1 Corinthians 4:7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not recieve? And if you did recieve it, why do you boast as if you had not recieved it?
"I couldn't keep it to myself" was the refrain of a popular song in the 90's by R&B group Tony Toni Tone. In the Kingdom of God we are to be like Tony Toni Tone with the skills and areas of expertise afforded to us by God.
As a teenager I had the opportunity to speak with the owner of his own recording studio. When he asked me what my goals were, I told him that I wanted to make good music my friends could listen to. Nothing came of that interaction because the owner quickly dismissed my naivety in thinking that music could be made without the desire for status or monetary gain.
I have had several opportunities since that interaction to experience and grow musically because talented individuals freely gave me that which was theirs. As an adult, I am now enthusiastic about the opportunity to give away that which I recieved.
Has God given you an ability that could bring worldly gain to you? Are you willing to freely give it away as you have freely recieved? I challenge you to give your ability to others who can benefit from it. If you "cant keep it to yourself" you may just be given something much greater.
In Christ,
Elder Kenan Bishop
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
"F-R-E-S-H... Fresh, fresh, fresh, that's fresh"
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.
Have you ever felt like a weight has been lifted? When we repent to God, He removes the weight of guilt, and the feeling of heaviness that we carry around. Conviction is not guilt. While conviction leads us to God & calls us to look within ourselves to make heart adjustments, guilt leads us toward stagnation and ineffectiveness.
After recently acknowledging the need for a heart change, I took my heavy heartedness to God. I journaled my feelings and my desire to reconnect with God in that special way that lifts me above my own ability to think and do things. After journaling, I opened my Bible and picked up reading where I had last left off. Within the text, I read a verse that helped me to cleary see the root cause of my shortcoming in the way that God saw it. I earnestly repented for my misgiving and I felt lighter.
I have had this experience of restoration before but it has never become common. This feeling of "new mercies" is inspiring.
Be empowered by repentance, understanding that Christ who lives within you will refresh you rather than allowing yourself to be bound up by guilt.
Have you ever felt like a weight has been lifted? When we repent to God, He removes the weight of guilt, and the feeling of heaviness that we carry around. Conviction is not guilt. While conviction leads us to God & calls us to look within ourselves to make heart adjustments, guilt leads us toward stagnation and ineffectiveness.
After recently acknowledging the need for a heart change, I took my heavy heartedness to God. I journaled my feelings and my desire to reconnect with God in that special way that lifts me above my own ability to think and do things. After journaling, I opened my Bible and picked up reading where I had last left off. Within the text, I read a verse that helped me to cleary see the root cause of my shortcoming in the way that God saw it. I earnestly repented for my misgiving and I felt lighter.
I have had this experience of restoration before but it has never become common. This feeling of "new mercies" is inspiring.
Be empowered by repentance, understanding that Christ who lives within you will refresh you rather than allowing yourself to be bound up by guilt.
Friday, May 7, 2010
What's in your house?
2 Timothy 2:21 shows us that large houses have objects within their walls that are for both noble and ignoble purposes. Paul uses this imagery to call believers to rid themselves of objects that exist within themselves that serve negative purposes. When a believer is able to get rid of the negative items within them, they become objects for noble purposes who are useful to the Master and who are prepared to do every good work.
As a college student I hid the insecurities that existed within me by becoming a "big man on campus." As a leader within student government and a musical artist, I had several opportunities to be in the lime light. I was also popular among students of the opposite sex. Although popular, I did not engage in immoral relationships.
I eventually gave away my priveleged status after I was forced to realize that I was not the relational prize that I had grown to believe I was. As the recipient of a silent-dump, I got back in touch with the insecurities that I had felt as a child. I fought a feeling of rejection with anger, blame, and silence.
As a believer, I have learned to give my insecurities to the Lord my God. This object of insecurity that existed in my "large house" for ignoble purposes kept me from giving my all to the Kingdom of God. I appreciate the feeling of effectiveness that comes from being useful to the master. I encourage you to look into your own "large house" and work a plan to rid yourself of those objects that exist for ignoble purposes.
In Christ,
Elder Kenan
As a college student I hid the insecurities that existed within me by becoming a "big man on campus." As a leader within student government and a musical artist, I had several opportunities to be in the lime light. I was also popular among students of the opposite sex. Although popular, I did not engage in immoral relationships.
I eventually gave away my priveleged status after I was forced to realize that I was not the relational prize that I had grown to believe I was. As the recipient of a silent-dump, I got back in touch with the insecurities that I had felt as a child. I fought a feeling of rejection with anger, blame, and silence.
As a believer, I have learned to give my insecurities to the Lord my God. This object of insecurity that existed in my "large house" for ignoble purposes kept me from giving my all to the Kingdom of God. I appreciate the feeling of effectiveness that comes from being useful to the master. I encourage you to look into your own "large house" and work a plan to rid yourself of those objects that exist for ignoble purposes.
In Christ,
Elder Kenan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
