Jesus admonishes us in the Beatitudes to be gentle. Is this a vestige of a quaint bygone era or is gentleness still a virtue? I hear much more about assertiveness, standing up for your rights and being aggressive in business than I do about gentleness. Have Jesus' words passed their expiration date. or have we as a society missed the mark?
I choose to believe that gentleness still works. Jesus' words are timeless.
Lord, help me to be gentle in a harsh world, kind in an unforgiving society, meek in an aggressive business world and obedient to Your timeless principles in a modern world.
Thursday, October 02, 2014
Wednesday, October 01, 2014
Does God Want Us to Be Happy?
God loves us very much. He cares about us. He understands us intimately. So, why is there all this sorrow? Let's take a look at what Jesus has to say: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Mat 5:4 Jesus actually pronounces a blessing on those who mourn. Why?
It is true that God loves us and wants us to be happy. However, to really understand this, we need to look at things from God's perspective. Hint: this is hard! Eternity is so vast that our short lives on earth don't even compare. In order to gain supreme happiness in eternity, we need to endure some mourning here on earth. So, God has an amazing plan for us to be happy. Our life here on earth is nothing more than a speed bump on the way to the happiness God has planned for us in heaven. Let's live for Him now so that we can live with him then.
Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
Jn 16:20-22
for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."
Rev 7:17
It is true that God loves us and wants us to be happy. However, to really understand this, we need to look at things from God's perspective. Hint: this is hard! Eternity is so vast that our short lives on earth don't even compare. In order to gain supreme happiness in eternity, we need to endure some mourning here on earth. So, God has an amazing plan for us to be happy. Our life here on earth is nothing more than a speed bump on the way to the happiness God has planned for us in heaven. Let's live for Him now so that we can live with him then.
Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
Jn 16:20-22
for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."
Rev 7:17
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Blessed Are Those Who Are Not Spiritually Arrogant
Blessed are the poor in spirit (those who are not spiritually arrogant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3
As I read this passage this morning, I wondered what a person who is poor in spirit it like. So, I checked the footnote. It said, "those who are not spiritually arrogant." That really opened my understanding of this verse. I had to wonder, am I spiritually arrogant? Am I proud of my spiritual accomplishments? Do I look down on others who are not as far along on their spiritual journey as I am?
Or, am I like Jesus: humble, meek, lowly and serving? Jesus preached boldly and powerfully. Yet, it was never beneath His dignity to to reach out and help a prostitute or someone possessed by devils. He was ready and willing to have lunch with a despised tax collector no matter what it would do to His reputation.
Lord, help me to be poor in spirit. Help me to live like Jesus. Help me not to despise anyone in my heart. Help me to be a servant.
As I read this passage this morning, I wondered what a person who is poor in spirit it like. So, I checked the footnote. It said, "those who are not spiritually arrogant." That really opened my understanding of this verse. I had to wonder, am I spiritually arrogant? Am I proud of my spiritual accomplishments? Do I look down on others who are not as far along on their spiritual journey as I am?
Or, am I like Jesus: humble, meek, lowly and serving? Jesus preached boldly and powerfully. Yet, it was never beneath His dignity to to reach out and help a prostitute or someone possessed by devils. He was ready and willing to have lunch with a despised tax collector no matter what it would do to His reputation.
Lord, help me to be poor in spirit. Help me to live like Jesus. Help me not to despise anyone in my heart. Help me to be a servant.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
He That Dwelleth in the Secret Place
http://shalombiblefellowship.org/messages/?download&file_name=2013-11-03-SBF%20265%20He%20That%20Dwelleth%20in%20The%20Secret%20Place.mp3
http://archive.org/download/20131103SBF265HeThatDwellethInTheSecretPlace/2013-11-03-SBF%20265%20He%20That%20Dwelleth%20in%20The%20Secret%20Place.mp3
Carl Swartzentruber
Romans 12
http://archive.org/download/20131103SBF265HeThatDwellethInTheSecretPlace/2013-11-03-SBF%20265%20He%20That%20Dwelleth%20in%20The%20Secret%20Place.mp3
Carl Swartzentruber
Romans 12
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Sabbatical
Thank you all for reading this blog.
I plan to take a sabbatical from writing. I feel that I need to focus on Bible study and building a closer relationship with Jesus personally. I plan to continue posting sermons, but I won't be doing regular blog posts for a while. May God bless you.
I plan to take a sabbatical from writing. I feel that I need to focus on Bible study and building a closer relationship with Jesus personally. I plan to continue posting sermons, but I won't be doing regular blog posts for a while. May God bless you.
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