Luke 17:7

October 24, 2011

“’And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down and eat’?’”

We can’t opt out of hard day’s work prematurely.  We have jobs which require us to work that notorious 9-5 shift.  We don’t get to exit out of the workplace at 3:30, we are required to finish the whole day, no easy outs.  Ministry is a lifelong task in which the work is never done.  We are constantly on the clock, we can’t minister during the week, but go and party on the weekends.  Ministry is a constant we, as Christians are always being watched by those attempting to find a fault or flaw and call us out on it in front of the whole world.  This is why it is so imperative to not slack on our morals when we think we have gotten away from the everyday crowd.

In applying this I will pray for wisdom and discernment in how to not cause any to stumble and give a bad name to other Christians and our Lord, and never believe I am “off the clock” as a Christian.

Matthew 6:11

October 20, 2011

“’And blessed is he who is not offended because of me.’”

I’ve heard so many people say that God doesn’t love them and that he never listens to them.  God’s ways aren’t our ways; He has a different way of doing things and always sees the big picture.  People pray that someone they know with cancer will be cured and not pass away because of the ailment; but that may not be God’s will to heal them.  However; just because God doesn’t seemingly answer our prayers as fast as we like or to OUR expectations doesn’t mean He isn’t in control and still sovereignly sitting on the throne in Heaven.  It just means our will doesn’t line up with His perfect will and plan.  Jesus says we are blessed if we aren’t offended because of Him, we should never get offended at the work the Lord is going to do in the big picture.

In applying this I will continue to pray fervently for the softening of heart for people in my life that have become hardened to the Gospel that a door might be opened up to share with them. 

Galatians 6:8

October 14, 2011

“For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

What we do will always catch up with us, whether it be good or bad.  I have sowed some bad seeds in my life.  There are thorns and thistles that have been produced from previous actions in my life.  There are long term consequences that have come out of my sin and seeking to please my flesh.   Everyone has a goal in life, such as; going to law school and becoming a doctor.  In everything I do, my goal is to sow to the Spirit that I might reap everlasting life and have as many partake in that as I can. 

In applying this I will sow to the Spirit by sharing with people I come into contact with about Jesus’ sacrifice and that He wants all to be with Him in eternity.

Galatians 6:7

October 13, 2011

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

Oh, how often have I heard that ever so popular phrase “You reap what you sow.” There is just no getting away from this truth.  We cannot cheat God, no matter how hard we try.  The Lord sees all our works, and will either bless or curse accordingly.

In applying this I will keep in mind that God sees all of our works and God will react accordingly to what we sow.  When we do something good in secret, God still sees it and we store up our treasure in Heaven.  Likewise, when we sin and think no one sees it, like stealing that pair of socks; we will eventually face the consequences.  Nothing escapes the eyes of God.

Galatians 6:5

October 12, 2011

“For each one shall bear his own load.”

When we get to Heaven we will be held accountable on how we used what the Lord blessed us with.  We will not be judged according to what that one guy down the block did.  We are ultimately responsible for ourselves and how we live out our lives.  When given a task by an employer, I think everyone would agree it would be absurd to expect a fellow coworker to complete a task that was delegated to me.  We are responsible for ourselves and no one else.  This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care about others or help others out when we see they are in need of a hand, but we shouldn’t expect someone to do our job.  In the body of Christ, everyone has a job and a weight to pull.  In advancing the kingdom, working together collectively at our individual tasks will allow for the most efficient way for furtherance.

In applying this I will worry about completing the workload that has been delegated to me by God and not let up on the gas because I notice someone else isn’t doing the same thing, and always keep in mind their calling might be completely different from mine.

Galatians 6:4

October 11, 2011

“But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”

So often we find ourselves comparing ourselves to others.  This is a very dangerous practice which can end up getting you into quite a bit of trouble.  It is not our job to examine other people’s lives and what they are doing wrong, it is our job to look into our life and weigh it against what the Bible says.  How can we fully live for God if we are comparing to others and just doing what another might be able to get away with doing?  We need to fully live our own lives for God, and not what we see in other people and what they are or are not doing.

In applying this I will not worry about what another is or is not doing and not worry about doing more than someone.  When something needs done, do it!