The True Owner

Did you hear about the church that didn’t have enough room for parking? Fortunately, it was located right next to a store that was closed on Sundays, so a church member asked the store owner if they could overflow into his parking lot. “No problem,” he said. “You can use it 51 weeks out of the year. On the 52nd week, though, it will be chained off.” The man was grateful, but asked curiously, “What happens that week?” The store owner smiled, “Nothing. I just want you to remember that it’s not your parking lot.”

It’s easy to take for granted all the material and spiritual blessings that God has given us. That’s why we need to stop and remember that Scripture says the true owner of all we possess is God: “All that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all” (1 Chron. 29:11). Even our bodies do not belong to us: “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit . . . and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

As 1 Timothy 6:17 reminds us: “God . . . gives us richly all things to enjoy.” We are so abundantly blessed with good things! Let’s never take our Father for granted, but use wisely and gratefully all that He has given us. — Cindy Hess Kasper

As we all enjoy God’s blessing,
Oh, may we not forget Our Lord,
from whom all good gifts come—
In Him our needs are met. —Fitzhugh

God gives blessing to us so we can give glory to Him.

Our Daily Bread - Monday,December 27, 2010
http://mobi.rbc.org/odb/2010-12-27.html

Get to know God better

'Can you discover the depths of God?...' Job 11:7 NAS

It's not what you know but who you know. If you know the band, you get backstage passes. Or if your sister has a job at a pizza store, you know when to come in for a special. The Bible also says there are things we can have just because we know God. (1) Blessing. The more you know God and obey His will, the more you'll experience His blessings. 'If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children…' (Deuteronomy 4:40 NLT) (2) Peace. 'Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God…' (2 Peter 1:2 NAS) The more you know God, the more you'll be at peace. Sure, tough stuff happens, but facing that stuff with God makes a massive difference. (3) Wisdom. Paul prayed that God would give the Ephesians '…a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.' (Ephesians 1:17 NAS) Wisdom is seeing things the right way. Revelation is when God opens your mind and shows you things you otherwise wouldn't know. (4) Freedom. '…when you did not know God, you were slaves...' (Galatians 4:8 NAS) Without the confidence that comes from knowing God, you become a slave to circumstances, emotions, or other people's opinions. Refuse to live that way. Instead, get to know God better.

Saturday, 13 February 2010
http://www.word4u2day.com.au/201002122048/Get-to-know-God-better.html

You need both blessings and difficulties, because one without the other is neither

People who live in affluence for all of life (such as many people in North America and Western Europe) can easily become so accustomed to wealth, blessings, and prosperity that they can easily forget what blessings they actually have. However, if those possessions are taken away, those people will certainly look at life with a new perspective, realizing how much they really had.

You don't realize how much you have until you don't have it anymore.

God knows the importance of balance; that is, the importance of having both blessings and difficulties. There are several scriptures that speak about this balance. For example in 1 Peter 4:13, we are told: Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. Notice how we participate both in suffering and in joy.

Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 1:7, Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth: And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. They experienced both suffering and comfort.

Don't become too comfortable with what you have, because when you forget that the things you have are a blessing from God and when you start to assume that they are guaranteed possessions, it is quite possible that God will take them away from you in order to teach you that you need both blessings and difficulties, because one without the other is neither.

Weekly Wisdoms for the week of June 8, 2009

http://www.christnotes.org/ww.php?d=2009-06-08

Allow God to shape you

'…we are the clay, and You our potter…'

Isaiah 64:8 NKJV

Imagine a beautiful china teacup saying: ‘I wasn’t always like this. There was a time when I was just a cold, hard lump of clay. One day the potter picked me up and said, “I could do something with this.” Then he started to put pressure on me and change my shape. I said, “What are you doing? That hurts. Stop!” But he said, “Not yet.” Then he put me on a wheel and began to spin me around and around until I shouted, “Let me off.” He replied, “Not yet.” Then he shaped me into a cup and put me in a hot oven. I cried, “Let me out of here, I’m suffocating.” But he looked at me and said, “Not yet.” When he took me out, I thought his work on me was over, but then he started to paint me, then I was back in the oven, it was so hot! Then I he put me on shelf till I thought he’d forgotten me. Eventually I saw what had happened; I had become a beautiful teacup.’ There are things going on in your life today that you don’t understand. When you finally get to the place God wants you to be, you’ll realise that He has been making you into a vessel He can use, bless, and use to bless others. So, allow God to shape you!

Friday, 15 May 2009

http://www.word4u2day.com.au/200905141732/Allow-God-to-shape-you.html

A person who can't submit to authority has no business being in authority

Romans 13:1-2 says, Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

It is clear that submission to authority is a key requirement for being in authority. Rebelling against authority is rebelling against God because God has instituted that authority. God will not bless someone who rebels against Him. Thus, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience (Romans 13:5).

Furthermore, the Bible instructs you to obey your leaders and submit to their authority (Hebrews 13:17). This means that even if you disagree with your pastor, you ought to submit to him out of respect for God.

Therefore, submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men (1 Peter 2:13). Submit yourself to authority because a person who can't submit to authority has no business being in authority.

Weekly Wisdoms for the week of March 23, 2009
http://www.christnotes.org/ww.php?d=2009-03-23

Inner purity results in outer power

In Psalm 24:3, David ponders, "Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?" Then, he answers: "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior" (Psalm 24:4-5).

Here, David tells us that in order to stand before the Lord, you must have "clean hands and a pure heart." Such inner purity results in a "blessing from the Lord and vindication from God." What an excellent reward for keeping a pure heart!

Intuitively, to have God's power flowing through you requires a clear "path" through which it can flow. In other words, if you want God's power to be working in your life, you must keep a clean conscience and a pure heart. It's no surprise, then, that Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Matthew 5:8).

Having outer, visible power requires having a developed, mature inner life. A believer who tries to have a powerful outer life but lacks that pure inner life is like a tree with lots of branches that lacks roots. When the storm comes and the winds blow, the tree topples, because it has no roots. Likewise, you must develop solid "roots" in your inner life, if you ever want to bear strong, stable fruit in your outer life.

Similarly, in Colossians 2:6-7, Paul instructed the early Christians to be "rooted and built up in [Christ], strengthened in the faith as you were taught." We too, need to be rooted and grounded in God.

King David also knew the importance of inner purity. After he had ordered the murder of Uriah and committed adultery with Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 11), he obviously lacked inner purity. However, in Psalm 51:10, David asked God to cleanse him: "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." His desire for inner purity was necessary before he could "receive blessing from the Lord."

Since inner purity results in outer power, I challenge you to take David's prayer and make it your own.

Weekly Wisdoms for the week of January 5, 2009

http://www.christnotes.org/ww.php?d=2009-01-05