Live to Honor God

Opportunities to Honor God

Opportunity is defined as a favorable or advantageous circumstance or combination of circumstances.  Everyday, we are presented with opportunities to honor God.  In fact, I believe God arranges circumstances in our lives and provides us with favorable circumstances or opportunities to Honor Him every day. 

Do you believe that?  Do you recognize opportunities to honor God everyday?  What do you think, does the Bible support my belief?

“Well, when I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord gave me tremendous opportunities.”   2 Corinthians 2:12 NLT

“Now when I went to Troas* to preach the gospel of Christ*and found that the Lord had opened a door* for me,”  2 Corinthians 2:12 NIV

Paul says, in this passage from his 2nd letter to the church in Corinth, that God had given him opportunities to preach the Good News.  The NIV says “the Lord had opened a door for me.”  That is a phrase I use all the time.  Has God ever opened a door for you?  Maybe a better question is, “have you walked through the doors God has opened for you?”  I do believe God opens doors of great opportunity for us.  The question is, what do you with those opportunities?

Here’s another verse that talks about opportunities.

“For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity* in you.”  2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT

This verse says God will give us opportunities to do good, just like He gives us bread to eat and seed to the farmer.  God gives us many opportunities to do good; to show kindness to a neighbor in a time of need or love someone who feels unlovable.  Maybe, my open door is a chance to share my testimony about what God has done for me.  If we open our eyes and look for God’s handiwork in our lives we will see many opportunities to do good. 

I don’t think there is any doubt about it—God does, absolutely, give us many opportunities to “do good.”  So, if I choose to do good in an opportunity that God has given me, does that automatically honor God?  The answer is NO. Well, it does honor God to a certain extent because God wants us to do good.  But, there is one more, very important thing that is needed—look at these 2 verses:

“Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it.* But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”* 

“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”*   Genesis 41:15-16 NIV

Did you see it? Joseph immediately gives ALL glory to God, even though it would have been easy to agree with Pharaoh and simply say, “yes, I can interpret dreams.”  Joseph honored God by giving Him all the credit. 

If we want to honor God, we must not only “do good” in any opportunity he provides, we must also point our finger to God and give Him ALL the credit for whatever good we do.  This goes against our human nature—the very nature God gave us.  Why would God ask us to go against the nature he gave us?  The answer is simple—he wants us to really want to give Him ALL the glory; not because we have to but, because we want to…because we love Him.

This is, exactly, what we see in the example of Jesus. He completely humbles himself, because of his love for God and his love for us. 

Here are two passages where Jesus teaches about humility:

“He [Jesus] called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children,* you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.* 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.*  Matthew 18:2-4 NIV

and

“[Jesus speaking] But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 14:10-11 NIV

 

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Worship @ livetohonorGod

I’d like to share a link with you—http://worship.livetohonorGod.com.  IF you follow this link you will find a short, guided, worship experience on the theme of trusting God.  I plan to add more as God leads me.  I hope God will use this to bless others as I was blessed while posting it.  Praise the Lord, for he is amazing.

Blessings

Tim

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How to Pray

I am pleased to share this guest post by a good friend of mine. I know you will be challenged in your Christian life as you listen for God’s message in this post.  Tim

     "Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. I assure you: They've got their reward! But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you pray, don't babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they'll be heard for their many words. Don't be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him. - Matthew 6:5-8

     Prayer is like breathing to the Christian. There was a time in my life when I wanted everyone to hear me pray. It was an act of vanity. Public prayer is what it is. But, in a Christian's personal and private life there has to be a relationship with the Holy Spirit that draws us into an intimate devotion to hearing from and praying for Jesus Christ. A young convert's first awareness of his/her lack of faith comes when they are just learning how to pray, because they don't understand prayer and they stumble early on in trying to grasp what prayer does inwardly and outwardly. Many university, psychology, and divinity academic studies have tried their hand at proving or disproving  the effectiveness of prayer.

     Prayer is like our faith, we know it to be real because of our personal experiences. We do not have to look toward an objective study on prayer from psychologists and the medical field of neuroscience. We have our own subjective level of experience in our faith that says "we believe.”  The fact is that prayer works in many situations, and at the very least it can't hurt. It's like a toddler learning to walk. They fall, they get up, they laugh, and they cry. We can confess our sin, and pray until peace comes. We can continually pray for others. We can pray specifically. Sometimes, praying for others is a great way of you showing love for God. Therefore, God shows his great love and blessings toward you and those you love. When we pray for Jesus, we pray for all the work that is being done in the name of our Lord. We should always remember as peace seeking Christians, "For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens." - Ephesians 6:12

     I've come to believe more strongly in prayer than I ever have. It's just about faith. We either believe or we don't. It's not about our goodness, it's about the goodness of God. His goodness is our first gift when we first believed. Nothing can take that away. The gates of hell may shake, but your heart can stay strong. For the Almighty redeemed you and heard your cry when you first came to love him, and with that sacred assurance his presence will never destroy us. This does not mean we will live a long physical life, but whether our journey is far or near an end, the fact is Christ is our friend. He will be there even more strongly when we leave this world. We just need to stay in touch with him. Talk to Christ as he is your brother. He is not your judge, He is your sacrifice, and Savior. Much prayer for you!

Ricky

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Rescue by Newsong

This is one of my current favorite songs.  It is very true, I need Jesus.  I can only find the rescue I need in Him.  There is no other person or thing that is able to give me what I need—only Jesus.

Blessings

Tim

My NoiseTrade Widget

I have been doing some recording.  I am putting together a collection of hymns with a focus on worship.  You can listen with the widget on the left.  I am just getting started so I plan to be adding more. 

Psalm 150 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible.  My hope is to praise the LORD is everything I do, for He is truly worthy of all praise and honor.

Psalm 150 “Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. [2] Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. [3] Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, [4] praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, [5] praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. [6] Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.”

I would love to hear you thoughts and comments about these songs.  

May you be blessed today by our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Tim

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Jesus Lives to Bear Our Sins

In my daily Bible reading I have been reading in Leviticus about the various sacrifices for fellowship offerings, guilt offerings, and wave offerings.  Today, I read about the Day of Atonement in the 16th chapter:

'”Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD and sacrifice it for a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat.” Leviticus 16:9-10

“When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat's head. He shall send the goat away into the desert in the care of a man appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert.”  Leviticus 16:20-22

OK, so, in the process of making atonement for the nation of Israel the priest takes two goats one is sacrificed and the blood of this goat is used to make atonement for the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar.  Then, he takes the live goat and lays both hands on it’s head and confesses over it all the wickedness and rebellion and sins of the Israelites.  In doing this, the Bible says all the sin is put on the goat.  Then the goat is released into the desert. 

Of the two goats, the one that takes on the sins is the live goat.  Both goats are necessary.  The goat that is sacrificed makes it all possible by providing a way into the presence of God in the Most Holy place.  But, it is the living goat that bears the sins. 

To fulfill God’s plan for our redemption Jesus had to die to bridge the gap between God and man.  His death allows us to enter the Most Holy Place and be in the presence of God.  But, it is his resurrection that allows Him to bear the burden of sin for a world sinners.  We have a relationship with God through Jesus’ death.  We have freedom from sin through his life. 

Before I finish this post let’s consider this passage:

“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.  And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:12-17

In that last verse Paul says, “…if Christ has not been raised, your faith if futile; you are still in your sins.”  Jesus had to rise again, like the goat that was allowed to live (the scapegoat); He had to be alive to bear our sins.

Please leave a comment and share your thoughts about this post.

Blessings in Jesus.

Tim

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A Living Sacrifice to God

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual* act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  Romans 12:1-2

Paul is encouraging the Roman church to set their lives apart for God.  Just as a burnt offering is set apart and given completely to God, Paul is asking us to do the same—to set our lives apart for God.  He says, “in view of God’s mercy.”  Since God, in His mercy, has paid the necessary price of my ransom, saving me from the sure death of sin I should willingly give my life to God.  Everything that makes me who I am is to be offered to God for Him to use in whatever way He chooses.  I let go of my thoughts and ideas of who I am and what I should do and allow God’s will to be the only will that matters.  I don’t do this grudgingly or because I have to but willingly in gratitude as an act of worship.  I choose to take on God’s will and let go of my own will.  My prayer becomes what John the Baptist said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).  Everything I do becomes an act of worship, an offering, given to God for His glory and honor. 

Paul continues to encourage us by reminding us to leave behind the ways of the world and to keep our thoughts holy and set apart for God by renewing our mind.  We do this through studying God’s word so that it becomes the foundation of our every thought.  This is not our natural way—conforming to the sinful ways of the world is our nature.  I have the right to continue to live according to my nature and, in fact, if I don’t do anything different that is how I will live.  But, I have another choice, by the mercy of God, I can choose to surrender my self to God and take on His nature.  This requires daily surrender, daily reminding myself who I am in God—I am set apart for God’s will, I am forgiven and free, paid for by the blood of Jesus.  Not only that I am becoming the person God wants me to be through the renewing of my thoughts and beliefs about God and who I am in God. 

It’s one of the many paradoxes of living the Christian life—through surrender I become greater than I could possibly be in my own nature. 

Are you surrendering yourself to God as a living sacrifice?  Are you conforming to the world or being transformed into the person God wants you to be? 

May our Lord bless you and help you surrender to His will daily and reach your full potential according to God’s plan for your life.

Tim

 

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