Do Not Back Down

Okay, just a precursor to this video. First of all, I know that this video was made for a group of women, and directed towards women, but what Beth Moore has to say in this video applies to everyone! Please take this to heart and my prayer request would be that you pray for me in this area as well. Please pray for me to have patience and to not lose heart, because it is so very easy to do. Enjoy.

Siesta Video Message from LPV on Vimeo.

Wisdom

"Obtaining spiritual wisdom isn't a once-a-week hobby, it is the daily discipline of a lifetime. But in this age of microwave ovens, fast foods, digests, and numerous 'made easy' books, many people are out of the habit of daily investing time and energy in digging deep into Scripture and learning wisdom from the Lord. Thanks to television, their attention span is brief; thanks to religious entertainment that passes for worship, their spiritual appetite is feeble and spiritual knowledge isn't 'pleasant to [their] soul'(Prov. 2:10). It's no wonder fewer and fewer people 'take time to be holy' and more and more people fall prey to the enemies that lurk along the way."
--Warren W. Wiersbe

James 1

Read it! There's a lot there, and when you break it down and look at all the pieces that start to come together in this chapter, it is amazing. I am teaching on this chapter tomorrow, actually today, now that I remembered what time it is, in Sunday school. I will not be able to do this chapter justice, as the depths one can go are enormous.

There is so much here.

1. Consider it a joy when you go through trials, because they test your faith and produce endurance. Endurance, then brings about spiritual maturity.
2. If you persevere under trials, once you are approved you will receive the crown of life. You will have the abundant life here on earth as well as in heaven.
3. God does not tempt you. You are tempted when you are carried away and enticed by your own lusts. God does not tempt, but He will test. There is a difference. Do you know what it is?
4. Everything from God is good and perfect. This never changes because God never changes. He is forever the same.
5. Look into the mirror of Scripture and examine yourself. See where you stand. Is the word of God convicting you of an area of sin? Then cast it aside. Be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only.
6. Ask God to give you wisdom so that you may be able to discern the things that come your way in life.

Almost each one of these points can be turned into a sermon real quickly.

Why do we need to ask God for wisdom? Because the enemy will try and deceive you any chance he can get. James tells us to not be deceived. If you want to be able to discern what is a trial, test, or temptation, you NEED God's wisdom. So ask Him for His wisdom.

So what is the difference between temptation and testing? Temptation is meant for destruction. Testing is meant for sanctification. When God tests us, He is growing us, molding us, making us more like Christ.

Exhort one another daily and pray for one another daily so that we may be able to discern when we are being tempted.

A Message For All of Us

Check it out. Tony Evans in chapel last Friday. Watch the video. It is worth it!

Click here to check out the video. Sorry, but I was not able to just embed the video.

The Temple Mount...

So I was looking at some pictures of Israel, found through a quick Google search, this evening. Ever since I began studying the Old Testament last year, I have really come to love the OT. I am not sure exactly what it is about the OT that I love. It may be the history there and seeing how the OT is absolutely relevant to us today. In any case, as I was looking at different pictures that people have taken, I paused for a moment as I looked at a large panoramic photo of the temple mount.

Right in the center of the photo is the Dome of the Rock. It is a Islamic building/mosque that was built in 691 and sits on the Foundation Stone, which many believe is where the Holy of Holies was located. Many disagree and do not believe this is the actual location of the Holy of Holies. In any case, to be certain as to not violate the law, many Orthodox Jews will not go on the Temple Mount because they are uncertain where exactly the Holy of Holies was located. Keep in mind the reason why this is of concern to them. Who was allowed to enter into the Holy of Holies? Who was not allowed to enter? What happened to those who entered, but where not permitted to enter? See how the OT starts to come alive?

Do not neglect the Old Testament. There is so much there that we gloss over and think is insignificant, at least I know that I have. Take for example the book of Leviticus. I think several people avoid this book for the simple reason that we are no longer under the law, but under grace, because salvation comes through Jesus alone. Therefore, they think that we do not need to know what God's law says.

If this is your opinion of Leviticus or the Old Testament in general, let me challenge you with something. I want to challenge you to read through at least Leviticus and Deuteronomy. If you do so with an open heart, mind and attitude toward these books, I think that you will come away from these books with a new look at God's holiness. At the same time, I think you will also come away with a renewed view of what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

The Old Testament is relevant to us today, and that includes the books of the law. I encourage you to read them, even though we are not under the law, but under grace.

Living Proof...

So I heard that the Beth Moore simulcast that took place this past weekend was really good. I have to say that I am jealous that I could not attend, as she is a phenomenal teacher. Anyway, that said, thought I would post this picture video recap that I found on the Living Proof Blog. Good song as well. I know that I need to seriously take the words of the song to heart more and more every day...Oh to grace how great a debtor, Jesus SAVES, Jesus SAVES!

Living Proof Live - Simulcast - Green Bay WI from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

Give Him Your Best...

I wanted to share with you our chapel service from last Tuesday. The speaker is Dr. Stanley Touissaint and he is speaking from Malachi 1, showing how we need to be sure and give God our best in all that we do. I sat here and listened to this message again tonight, and could not help but think at how my own attitudes and how much I whine and focus on myself affects me and my walk with God. As you will see in the sermon...How can I do less than give Him my best, after all He's done for me. I encourage you to watch it and let me know what you think.