works of the Holy Spirit is to led people to truth. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the God head plays a vital part in the life of a Christian.  He is the promise of God sent by the Father to guide and direct those who seek to follow the steps of Jesus. He was sent to believers to purify the heart of selfish motives, sent to give power to them to overcome the world, and provide direction in the way we should take. Philip, desiring to share the message about Jesus was led by the Spirit to witness to just one person. The Spirit works in the hearts of men individually. Sharing the good news of Jesus is not only done from the pulpit of the church, but it is made possible when we open our hearts to the Spirit’s leading, speaking God’s word one person at a time.

Labor of Love

1 Thess 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

Doing the work of the kingdom is not restricted to preaching the gospel to the ends of the world. The great commission is clear, that as a church we need to share the good news of Jesus. He saves from sin and can dwell in our hearts. But not all are called to go to the ends of the world. The love of God is shared out within the four walls of our home, church, workplace, and community. Our work of faith is seen in our labor of love as we reach out to others who are in need. Such deeds may never be seen by others. A word of thanks may never be uttered, but it is done in the sight of God and our Father. That which is done in secret will God reward with eternal dividends. The calling of God is individualize for each one of us. This does not negate our responsibility to tell others of the gift of God given to us through Christ, but instead increases our responsibility to live the life of Christ by demonstrating His love in the works we do. Our greatest witness for Christ is best seen by putting other’s need before our own. This is the Kingdom’s work

Greater Witness

John 5:37  And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

In the court of law, truth is validated by witnesses. People who can testify to what they saw or heard. They give a first hand account of what happen. Without witnesses to bare the testimony, it is just one person’s word against another. There is no greater witness of the person of Jesus than to be validated by the Father. He is the true witness that confirms that Jesus is who He says He is. He is the Son of God, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is God in the flesh come to earth to be the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world. In Him, dwells the eternal truth. His truth is a two edge sword. The truth that reveals sin, and the truth that is able to save us from sin. The truth of His love, grace and mercy.  We need no greater witness.

He Dwells Within Us

1 John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

How do we know that God can live within us? How do we know that we are part of the branch, living in the vine? Jesus promise that the Comforter would come and would dwell with us and in us after He would ascend and go to the Father, He would lead and guide us into all truth. We don’t fully understand how God, who is one can be three. Many analogies have be given to demonstrate this wonder, but they seem to come short of the mystical possibility that God manifest Himself in three personas, each part of the Godhead, and yet individual entities. The Spirit of God bears witness, or testifies with our spiritual nature that we are of God. All that confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that He came to die for our sins can have this witness in their heart. The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, Elohim, have condescended to earth to dwell with in our hearts. Emmanuel, God is with us, can be a reality within each one of us if we but let Him in.

Running the Race

Hebrew.12:1,2…let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus…

Living the Christian life is compared to running a race. We start out realizing that Christ can save to the uttermost and He can change the direction of our life. We have made a new start and the race has begun. Our goal is to make it to the finish line. It is not who can run the fastest, but who can endure to the end. Many have started out in this race and have succumb to the pitfalls along the way. They have quit running the race. They have taken their eyes off of Jesus, the One who put them on the starting line. They have become weary in well doing, or the attractions along the way have caused them to take another path. They are weigh down with the cares of this world, or refuse to let go of sin. But to those who keep running, they are encouraged by the cloud of witnesses that have gone before them. Many who have endured temptation, held on to God no matter what came, and kept their eyes of Jesus. The end is close, we have come too far to turn back or quit running. Heaven is on the horizon, the finish line is near. 

To Bear Witness

John 1:7.8 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

To give or serve as evidence, the life of Christ is to be His witness. We as followers of Christ are to witness the life of Christ in our own life. We show the world that Christ is who He is by the way we live and practice our faith. When we live contrary to the teachings of the Bible, our witness become ineffective. If we say that Jesus has the power to forgive and is able to give us the power to live right, then we need to bear witness of such a claim. The claim is true, for He is the light of the world that shines into our lives and is able to give us the power to live above sin. We our not the light, therefore not perfect, but we should live in such a way that people see Jesus in us and our motives are sincere and right. 

Fishers of Men

Mark 1:17 “And Jesus said unto them, “Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.”-

The calling of Jesus is for us to be “fishers of men”. People need to know that God cares and desires a relationship with humanity. The analogy that Christ uses implies that there is a purpose in life beyond making a living and surviving. Our purpose is whatever occupation we find ourselves in is to point people to God. To be a “fisher of men” we must be willing to let down the net, to let people know that God is good and He came to die for our sins and give us a new life. Learning to “fish for men” requires that we follow Jesus in His steps, and have the love and compassion that He has.

Let Our Light Shine

Matt. 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”-

There is a light within each one of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The presence of God in the life of a person is manifest in the way we act and react to people and the circumstance around us. Our light ( the witness of Christ) is to reflect the Spirit of Christ in the way He treated others and responded to life’s happenings. It is sometime easy to forget when we are in the middle of conflict, or people are not treated us right to remember that we are the light of the world. People don’t always deserve respect, but we treat all people with respect because the light within us compiles us. Letting our light shine is to also reveal to others that Jesus is the answer to life’s questions and He alone is able to forgive sin and remove guilt from the heart. The light will reveal to others that there is hope in this world and we need not fear tomorrow. In a day where there is so much uncertainty in our world, may we let our light shine, and bring some sunshine into a world that is darken by sin. 

The Silent Witness

1 Thess 1:8b “…but also in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad, so that we need not speak anything.”

The silent witness. Spreading the Gospel of the Word is more than just audibly speaking. The greatest witness we can have for Jesus is to be an imitator of Him. Our faith in God is seen in the way we show others the love of God by the way we treat our neighbors and by the things we do and don’t do. Others seeing how we live will see that there is more to serving God that just talking about it. We are the living Bible to many who know not Christ. When we claim the Name of Jesus as our Lord and Savior and walk contrary to His Word, it speaks of hypocrisy. Being a true witness for Christ must first be seen in the way we live. God opens doors for us to speak and the Holy Spirit is there to help us speak the truth of the Gospel, but the real witness we show the world need not speak anything. The silent witness speaks volumes. 

God's Mouth Piece

Ex 4:12 “ Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say.”

Know what to say and how to say it is always difficult for those who are timid or not as aggressive. Being God’s mouth piece is to voice God’s message to others in a way that will reflect God’s love and grace. The task that Moses was given was to speak God’s warning and judgment to those who war against Him, but the message we give from God in this day of grace is to let others know that God cares and loves them. He wants us to be His mouth piece to speak to others that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. That there is no other way to see the Father except through Him. We live in a day of mass communication and people have been expose to various forms of doctrine and many people are very forceful with their message. Speaking the gospel to others without offense is why we need the Holy Spirit to help us be the voice of God. Like Peter on the day of Pentecost, he spoke with power and conviction. When we try to rely on our human ability to speak, it often fails to reach people’s heart. May we be always ready to speak and give an answer to those that ask of the hope that is within us. May we always speak words of truth, but with love and kindness. The effective mouth piece of Christian avails much when the Holy Spirit fills our mouth. 

People Need the Lord

Roman 9:2 “that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.”-

Sorrow often causes us to weep. Jesus wept when Lazarus died. He wept for the sorrow that Mary and Martha were going through. Weeping is a release of emotions that can either come from sadness or joy. It is not certain that Paul wept when he had sorrow of heart as he wrote how his people were rejecting the gospel of Christ. But it is certain that he was very sad and it weight heavy on his heart. Carrying a burden for a lost soul is one of the greatest responsibilities that we have as Christians. In all of our life’s struggles and times of laughter, there is a time to think of those who are without Christ. Our family members, our friends, and neighbors who have not experiences the love of God. Part of living for Christ is to pray for those who are lost and without Him. Sorrow comes knowing that people are rejecting the only hope for eternal life. That all will die and stand before God and give an account for the life they lived, coming to the judgement of God without the blood of Christ, all can bring a heaviness to the heart. It is sad to see someone trapped in their sin and not being able to get out, they turn to more sin and wickedness to drown out their misery. If they would only see that Jesus is the answer to all their problems and He has the remedy for all that is wrong. People need the Lord, and we need to pray and show the love of Christ to people we come in contact with. Asked God to put some soul on our heart and carry that soul to the throne of God. He will not reject the cry of those who pray for the souls of others. This is the will of God, that all will come to Him. Let us pray in earnest that others may know Him.

The Promise of the Comforter

John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever”- 

Jesus knows that the journey we walk will sometime be a hard and difficult. There will be times when we will suffer from loneliness, heartache, misunderstanding, the loss of someone close to us, persecution, and temptation. The promise of the Comforter was given to believers by Jesus. The world is not a friend of grace and resents the fact that Christian not only follow Jesus Christ, but Christians believe that He is the only way to the Father. Walking with God require more than mere determination, yes we must have resolve that we will follow Him to the end, but our real help and strength comes from the Comforter that was sent to us by the Father. That is why it is so important that we allow the Holy Spirit to take full control of our life. That is why we must abandoned ourselves in full consecration to the whole will of God, so the Comforter can come to abide in our hearts. On the day of Pentecost, The Comforter came in His fullness and filled the believers with His presences. They were filled with power from on high to help believers live life through the difficult times, to give them the strength to speak the truth, and power to be a witness that would reflect the true nature of God. With the indwelling of the Comforter, we can be a true testament to the world what the grace of God can do. Our witness is not tainted with sin and selfish living. The Comforter has come to abide and He will make the difference as we walk this journey on earth. The promise of the Father is for us all today, open your heart to Him and let Him abide with you for ever!

Share The Gospel

Roman 10:14 “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” - 

What a responsibility we have as Christians to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. “For it is the power unto Salvation unto to all who will believe” It would seem that in a day of mass media that everyone would have had the opportunity to hear the good news that Jesus saves! But the reality is that many have been blinded to the truth because they have only experience hypocrisy among those who called themselves Christians. The true light of Christ is demonstrated in the way we live and in the way we love our neighbor. Sharing the Gospel in 2014 is done more effectively when we demonstrate the Love of Christ to those around us and let them know we care because Christ first cared for us by giving His life on the cross. When it is all said and done, it is only Jesus and His death on the cross that we may have forgiveness and live a life loving others and forgiving others.

The Word was made Flesh

John 1:1

Before God made the world and created man as a fleshly creature to oversee His creation, the Son coexisted with God the Father. His nature was one with the Father coexisting eternally as part of the Godhead. In the fullness of time, God’s eternal plan to redeem fallen man was put into action. The Son was sent. In a world of fantasy, our mind may somewhat be able to grasps such a process, But, this is not fantasy, this is a reality that time and history has recorded. Jesus Christ left His rightful place sitting at the right hand of the Father to condensed to this world to live among sinful men. He came with one thought in mind. To be the supreme sacrifice, the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.
The Word
• From the beginning with God
• Coexisted with God
• Deity of the Word- He was God

The Creator

• He is given credit for Gen 1
• Life is created by the life giver
• He came not to bring death, but life
• He was life and this life would guide men to God
The Light
• The Light penetrates and dispels the darkness
• Men in darkness do not understand this light
• It defy all what man has known- “Self”
The Witness
• John prepared the way
• He pointed others to Him- Behold the Lamb”
• He testified that Jesus was the light (life) sent to this world
The Rejected One
• His own creation did not know Him
• He was rejected by His creation
The Accepted One
• There would be a few select that would receive Him
• They would become sons of God- Being Born of the Spirit
The Incarnate One
Affirmation of God’s divine plan- He became a man- The witness of Him as the God-man- full of grace and truth