The Test

August 28, 2012

I read once about a fast food vendor who's main business on Sunday came from the local Christian Church after their Sunday Service. The owner decided to test the regulars. He instructed his staff to grossly over pay each customer when they made change and to add a noticeable amount of food to each order. Out of 30 or so customers only one returned the extra change and offered to pay for the extra food. Guess which church was not allowed to perform a car wash on his site?
— 1 Peter 2:12 —
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Peter's advice sounds like Jesus' actions in Matthew 5:16 — if your actions are above reproach, even hostile people will end up praising God. Peter's readers were scattered among unbelieving Gentiles who were inclined to believe and spread vicious lies about Christians. Attractive, gracious and upright behavior on the part of Christians could show these rumors to be false and could even win some of the unsaved critics to the Lord's side. Don't write off people because they misunderstand Christianity; instead, show them Christ by your life. The day may come when those who criticize you will praise God with you!

Have a great day. Honor God with your actions and words.
Marty

Impatient People 8/28/2012

Good Morning,

Yes I am drinking a cup of Door County German Chocolate Cake Coffee. I needed that!

In an age where we can obtain information with a touch of a screen and purchase things without even making a phone call, faith and patience seem to have no place.
When I was a kid and we wanted soup we opened the can, placed the soup in a pan and placed it on the stove to boil. Now we can just plop it into a bowl and microwave it within seconds. I have watched people tap their fingers with impatience on a microwave when they think it is taking too long. We have become an impatient people.
In today's text we see that in our faith we need to wait on God for His timing and answer.

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

—Romans 8:25

If we wait on God and trust in His wisdom to do only what is best for us we can wait with patience. In God we trust. It is more than just a phrase on a coin.

God bless,

Marty

Identity Crisis 101

August 25, 2012

I find that my subject today is one that we all struggle with from time to time. Identity Crisis 101

— 1 Peter 2:9-10 —

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

People often base their self-significance on their accomplishments. But our relationship with Christ is far more important than our jobs, successes, wealth or knowledge. We have been chosen by God as his very own, and we have been called to represent him to others. Remember that your values come from being one of God's children, not what you can achieve. You have worth because of what God did, what He still does, not because of what you do or what you own, or what you look like.

Happy Saturday

God bless, and you be a blessing to someone today!
Marty

Trust

August 24, 2012

Today's message would most times be titled one of hope. Today I call it "Trust"
— Hebrews 4:16 —
Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

The Lord delights when his children approach him. Once we come, we can expect divine grace and mercy to aid us in our difficulty. Specifically, God gives us blessings and help we don't deserve (grace) while keeping us from punishment we do deserve (mercy). Of course, his answer to our cry may not be exactly what we expect or hope. Yet, just as a loving dad would do for his own child, our Father knows what we really need and will act on our best interest. The Lord is trustworthy.
It is hard to trust when we look at circumstances. I'll be the first to admit that. But if you trust in God for life eternal which is unable to be measured in time sequences. Shouldn't we trust in Him for our life span here on Earth? So look beyond the circumstances. Jesus walks on every stormy sea of life to guide, love and direct.
Have a great day.
Marty

4 Wheel Drive

August 23, 2012

Good Morning,

 Living in Wisconsin does allow me to experience snow storms. My vehicles of choice have four wheel drive. And believe me it comes in handy. During those storms I try to travel roads that are well known to me. The four wheels keep me on the right path. But I could choose not to use the four wheels and drive roads that are not familiar. I would be on the WRONG path and headed for trouble.

— Psalm 16:8 —
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

By saying I "will not be shaken," David was talking about the unique sense of security felt by believers. God does not exempt believers from the day to day circumstances of life. Believers and unbelievers alike experience pain, trouble, and failure at times (Matthew 5:45). Unbelievers have a sense of hopelessness about life and confusion over their true purpose on earth. Those who seek God, however, can move ahead confidently with what they know is right and important in God's eyes. They know that God will keep them from being moved off of his chosen path.

How many of your wheels are engaged with God? Are you on the right path today?

God bless,
Marty

One Master

August 22, 2012

Good Morning,

— Ephesians 5:8-10 —
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

Find freedom through seeking to please Jesus Christ above all else. You can only have one Master! When you let others' expectations drive you, you scatter your energy to the winds. Concentrate on staying close to Christ at all times so that you will reflect God's goodness to others. That pleases Him! Pray that you will be a blessing to someone today. You just never know what God has in store for you to be a part of.

Have a blessed day.
Marty

Choices

Good Morning,

A big cup of Door County Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee just passed the taste test. So I will have another.

Funny. We will all make choices this week. How do we know if the choice we make is the right one? Read on.

— Proverbs 19:3 —

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,

yet their heart rages against the Lord.

We hardly notice we’re doing it, although some of us do it often. We get mad at God for whatever hardship we find ourselves in. Yet when we dig down to the root of the hardship, we often find that we brought it on ourselves, either by an unwise decision or by unwisely avoiding a decision that could have prevented it. The finger we point at God could easily be turned back at us. Not all hardship is our own fault. We face many trials that we did not cause. In any hardship, we should not embrace the attitude of many guilt-ridden individuals who, whenever something bad happens, assume they did something to deserve it. But we also shouldn’t be like the fools who rage at God for the ruin that resulted from their own folly. We have to own up to our decisions (and our indecision's), learn from them, and ask God to teach us better ways and move forward in his grace. It’s called personal responsibility. And it produces wisdom.
THE TEST FOR CHOICES
1st. Does your choice exalt Christ?
2nd. Is your choice in line with Scripture?
3rd. Do other Christians confirm your choice?
4th. What kind of fruit is your choice producing?

Use that check list. If your choice does not line up with the test. Back out, get out, pray out, but don’t keep going ahead with it.

God bless,

Marty