Penetrate the Culture

Devotionals by The Alternative

Dr. Tony Evans:

In His Presence: Colossians 3:17

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world . . . Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-14, 16).

When we look closely at a culture that is deteriorating, we will probably see the people of God withdrawn from that culture. For example, when Christians began abandoning inner city and urban neighborhoods, taking their skills, resources, and moral influence with them, those neighborhoods deteriorated. When Christians left the public school system, moral values were systematically erased until they became almost illegal to teach. When Christians vacated the media, a spiritual approach to defining everything we hold dear went with them. When Christians decided to get out of politics, righteous political decisions left with them.

God’s people have been called to penetrate society. Of course, evangelism is always first because without forgiveness of sins, anything else we give a person is temporary. We have been called first and foremost to win people to Christ. But after a person receives Christ for eternity, he must represent Christ in history. Christians must give out hope; no earthly institution offers real hope for the world.

One Minute Please

The absence of righteousness in our culture has everything to do with the absence of God’s people penetrating the culture. When there is no yeast, the bread stays flat.

Source:  Are Christians Destroying America? Pp. 31-34.

Encouragement

From: The Unofficial North Point Blog:

Life App #5 [Encouragement]

April 19, 2011 in Chad,Messages with 0 Comments

Final Life App... Encouragement

[Sunday Message Review tuesday]

Jeff Henderson –  Life App #5 [Encouragement]

Jeff did some research pointing out that during conversation the ratio between encouragement and criticism is:

1 encouragement to every 6 criticisms

World Full of Toxic Talk

You and I both know this is true… the worst part is that its even true of Christians. When you look at this shocking fact you realize why the workplace is the way it is, why marriages are failing, and children turn out the way they do. This is toxic and must change.

Proverbs 11:25 – … whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

God is always sending people into our lives or circle of influence. We have the choice to speak life into them everyday. According to the proverbs this in return will leave you refreshed.  Truett Cathy said it best…

If a person is breathing then they need to be encouraged.

Encouragement vs Criticism

Our Role:

You must continue to ask the question…What is my ratio between encouragement and criticisms? Jeff quoted this Sunday,

Don’t wait to breathe life into someone at his or her funeral, breathe life into someone while it’s still called today.

What if God has called you to be a voice to the people in your life? We must change the scale and start to encourage more.

Bottom Line:

When you replenish others you will be replenished.

-Chad

Hillsong - Lead Me To The Cross

Hillsong - Lead Me To The Cross


Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemptions hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and trialed
You are
Te word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risen

To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

Tested Before Proven

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.C. S. Lewis

In case you can't tell by the title of the blog, I love airplanes. In fact, I have a fascination with most modern marvels that extend human capability: trains, planes, bridges, cars, you name it. But none of these inventions became what they are over night nor without proper proving and testing.

When we allow God to move in our lives it works the same way. In order for us to reach our full potential and purpose, we have to undergo a period (actually, several periods) of testing and proving ourselves ready to move to the next level.

Testing 1, 2, 3. Seriously, would you want to fly in an airplane that hasn't proved it's ability to fully function as an airplane ought to? I wouldn't! How then can we expect to be who we're meant to be without proper testing and proving? There is a huge element of responsibility in carrying out God's purpose for our lives that He and we have to know for sure that we're ready to go. Just like we entrust our life in the air to planes, we have to be able to trust and believe in ourselves. No "fake it til" you make it here.

Multiple Choice? Essay? What does testing look like? It's been my experience that you should be careful what you ask for because God will give it to you in ways that you don't expect! If you ask for patience, He'll send an "annoying" co-worker. If you ask for love He'll send you someone who needs it more. If you ask for success He will teach you how to handle failure. God uses unique challenges in our lives to test our ability to respond and overcome. Through that overcoming we find out who we are and gain the wisdom and experience to help shape us into who we are called to be.

Have you experienced testing and proving in an area of your life? Did you think you were ready to fly but found out you weren't yet?

Bible Talk 101: Reconciliation

Bible Talk 101

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Reconciliation

In Colossians 1:21,22, the word there used refers to a change wrought in the personal character of the sinner who ceases to be an enemy to God by wicked works, and yields up to him his full confidence and love. In2 Corinthians 5:20 the apostle beseeches the Corinthians to be "reconciled to God", i.e., to lay aside their enmity.

Romans 5:10 refers not to any change in our disposition toward God, but to God himself, as the party reconciled. Romans 5:11 teaches the same truth. From God we have received "the reconciliation" (RSV), i.e., he has conferred on us the token of his friendship. So also 2co 5:18,19speaks of a reconciliation originating with God, and consisting in the removal of his merited wrath. In Ephesians 2:16 it is clear that the apostle does not refer to the winning back of the sinner in love and loyalty to God, but to the restoration of God's forfeited favour. This is effected by his justice being satisfied, so that he can, in consistency with his own nature, be favourable toward sinners. Justice demands the punishment of sinners. The death of Christ satisfies justice, and so reconciles God to us. This reconciliation makes God our friend, and enables him to pardon and save us. (See ATONEMENT .)

How to Save a Nation in Trouble

Devotionals by The Alternative

Tony Evans

In His Presence: 2 Chronicles 7:11-22

“[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land”(2 Chronicles 7:14).

King Solomon reigned over Israel. In 2 Chronicles 6, Solomon had just finished building God’s temple and had offered up a prayer of dedication. In this prayer, Solomon was basically saying that he wanted to lead this people as God wanted him to lead. After the prayer, God’s glory came down to the temple and filled it. The people offered sacrifices and held a feast. Later that night, the Lord appeared to Solomon and told him that if the people ever rejected His ways and turned away from Him, the prayers of His people would be heeded.

God will deal with a nation that turns its back on Him. If a culture wants to be free of God, He will let it have that freedom. But freedom from God brings dire consequences. Pagans do not normally turn to God when things get rough. But this Scripture isn’t addressing pagans; it is addressing “My people who are called by My name” (v. 14). The people who are supposed to pray for their nation are God’s covenant people. In the Old Testament, His covenant people were the Jews. In the New Testament, the covenant people are the church—the body of true believers who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Sin-bearer and Redeemer.

One Minute Please

God will pay attention to our prayers when we come to Him humbly, seek His face, and turn from our ungodly behavior.

Source:  Are Christians Destroying America? Pp. 124-132.

You're Doing Too Much

"The primary reason we do too much is that we have never taken the time to discover the portion of what we do that makes the biggest difference." - Andy Stanley

Burnout, frustration, fatigue, lack of purpose or fulfillment. Maybe it's not because you're doing so much but instead you're doing too much of what doesn't matter or doesn't fulfill you. I encourage you to take some time this week to consider the things you do and which one makes the most positive impact or difference in your life and the lives of others.

Do more of that and cut out the fluff.