Wednesday's Word - Gimme!

Hello All,
Okay, the word of the day is "Gimme" - Say it with me "Gimme." Now shout it out like one of them crazy info-mercial audience people "GIMME!!!!" - Or if you're into grammatical correctness.... "Give me". :)

I don't spend a lot of time focusing on the "things" that are made available to us as believers. I think sometimes it can tend to draw the focus away from The Giver to the gift, or worse still, the givee. I ask the question: If God(Father, Son & Spirit) wasn't in Heaven, would you still wan't to go? This shouldn't be a hard question, but it makes my point.

But there are times when its right and appropriate to realize and walk in the fact that God has given us some very wonderful things.

Here's the Word:

Ephesians 4:11 - 12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:


1 Corinthians 12: 4- 7 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.


Scripturally, as believers, we realize that we form a cohesive unit called "the body" and every member of the body is gifted in someway to facilitate the purpose of the body. Your purpose is your gift to the body. So what's yours? Something about that "thing" God gave you may not be particularly easy to figure out. You may not see it as noteworthy. But once you do figure it out and get to doing it, it will bless the body. Fact of the matter is; It was God's intention to bless the body when He gave you what He gave you.

Please, my intention is to encourage you. If you don't know what your gift is, try to discover it. If you're not exercising your gift in ministry - you need to be. The body will do better with your 'gifted' input. If the body could say it you plainly- You've got something we need. "Gimme!"


In Him,
Cros

Wednesday's Word - Singin in the Reign

Hello All,
You may not consider yourself to be much of a singer; then again, you just may have skills the skills to pay the bills. Either way, when was the last time you took the opportunity to warm it up? Your worship voice that is. I could be way off the mark here but I don’t see any delineation in the Scriptures as to the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ of who needs to be involved when it comes to making a joyful noise. And I also don’t think that the song of choice matters as much as the heart behind it. I can totally feel anyone who wants to break out in song using an old well-known hymn like “Amazing Grace”. I can also get with someone who does a remake of Heatwave’s “Always and Forever” with a heart of worship to God. I tend to do that a lot myself. One of my favorites is “Longer” by Dan Fogleberg (no snickering please). I even change the words a bit to make it juuuusssttt right.

So what’s your favorite song that just captures your heart and makes you wanna sing out loud in worship?

Here's The Word:

2 Samuel 22:50 Therefore I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name

1 Chronicles 16:9 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

Psalm 9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

Psalm 33:1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

James 5:13 [ The Prayer of Faith ] Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.

1 Corinthians 14:15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.

Well today, my prayer for you is; as you go about your day(s), you would seek opportunity to warm it up. Maybe a song on the radio will get your attention in a way it hasn’t before. Or you will simply choose to enjoy your drive-time, the shower or wherever you can cut loose with fear of scaring or scarring anyone within earshot. And that you would be totally focused on the vision – an audience of One – The Lover of your soul.

There will be much rejoicing and singing when Jesus reigns over the new Heaven and the new Earth in victory – so though I’ve yet to get my glorified body with a voice that will knock your socks off - Why wait? If the Lord already reigns in my heart , I can sing in the Reign right now!

In Him,
Cros

Wednesday's Word - Working Your Abs

Hello All,
Ever notice when you first work out after a long hiatus - things hurt a little more than usual? Amazing how that concept carries over to the spiritual (to some degree). I would suggest that you put it to the test, but I just can't convince myself to recommend that you not give, not take time for devotional or to hold back from doing any other thing that benefits your spiritual well-being. Well hopefully today's work out won't having your abs aching tomorrow. Hopefully you'll be able to share your exercise tips with me to strengthen my abs. Hopefully your abs are so impressive, that you're an inspiration for those around you to wanna tighten up their abs - am I done hoping yet? Not hardly but let's get on with it.

First Ab workout: Abide

Here's the Word:

James 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

1 John 2:24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

Second Ab workout: Abstain


1 Thessalonians 5:22 abstain from every form of evil.

2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, " The Lord knows those who are His," and, " Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness."

Now wickedness and evil ain't just the really bad stuff. I could be wrong but I suspect these are the things listed BEFORE the fruit of the Spirit :

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Now when you can rid yourself of these annoyances - that's when you know you're getting a real GOOD AB workout

The relationship between these two "Ab" exercises is that they require active participation on your part. There's no magic pill or no battery powered gizmo that you can attach to yourself that will give your abs the result that only good ol' spiritual stamina and all out determination can produce. The beauty of this relationship is that the more you do one, the more you're able to do the other. The more you abstain, the easier it is to abide. The more you abide, the more efficient you become at abstaining. And with the promise of blessing that comes from abiding - now that's the kind of exercise results we're all looking for right? ABSOLUTELY!

In Him,
Cros