Humility (part 3)

The topic for this week’s blog’s has been humility. Humility has been defined as “the quality or condition of being humble; the state or quality of being humble; a disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride, and a humble feeling (http://www.freedictionary.com)/.” While reading this definition, other words were listed, which express the antithesis of humility. Words like “pride, vanity, superiority, arrogance, and conceit.” Sometimes it is helpful if we understand the opposite meaning of a word, if we want to fully grasp the true definition. If we want to walk in humility, then it’s good for us to understand what it means to live with pride.

On countless occasions, the Bible warns us against the sin of pride, while it also urges us to be humble. God’s Word tells us that if we live with pride then we are bound to be disgraced and fall in to destruction. Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” The current condition of the world that we live in is the result of sin, and pride is one sin that should not be overlooked. In an effort to attain wealth, become famous or well known, get noticed, be admired, and so forth, the root of these desires can be traced back to pride. Once pride takes a hold of someone’s life, then it is very easy for them to forget about God and lean on their own understanding. As a matter of fact, Proverbs 10:4 says, “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”

Children are emulating the ways of the world, and these are not the influences that Christian’s want for the next generation. The best role model we can provide is to live with humility that glorifies and magnifies God. We have to step up to the plate, be the example, and the lead the way of righteousness, even if other Christian’s aren’t doing so. We need to rid our own lives of pride and make every effort to stand firm in our faith, especially in this day and time. If we want to work together with the Lord and remain in His will, then we have to seek out humility. When we choose pride and arrogance over being humble, then we work against others, against ourselves, and most importantly against God. God opposes or resists us, when we are proud.

1 Peter 5:5 says, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Colossians 3:12 tells us, “As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” We need to put on the garment of humility every morning, like we put on our clothes. Our spiritual clothes are much more important. When we put something on, that means that we make a conscious effort to wear it. We can put on pride, just like we put on humility, so tune in and be aware of your behavior. Proverbs 3:34 says, “He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.” Not only does God resist the proud, He mocks them. However, we see that when we are humble, God gives us grace. This means that we receive God’s unmerited favor. We cannot earn His grace. His grace is a gift, but when we choose to live humbly, God will pour out His favor upon our lives.

The Bible says that God “guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way (Psalm 25:9).” If we want to know God’s will and plan for our lives, walk in it, and live for His glory, then we have to humble ourselves before Him and others. It’s not always an easy thing to do, but if we want to remain in His will, then we need to strive for excellence. This doesn’t mean that we won’t fail or sin, because none of us are perfect. It only means that we desire what God desires, and we put His will above our own. Being humble means that we are selfless, we put God’s will first, we remove vanity, arrogance and conceit from our heart, and we consider the needs of others. The Bible instructs us, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3).”

Jesus instructed us to imitate Him, if we want to walk in humility. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Another example He gave of humility is found in Matthew 18:4 when Jesus said, “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” We need to allow the Holy Spirit to renew our hearts and minds, in order to return to a childlike innocence. We need to humble ourselves, like little children, and do the will of Our Father. Fix your eyes on Jesus, and dwell on the good things of God. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).” We can exercise humility in our lives on a daily basis. God gives us new mercy each morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and we always have the opportunity to make a fresh start with Jesus.

There is power in humility. “We should not mistake humility for timidity (Beth Moore).” Being humble does not mean that we allow people to use us, abuse us, mistreat us, or disrespect us. It is very important that we maintain healthy boundaries in our lives and keep toxic relationships at bay. Jesus was humble and His life was lived walking in perfect humility. However, He was extremely powerful, He had great authority, and He did not shy away from being blunt when hard hearted hypocrites were living wicked lives, while claiming righteousness. We can’t forget that Jesus overturned the money tables of the Jews who were making business deals in the house of God. We can’t forget that Jesus told the Pharisees that they were like white washed tombs full of dead men’s bones, because of their hypocrisy. We also see the power of humility in 2 Chronicles 7:14, which says, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” God tells us hear that if we will humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from wickedness, then He will hear us, forgive our sin and heal our land. That is powerful! Can you imagine the change and impact that we could make in the world if we humbled ourselves collectively and prayed for our city, our state, our nation, or our world?
We see on numerous occasions in the Bible how the Lord turned from His anger and from destroying people, because they chose to humble themselves before Him. 2 Chronicles 12:7 says, “When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: ‘Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.’” 2 Chronicles 12:12 says, “Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord's anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.” 2 Chronicles 33:12-13, “In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.” 2 Chronicles 34:27, “Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord.”

Power is present, when humility is present. Not only will God tune His ear even more so to your cry, requests, praises, and so on, but He has the power to save you and others, as well as lift you up. James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (Matthew 23:12).” When you humble yourself, God’s favor will appear everywhere in your life. You will see the desires of your heart come to pass. Good health will replace poor health. Promotion and increase will occur in your life. Your prayers will be answered. You will wear the blessings of the Lord like a crown on your head (Proverbs 10:6)! Most importantly, when you humble yourself before God and others, you will be living in obedience to the Lord. So, “humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time (1 Peter 5:6).” The path of righteousness is not always an easy path to take. As a matter of fact, it can sometimes be very difficult and even lonely, but God is able to strengthen and sustain you, so that you can press on. Psalm 147: 6 says “The Lord sustains the humble.”

I encourage you today to seek the Lord. Submit yourself to His will and plan for your life, and turn away from whatever is holding you back from having a deeper relationship with Him. Humble yourself before the Lord, and He will lead you, guide you, hear you, answer you, heal you, and bless you and those that you pray for. “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord's anger (Zephaniah 2:3).”

Humility (part 2)

If we want to walk in humility, then it’s good for us to understand what it means to live with pride. One definition of pride from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “the quality or state of being proud; inordinate self-esteem; conceit.” We can see pride on TV reality shows, in the lives of celebrity’s, in our country, in our city, even in our own families or personal lives. Pride is a sin, and it was pride that brought Satan down, as well as a third of the angels in heaven. God takes the sin of pride seriously and as Christian’s we should do the same.

The Bible warns against the sin of pride on numerous occasions. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” If we live with pride, the Word of God assures us that we will be disgraced and we will fall. However, if we remain humble, we will receive wisdom. When we received wisdom that comes from living a righteous life for Christ, then we are better able to discern the thing’s of God and walk in His will for us. It should be the desire of our heart to live our lives to please Him. A prideful person often does not set his or her heart on the things of God. Often times, an arrogant man or woman will forget about God completely. Proverbs 10:4 says, “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” God desires for us to be set apart from the ways of the world. We need to choose to consider God’s will and His desires and walk in humility.

1 Peter 5:5 says, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” When we choose pride and arrogance over humility, we are actually working against the Lord. God opposes or resists us, when we are proud. Proverbs 3:34 says that God mocks those who are proud. “He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34).” The key word that we can find in either of these verses for the woman or man who chooses humility is “grace.” God gives grace to the humble. What does it mean to have God’s grace? It means that we receive unmerited favor from Him. We don’t deserve His grace, and we could never earn His grace, but when we choose to be humble in our lives, then God will pour out His gift of grace to us even more so in our lives. When we choose humility, instead of pride, the Lord leads us and guides us in a special way, and we are able to fulfill the call that He has placed on our lives. Psalm 25:9 says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.” It is never too late for us to humble ourselves before the Lord and walk in humility.

Being humble means that we are selfless, we put away our own will to follow God’s will, we remove vanity, arrogance and conceit from our heart, and we consider the needs of others. The Bible instructs us, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3).” Just as 1 Peter 5:5 instructs us, “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,” Colossians 3:12 tells us, “as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” We have to clothe ourselves with humility, which means that we have to put it on every day. Just as we wake up and get dressed for the day, we need to dress ourselves with the garment of humility. We are imperfect human beings, with a nature that is bent towards sin, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27), and He can help us to live lives of humility.

How can we humble ourselves? The best example of humility was, is and always will be Jesus Christ. “Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8)!” If we want to humble ourselves, then we should imitate the life of Christ. We need to be gentle and humble in heart, and we need to be obedient to God. In Matthew 11:29, Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” When we are humble, God honors us, and we are able to find peace and rest for our souls, no matter what is going on around us. One example that Jesus gave to us of humility is found in Matthew 18:4. Jesus said, “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:4).” We should allow God to renew our minds, as we guard our hearts against the things of this world. We should attempt to return to innocence that is childlike, and we should humble ourselves like children do. Don’t allow your past, your job, your friends, your family, the world, or whatever speaks against humility, purity, God or His Kingdom to drag you down. Remember that God is faithful and He has good plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11). He desires to work things out for your good (Romans 8:28). Fix your eyes on Jesus, and dwell on the good things of God. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).”

We can exercise humility in our lives on a daily basis. When we choose to put the needs of someone else before our own needs, then we exercise humility. When we forgive someone who has hurt us, instead of holding a grudge, then we exercise humility. When we fast and pray for God’s will in our lives, then we exercise humility. When we love others who are living in sin and shine the light of Christ, rather than passing judgment and being harsh, then we exercise humility. When we admit to someone that we have hurt them and apologize for our behavior, then we exercise humility. Every day we have the opportunity to live a life that is humble and glorifies God, and every day we have a chance to start over with a clean slate, if we have allowed pride to rear its ugly head in our lives. “Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).”

Humility

What is humility? At http://www.freedictionary.com/, humility is defined as “the quality or condition of being humble; the state or quality of being humble; a disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride, and a humble feeling.” Several explanations follow these definitions, as well as words which possibly coincide with the word humility. Other words that express the antithesis of humility are also listed as a means to compare and contrast. Sometimes it is helpful to understand the opposite meaning of a word, in order to fully grasp the true meaning. According to http://www.freedictionary.com/, the opposite of humility is “pride, vanity, superiority, arrogance, and conceit,” to name a few.

In the Christian life, humility is a trait that all of us should seek God about, in order to attain. To fully grasp the true meaning of humility, I would like to take a look at what the Bible has to say about pride. I believe that one of the worst things that we can do is maintain a prideful or arrogant attitude. The Bible warns against pride on numerous occasions, while it urges us to be humble. When Satan fell from heaven, it was pride that brought him down. When we look around at the ways of the world, how women and men seek out fame and recognition, allowing greed and dissension to poison their lives, pride and arrogance are a constant theme. If you have a disagreement with a loved one and neither one of you seek to reconcile, it is often pride that is getting in the way.

The Bible has a lot to say about the sin of pride. As I mentioned, Satan fell from heaven as a result of his great pride, and Proverbs 16:18 warns us that pride will bring us down too. It says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).” The fact that our culture and our world is full of pride, forgetting about God and His commands is no wonder that we are facing such troubled and devastating times. Proverbs 10:4 says, “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” Celebrity’s are glamorized, as we watch the majority of them live immoral, often shallow lives, which ultimately lead to destruction. Children are emulating the behavior of celebrity’s, the elite, or the rich and famous, and I’m saddened to say that many of these women and men are not the kind of influences or role models Christian’s want for the next generation. The best role model we can give others is to live a life of humility that glorifies God and magnifies His name. We also have to step up to the plate and be the example, even if other Christian’s aren’t doing so. If we want to help others walk in humility, then we need to rid ourselves of pride.

Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” If we live prideful lives, then we will be disgraced. We cannot expect our relationship with God or others not to suffer if we are arrogant and prideful. We cannot expect to grow spiritually, if we are arrogant and prideful. We cannot expect blessing’s and favor to flow in our lives, if we are prideful and arrogant, and we cannot expect to do God’s will effectively if we are prideful and arrogant. When we choose to live prideful, we are actually working against ourselves, others, and the Lord. It is during this time that God opposes and resists us. 1 Peter 5:5 says, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Proverbs 3:34 also says that God “mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.” When believers make the choice to live lives of humility that honor God, there is great wisdom and grace that goes hand in hand with that choice. When we walk in humility, we grow in the Lord and live the life that He is calling us to live. God desires for us to clothe ourselves in humility, just like we get dressed each morning.

Like Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” If we choose to walk in pride, then we will be brought down. The choices and decisions that we make will bring us down and humble us if we are prideful, but God will honor us if we are humble. Like Proverbs 29:23 says, “A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.” If our prideful choices don’t bring us low and humble us, then the Lord Himself will humble us. Daniel 4:37 says, “Those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” Would it not be easier to let go of a sinful, prideful and arrogant attitude and choose to humble yourself, be in God’s will, and live how He is calling you to live, rather than allowing destruction into your life? God is not a bully. He loves you, and He is not going to force you to obey Him. He wants to open your eyes to the truth of how He desires for you to live, because He loves you. He wants you to have an abundant life in Him and fulfill His will and plan for your life. Living in sin by remaining in pride is not God’s best for you, and it is complete disobedience to Him.

If you have been living with pride and arrogance, then go before the Lord and ask Him for His forgiveness. Make the choice to repent of your sin and walk in humility. God will lead you, guide you, teach you, and help you to grow and mature in Him. Psalm 25:9 says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.” It’s never too late to change the direction that you have been going in and fully commit to following Jesus Christ. He loves you so much!

Religion vs. Relationship (part 3)

There is a difference between having a religion and having a close and intimate relationship with God. Abiding by or having a religion does not mean that someone is saved, that they know God or that they are going to Heaven. Jesus said that believers and false prophets can be identified by the fruit that they bear (Matthew 7:15-23). When choosing our close circle of friends, our mate, our home church, or which Pastor’s, Preacher’s, teachers, or leader’s we listen to, we need to use the Holy Spirit as our compass. We also need to “be good fruit inspectors (Joyce Meyer),” in order to discern wise from unwise associations. Christian’s need to be careful of the company they keep. 1Corinthians 15:33 warns us that, “Bad company corrupts good character.” The Bible also tells us that we are not to be yoked with unbelievers, but we are to be separate from them in our lives, actions, attitudes and behaviors (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). This doesn’t mean that we should shun them, of course. We need to reach out to the lost, love them, witness to them, invite them to church, and do what we can to shine the light of Christ. We also need to be aware of the kind of fruit that we are bearing in our own lives (Galatians 5:16-26).

Another way to understand the difference between having a religion and having a relationship is to take a look at the condition of the heart. A lot of people tend to look at the outward appearance of others, but God looks deeper. God looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7). A genuine life lived for Jesus is expressed in how we live, and not just in what we say. Like Jesus said, some people honor God with their lips, but their heart is far from Him (Mark 7:6). We need to make sure that we are not living hypocritical lives, and that we are living a life worthy of God’s calling. If our lifestyle is sinful, then we are insulting God and damaging our witness to others. How can we help others if we don’t make sure that we have crucified our flesh, and that we are sold out for Jesus? This is why Jesus said, “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye (Matthew 7:5).” God has warned us about being hypocritical and lukewarm. Hypocrisy is a serious offense to God. In Revelation 3:16 He said, “because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” In Matthew 23, Jesus warned His disciples about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Jesus cried out, “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell (Matthew 23:33)?” He reprimanded the Pharisees for their hypocritical behavior, because they did not care about God’s will. What they were concerned with was getting recognition and looking religious. Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness (Matthew 23:27-28).” We need to guard our hearts against hypocrisy. Choose to take a real stand for Christ!

The most important thing to understand when it comes to having a religion versus having a relationship is that Jesus did not say that if we believe in a religion or if we perform good works and rituals, then we would know God and enter heaven. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).” This means that there is one way to God and Heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ. We can’t find our way to God through various channels or religion’s, and we can’t earn our salvation by doing good works. It is by God’s grace that we are saved! This is a relief, since we could never be sure if we were doing enough to know God and enter His Kingdom. Thankfully the Lord has told us plainly that we can have a relationship with Him and eternal life through Christ. Before Jesus came, people were bound by the law. Through the law we can see humankind’s desperate need for a Savior. Then, when Jesus came, grace came to us. Praise God! John 1:17 says, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Christ set us free from the bondage of sin and placed us under His grace! When Jesus came, He set us free. Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” We don’t have to work to earn our salvation, and we don’t have to work to have our sins forgive. Jesus paid the price for us two-thousand plus years ago. “And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace (Romans 11:6).” With God’s grace we can see that having a relationship with Him is what we need and what has been given to us freely. Religion can’t produce a relationship, and it cannot save us. Only Jesus is able!

To understand grace, we need to see that the human heart is naturally bent towards sin, because of the fall that occurred in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve walked and talked with God, all was well, before the fall. After sin came in to the picture, everything changed. The world was thrown out of whack. Our relationship with God needed to be healed and made right again. Only a true, pure, holy, and living sacrifice could atone for the sins of humanity, and when Jesus came, He was that final, pure atonement. Christ lived a life of sacrifice and holiness to pave the way for us to follow, and He suffered mockery, beatings, torture, and death by crucifixion, in order to make us right with God! On the cross, He took on the sins of the world (past, present and future); in order to end the hold sin had on us, and provides unconditional forgiveness and eternal life. That is grace. We cannot earn grace. The Bible says that grace is a free gift that God gives to us. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” It is not by works. No one has the right to boast or brag or think highly of themselves. We didn’t earn grace. Grace is unmerited favor given to us by God.

Religion vs. Relationship (part 2)

What is the difference between having a religion and having a relationship? One definition of religion is “a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a supernatural agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs (http://www.wikipedia.org)/.” When I looked up the definition of relationship on Wikipedia, several categories of relationship popped up like “interpersonal” and “intimate.” “An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship. It can be defined by these characteristics: enduring behavioral interdependence, repeated interactions, emotional attachment, and need fulfillment (http://www.wikipedia.org)/.” Looking at the definition of religion, I am unable to find the word relationship, and looking at the definition of relationship, I am unable to find the word religion. This information alone attests to the fact that neither have much to do with the other. That seems logical enough. If this is the case, then why do so many people have these two definitions confused or somehow intertwined? If we delve deeper into theology, I’m sure that we could have a long discussion about this topic, but for the sake of time, I will cut to the chase. Jesus clearly distinguished the difference between religion and relationship.

In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus said two times what distinguishes a true Christian from a false prophet. Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them (Matthew 7:16; 20).” Anyone can say they believe in Jesus, but that does not mean that they love Him, follow Him, know Him, or that they have eternal salvation. Of course we must first believe in Jesus and receive Him into our hearts and lives, but that is only the beginning. After we have received Christ, we need to follow Him by obeying His commands and bearing good fruit, which is the fruit of salvation. Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching (John 14:21; 24).” We should examine ourselves by the light of God’s Word, in order to determine if we are living how God has called us to live. As Joyce Meyer has said, “We need to be good fruit inspectors.” What kind of fruit are you bearing (Galatians 5:16-26)? Not only do we need to inspect our own fruit, but we need to inspect the fruit of others. I don’t mean that we should judge others. I mean that we need to be wise in the company that we keep, and allow the Holy Spirit to be our compass when we choose our friends, our church, our spouse, and who or what we listen to.

1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Christian’s need to lead non-believers, and even some other believers, by their example. Maybe you have a loved one who confesses Jesus with their lips, but she or he is living in sin, or maybe you know some non-Christians. That’s great, because you can be a light to them! Talk to them and reach out to them. Pray for them. Encourage them. Invite them to church. Be there for them. However, it would be wise for you not to remain in close fellowship with people who aren’t truly following the Lord or those that don’t know Him, until you see that they are bearing the fruit of repentance and salvation. We should do this for several reasons. We want to avoid being lead into temptation. We want to avoid unwise or worldly counsel in our lives. We want to avoid the appearance of evil (“birds of a feather flock together”), and we want to make sure we bond with other followers of Christ that we are equally yoked with. Just remember that all of us sin, but there is a difference between committing a sin and living a life of sin, and the Bible has warned us not to be yoked with unbelievers. 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord (2 Corinthian 6:17).”

The difference between having a religion and having a relationship with God is evident by the fruit that we bear. Also, while people look at the outward appearance, God looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7). A true life lived for God comes not just from what we say. Some people honor God with their lips, but their heart is far from Him (Mark 7:6). A true life lived for God comes from how we live. This is why Jesus said, “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye (Matthew 7:5).” How can any of us instruct, encourage or witness to others concerning the Lord, if we live in a manner that is hypocritical? If we say that we love Jesus, then we should be willing to follow Him and crucify the lusts of our flesh. Being a lukewarm, Sunday morning Christian is not God’s best for your life, and it is insulting to the One who gave you life. God has warned us about being lukewarm. In Revelation 3:16 He said, “because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” God despises hypocrisy, hypocrisy damages your witness and hypocrisy does not glorify God. Jesus had a lot to say on the issue of hypocrisy. As a matter of fact, the religious leaders of Christ’s day were the most hypocritical of all, and Jesus was very blunt with them.

In Matthew 23, Jesus warned His disciples about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. When Jesus spoke of the Pharisees He said, “do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach (Matthew 23:3).” These religious leaders were all lip service. They talked the talk, but they didn’t walk the walk. How many “Christian’s” do we know like this today? God wants less talk and more action. God wants your heart. He doesn’t want some of it. He wants all of it. The difference between having a religion and having a relationship with God is a matter of the heart. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Remember what Jesus said in John 14:21. If we truly love Him, we will follow Him and obey His commands.

When Jesus talked about how the Pharisees lived He said, “Everything they do is done for men to see (Matthew 23:5).” The only reason they did anything good was in order to receive recognition. Our main goal when we serve the Lord should be to serve Him, and not for us to gain recognition. In Matthew 6, Jesus warns against this kind of behavior by saying, “When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full (Matthew 6:2). And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full (Matthew 6:5). When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full (Matthew 6:16).” We shouldn’t serve God to please, appease, or attempt to gain recognition from others. God will not reward us if we’re doing “religious” things to get attention. Our main goal should be to give Him glory!

In Matthew 23:25-28, Jesus said some striking things to the Pharisees about their internal state. Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean (Matthew 23:25-26).” Jesus was telling them that they did everything to look good on the outside, but it was the inside of them that needed work. He called them blind! This makes me think of the way the world works. Some people are blinded by the ways of this world, and so consumed with how they look on the outside. How many people take the time to live for God and yearn to do His will? So many people just want what they want when they want it, and they don’t take the time to think about God or eternity. How many people are just like the Pharisees who take time to take care of their exterior, while ignoring their internal state? In my opinion, some of the most chilling and profound words of Christ were recorded in Matthew 23:27-28. Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness (Matthew 23:27-28).” Jesus said that the Pharisees were dead on the inside. All of their hypocritical attempts to look religious were actually condemning them to hell. How often have you seen this in the church?

Jesus cried out, “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell (Matthew 23:33)?” Hypocritical behavior is a serious offense to God, and it still takes place in our world and our church today. We need to stand up against it, and we can begin in our own home and lives. None of us are perfect. All of us sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). So, if the Holy Spirit is convicting you in your heart of living hypocritically, then you need to humble yourself before the Lord, ask Him for forgiveness and repent of your behavior. There is no sin too big that God won’t forgive, and it’s never too late to turn your life around.

Jesus did not say that if we believe in a religion or if we perform good works and rituals, then we would know God and enter heaven. What He did say was, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).” Simply put, we cannot earn our salvation. It is only by God’s grace that we are saved. “Religion vs. Relationship (part 3)” will touch on salvation by grace, tomorrow.

Religion vs. Relationship

When I was a little girl, I went to a Southern Baptist church with my family every Sunday. I remember a few thing’s from that experience in my life. I remember going to Sunday school from time to time and learning about Jesus, but I also remember feeling completely bored during most of the Sunday sermon’s, falling asleep, coloring, and wearing those dreaded panty hose under some frilly, girly dress. I felt a connection and closeness with God, and I decided that I wanted to get baptized at an early age, but I mainly remember Sunday’s being religious. I also saw some member’s of my family and church congregation act religious from time to time, but something deeper was lacking, and I knew it even as a child. Claiming a religious denomination, and living out a religion with its rules and rituals is not the same as knowing Jesus Christ and having a personal relationship with Him. This is something I knew in my heart as a young child and something that I have come to understand to an even greater magnitude as a born again, Spirit filled woman. Going to church on Sunday or carrying out religious works or traditions does not mean that someone knows God, and it definitely does not mean that someone is going to heaven.

Jesus was clear about the difference between religion versus relationship and true and false conversion. As a matter of fact, the very things that many people do are the exact behaviors that Jesus warned us against. Jesus had a thing or two to say to the religious people of His day, and anyone exhibiting the type of characteristics that the Jewish leaders of Christ’s time exhibited should be forewarned. The fruit that we bear in our lives through our thoughts, words, actions and behaviors is a clear indication of true conversion. Our lifestyle should match up with the Word of God, and if it doesn’t, then we should question whether we have truly given our lives to the Lord or if we are off track with His will and plan. If someone says they love Jesus but live an ungodly lifestyle, then they do not truly love Him, and not everyone who confesses the Lord will enter heaven. Also, people may look at the outward appearance, but God looks at our heart. A true life lived for God is more than lip service. Acting one way in front of people, then living like the devil is hypocrisy at its finest. It damages our witness to others, does not glorify God, and displays whether we have a relationship with God or just a religion. Lastly, no one can earn their salvation. Good works won’t get anyone in to Heaven. It is only by God’s grace that we are saved, by the blood of Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 7, Jesus said, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers (Matthew 7:15-23)!’”

Jesus made it clear that believers and non-believers will be recognized by their fruit. In this same way, we are able to distinguish between those who are religious and those who are saved by God’s grace and have a true relationship with Him. If someone says they believe in Jesus, it does not mean that they know Him, that they are saved or that they are going to heaven. Anyone can say that they believe in Jesus, then go out and live how they choose. Anyone can be “religious” on Sunday, and then live immoral the rest of the week. As Joyce Meyer puts it, “We need to be good fruit inspectors.” This doesn’t mean that we walk around self-righteously judging others, but we do need to be careful of the company that we keep. We need to be careful of who we choose to be in relationship with, what church we join, what Pastor, Preacher, or teacher we listen to, and so on. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to be our compass and match what we hear and see with the truth of God’s Word. Not doing so has lead many people in to temptation, sin, cult’s, destruction, addiction, and other wickedness.

1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Be wise in who you choose for a mate or who you have in your close circle of friends. Keep in mind that we are to witness to non-believers, lead them by our example, reach out to them, love them, and pray for them, but the Bible warns us not to be in deep fellowship with them. 2 Corinthians 6 says, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ ‘Therefore come out from them and be separate,’ says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).’”

If you’re living for the Lord and you have a friend who claims to walk with Him but who is living a worldly (sinful) life, then approach them in love and talk to them. Reach out to them. We are the body of Christ, and we have been called to reach out to the lost. You don’t have to travel to a third world country to be a missionary for Jesus. You may be in someone’s life for the sole purpose of helping them restore their relationship with Christ or even to lead them to Him. You may be in someone’s life, in order to show God’s love and compassion, or you may share similar life experiences and have the opportunity to reveal how God brought you through it. God will use you, if you let Him. This is what it means to be in relationship with God, not just have a religion. It means loving Him enough to live for Him, be set apart from the ways of the world, and do His will, as you reach out to others! If you have someone in your life who refuses to follow the Lord for whatever reason, then commit them to prayer, but do not continue to be in close fellowship with them. Remember, “Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33).” Sometimes we have to love people from a distance.

Everyone sins, so I’m not suggesting we witness to our brother’s and sister’s in Christ whenever they sin. Otherwise, the entire body of Christ would witness to one another on a daily basis. There is a difference between committing a sin and living a life of sin, and if we refer to Jesus’ teaching on “fruit,” then we can interpret the difference. Reach out to the lost, but take time to examine yourself, as well. What kind of fruit are you bearing (Galatians 5:16-26)? Are you bearing the fruit of repentance? Are you bearing good fruit? Are you bearing the fruit of the sinful nature? Are you bearing bad fruit? You can distinguish this by examining your lifestyle by the light of God’s Word. Ask yourself if you are following Jesus’ commands, and then you will know if you truly love Him. This may sound harsh, but it is important to get real and get honest about the way that we live our lives. In John 14:21, Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” He went on to say a few verses later, “He who does not love me will not obey my teaching (John 14:24).” I think Jesus was pretty clear. If we love Him, we will follow and obey Him, bearing good fruit.

Every Christian has an area in her or his life that needs improvement, growth, healing, renewal, and even redemption. This life is a journey, so take God’s hand, and ask Him to guide you. Ask God to help you deal with areas in your life where you are falling short. He already knows that we are going to stumble and fall, and He wants to help us. Take hold of His hand and hold on tight. There is no shame in being imperfect, and God does not expect you to be. Jesus was the only perfect One. No religion and no religious acts can do what the God of the Universe can do for you. Only God can forgive, save, restore, renew, and love you with an everlasting love! If you feel like you have been living for a religion, instead of having a relationship with God, then dedicate or rededicate your life to Him today. He loves you so much!

A true life lived for God is more than hypocritical lip service. While people look at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Spend all day at church, overflow with good works, or practice religious rituals, but if your heart is wrong, then nothing will be right. If religion is all that you have, then you do not have Jesus. When referring to the religious, Jewish leaders of His day, Jesus said, “do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. Everything they do is done for men to see (Matthew 23:3; 5).” Jesus had a lot to say about hypocrisy and the difference between religion and a relationship, and I will go over more of Jesus’ teaching’s tomorrow in “Religion vs. Relationship (part 2).”

Being a Good Steward (part 4)

The topic for this week has been stewardship. God has given all of us responsibilities in this life, and He expects us to make wise decisions with what He has entrusted us with. This week I blogged about what it means to be a good steward of our finances, our time and our health. We need to be good stewards of our finances by first finding contentment in Christ, and then by guarding our hearts from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:6-10). We also need to make sure that we are not making an idol out of money. Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and Money (Matthew 6:24).” We need to be good stewards of our time by making sure that we are actually bearing fruit in our lives, as opposed to just being busy. We should also set healthy boundaries, in order to manage our time wisely so that we can take care of ourselves and our loved ones. Being good stewards of our health is very important. We need to let go of addiction’s and bad habits by turning to God for help and healing and by seeking help and support from others. We need to make eating well and exercising a priority, also, and take care of our mental, emotional and spiritual health. “God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple (1 Corinthians 3:17).” To read more about being a good steward of finances, time and health, then refer back to the previous blog’s. The list is endless when it comes to stewardship. However, I wanted to highlight some of the most important areas in our lives.

Relationships are another very important area that we need to be good stewards of. As Christian’s, our first and most important relationship is and should be with the Lord. It’s important to put God above everyone and everything else in your life. When we put other people or things before God (our job, our spouse, ourselves, etc.), then we are committing idolatry. Exodus 20:3-4 says, “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” Make time for God on a daily basis through prayer, Bible study, Christian literature, worship, or in other ways that help you connect with Him. Don’t just check Jesus off of your to do list. Go deeper and get to know God better. Take time to listen to Him and His heart, as well. Relationships shouldn’t be one sided. They are always a two way street. When we open ourselves up to God, He will open Himself up to us. The Bible says that when we draw near to God, He will draw near to us, so keep reaching out to Him. When I take the time to really think about it, it is absolutely amazing to me that we are able to communicate directly with God, hear His voice, connect with Him and have a relationship with Him every day. If it weren’t for the blood of Jesus Christ being poured out for our sins, then we wouldn’t be able to connect with God in this way. I am thankful to Jesus for what He did for me!

It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind of our lives and put off thing’s like going to church, praying or having quiet time with God, but we have to make Him our top priority. After all God has done for us, He deserves and is more than worthy of our time and all that we have to offer. It goes without saying, also, that having a relationship with the Creator of the universe is indescribable! There is no one like Him! As we pour in to our relationship with the Lord, He will pour in to us, and He will enable us to reach out and help others. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Corinthians 9:6).” If we want more from our relationship with God and if we want to grow spiritually, then we have to “sow generously” into our relationship with Him. I firmly believe that God wants to grow us up in Him, and that Christian’s should be growing in their walk with Christ. I don’t believe that God intends for any of His children to stay in one place spiritually. We need to walk with God daily and make sure that we aren’t spiritually stagnant. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:19-34).”

The next, most important relationship that we have (after God) is our relationship with our family. It’s important that we sow quality time in to our relationship with our spouse, children, and extended family. We all have responsibilities outside of our homes, and we need to take care of them. However, we need to make sure that our families feel loved, secure and taken care of above all else. Doing your part financially to take care of your family is a great blessing, but don’t forget that taking care of your family is so much more than monetary. My husband and I are newlyweds, and we don’t have children yet. Even though it is just the two of us (and our dog’s), we are a family. It is important to us that we take time to pour in to our marriage (family) by spending quality time together, opening our hearts, sharing our thoughts, having fun, being romantic, and doing all of the things that we can do, in order to grow together. Anyone who has been married for any period of time knows that marriage is not always easy. Sometimes you will argue or disagree, and sometimes life will be stressful, but the important thing is to make sure that Christ is at the center of your relationship and that you are unified.

The same scenario goes for married couples with children. Even though it may be a little harder to make quality time for your marriage, you have to. Don’t neglect your spouse. It’s vital that your marriage grow through every season of life, because one day your children will leave home, and you want to make sure that you’re still married to your best friend. Also, neglect of your marriage can lead to things like temptation, depression, infidelity or divorce, and Christian’s know that is not God’s best for His children. Find a sitter and have a date night once a week. Take a couples vacation once a year and leave your children with a family member or trusted friend. Be romantic with your spouse. Don’t lose that spark!

It’s also important to have quality time with your children. Make time for your children by being involved in their lives. Don’t put your job, career or ministry before them. Let them know that you love them and that they are important to you. The decisions that you make concerning your children will shape and mold their identity and their sense of self worth. If the Devil can get in to our homes and families and divide us, then he will. Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand (Matthew 12:25).” To be a good steward of your family, stay unified!

Make time for your extended family, as well. This can be difficult if your parents are divorced, if your extended family lives in a different city or state, or if there has been division in some of the relationships in your extended family. Do the best that you can, in order to visit and spend time with them. If there is division among you and someone in your family, then pray about it, and seek reconciliation. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).” Issues with family can be difficult, but with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

If you don’t have any extended family, then create one! Personally, I consider some of my friends as family. All Christian’s are brothers and sisters in Christ. Connect with the people in your church family, and build bonds that will last a lifetime. This brings me to the final important relationship that we should be good stewards of, which is the relationship that we have with our friends. As we get older, move, marry, have children, change jobs, and move into different seasons of our lives, it can often be difficult to meet and keep friendships. Sometimes people will come and go, but others will always be there for you, and you will always be there for them. It’s easy to determine those relationships that have a lifetime bond, but it’s important that we don’t take them for granted. Make time for the friends that you have in your life. Call your friends at least once a week. Get together with your friends at least once or twice a month. Send them a text message just to know that you’re thinking of them. Pray for them. The most important thing that we have in this life is our relationships with others. Remember Galatians 6:7, which says, “A man reaps what he sows.” If you want to reap quality friendships, then you have to sow love and quality time into your friendships. All of us have busy lives, but we need to make time for the people who are important to us. What good is it if we have successful jobs, careers and/or ministries, if we don’t have success in our relationships and friendships?

God has made us stewards over our finances, time, health, relationships and many other areas of our lives. What we do with our responsibilities is solely up to us, and God wants to help us make wise decisions. Life can be difficult, and sometimes we will fail, sin and make mistakes but all of life is a learning experience. Our failures can be life lessons and teachers to help us make better choices, and God will always forgive us and help us to start anew.

Being a Good Steward (part 3)

This week I’ve been blogging about what it means to be a good steward. God has entrusted all of us with responsibilities in this life, and He desires for us to make wise choices when it comes to them. For example, we need to be good stewards of our finances by first finding contentment in Christ, then guarding our hearts from the love of money, and being mindful that we are not making money our idol. 1 Timothy 6:6 reassures us that “godliness with contentment is great gain,” and 1 Timothy 6:10 warns us that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” We need to remember these thing’s, as well as the words of Jesus who said, “You cannot serve both God and Money (Matthew 6:24).” Another example of stewardship comes from how we use our time. We need to be good stewards of our time and make sure that we are actually bearing fruit in our lives, as opposed to just being busy. We also need to set healthy boundaries, in order to manage our time wisely so that we can take care of ourselves and our loved ones.

When I wrote about what it means to be a good steward of our time, I included that all of us need to take time for ourselves. If we don’t take care of ourselves, then how can we effectively pour in to the lives of others? Our health is something that God has made us stewards of, and we need to make wise choices in this area. First of all, our bodies are the temple of the living God! His Holy Spirit lives within us and what we choose to do with our bodies say’s a lot about how we feel about the Lord. “God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple (1 Corinthians 3:17).” What are you doing to care for God’s temple or what are you doing to destroy God’s temple? Are there habits or addictions in your life that you need to let go of? Are you making alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, or anything else an idol by using it as your source of comfort? God wants to heal you of your addictions and habits, and He can if you have faith and trust in Him! The New Testament is full of beautiful stories of Jesus’ healing power. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).” He can heal you right now like He healed so many while He was living on this earth. You can have someone lay hands on you, and the healing power of Jesus can flow through them and heal you, but also realize that you can go straight to the Lord and ask Him to heal you. If you believe it by faith, then you will be healed! Our God is an awesome and mighty God, and He is worthy to be praised! Isaiah 53:5 says that it is by Jesus’ wounds that “we are healed.” If you want to be a good steward of your health, then take the steps necessary to move in that direction by letting go of destructive habits or addictions, increasing your faith, trusting in God, and leaning on Him to help you overcome the strongholds that are affecting your health.

When I was younger, my relationship with the Lord was on again, off again. I spent the majority of my life in rebellion and disobedience, and I lived a sinful lifestyle. A few years ago, God drew me to Him with His loving kindness (Jeremiah 31:3), He baptized me in His Holy Spirit, and He changed my life completely. At that time, there were so many areas in my life that God had to help me work on, and He is helping me work on so many areas still today. One of the areas God dealt with me about when I got saved was the area of my health. He began to show me the importance of taking care of my body, and it wasn’t just about eating well and exercising. I had an addiction to cigarettes, and I desperately wanted to quit. I had tried to quit so many times, and after I got saved, I managed to quit for six months. My victory of smoking was short lived, though, as I started back up again due to the pressure of life. I attempted quitting several times after that, but I wasn’t truly able to kick the habit until about a year and a half ago. I’ll never forget waking up one morning around the time that I quit smoking. The Holy Spirit showed my spirit that when I did things in my body, He was partaking of these things too, and God is a Holy God. Other than the fact that smoking is the worst thing anyone can do for their body, Jesus deserves better than that, and we should also be a better witness to other believers and non-believers. I am not condemning anyone who smokes by any means. I know how hard it is to quit, and there are times when I feel tempted to light up, when the pressures of this world overwhelm me. God knows that we will struggle with our flesh, and He knows that we can’t do it alone. He wants to be our source of strength. All we have to do is confide in Him and trust Him to help us pull through times of temptation. Just remember that our “flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit (John 3:6).” “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16).”

We can be good stewards of our health by allowing God to deal with us when it comes to our habits and addictions, but we also need to be mindful of other important aspects of our health. If we want to be healthy, then we need to make sure that we eat well and exercise. American culture has the worst, most unhealthy diet in the world, and the fact that we usually get what we want when we want it has made many of us lazy. Our foods are processed, high in fat, drenched in salt, deep fried, and toxic. Our country has become a nation obsessed with fast food, and so many of us are paying the price. We need to consider what we are putting in our mouths and in our bodies, if we want to be healthy and live a long, quality life. We owe it to ourselves, and we owe it to the ones we love. If you’re eating unhealthy and not exercising, then you will have health problems if not now, then down the road. Eating unhealthy food will cause obesity and obesity can shorten your life span by twenty years, and cause many health complications like high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, high cholesterol, heart attack, poor circulation, shortness of breath, and so on. Don’t assume, however, that if you are thin, then you are safe from any of these health problems. Even if you are thin and you eat unhealthy, you are damaging your health, and you still have the potential for health problems. I don’t think that Christian’s should be vain or obsess over their weight or their diet. Some people are underweight, which is also not healthy and can cause problems. The message I am trying to send is that all of us need to find out what a healthy weight is for our body type, maintain it, eat well, and exercise. The bottom line is that we need to take care of our bodies. We need to take care of God’s temple. There is nothing wrong with indulging in certain foods from time to time. However, we should maintain a healthy lifestyle, if we want to be good stewards of our health.

Taking care of our health goes far beyond the physical. We need to ensure that we are healthy mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, as well. Life can be difficult and challenging, and if we don’t take care of our mind, emotions, and especially our spirit, then we will end up on a path to destruction. All of us have baggage from our past that we are working through. If we’re not dealing with issues that have come from being raised in a dysfunctional family or broken home, then many of us are dealing with issues that come from our past (addictions, relationships, abuse, a previous life of sin). All of us are imperfect and flawed, and the good news is that God loves us anyway! Jesus suffered and died for us, in order that our sins would be forgiven (past, present and future), and so that we would have fellowship with God and eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).” There is absolutely nothing that you have done that God will not forgive, and there is nothing that you have walked through or that you are currently walking through that Jesus doesn’t understand. Isaiah 53:3-4 says, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.” I think about the mental anguish that Jesus encountered in the garden, and I am amazed. Jesus knows what it means to suffer. He has been there, and He understands. Turn to God for comfort during your trials and tribulations. Talk to the Lord about what you’re facing and cry out to Him. Make time for Him, pray and read His Word. Hide His Word in your heart. Also know that there is help available to you. Many churches provide free counseling and classes that will help you deal with whatever is going on in your mind, emotions or spirit. You may need to consider meeting with a therapist, confiding in a trustworthy friend, or researching natural remedies, in order to live a healthy life. Whatever you are going through, don’t give up! God loves you, and He will help you find a way through your pain.

Letting go of addiction’s and bad habits, eating well, exercising, and taking care of our mental, emotional and spiritual health is important. God has made us stewards over our health, and what we do with our health is our responsibility. It’s not always easy to make healthy choices in our lives and sometimes we will fail, but all of life is a learning experience and our failures can be life lessons and teachers to help us make better choices.

Being a Good Steward (part 2)

All of us are stewards of what God has entrusted us with. Whether it is our finances, time, families or any other responsibility, we need to make wise choices, when it comes to stewardship. Yesterday, I blogged about what it means for us to be good stewards of our finances. In order to do so, we need to be content in Christ, and we need to be sure that He is the One that we treasure (Luke 12:33-34). 1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” We also need to guard our hearts from the love of money. “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1Timothy 6:9-10).” Lastly, we need to ensure that we are not making an idol out of money, wealth and possessions. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Another important aspect of our lives that we need to be good stewards of is our time. With all of the distractions of this world, the responsibilities in our lives, and all that we are involved in, we need to take an honest look at what is consuming our time? Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” It’s important that we seek God before making decisions in our lives that will take up our time. We need to make sure that we are actually bearing fruit in our lives, as opposed to just being busy. In John 15:16, Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.” We need to take a survey of what we are doing on a daily basis and see if we are bearing good fruit. Are we living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord? Are we doing thing’s to pour in to our families and relationships? Is our time being consumed with things that are unhealthy, destructive, ungodly, or things that are taking time away from the Lord and those that we love? Let’s take an honest look and see if we are being good stewards of our time, and if we aren’t, then let’s seek the Lord’s guidance.

Just remember that being busy and being fruitful are two different things. I personally believe that “busyness” sometimes comes from the enemy. If Satan can distract us from the important relationships in our lives and from fulfilling God’s plan, trust me, he will distract us. Why is it every time that we ask someone how they are doing, they respond with, “I’m busy.” Is being busy what we are longing to attain in this life? Do we want to be on our death beds and look back and say, “I’m so glad I spent my whole life being busy?” With a culture obsessed with cell phones, social networking, careers and cramming all we can into a week, when are we taking the time to meditate on what matters? Sometimes you have to step back and breath, in order to gain perspective and insight into your life. I know that I have! Remember that God is a God of peace, not chaos. So if there is constant chaos or drama in your life, then you need to consider who is running the show. Maybe it’s time for you to set some healthy boundaries in your life. Setting boundaries are often the key to being good stewards of our time.

We can be too busy in our careers and too busy in our jobs, but what about ministry? I think that a lot of Christian’s look at ministry as being exempt from boundaries, because so many of us feel like we want to put God and others before ourselves. Some of us think that if we have boundaries, then we are somehow being selfish. Women are even worse about this than men, because women are natural care givers. I believe that the idea that we are selfish if we take time for ourselves in ministry couldn’t be further from the truth. If we don’t take time for ourselves, to recharge our batteries, then how can we pour in to the lives of others? When we don’t take time for ourselves, we put ourselves in a vulnerable position where we are open to temptation and attack from the enemy. If we neglect our families for the sake of ministry, then we leave our homes open for attack from the Devil. We have to be wise about how we spend our time and make sure that there is balance in our lives. Ephesians 6 reminds us to take care of ourselves and not let our guard down, because we are in a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:10-13 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” If we don’t take time to fellowship with the Lord or put on God’s armor, then we are setting ourselves up for defeat.

I have to admit that my husband and I have fallen into the trap of being busy on many occasions as well, and I think that it’s time that Christian’s reprioritize their lives. We have personally had to set boundaries and reprioritize when it comes to many things. Being in ministry, it’s easy for us, and many other people, to get caught up in a cycle of “doing” and “going” and getting overwhelmed and exhausted in the process. While ministry is not always easy, I don’t believe it is God’s will to put ministry before our families and loved ones, and I don’t believe it is God’s will to wear ourselves out, ruining our health in the process. Don’t forget, we are God’s temple, and we have to take care of His temple (1 Corinthians 3:17). My husband and I have finally reached a point where we have decided that we are not going to over commit ourselves, we are not going to spread ourselves thin, and we are going to take time to rest and pour in to our marriage and other relationships. Christians need to stop feeling guilty for having boundaries and making healthy decisions to manage their time wisely. Jesus said that we are the light of the world. It’s time for us to get out of the dark and shine our light for Him! We can’t shine our light if our time is being consumed, and we can’t shine our light if we are running on empty. We need to be good stewards of the time that God has given us, because time is fleeting and life is precious.

Being a Good Steward

God has made all of us stewards on this earth, and all of us will be held accountable for what we do with what we have been given. One definition of a steward is “a person morally responsible for the careful use of money, time, talents, or other resources, especially with respect to the principles or needs of a community or group (http://www.yourdictionary.com)/.” We need to make wise choices, when it comes to stewardship, which means we need to manage our finances, time, families, health, ministries, job’s, and all other things that have been entrusted to us responsibly.

Let’s first take a look at what it means to be a good steward of our finances. As an American, I see how my country is obsessed with attaining more. Honestly, I would have to say that Americans as a whole can be extremely greedy and selfish. Our culture has idolized the lifestyle of the rich and famous and emphasized its importance by claiming that we should aim to attain such things. Many of our leader’s and icon’s have forgotten that our country was founded on Biblical principles, and the fact that so many Americans have forsaken God leaves no question in my mind as to why we are now in a bind in so many areas. Millions of Americans are in debt because of their desire to have more, with little concern about their future. Our country is in debt because of constant borrowing and an unwise mentality that says, “I’ll worry about it tomorrow.” Being bad stewards of our finances has gotten many people in major financial trouble that has affected their health, families, futures, and even the jobs of others. I’m not claiming that it is wrong to enjoy the fruits of our labor. God does sometimes bless us and show us His favor in our finances. However, the important thing to be aware of is that we don’t take the blessing’s of God for granted by over indulging, over spending, becoming greedy, or making wealth and possessions an idol. We have to be mindful and make wise financial decisions.

When it comes to being a good steward of our finances, we need to know the important things that God tells us about money. First of all, we need to be content and make sure that Jesus is the One that we treasure. The Bible tells us that we are to be content in Christ. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” At the end of our life here on earth, eternal things are what will truly matter. We need to store up treasure in Heaven and make sure that Jesus is the treasure of our heart, because where our treasure is, there our heart will also be (Luke 12:33-34).

Second, we need to guard our heart when it comes to money. If we don’t find contentment in Christ, then the attainment of earthly possessions is only a trap that will ensnare and ruin us. 1 Timothy 6:9-10 says, “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” While there is nothing wrong with working hard to provide for your family, or enjoying the blessing’s and favor that God has bestowed on you financially, the Bible is very clear that we are not to love money or have a greedy heart. Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.” Being a lover of money is a vicious cycle that will only perpetuate greed.

Thirdly, when we are not content in Christ, have a love of money or possess a greedy heart, then money becomes our idol. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Everything that we have comes from God. We cannot fool ourselves into thinking that we have what we have because of anything that we have done. If we earned our money because of our skills and talents, we need to remember that God is the One who blessed us with our life, our gifts, and our talents. If we have fallen into fortune because of an inheritance or because of the monetary blessing’s of our relatives, then we need to remember that God is the One who chose to bestow that kind of favor upon us. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).”

When it comes to being a good steward of your finances, “remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today (Deuteronomy 8:18).” Any financial gain that we have attained has come from God and belongs to God. We are only borrowing from Him, so we need to be wise in our spending. Put money into saving’s, and consider your future and the future of your family. It’s never too late to start saving! Pay off your debts and get your finances in order. Don’t overspend or be greedy, when it comes to money. Give to others in need. Tithe on a monthly basis. If you have the ability to bless others with your finances, then do it. Make wise financial decisions, and don’t put yourself in a position where you and your family will be in debt. Be content in Christ, guard your heart from greed, and do not make money an idol in your life. This is what it means to be a good steward of your finances.

When it comes to being a good steward, there are so many things that we have to consider. Being a good steward of our finances is only one area of our lives. We also have to be good stewards of other responsibilities that we have been entrusted with. Tomorrow we will talk about what it means to be a good steward of our time.