Archive for March, 2010

Live to Give

Monday, 29 March, 2010 16:22 Written by Pastor Bruce 0 Comments

What are you living for?

Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us (purchase our freedom) – Titus 2:14 (AMP)

God gave because love gives…and God is love. (1 John 4:7-8) Because we are born of God we have that same purpose for living, to give. Giving is the essence of living. You will not be totally satisfied in life until you begin to give.

The life that you are now living was given to you by God and it is not too much for Him to ask us to give our lives for others. The ultimate gift and the ultimate act of giving was when Jesus went willing to the cross and gave His life on our behalf in order to redeem us. He gave EVERYTHING for you.

Now He is calling us to live our lives in order to give to Him by being a blessing to others. We have the ability to give because He lives in us. We are designed to give because we were designed to imitate our Father.

We have to settle the issue of our purpose for living in order to make the biggest impact that we can make with the rest of the minutes, hours and days that we have left on this earth.

Focus on the life of Jesus and what He gave to us, then allow that life of love to flow out of you and give.

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Become a Disciple by Continuing

Wednesday, 24 March, 2010 11:26 Written by Pastor Bruce 0 Comments

“If” is a big word to be so small.

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; – John 8:31 (KJV)

Believing on Jesus does not make you a disciple. There is only one thing that will make you a disciple and that is continuing in the words of Jesus. Jesus said this. He made the distinction.

Many folks believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Fewer people actually become a disciple of Jesus.

A disciple means a follower. Someone that acts on the example and teachings of another. An apprentice is a follower of his mentor. To do what you have been taught to do. “Doing” is the difference.

Knowing what Jesus taught is good but doing what Jesus taught produces freedom. Being free requires acting on the truth. Truth acted upon produces freedom. The price of freedom is acting on the truth!

Don’t be satisfied with being just a believer. Continue in the truth of God’s Word, act like Jesus and experience the freedom that only the truth can provide. Be a disciple…do His word at all times…when it is convenient and when it is not convenient. Continue…

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Submit is not a dirty word

Thursday, 18 March, 2010 11:35 Written by Pastor Bruce 0 Comments

“I did it my way…” (what a song to live your life by…)

(1Peter 5:5b) Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

Is it any wonder why the subject of submission gets a bad rap? In today’s society of MY rights, MY likes, MY dislikes, me, me, I, I… we still do not understand that life is not all about the big “ME”! God did not create us to be self-seeking and self-serving…these are attributes of Satan. Thinking only about yourself and considering everything that everybody has done to you or not done for you will lead you to a life of loneliness and bitterness.

The more that you perform constant self-examinations on all your hurts, pains and fears, the more that you draw into yourself and put up walls between you and everyone else. Like the Word says “God Himself resists the proud”.

To submit to God means to quit looking at what God can do for you and begin doing what God has told you to do by obeying His leadership. Pride is the opposite of submission. “I deserve better”, “if only they cared about me…”, “after all that I have done for you…” – these phrases reveal the heart of someone that is in pride. It is not recognized as pride because it is masqueraded with hurt and “weakness”. God cannot help someone in the middle of a “pity party”. He can only give grace to someone that submits themselves to Him and His Word to the point that they are willing to admit fault, receive instruction and then change.

Have you noticed how easy it is for everyone in the world to blame everyone else in the world for their problems? Indications of a proud heart…

The humble and submitted heart is the one that is doing the Word in every way. Obeying God, loving people (and not demanding from them). Love is not touchy, fretful, rude…it does not take any account of any wrong done to it…it doesn’t try to get it’s way.

Submission is not bondage, but true freedom!

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Self Promotion or God Promotion

Tuesday, 16 March, 2010 08:29 Written by Pastor Bruce 0 Comments

Is it really all about you?!

For the others all seek [to advance] their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). – Phillipians 2:21 (AMP)

How obvious is it that we live in a self-seeking, self-absorbed society? People are racing at the speed of sound to “get all they can out of life” under the guise of enjoyment and working desperately to make a name for themselves. Ever think about the phrase “name for yourself”? We are called by His Name to lift up His Name!

Jesus must become greater in our lives than we are. He must become the central focus in our lives and when He does the people that are looking at us will see Him shining so brightly that they will glorify our Heavenly Father (Matt. 5:16) … (not glorify us!).

Marketing has become the way of life in this generation. We market absolutely everything! (including water and oxygen!) We market ourselves and are in competition with ourselves to our own detriment. Whatever happened to “preferring one another before ourselves”? Or have we taken that out of “our version” of the Bible…? (Just a thought…)

Who are you promoting today? Do people glorify you or do they glorify God because of you? Our Father is expecting us to act like Jesus and when we do our interests become secondary and His interests become primary. We begin to look more like Him and in turn we are able to accomplish more of His will than our own. After all, isn’t that what it is all about? Not our will but His will be done in our lives? How are we measuring up?

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God Knows What You Don’t

Friday, 05 March, 2010 11:21 Written by Pastor Bruce 0 Comments

Are you in a place where you need to know something?

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. – James 1:5-6 NKJV

As much as you know, you do not know it all and you need wisdom…daily. God is the God of all wisdom. He knows all and wants to reveal things to us! This is great news!

We do not have to walk around in the dark and stumble. We can know what to do at all times.

We must ask God for His wisdom in faith and expect to receive direct, divine revelation from our Heavenly Father!

If you are dealing with a challenge or circumstance that you have no idea how overcome and exit victoriously, ASK GOD FOR WISDOM! Expect to hear His voice, follow the guide (the mighty Holy Spirit!).

God desires that you walk in His wisdom and counsel. Not only does He desire for you to walk in His ways and His wisdom, He has opened the door and has invited you to ask.

Ask and receive. Spend time with Him and He will show you things to come. He will speak to you and settle every issue that you are dealing with. He already knows what you need to know!

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