Do Christians Have Authority Over Satan And Demons?
Kindle For iPad or iBooks?
I just got an iPad 2 and I'm about to start reading books frequently on it. My question for you is this: Should I use the Kindle for iPad app or iBooks? I don't want to start building a library and then have to abandon it becaue I found something better. I want to start off on the right path. Those of you who have experience with this, what's the best app?
Why is it the better option?
Cheaper books is a factor, but not the only one.
How about features like adding notes? Or exporting notes into another program, like Word?
Is there an app that is better than both of these options?
Mere Men
1 Corinthians 3:3 - You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? (NIV84)
In this passage, Paul is exhorting the Corinthian Christians to GROW UP and start to act more like Jesus and less like the world around them. He has an interesting challenge that he brings to them: "You are still worldly." Paul is, in essence, telling them that acting the way that come naturally isn't good enough if you desire to live a life that is please to God. There is more to life.
When Paul says, "Are you not acting like mere men." He is referring to the fact that we have been given the Divine nature of God because of our relationship with Jesus. It's critical that we understand this point, or we may risk living at a substandard place than our position in Christ allots us.
Paul specifically cites jealously and quarreling as evidence that the earthly nature is still controlling them. But we could add many other works of the flesh such as lust, fits of anger and the list goes on. When we begin to act out of our human nature (the nature opposite our God-nature), we are forfeiting our power to live out God's purposes for our lives. In that moment we are choosing to settle for what comes easy, rather than reach for that which only comes by faith. The latter is so much better than the former.
So, the challenge that lies before you and I today (and everyday) is to realize the spiritual truths that surround us on every side and live out the divine nature in our day-to-day relationships. Remember that we are not MERE MEN.
Jeremiah Stingl’s Testimony
I recently shared my testimony on video at my church. Take a look:
Haiti Recap Video
What Is Your Life Writing?
This is a word cloud composed from all the words I have written in this blog over the last year. What has the last year of your life spelled in the lives of the people you have come in contact with?
Learning To Deal With Death
I would like to just be transparent in this post. I have never had anyone really close to me die before...until this past Tuesday.
In this experience, I have been learning a lot. I have learned how much I cared about my friend, Chris. I have learned how much our relationship meant. I have learned that life is a vapor (James 4:14) and that we should cherish each moment we have with the people we love. I have been soaking in all these great things as I have been grieving this loss of my dear friend.
Something that I have never experienced before happened as we left the graveside service. I felt like I didn't want to leave the graveside, because I didn't want to leave my memory of Chris behind. I felt kinda guilty for caring about the other things in my life because Chris wasn't gonna be there. I felt like I should just stay there beside his casket because I loved him so much. I have been learning that I can still be loyal to the memory of my close friend and still live my life. This has been a hard emotional journey, but I know that Chris is in heaven and I'll see him soon.
I miss you...
Jesus Is Beautiful
Why do you love Jesus? I love Him because He has done so much in my life personally. He has saved me when I was drowning in sin. The Bible said that I was dead in my transgressions (Eph. 2:1-4), but God in His mercy changed my desperate situation completely around and gave me new life. Amazing.
But as I have continued to stare into the face of Christ, like Mary at the feet of the Master, I have grown deeper in my love for Him. Jesus is beautiful. I would like to share a particular verse that stood out to me today in my devotional time.
Hebrews 1: 3 - The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
So much truth is contained in this short verse, but I would like to point out just a few thoughts:
- Jesus is God. There is no disputing this fact clearly laid out here and in other parts of the Bible. No one can come to God execpt through Jesus, because Jesus is God. If you don't like the teachings of Jesus, you don't like the thoughts of God.
- Jesus is powerful. The Scripture says that He sustains all things by His powerful word. I have had the life-changing voice of Jesus speak into my darkness and create life. I challenge you to find a more influential orator... you won't find one.
- Jesus is effective. The Father sent Jesus on a specific mission: to die as a substitute for mankind. He took my place on the Cross. I should be dead because of my sin, but Jesus took my death on Him. He accomplished His task and purified all who come to Him in faith from their sin.
- Jesus is waiting. There is one final task that Jesus has yet to fulfill for us. He is coming back to get us. Right now, He is in complete control at the right hand of God the Father. He is not stressing about who gets elected into public office, He is not worried about our earthly cares, He is waiting for God to speak the Word: "Go get 'em!" and in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye He will be here to rescue us.
Why do you love Jesus?
It All Belongs To You
This morning during my devotion time (I set aside time each day to devote to hearing God's voice, praying, reading the Word of God) I was listening to You Are Still Holy by Rita Springer and one of the lines in the song says,
"All that has been in my life Up 'til now It all belongs to You I belong to You"
During this song, the Lord was speaking to me from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - "You are not your own; you were bought at a price." God was reminding me that all that is in my past: my mistakes, my sins, my failures, my disappointments... all of the stuff that I want to leave behind me but always tries to creep back into my life... God wants to take it all.
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. God does not want you and me to carry around stuff that he has paid for. He wants all of us. God doesn't just want the good in you; He doesn't want just your potential. He wants all of you including the stuff that you don't want. He is speaking to us today about trusting Him with the stuff that weighs you down.
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 encourages us that God wants to take all of the stuff from our lives that holds us back from the potential that He has for each of us.
Will you trust Him today? Will you run to Him WITH all of your garbage and let Him take it all? All that has been in my life up until now... IT ALL BELONGS TO YOU.
Creativity
How do you get inspired and get really creative? The best way for me to create is to get around other people. I think that everyone has wonderful creative ability and I have a gift to help others tap into that ability. When I am by myself, my ideas tend to dry up, but when I get around other people, a spark happens and I begin to light up with ideas. This is called creative synergy. The first time that I was exposed to this term was through our worship team leader, Brandon Divine. He taught our team that God can work creatively in exponential ways when two or more people are gathered together creating. (Hmmm... makes me think that Jesus was onto something when He was talking about the power of people coming together in Matthew 18:20.) My advice: when you need that BIG IDEA for your next project, try getting some other people in the room and let the ideas fly!
Leave a comment: How do you get inspired and get really creative?
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