Inspiration for Today's World

Category: Tips (Page 2 of 4)

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 10

Do We Really Need God?

There is an amazing statistical correlation between the standard of living among people who profess to be Christians and their percent of giving. The lower their standard, the higher the percentage. In an anthropology study conducted in some of the poorest of neighborhoods in Mexico, time and money spent in pursuit of their faith were exceeded only by the money spent for basic survival. It was those in poverty who supported their church the most. The phenomenon repeats itself over and over all over the world. It seems that as our affluence increases, our priorities for stewardship wanes.

Why can this be?

“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” ~ Titus 1:9

This question goes deeper than just money. It manifests itself in similar terms with respect to one’s interaction with their church, their willingness to help others and the testimony of one’s faith. One possible conclusion that can be drawn from all of this is that the pull of wealth, a peaceful existence, good health and plenty of leisure time can insulate us from depending on our God.

This is not to say that today’s Christian Church does not believe in God. No, they just don’t really need God. For many of us, our lifestyles are such that we are not pulled toward our God until something happens. Sickness, a job loss, some difficult problems with our relationships suddenly open our eyes to our need for and dependency on God.

So what are we to do? Can any one of us change the hearts and priorities of those around us enough that this temporal world does not blind them from God? The answer is not too far away. We need only to look to the writings of the Apostle Paul and see his advice on this subject.


TIPS-10So who holds the title to your car, the deed to your home? Maybe this check list will help answer the question of whether you are the example to others of the generous steward.

Check List√

Do you regularly attend Bible Study to sharpen your skills in “encouragement?”

What is your plan for encouraging children?

Do you know the Word of God well enough to “hold firmly” to its message?

Can you defend God’s Word?

Are you a “teacher,” sharing your knowledge with those who pass through your life?

Can you name three people in your life: {a} your mentor; {b} your accountability partner: and {c} your protégé?


Do we REALLY need God?

First, Paul cautions us about watering down the Holy Word. He tells us to “hold firmly” to its message. To do this, we need to know the Message! And this is really good news because it is a great message to know. Our God gives us hope, now for this world and for the next one too.

Next, we are called to use God’s Word to encourage others. Yes, sound doctrine should always be paramount but it must also have a purpose. Scripture is not to be used to make people feel good about themselves. It is to be used to change people into more productive members of Christ’s great church.

God’s formula is simple, you share what you know by telling your own story. Your job is work on the “ears.” God then promises to take over and His job is to work on the “heart.”

The Apostle Paul goes on to tell us to “refute those who oppose it.” Unfortunately, in our world today, there is a lot of opposition. And why? Is hope for a life of purpose in this world such a radical idea? While our God has an eternal perspective, Christ came for us in this world. He came to show us the way, the truth and to be our light.

Your tip: Expand your knowledge of God’s Instruction Book, the Bible. Your life will be enriched for it.

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 11

A Sense of Urgency

If we can bring ourselves to reflect upon the Word of God and to conclude it is REAL, then I wonder why it is so hard to see urgency in the eyes of fellow Christians. The urgency that I am talking about is this: “What is going to happen to all of those brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, family members, neighbors, co-workers and the like who have not yet heard the Gospel’s wonderful message of grace and salvation?”

There is the one nanosecond before death theory. Like the criminals next to Christ, one responded right at the end and was saved. Another thought is the road to Damascus theory, that in spite of ourselves, God will shake us up. He will bring the Gospel to our attention, with lightning if necessary. Then there is the woman at the well theory. The Samaritan woman had a personal encounter with Christ. She went on to become her community’s evangelist. There are other stories, too many to write about, that tell the unlimited ways of the Christian faith journey. So why not just let God work at His own schedule?

Solomon, the “wisest man who ever lived,” stated in Proverbs 1:26-28: “I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and troubles overwhelm you. Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.”

The frightening thing here is that we are told God’s offer of grace comes with time limits. While we cannot, with certainty, know the length of time one has to accept Christ’s call, we know that should someone continue to reject the offer of His saving grace, God may pull back the offer.

If there was ever a reason to motivate each of us to be evangelists, it should be the people God has placed into our lives for the express purpose of hearing the Gospel, seeing the Gospel and feeling the Gospel. And the best news is that God wants His people to hear the Gospel from us, to see the Gospel in us and to feel the Gospel from our compassionate hearts.


TIPS-11There is no need to ever be reluctant to share one’s faith. The risk to the hearer is eternal and the risk to the presenter is non-existent. If someone you know needs to hear about Christ, you may be the only one who cares enough to tell them HIS story.

Check List√

Keep a mental list of people with whom to share your faith.

View evangelism with a sense of urgency.

Consider yourself empowered by God.

Believe that your simple story of what your life was before you know Christ and what it is now that you have a personal relationship with Him is more power than any natural or man-made disaster.

Be willing to step out in faith and leave the results to God.


Where’s the Smoke, Fire and All That Shaking?

When God spoke to His people, He did so with a lot of attention-getting pyrotechnics. Just look in 2 Samuel 22:7-12. Here you find earth quakes, smoke, fire, dark clouds, rain and lightning. It is obvious that today, God does not typically speak to us that way.

Today, we have a New Covenant, based on love and relationships. However, God is still very active in the communications department. While it is God’s Word that continues as His voice, it manifests itself in many ways: His Word created the universe; gives us a history of His relationships with people; provides the Ten Commandments; became Christ; spoke through the prophets; speaks through the Holy Spirit; and speaks through each believer. Yes, this is a big responsibility. No doubt there are some who would be moved more quickly by the smoke and fire approach. However, for now, that options is not available to us.

Your tip, therefore, is to remember each day that our God believes a Gospel lived and shared has the same power as earthquakes, fire, lightning, rain, floods and more. Awesome thought isn’t it?

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 12

How Did He Do That?

In Acts 17, verses 24 through 31, you can find one of the most concise testimonies ever given. Paul uses just eight verses to proclaim the Gospel’s message of good news. There is nothing new here. Most of us would find that Paul states the obvious. God is the creator of the world including mankind. Mankind’s purpose is to pursue a relationship with God, one that is repentive of our sinful nature. All will be judged by Christ. Mankind’s only hope of eternal salvation is dependent upon one’s belief in this message. (Please read those eight verses for yourself)

It is not this particular message of good news that makes this part of Acts such a good model for sharing one’s faith. To fully appreciate the Apostle Paul’s expertise, you should begin your reading at Acts 17:16. Paul often began his missionary activities by finding work in a new city. His work would bring him close to people where they could see Christ at work in Paul long before he even began to share the Gospel’s message. In Athens, Paul took time to get to know the people and their present belief structure. It was his knowledge of their “unknown god” that Paul used to describe our God to them. In presenting the message of salvation, the Apostle Paul never referenced any of the Old Testament. As a Pharisee, Paul could have dazzled them with his knowledge of Hebrew Scripture. Yet he kept his message short and to the point.

Paul did not even call Jesus by name. He just described Christ as the “man He (God) had appointed.” In providing the good news of eternal life, Paul also did not leave out the “bad news,” that judgment would escape no person and that repentance and faith were of equal importance to salvation.

Only “a few men became followers” that day. Numbers don’t matter. Here we see that all we are asked to do is obey and not worry about our skill and knowledge. Our message needs to be simple and clear, and we need to be faithful in service to our Lord.


TIPS-12Christianity is not complex. Sometimes we try to make it that way but the message is simple: we are created by God for a purpose; separated from God by our nature; saved by our God through the unselfish sacrifice of His Son. Those who can come to terms with this truth lead a different life. Others notice and grow to this same understanding.

Check List√

Can you share your story of your faith walk in a minute or less?

Do you know what the belief structure is of your neighbors and co-workers?

Do you believe that equipping each other to share faith stories is important to the Christian mission?

Are you willing to step out in faith and leave the results to God?


Magic versus Miracles

Did you ever see a talented magician pull a rabbit out of a hat or suddenly make a bouquet of flowers appear?  As children, we are mystified by how this is done.  As we grow older, we come to know that through slight of hand, special hats and hollow objects, magicians entertain us with their tricks.  Yes, this is magic.

But have you placed a simple flower seed in your hand, observed its simplicity and placed it in the ground.  Have you ever patiently nurtured the newly sprouted seedling, watered the young plant and kept those pesky weeds at bay?  Did you ever then pick the flowers from the plant you grew, placed them in a vase and admired them as their fragrance filled a room and their beauty filled the heart of someone you love?

That was not magic, that was a miracle.  And like my story, the plantings of a seed of faith, the nurturing of one’s faith walk is not magic, it is a miracle.  Miracles are happening all around us.  We just need to notice them.

 Your tip of the month, therefore, is if you want your own miracle, plant a seed of faith, nurture it with Christ’s love and watch it grow.

 

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 13

Which Way To Go?

Giving can take on many forms. One way or the other, effective stewards of God’s resources have a “heart” for giving. It is a consistent theme, be faithful through the joy-filled sharing of everything God so generously has given us. It is the human mind, however, that is always looking at the numbers, the results.

Giving is to be of the “First Fruits” of the harvest but not all hearts lean that way. Most of us would fulfill our needs first and then share from the leftovers. Of course, there are seldom enough leftovers. God does give us some examples to follow.

In Revelations, chapter 3 Christ Himself calls out to describe three churches. Sardis is the dying church. It had a reputation for being alive but it is now a reputation without reality. Christ’s Warning to Sardis is (a) Be watchful, be alert; (b) strengthen the few things you do have; (c) remember the Word you have received and heard; and (d) hold fast and be ready when I come.

Philadelphia is the serving church. They are responding to the opening and closing of doors around the world, ready to take advantage of the opportunities God presents. Philadelphia is under attack from the “false churches” around them who have popularity, influence , and money. However, Christ promises that He will take care of these enemies in the end.

The third is Laodicea, a democratic church that has stopped following its spiritual leaders or the authority of the Word of God. It is a church where truth has been diluted with error. The tragedy is that Laodicea is prestigious, wealthy and has political power, yet they are spiritually poor and do not know it.

When the hearts of men, women and children are awakened to the Holy Spirit’s influence and begin to listen to the Word of God, God changes them. They come “born again” as new hearts seeking a joyful relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And yes, they are generous with their “first fruits.”


TIPS-13Are you interested in changing a church or group so that it is effectively serving your community? It begins first by serving God.

Check List√

Is generosity part of your culture?

Do you willingly accept the generosity of others?

Are your youth generous with their “first fruits?”

Are you willing to set all other goals aside in defense of God’s Word?

Do you have a vision for the future that includes God?

Can you find the Holy Spirit alive and well in your life?

Do you give from your joy as a servant for God or from your wealth or surplus?

Do you trust God’s Word?


I Know a Shortcut, Follow Me

In Revelations 3:8, the Apostle John shares his inspiration from God: “I know your deeds.  See I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.  I now you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”

It would be nice to know that there is a short cut, a way of just finding God without the effort.  But there is none.  God can see the human heart, easy for Him, because He created it.  We are called to be faithful stewards of His resources, sharing generously and joyfully to those in need.  This is not easy without God “in our heart.”

So how do we let God in and keep Him in?  His inspired Word is a great starting point.  The Bible is the most widely printed, the most widely read, the most widely translated, the most widely appreciated book in the world.  It changes hearts, it changes lives, it brings joy, it inspires generosity that is unmatched in our world’s history. Give it a try.

Your tip, therefore, is to be faithful stewards with a joyful heart.  Oh what will we become if we give with joy?

 

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 14

That’s A Great Question

What would the greatest question be that we could ask God? It might be, “God, what to you want of me?” That is exactly what the prophet Micah asked God about 700 years before Christ was born. And we are really fortunate, because God answered Micah in a way that is an answer all of us can understand.

“ 6 With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God?  Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?  Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.“ ~Micah 6:6-8

Micah firsts asks God, do you want the “fatted calf,” the best that I have saved for that special feast. He then asks do you want what only the wealthiest have, thousands of rams. Not stopping there, Micah asks God, “do you want the impossible of me,” ten thousand rivers of oil? He tops off his list of questions asking God do you want the most precious thing I have, my first born?

Had God accepted any of these items as requirements of a relationship with Him, we could have ended our hope right there. In a way only our great God can respond, He gives us the answer to mankind’s most pressing question.

God says it takes only three things to have a relationship with Him: (a) to act justly; (b) to love mercy; and (c) to walk humbly with Him.

The justice we are called to is not our justice, but God’s justice. When men act, it often takes the form of vengeance, but our God has a perfect record on justice. Notice we are not called to be merciful but to love mercy. Mercy come from characteristics that include kindness, benevolence, and charity. It is the same mercy that God extends to each of us through Christ. And finally, a humble attitude required by the Lord will always show itself through a life of prayer, repentance, and service


TIPS-14It is perfectly acceptable to ask God questions. He loves it when we want to carry on a relationship. Do you have a relationship with God?

Check List√

Do you spend enough time reading the Bible so that you have gained an understanding of who God is?

Do you know what God expects of you?

Can others see God in how you ACT, LOVE and WALK?

Do you know what God’s Justice looks like?

Do you understand the mercy extended by Christ to all through His sacrifice?

Humility is a necessary component to hearing GOD – Do you perceive humility as a strength or a weakness?


It’s All About The “Verbs”

While each person may want to focus on the justice, mercy and humility requirements, God will want us to focus on the verbs.  These are to ACT, to LOVE and to WALK.

To act means that each of us is called to treat all others with the same justice that God treats us with.  It is not enough to complain, to let others take care of the world’s injustice, but we must act, move, get off the couch, put down the games, and do something good for God’s kingdom.

Loving is simple, we are called to love as Christ loved the world.  There can be no mercy without love.  Here, the heart is everything.

Finally, we are called to walk.  Humility is an interesting trait.  But walking means that we do not wait for others to come to us, but we go to them.  In a time and world that is so different, it is often hard to be generous and lead a life of service.  But we must.  It is the people of God that offer our world hope.

Your tip, therefore, is to heed the nouns of justice, mercy and humility but live the verbs of acting, loving and walking. 

 

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 15

Who’s First?

It’s strange, isn’t it that we rarely remember who came in second. In sports, dozens of teams play long and hard. Here comes the Super Bowl, the World Cup and the only glory goes to the team who takes first place. We bronze our children’s first shoes; look forward to their first steps; and fear those first teenage words, “Can I borrow the car?” Yes, it is first communion, first pick, first in line, first to finish and first place that count.

“This, the first of His miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and his disciples put their faith in Him.” ~John 2:11

With the first of everything carrying so much weight, one might ponder, Why would Jesus choose a simple wedding to manifest His Glory for the first time? Why not in the temple or before a large influential crowd? There are two ways to look at this question. Theology tells us this wedding feast is a picture of Israel: the wine had run out, the people’s supply was emptied by the feast yet their Messiah stood there, ready to help them. The six waterpots were used for ceremonial cleansing (see Mark7:3f), but the Jewish ceremonies could not help the spiritual bankrupt nation. It was without joy (wine is a symbol of joy in the Bible (see Ps. 104:15 and Jud. 9:13) and without hope. The nation had external ceremonies but they had nothing to satisfy them from within.

But why Christ’s first miracle at a simple wedding? This brings us to the second way we should look at this question. Weddings are a gathering of friends and family. They are joyful and celebrate life. To choose a wedding at Cana was to legitimize the importance of fellowship in Christian life. To choose Cana was to tell each of us that Jesus considers fellowship important enough to make it a “First Place” in our priorities.

Always remember that fellowship is what God wants with us too. It is all a matter of life’s priorities.


TIPS-15In an ever increasing electronic world, fellowship is often misunderstood. Fellowship is human to human.

Check List√

Do you attend functions where you can spend time with both people you know and people you do not know?

Do you demonstrate your eagerness for God’s Word through regular attendance at worship and Sunday school?

Do you seek the fellowship of people you do not know?

Does your conversation express the joy you have found in your own personal relationship with God?

Does your fellowship include time with a mentor, time with a protégé and time with someone who holds you accountable?


What Is So Special About 1st Place?

Fellowship, according to the dictionary means, having a friendly association with people who share common interests together. The key words here are FRIENDLY, SHARE, and INTERESTS.

To inspire people spiritually, is not a morose activity.  There needs to be joy, like that found in a wedding.  Sharing involves human interaction.  Watching the expression on someone’s face as you tell a story, the smile on your own as you hear about someone’s children.  Most importantly, the real joy that is shared when someone finally understands that our God loved us so much, He sent His one and only Son to assure we have a place in eternity.

Oh yes, there is that final one, interests.  Common interests are the bridge that is necessary to overcome the differences that exist in all of us.  There is nothing that promotes friendship faster than to find someone who is just as interested as you in some specific topic.

Your tip, therefore, is to believe that Christ’s simple, private joyful time at Cana is the model He wants for all of us.  It is how faith is shared, enhanced and most importantly, found.

 

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 16

There’s Fine Print!

God Expects More From Those Who Teach

It is often easy to feel good about what you do for advancing God’s Kingdom. You might be involved with church committees and have contributed time to those endless meetings. Maybe you volunteered to help out at services, or fellowship dinners. Maybe you helped decorate for Christmas, thereby showing others how to celebrate the birth of Christ.

For some, their communities are the benefactors of time sharing in home building, neighborhood clean up, or feeding the hungry.  And for others, it may be feeling good about the many hours dedicated to teaching children, teens or adults about God’s Word. This TIPS is dedicated to this last group, those who share their skills and knowledge with others so that the journey we each take through life can benefit from the knowledge of God’s plans for this world.

Yes, we call this group teachers because it is through their labor, discernment, prayers and sharing that the family of God grows in maturity. It seems that for these efforts there must be some special reward? Sorry, all that is said about teaching is in the fine print.

The Apostle James in 3:1 tells us, “Not so many of you should presume to be teachers, my brother, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Although a sobering statement, it was not meant to discourage anyone from their efforts. Instead, it was to point out the impact that teachers have on other people.

Jesus taught that the mouth speaks from what fills the heart (Matthew 12:34). So the tongue is actually fed from the heart, the motives, the spiritual core of a person.

Be cautious of the world’s paradigm of lights, music, gifts, fellowship, feasts and the like. In it all, the wrong message can be taught. The message of Christ is about a god-child, born in utter poverty, who came to show each of us the way to eternal life. Teaching is equipping others for life’s journey, from this world to the next.


TIPS-16Churches celebrate our God and Savior on an annual cycle. This should serve to remind us that it is the same cycle for life. We begin, live and grow, mature in our faith and celebrate eternity with our God.

Check List√

Share your faith with others as well as your bounty. Use holidays as they will often gather those in your midst who are hungry for more that food.

Tell the story of hope. It may be as simple as telling others what you were like before Christ entered your life and what He has meant to your journey.

By your words, let all know who you place your faith and salvation in.

Be generous to others. As Christ so often showed us, before we can teach we must first remove hunger and pain.


The Teacher’s Most Important Tool

James tells us that the teacher’s tool is their tongue.  He uses this analogy: “Although Ships are large, and driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”  For someone who teaches, they are held to higher standard because they have the power to set direction.

Our God calls all of us to be the rudder in our, families, church and community.  During times of  high winds, each should not hesitate to offer steady hands on the tiller.  Do not be silent.

When you step forward and set a direction for others to follow, do it with confidence.  Spend time in prayer and meditation.  Learn God’s Holy Word.  Trust that the Holy Spirit will provide guidance and counsel in all your endeavors.

The course or direction to set for others is not complex.  Our God asks us to guide the lost to Him.  He will embrace them in His love and forgiveness.  We have a good and generous God.  Our message is a joyful one.

Your tip, therefore, is to always remember: You can do all things in Him who gives you strength.

 

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 17

Building a 24 X 7 Community

It is difficult to separate the faithful growth of a community from evangelism, the sharing of faith. Driven by our believe in Christ is the one and only way to reach God, we are logically led to the natural desire of wanting to see our communities share that belief with us.  How then, do we balance the call to share the Gospel with our human desire to grow fellowship, in other words, increase or numbers?  Is it just a numbers game?

In Acts 6, Luke tells us that the early Church was in creasing in numbers daily.  Churches then were based on towns, communities.  In a short time, their numbers grew from 3,000 (Acts 2:41) to 5,000 (Acts 4:4).  That early community of Christians continued to increase (Acts 6:1) and increase (Acts 6:7).  One can draw some comfort from this early Church that counting heads is OK.  However, we must never assume that growth was their goal.  Growth was a result of some very fundamental steps taken by that early Church.

For some real insight, we can look to those early saints.  Acts 5:41-42 eloquently tells us how: “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because that had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.  Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”

 Early Christians were willing to pay any price to serve Christ and lived their faith daily.  A closer look at Acts 5:41-42 tells us how they did it: (1) daily Christian service; (2) service in God’s house; (3) service from house to house; (4) work for every one; (5) working continuously; (6) teaching and preaching the Word; and (7) exalting Jesus Christ.

Growth of the Christian community does not happen through the eloquence one person but through the work (24 X 7) of its believers.  As a united body of Christians, amazing things can be accomplished for God’s kingdom.  Just look at what 12 committed disciples did for God!


TIPS-17The call and oath of every Christian is to be faithful stewards of God’s Word and His Kingdom. Each person needs spiritual seeds daily to keep the harvest bountiful. These seeds are for our own nourishment as well as for others. Paul tells us we should plant them so that we gain even more at harvest.

Check List√

Pray daily: for your country, for your leaders, for your family and for yourself.

Boldly share your faith walk with others.

Get to know your neighbors and be generous with your faith.

Remember, service to God is 24 X 7, all week long, not just on Sundays.

Be willing to step out in faith and leave the results to God.


The Power of Prayer & Planting the Seeds of Faith

We need to go no further than our Bible to find our TIPS for this issue.  Acts 6:4 states, “…. and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word.”  Yes, pray alone, pray together for the Christian community.  Then step out and sow your faith among its diverse population.  2 Corinthians 9:10-11 states, “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us you generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 

A call to prayer, a commitment to the Word of God,  and service to our communities are the secrets to joy and peace on earth.  No where in the Holy Scriptures will you find advice to water down the Gospel’s message, to humanize Christ or use faith as entertainment.  The Gospel’s message is quite to the point: You have only two choices, eternity with the Creator or eternity without.

Your tip, therefore, is to pray daily for all the faithful, to be visible in your faith and to boldly proclaim Christ’s message of hope and peace.

 

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 18

Finding Hope

Why did Jesus choose so many of His disciples from the profession of fishermen?  Interesting question isn’t it.  Maybe, just maybe fishermen have a special attribute about their personality that makes them good disciples.

One thing for sure, to enjoy fishing, you need to be a hopeful person.  You bait your hook or pick your lure and cast it forward, not knowing if there are fish near by.  You wait patiently and wait and wait.  Most fishermen would agree that there is more time hoping to catch fish than catching them.  Even when you do catch something, you need to be concerned about its size, the season it is in.  Year after year, true fishermen purchase their tackle, buy their bait, wait and wait for a bite.  It is easy to see that most of the time spent fishing is spent hoping, not catching.

The Apostle Paul really summarizes this well in his letter to the Romans.  While he emphasizes that we need to be patient when things are not going well and always in prayer, he adds something that we are not all very good at.  Fishermen are always practicing their patience as they wait for a bite and they are always in constant prayer for that big one to bite, but the key seems that we are called to rejoice in our hope.

 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant ~Romans 12:12

Like so many concepts in our God’s Holy Word, sometimes it is worth thinking about exactly what does that mean?  To be hopeful is to  look forward with confidence or expectation,  to have confidence and trust.

Hope is a good thing.  It lifts the human spirit, renews the human heart and it is the foundation of a faithful relationship with our God.

Can faith exist without hope?  Not very well.  It is the hope of an eternal existence that has inspired mankind from the beginning days of our history.  However, it will be the hope given to us by  our Savior, who will deliver us.


TIPS-18Are you a hopeful person? Is your life half full or half empty? Do you wake up in the morning thankful for what you have?

Check List√

Make sure that others see you as a person of hope.

Be joyful in your faith—You have won the lotto of eternal life.

Never give up. There is always someone whose problems are greater than yours that could benefit from your love and caring.

Share a sunrise or a sunset with someone.

Like every fisherman knows, the big one is just under the boat. So don’t give up.

And like the Apostle Paul states, “be in constant prayer.” God would love to hear from you.


The Perfect Hope, A Lottery?

The first recorded lottery is from the Chinese Han Dynasty between 205 and 187 BC. The first known European lotteries were held during the Roman Empire. Used mainly as an amusement at dinner parties, each guest would receive a ticket, and every ticket holder would be assured of winning something.  Time would change the concept to a method of producing revenue.  In fact, your odds of winning today’s Powerball, a popular US lottery, are 1 in 292 million.

While the odds for this type of game of chance are very poor, you have to admit that for a single dollar, you can get a whole lot of hope.  It must be so because millions of people give their dollars, even though the odds of winning are terrible.

The question to ask, however, is why would so many people ignore God’s calling and His offer of hope, eternal hope?  Much better odds and it is free for the taking.  All you need to do is to acknowledge your need for repentance, place your hope in Christ and you win the big one, eternal life.

Your tip, therefore, is to always remember that only Christ offers perfect hope.

 

 

TIPS (To Inspire People Spiritually) News Letter No. 19

Separation & Sacrifice

It is difficult to imagine what Adam and Eve must have felt like right after Applegate. One minute, basking in the glory of paradise and the next, separated from God. Genesis 3:6 marks the black day for all mankind, Adam and Eve cowering in shame. Yet, only a few verses later, God moved quickly to establish one of the most fundamental components of our relationship with Him, Sacrifice. Read Genesis 3:8-11 carefully. You will notice one amazing little fact.

“The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” ~Genesis 3:21

Adam and Eve were hiding from God, or trying to. They were “ashamed of their nakedness.” Yet it was God who moved to clothe them in garments made of animal skins. These were history’s first sacrifices: the first intimation in Scripture that the effects of sin could be reversed by te death of a substitute. On the basis of that sacrifice, Adam and Eve were again able to fellowship with their God. The valley of separation was bridged, at least temporarily.

The garment in Scripture is a symbol of righteousness symbolizing the basic provision of God’s salvation by grace through faith in Christ. This concept is consistently supported (see Isaiah 64:6; I Corinthians 1:30; Revelation 19:8). Through sacrifice, we who are separated from God, re-establish fellowship with our God. This simple and consistent biblical theme is the basis for stewardship.

While the details of the actual sacrifice are not given to us, Scripture lets us conclude some interesting points. God moved quickly, without hesitation because separation from Him is dangerous. God did not wait until the end of the month to see if the herd was big enough to spare a couple of animals. God did not sacrifice because He needed anything. God sacrificed because we need everything. God sacrificed out of His love for Adam and Eve. God sacrificed His Son out of His love for us.


TIPS-19Stewardship to our church and community are important .

Check List√

Are you comfortable with giving to a church, to charities, to others in need?

Do you give of your time, talent, treasure and testimony from your “first fruits” or from “left overs?”

When others see you, do they see a generous person, who’s faith is in Christ?

Is your generosity sacrificial?

Do you view your generosity as a key component of your relationship with God?

Are you trying to hide from your God?


Why do People Try to Hide from God?

Hiding from God takes many forms.  One can ignore God and insist He does not exist.  Some may choose to define God as something He is not, ignoring what our Scriptures have given us.  There are those who are so busy that God never really gets moved up on the priority list.  Work, family, making money, even health issues can detract us from our relationship with God.

What Adam and Eve wanted was “knowledge” or power.  That is what the serpent promised them.  Yet all our God wants is our love.  God asks us to leave enough time in our life so that He can have a caring and loving relationship with each of us personally.

Humans are hard to convince.  That is why our God sent His Son to us.  Christ not only provided us a living example of our God’s character but provided us examples of how to live.  On the cross, Christ removed our fears and brought us into fellowship with our God.

Your tip, therefore, is to always remember that the garment of choice should be the skin of the Lamb, for He is clean and White and the Garment of our Salvation.

 

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