Saturday, Aug 23, 2008

TWG - August 23, 2008

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TWG - August 23, 2008
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com
Numbers 1:20-54; 1 Peter 5

Today is August 23, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. TWG is a covenant to seek the LORD God with all our heart and with all our soul. If you seek Him, He will be found by you.

I didn’t quite get things wrapped up yesterday as I should have. I began well. I got the bulletin done. Ken came in with some memory and we upgraded the Sunday School computer as well as the Secretary’s computer. I ran to Lowes and Handyman hardware to pick up some parts to hang the new video screen. I had to spend a little time on the phone with Citi because someone somehow charged some items on our credit card. That was a concern. You can pray that that is an isolated issue and not related to some broader identity theft! After work I did music practice, and then it was off to Soccer Referee Training where we refereed a few games for Roseburg High. I put a picture of Marcia on the Blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. She’s picking up the Awana mailing from me. Check it out.

This week’s theme verse is Hebrews 5:11-14 We have much to say about this, and hard to explain, since you are slow to learn. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to maturity"

Let us go on to maturity. What is keeping you from becoming mature? There are a few things required for maturity; growth, competence, “aging,” experience and discernment. These are on the positive side of the ledger. But there are some things on the negative side of the ledger that may impede your progress to the goal. Let’s just say you have started on your way to maturity. You understand what you need to do to grow. You feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit and make a decision to follow Jesus. That was on Sunday. The Church service touched your heart as it so often does and you are ready to take on the world. But the reality of Monday morning blues hits you. Before you know it you have taken a detour off the path. Those same old sins spring up out of the ground like a bad patch of thorn bushes threatening to choke your spirituality away. Anger, lust, greed, frustration, gossip… whatever your problems are, they are flaring up with a vengeance. So you give in and do those same old sins again. What effect does falling into those sins have on your maturity? Simple… they move you backwards. Even when you realize your error, repent and confess them to God, you don’t get to return to the same place on the monopoly board. If you moved three spaces backwards before realizing the error of your way, repentance won’t bring you forward those three spaces… it only turns you around and changes your direction in the way you should go. Now you’ve got some distance to make up! You’ve not only hurt God, you’ve hurt yourself. Keep on sinning and soon you’ll be slipping backwards into a black hole. It is impossible for even a heartfelt “sorry God” to make up the distance you have lost. Maturity requires some things that accompany salvation. In the place of those thorny sins, the fruit of the Spirit must grow. To move forward in a positive direction, we have to replace our anger with tenderness, our greed with contentment, our gossip with edification, our criticism with kindness, our lust with love for Jesus. These are the roadblocks to maturity that will curse your life instead of bless it. Beware of them! Deal with them. Move forward. The next throw of the dice may get you a surprise trip to “Go” where you can collect $200!

Dear Lord. I do confess my sins for they are many. I do not want to see them obstruct my way to maturity. When I am down, I will choose to turn from my sins and walk hand in hand with you. You are what life is all about and I want to love you with all my heart soul and mind. Take me by the hand and lead me to maturity I pray.

Trust in the LORD forever, For in the LORD, is everlasting strength

Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 11:07 AM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

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