Thoughts on Christ and His Word

The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg (My Thoughts) Page 21- “When morphing happens, I don’t just do the things Jesus would have done; I find myself wanting to do them. They appeal to me. They make sense, I don’t just go around trying to do right things; I become the right sort of person.” – John Ortberg. The transformation God wants to create in me starts on the inside (my thoughts, values, attitudes) and then is manifested on the outside by what I do. > Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom. 12:2

The Life You’ ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg (My Thoughts) Page 19 – God looked past what Moses was to what he could be. So he chose him for one of the greatest tasks in the history of mankind – to free an enslaved nation of around 1 million people from the greatest power that existed at the time. God then gave him the one power source to accomplish the mission – Himself. He promised Moses “I will be with you”. What else did he really need? God has promised me the same thing. Jesus gave us the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations and then gave us his promise, “surely I am with you always to the very end of the age”. On top of that Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would be inside of us providing power, direction and comfort. So like Moses, I must make a decision – to allow God to change me and use me for his purposes OR to shrink back and continue living an insignificant, puny life of self-absorbed existence. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly...

The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg (My Thoughts) Page 14 – Am I increasingly growing spiritually? Am I looking a people and the world as Jesus would if He were in my shoes? Am I seeing what Jesus would see, feel what Jesus would feel, doing what Jesus would do? Sometimes YES & sometimes NO. My desire is for it to be ever increasingly YES. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 2 Peter 1:5-9

The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg (My Thoughts) Chapter 1 Page 12 – How do I use my authority or power? Do I abuse it? Do I yell at my kids because I’m the parent and can get away with it. Do I mistreat the sheep in my church because I am the pastor – the one in charge? I HOPE NOT. My Lord came to serve, not to be served. The one who is the Ultimate Authority used his position and power to serve and do good to others. How am I using my authority? > For even the Son of Man did not come to be served , but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

Do you know what bad shepherds do? They beat their sheep, they neglect the needs of their sheep, they don't even care when the sheep wander off. They are too concerned about themselves to care for their sheep. Now why do I care about shepherds and sheep? Because God compares spiritual leadership with shepherding sheep. In fact before his final ascension Jesus told Peter three times in various ways "Feed my sheep" in John 21. As I read Ezekiel 34:1-10 this morning I was reminded of just what kind of leader God wants me to be: 1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the s...

I went up to mountains to pray and read the Word with Fidel yesterday. We actually didn't get to go up to our usual place - Fort Mountain - because we would have froze. But we did manage to pray next to a river. The sun warmed us up for a while. As I was reading through the books of 1 and 2 Timothy, God reminded me of what I needed to do with my life. At least one way of knowing what God purposed for our lives is to look at our spiritual gifts. God encouraged and rebuked me (all at once) with these two verses: Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 1 Timothy 4:14 > For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 2 Timothy 1:6 > God told me I needed to use my gifts (Leadership & Teaching) wherever possible and not to sidestep opportunities to serve through their use. Admittedly , I was somewhat neglecting the use of them. ...

I heard a preacher recently say that he doesn't use the term "sin" in his messages. He prefers to call them "mistakes". Now I can understand how people don't like to be told they are "sinners" and that people like positive, uplifting messages. But to sugar -coat our offenses against God and merely refer to them as "mistakes" does a great disservice to people and eventually will do them more spiritual harm than good. God clearly revealed this to me with this passage I read recently: The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading. Lamentations 2:14 > The problem with much preaching today is that it fails to expose people's sin, so that they can repent and ward off God's discipline or in the case of unbelievers, save themselves from hell by repenting and turning to Christ in faith. God is all about Hope, but deli...