Wednesday - "Word and Deed"

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT2): “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

We often hear that we are supposed to do "good things" with our life? Unfortunately, the word "good" is highly subjective. Does that mean that we are supposed to be kind to people...treat them well...take care of their needs? Could it mean more than that?

I think today's passage talks specifically about living out our lives in two ways:

1) Do Good With our Actions: As Christ-followers, every thing that we do is watched. I know that a little scary, but it's true. People that don't know anything about Jesus are watching how you handle yourself, how you deal with crisis, how you treat others, how you take care of your body, etc. Each of our actions should directly reflect what Christ modeled for us and told us in His Word. Even though we might tell people that we are living for God, it is our actions that convince them.

2) Do Good With our Words: The way to "do the good things" through our words is directly related to the condition of our hearts. I have heard it said that "what is down in the well comes up in the bucket." I believe that is true. What we have in our hearts is reflected in how we communicate with others. If we harbor resentment, bitterness, or anger, we will unleash that on others. However, if we want to do the good that Christ has told us to do we should focus on this verse:

Philippians 4:8 "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

Each day, our word choices are evidence of the condition of our hearts and our minds. Doing good with our words starts by focusing on God-honoring things.

If we want to do the good things that God has planned for us...we need to live lives that honor Him in word AND deed.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Friday

Greetings Internet Campus, Welcome to Friday!

It's been a fun and challenging week as we've learned the first 4 steps in seeking God's will for our lives: Let's review: 1) Be obedient to what God has already shown us 2) Pray and seek God's wisdom 3) Make glorifying God a priority

Here's step 4

Step 4: Saturate yourself with the Word of God.

Matthew 4:4 "Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

There is no better way of knowing what’s important to God than by reading His Word. The Bible clearly states God’s position on a large number of issues and a systematic Bible study will reveal many of these to you. Picture a wheel on an old cowboy wagon. The hub keeps the wheel centered on the axle. The stronger the hub the greater pressure the wheel can withstand and still be correctly centered. The "hub" in our spiritual wheel is the Word of God. The more we saturate ourselves with the Word of God, the better we can stay centered.

Why does God want to us to read His word? Simple. It's His love letter to us...it contains instructions on how to live...deal with others...find comfort when we're down...even how to pray. As a Pastor, I am often asked two key questions about reading the Bible:

1) Which translation is the best?

2) How long should I read it for?

Here's the short answer. Choose a reliable translation of the Bible that you can understand and apply to your life. Some that are commonly used at Flamingo Road Church are: New Living Translation, The Message (paraphrase), and the New International Version. If you don't understand your translation...don't get frustrated...find a reliable, well-researched Bible version that you can understand. If we're challenged by scripture..let's be challenged by the verse's application to our lives and not by the translation.

The other answer is: as long as you need to. Some have time to read the Bible for 30 minutes to an hour or longer...some only a few minutes. The keys here are consistency and communication. Read consistently each day no matter what. Set aside a special time to get together with God reading His word. Maybe that time is right now. This blog/devotional may be helpful in your walk...but shouldn't replace the actual Bible reading that God wants us to do. The communication piece is this: read until God tells you something. That could be in your first verse. God may stop you and lead you to reread a passage...or paragraph...or chapter. Read expecting God to reveal something new and fresh (even in verses you may have read many times before).

Reading and studying God's word is critical if we want to grow in our walk with God. If you are truly seeking His will...and want to discover it in your own life...stay consistently connected to the source. See you Monday for the final step!

Pastor Brian