Good morning all,
I hope you bear with me until I can fix the outlook (I downloaded the beta version and now look at me)...Nevertheless we shall move on.
In my daily reading I Corinthians 10 was one of the chapters included. Verse 31, the latter part, spoke to my heart and reminded me how we should function in church, home and society (from the work place to relaxation). The Apostle Paul says mid-way through: "...whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." That word 'ye', is plural, much like us southerners when we say "ya'll", we are meaning 'you all' as speaking to a group. In other words, Paul is relating this verse to ALL of us and in ALL we do.
This verse it written in my heart and my mind, along with its sister verse Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Throughout the day, this verse will ring in my heart, when tempted to react in way that is pleasing only to self or to 'fire back' at someone acting foolish, I think on these verses.
Here is the thought for today...this weekend...the month... and the year. Every task at hand that you must perform, think on whom you are truly doing it for. If we work, teach or live solely for the glory of man then our boundaries and limitations are set by man. Meaning, when man reacts in the manner as man is inclined, we will justify doing the same (i.e. "i was forced to this!"). This is what happened in the Garden of Eden; the Lord ask Adam if he had eaten of the tree he was commanded not to eat; the first thing he did was blame Eve...She blamed the serpent. The reality of it all was that Adam was blaming God! (Look at the verse in Genesis 3.12...Adam says "The woman that THOU gavest me")
How often do we do this? We have been given a job, by the Lord (all things come from above), yet when we get in a bind mankind bends the rules. We have been given a family, by the Lord, yet when things get tough or tight, mankind will bend the rules (financial, forgetfulness or forsaken). We have been given a church the Lord has given us (Ephesians 5), yet when mankind gets tired or 'too busy' they forsake the church. Why is this? Simply put, mankind is working (operating/functioning) for the glory of man and not God. That does not mean we are not to respect others and especially our superiors, as a matter of fact in the same chapter Paul says: Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. I Corinthians 10:24 We are to thrive to help one another, to see that those around us are benefited, thus pleasing and binging glory to the Lord.
Look at the other side, quickly, if we do all that we do to glory of God; we will do the right thing no matter what... Even if it means less money, less gain, less personal time or less play time. When we operate to the glory of God, our own mind and heart begins to conform to His mind and heart. That way we lean on His understanding and not our own (Proverbs 3.5-6).
How do we put this application today? When you are placed into a situation where you must decide what or how to do a task; ask or search out what would be pleasing to the Lord. The answer is not as hard as it may seem...
I hope and pray you all have a wonderful day.
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
www.ntbctn.com
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Weekly Words of Encouragement Vol 2, Issue 6
Good Morning All,
Again, please excuse the use of the yahoo email, until the outlook runs its protocol it looks like I am stuck doing so.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful week thus far. Almost building upon last weeks 'words', I want to spark this question: What does a day hold? We spoke last week concerning kindness toward other people...It weeks past we heard about pressing or passing opportunities. Last week a friend of mine gave a speech to his business market centralizing the theme around 'kindness'. In his exact words, "this year we are going 'shower' everybody that walks through the door with kindness." It not only has made me think, but more importantly it was made me 'do'.
James said: "...he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James 1:25
We hear all sorts of things in our life, especially from the word of God. In the realm of business we can apply what is taught in the Scripture, to do business God's way. The same principle applies in the home; we can have a home built after God. Guess what it is going to require? Two things, Kindness and Doing! If we only take in what should be performed and doeth it not, then we have become a forgetful hearer, one that just absorbs and never gives back. If we refuse to take in, then we wither away, having neither strength nor substance to give. It this case, kindness is the simplest attribute we can utilize (by the way I did not say easy, simple and easy do not always hail from the same corner). I have noticed this week alone, the responses from people when a 'little extra kindness' is thrown their way...guess what? They throw a little back!
So in other words, exercising kindness (which is the doing of what you have heard) is in a great way, benefiting yourselves as much as it is benefiting those we are being kind to. After all, we did have the greatest example to follow "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32
Just think of the effect you can have on at least one person today, by showing just a little extra kindness to them. Again, looking back to past 'words', it may be the deciding factor of a major event in that person's life. Furthermore, kindness can carry with it a long standing effect, because what kindness ultimately does is comfort the receiving soul. And remember, it will come back your way, the wisest man in human history wrote: “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” Ecclesiastes 11:1
It will come back...but you have to cast it first... I hope and pray that each and every one reading this today has a wonderful day!
Till the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
www.ntbctn.com
Again, please excuse the use of the yahoo email, until the outlook runs its protocol it looks like I am stuck doing so.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful week thus far. Almost building upon last weeks 'words', I want to spark this question: What does a day hold? We spoke last week concerning kindness toward other people...It weeks past we heard about pressing or passing opportunities. Last week a friend of mine gave a speech to his business market centralizing the theme around 'kindness'. In his exact words, "this year we are going 'shower' everybody that walks through the door with kindness." It not only has made me think, but more importantly it was made me 'do'.
James said: "...he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James 1:25
We hear all sorts of things in our life, especially from the word of God. In the realm of business we can apply what is taught in the Scripture, to do business God's way. The same principle applies in the home; we can have a home built after God. Guess what it is going to require? Two things, Kindness and Doing! If we only take in what should be performed and doeth it not, then we have become a forgetful hearer, one that just absorbs and never gives back. If we refuse to take in, then we wither away, having neither strength nor substance to give. It this case, kindness is the simplest attribute we can utilize (by the way I did not say easy, simple and easy do not always hail from the same corner). I have noticed this week alone, the responses from people when a 'little extra kindness' is thrown their way...guess what? They throw a little back!
So in other words, exercising kindness (which is the doing of what you have heard) is in a great way, benefiting yourselves as much as it is benefiting those we are being kind to. After all, we did have the greatest example to follow "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32
Just think of the effect you can have on at least one person today, by showing just a little extra kindness to them. Again, looking back to past 'words', it may be the deciding factor of a major event in that person's life. Furthermore, kindness can carry with it a long standing effect, because what kindness ultimately does is comfort the receiving soul. And remember, it will come back your way, the wisest man in human history wrote: “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” Ecclesiastes 11:1
It will come back...but you have to cast it first... I hope and pray that each and every one reading this today has a wonderful day!
Till the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
www.ntbctn.com
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