January 9, 2008 Reading Schedule

Read Genesis 23-24 and Matthew 7

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Matthew 7:1 is probably one of the most quoted verses of the Bible, by Christians and unbelievers alike. Judge not. Don't judge others. Sounds simple, but if I'm being candid (and why not? I'm a single rider for now) it's probably the area I have the most trouble in, even if it doesn't show. Now, don't let that scare you...my Jesus freaks got my love. It's the people I'd just as soon keep out of my inner circle that get it with both barrels...and probably never even know it. But God knows. He hears my thoughts; unfortunately, all of them. Yet He loves me anyway, and as an added bonus, at no additional charge, He provides me with the Help of the Holy Spirit, who manufactures the love for me to love those I couldn't possibly love in my own strength.....a great thing about God is He doesn't just tell us to do something; he provides the help we need to do it...if we ask. Say it with me class: How cool is that???

I love that God is so simple! ASK, SEEK, KNOCK. No magical formula, no impossible works system....His entire treasure trove of spiritual blessings is right in front of us! A.W. Tozer once said, "You can have as much of God as you want." I don't know about you guys, but I don't like to ask for things. I figure other people should anticipate my needs and just magically know what I am in need of. That was a real stumbling block for me, incidentially, in my friendships. I wrongly expected my very close friends to just have this supernatural knowledge of what was going on in my head. That was wrong, and if I've done that to any of you, please forgive me. God, my best friend, already does know, and not only that, He loves it when I ask for things! Not things like a new car necessarily, but things that are within His will for me to have, like the Holy Spirit, more love, more conviction, more power to resist sin. Can I get an amen?!

17:23 I have become a church snob. That's right. See, my judgemental nature dislikes snooty people, phony people, and people who say they're Christians but don't act like it. I attended a church last summer where you didn't even have to sit in the sanctuary. You could watch the service from the coffee bar on a big TV screen. Someone I know who attends there had actually hung out with the pastor the week before in the sauna of a local gym and didn't even know it was his pastor! Don't judge them; pray for them, and be sooo glad we have our little Calvary Chapels, where the people know and love each other, warts and all, with a genuine, stubborn love, and where apples, oranges, mangoes, and pomegranates abound. Good ones, farmer's market quality. I think we're known by our fruits, guys, and I am happy and proud to be part of a group of people who are.

January 9, 2008 at 3:29 PM

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