Challenge

I have a challenge for you, are you willing to except this challenge? Are you ready to see what God has for you today? This message will self destruct in 5 minutes. OK, not really, but it sounded good.

God is creating Himself a people that will obey His words, His call on our lives. He wants us to do, not just to be. He wants us to put what we know to work in our lives today, not just to put it off till tomorrow. It says in  James 4:14 is says "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." Or in Proverbs 27:1 "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring."

We do not know what tomorrow holds for us, but we know what He is calling us to today. Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." And there are more: Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 1 Peter 5:6-7 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

Those are not my words, those are God's words. He calls us to serve Him, not because it is easy, but because it is His honors and pleases Him. We were created, we were called to please Him. There are things we do that grieves Him and when we do not follow what the Bible tells us, can you imagine how that grieves Him? In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

My challenge today and the rest of the time is... Are you ready? In everything give thanks to God. He knows what you are going through, He knew you would go through it and it doesn't say only in the good do we give Him thanks, but in ALL circumstances. So no matter what you are going through, instead of questioning why, start thanking God for what you are going through, because in all things it will work out for His glory, not our own. We may not understand it, but He sure does. So in everything that you are going through, stop asking why and start saying Thank You Lord for ______ and thank you Lord for giving us Patience, Peace, Love, Joy, because He gave it to us so that we could walk in them and He will continue to pour it out on us, but we must walk in it. It is no longer about "I", I says why me, "I" don't want to, "I" don't like it. God calls us to stop with the "I's" and start walking in thanksgiving.

Thank You Lord__________________. God will change you, but you have to be willing to change and this is one change, but God will use it for His glory.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 "(Final Instructions)
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances;for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us. 26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

Action

I have heard it said, if we say but do not do, we are not willing to put action to our words. We can say a lot and do nothing and each time we do that, we remove the power behind the words we say. If I say I love you to someone, that love is not just a word, but an action, a promise to do what I can to show the person what that word means. To love someone isn't just when it feels good, but to love unconditionally all the time. When we say I love you Lord, that means that we are wanting to do what He calls us to do, because that is the true meaning of love. Love without action is just a word, to say Love means I am willing to do what it takes to represent my love.

To say I am a Christian, a Christ follower, means that I need to be willing to do what He calls me to do, to do it not out of obligation, but to do it because I want to follow Jesus Christ. He may call us to walk difficult area's in our lives, but we do it not to say I did it or because it is easy, but because it brings glory to God. We may be called to a certain thing, but we grumble and complain every chance we get, that isn't serving God, that is doing the opposite. If God has placed us there, He has a reason and we need to give Him thanks in every situation, in everything, that means the difficult position.

When you put action into each area that you are struggling in, it changes your view on things. I will explain. In marriage, you want to deepen your love with your spouse, the more you represent love, show love, the more you will begin to rekindle that spark, but it takes action. It isn't just saying I love you, it is backed with actually doing what that word means.

If I am constantly looking at life negatively and just say how bad things are. Am I actually giving thanks to God for everything that He has given me? No, I am not, I am actually doing the opposite, every critical thing I say, I am saying God I know better, that I know more than You and in doing so, I am not bringing God glory, I am not being a Christ follower, I am being a self follower. I am telling God that I know better than He knows. God says in Ephesians 5:20 "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." I have to put it to action, because no longer is it about "I", but Christ in me.

We have to be willing to put action into everything we do and say, if we are not doing it, we are just a clanging gong and ruin the very example that Jesus has called us to be.

How many words a day are said without action? How many times do we say something and do not follow through? Isn't it time to make every word we say count? Isn't it time to be who Jesus calls us to be?

Selfishness

I was thinking today about selfishness. Selfishness is defined as devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.

We are called to love the Lord our God the most, that is putting Him first in our lives, being first we are called to do what He calls us to do, but if I am doing what I want to do, because that is what I feel like, then am I putting God first? No, I am being selfish, saying my way is greater than God's way, it isn't honoring to God at all. The Bible, God's word is very clear about how I am to be, if I am a child, I am to honor, respect my parents above myself. If I am a single adult, I am to honor God's word in how to be to my parents still, or to my boss or to other people. If I am married, God is clear about how I am to be to my spouse. There isn't any questions on it, because the Word of God clearly defines our roles, if I chose to do it my way, I am placing myself above God, I am saying I know better than the creator of the universe, because I am more important than Him. I am being selfish.

The Word of God is clear, it isn't not to be about self. When we make life about self, than life seems to fall apart, we have a lack of joy, peace, patience, self control, we worry more about what others think, than what God thinks. James 3:16 "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice." Because we are making it about how I feel, what I want and how others view me, not what God wants. When we make it about what God wants, we put aside our childish ways of say my will, my toys, my things and we start looking at what God calls us to do and that is to walk humbly and growing in who God calls us to be. 1 Corinthians 13:11 "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me."

In marriages if selfishness is there, it will have a hard time surviving. God calls us to serve our spouse, but in the growing culture, we want what we want and that is it. It doesn't matter how our spouse feels or thinks, but can you imagine if both spouses are wanting to serve God the most? That changes everything, because no longer is it about my will, but God's will. That is such a change, such a different than what the world says, the world says do it for self, but God says do it to honor Him. Maybe if we change our thinking of why we are here, it isn't that God serves us, but we are here to bring God glory. Are we doing that when we worry more about self than Him?

With Eve, the serpent tempted her about herself, it was selfish desires and ambition, not about what God wanted. Today the Devil is using the same game, he is saying it is all about self, but God says make it about Him. The devil wants us to make it all about self, so when we are being selfish, when we are doing things that only bring me glory and only because I want to or do not want to, I am not bringing God glory, I am glorifying the devil, I am doing it the devils way, not God's way. Do you see how Eve sinned in the garden? Are we following in her footsteps or are we really serving God? It says in Matthew 6:24 ""No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." When we are trying to serve both God and ourselves it will not work, we must chose to serve only one. Who are you going to chose?

Here are additional scriptures that talk about selfishness and self-seeking.

Romans 2:8 "But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury."

2 Corinthians 5:15 "And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

Luke 9:23 "And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Proverbs 26:12 "Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

1 Corinthians 10:24 "Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor."

Philippians 2:3-4 "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

1 Corinthians 13:4-6 "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth."

Romans 15:1-3 "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”"

James 3:16 "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice."


Luke 21:8-9 "And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

Proverbs 21:15 "When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers."

Romans 6:16 "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?"

Ephesians 5:21 "Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Romans 12:1 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

1 John 2:15-16 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world."

2 Timothy 3:1-17 "But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ..."

Luke 17:33 "Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it."

Matthew 20:16 "So the last will be first, and the first last.”"

Romans 8:5 "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."

Matthew 24:12 "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold."

Revelation 3:15-17 "“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked."

Romans 16:17-18 "I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."

Romans 12:1-21 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ..."

Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

I believe that prayer isn't just saying our morning prayers, meal prayer, bed prayers, but it is so much more. I will try to explain. How often do you think you pray in a day? The Bible says to pray without ceasing, to keep a mind set of Christ. When we keep Christ at the center of our lives it isn't about what I want or do not want, but what He wants in me. Matthew 6:33 says "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Can you imagine if when hard or easy times came that instead of focusing on the struggles at hand, we change the way we think, we start thinking of how Jesus would handle the situation, it changes our thought process. Proverbs 3:5-6 says it the best way "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

When we become Christ followers, we need to be willing to change how we are, instead of being like the world who is quick to react, quick to anger, quick to expressing, we need to be James 1:19 "This you know, my beloved brethren But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;" or in Proverbs 19:11 "A man's discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression." These things were not written in the Bible just for a reading pleasure, they are written so that we may learn and follow them. There are examples from every aspect of our lives, but we must be willing to look. When we place Jesus at the center of our lives, it is no longer about "me". And then I am able to have a mind set of prayer and my heart has to be right with God. 

When I am selfish I think only of myself, I think of what I can get out of things. I will offer help, but hope that they do not take me up on it, because I only offer out of selfishness, not out of being willing to do what it is God is calling me to do. When I am selfish, I am not filled with the Joy of my Savior, because it isn't about Jesus, it is all about me. Selfishness is the opposite of being a Christ follower, because walking as a Christian it can't be about me, but about my Lord and Savior. He wants me to place Him at the center, to have a heart of worship to Him and for Him. When I stop doing things for myself and start living for Him, I start to see the change that will occur in me, because no longer is it about "I", but you Lord. When you are able to make it about living for Jesus, about making it that our actions are a representation of who He is in us, we start realizing that our lives are a living example of Him. It changes us, because He is changing us. Our actions are no longer about what I get from it, but what Jesus gets from it. 

We need to be willing to look at life through Jesus's eyes and in doing that, our hearts will be transformed from the "I" role into the "You Jesus". Our hearts need to be in an attitude of what brings Jesus glory instead of what I do for me. When I ask Jesus to change my heart, I have to be willing to do what He calls me to do, regardless of how I feel. That is laying down my self, my wants, because it is no longer about if I have time, it is what Jesus wants is more important than self. If you are unable to do this, the issue is not if you have time, it is a HEART issue, isn't it time to get your heart right with God. He needs to be the center and when you allow Him to be, then praying isn't about what time it is, it is about honoring God. It is saying praise you Lord and I love you Lord throughout the day, you don't have to say it out loud (if you do, people may look at you strange)... But it is keeping Jesus at the center of your thoughts. A hard situation comes up, cry out to God first. Someone curses the name of Jesus, pray that God bless them. Someone cuts you off in traffic, pray that God watch over them. 

When we change how we are, not because it is easy, but because of God. When it is no longer about what I want, but what He wants, He will begin to transform you into what He wants. This process is not easy, because He will be working out the selfish desires in you, He will turn up the heat, to purify you and your thinking. You can give up or you can press into Him more and more, because He is doing a work in you. Philippians 1:6 "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Isn't it time to live as Christ and stop living as the selfish, self-centered people that we are. Isn't it time to live as Christ calls us to?