Tag: John

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Wear Your Colors

Today is College Colors Day.  It’s obvious that this day is really about the start of college football this weekend. So I hope you have clothed yourself with the colors of your favorite college.

But as I wrote about last football season when the old Mountaineers had some new fancy suits to wear, lets make sure you are clothed with something else today as well.

You see the whole idea of this day is to get you to identify yourself with your team – whose colors are you wearing?  Who do you support?  It’s a fun day.  But look at this, these words from the Christ.

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:15-20 New International Version (NIV)

He says – “hey y’all,  you can tell who is on my team by what they do – how they act, by what legacy they leave”. And then later he says – “well boys, it’s like this, they will know you are my team because you love other people”.

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 New International Version (NIV)

So put on the old Gold and Blue, the Purple and Gold, the Orange, the Crimson, the Red and Black, and also put on the fruit of the spirit and the colors of the Christ!

Let us be known by our fruit!

 

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Salty Springs

Last night I received an email about a project I am working on at work.  The email was changing some of the structure of the project and had some statements in it that could seem to be giving praise to those who don’t deserve it.

For some reason, my first instantaneous reaction was one of outrage and frustration.  But then I quickly stopped myself.  Why should these things upset us so much?  Lets look at the facts, the project was still being completed, the direction and strategy for the work was still on track and heading in the same direction.  Why did it matter who, and how?

I started thinking about my post from Tuesday about Micah 6 and what we really are here for.  I started thinking about Matthew 5, which I has just spend 30 minutes in conversation about, and I very quickly realized – this did not really matter, and in acutallity was a great time to help shine the light of Christ. 

For some reason its such a struggle for us to see past the noise of this world, and to concentrate of the important things, and to deal with conflict in a way that still brings glory to the Creator and deflects from us.

So, because of these thoughts,  two verses have been flitttering around in my head, so I thought I would share those today:

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. John 15:10 NIV

 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3:9-12  New International Version (NIV)
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Magnetic Inspiration

Last week, I was cleaning up some stuff in my office, and reorganizing my mind at work when I stumble upon some old word magnets I used to use for inspiration.  I had taken them down in frustration a few years ago when I was feeling very selfish and uninspired.  But last week I put them back up and I hope they will spark you either by what they say, or maybe you will find some words that motivate you through out the day.

The words on the magnetic – Today: live, give, reach, do and solve are simple verbs to help remind me of how I should be spending my day , today.

  1. Live the day to the fullest
  2. Give to others
  3. Reach out to others
  4. Do what needs to be done
  5. Solve problems with creativity

That’s a pretty good list.  Those simple verbs are just enough to give me a reminder with each email, instant message and choice throughout the day of my potential impact on others and they help focus me to make sure that I am getting the most out of each day.

Yes, yes, a little cheesy, but whatever it takes to keep the days moving in the right direction!

So with that a few simple short and powerful verses to get your going on Monday!

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.Psalm 90:12

Each man’s life is but a breath.
Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth not knowing who will get it. Psalm 39:5-6

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.John 10:10 ESV

A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. Proverbs 22:9

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.Ephesians 4:32

Today !  Live, Give, Reach Do and Solve!

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What’s In A Name

Last week, as I spent several hours in the car driving and one thing I noticed was the name of car dealerships on the back of other vehicles and on the side of the road.  And the thing I noticed about them was that some names are perfect for car dealerships and others, well they don’t work.

For instance, the one that I saw that really got me thinking about this was “Jacky Jones Ford”. Can you think of a better name for a car dealership.  That name works, it sounds goods and immediately make you think of a place you want to go.  Whereas ‘Jason Butcher Ford” just doesn’t have the same ring.  Somethings just go together, and some things just don’t.

It’s sort of like, peanut butter and chocolate, or maybe like a follow of Christ and righteous living!

Yeah, as I looked at the license plate for Jack Jones Ford, I was thinking, man that is so perfect, so expected, so right.  I don’t live near a Jacky Jones dealership, but I think I would go there if I did just because the name fits so well with a car dealership.  His name make me want what he is selling.  And that let me down the path of how our names are always associated with something.  And I think as a follow of the Christ, we need to make sure that our names ‘just fit’ with the direction he gave us – things like:

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15 New International Version (NIV)

and

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

So, think about it today, if you had to put your name of a license plate, would it draw people to what you are trying to sell?

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Working for Money

 I often tell people that I work for money.  As a matter of fact, during some of this tornado recovery, when I have been swamped at work, I was continually debating with myself over my obligation to my employer to trade my time for money , and my obligation to those in need to trade my time for assistance.

This thing has been bugging me for a few weeks and then earlier this week I ran across this little section of John 6.

 27“Don’t waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides. He and what he does are guaranteed by God the Father to last.” (John 6:27, The Message)

Here the Christ says to us to not wast our energy for things that don’t last ( money) but to strive for food that lasts ( Him).

What a difficult statement, as we have to have money to eat and live, don’t we?  Our success in life is based on our stuff and our employment, isn’t it?

Well, in some ways yes.  Work is good, ( did I acutally type that) and should be very rewarded and part of that reward is money.  I think the big thing the Christ says to us here is what are we striving for.

So I guess today, go ahead, work for money, but make sure you know what you are striving for.  Is it perishable or will it last forever?