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A Lifestyle of Worship?

January 3, 2012 by Joey Hughes 2 Comments

1Samuel 13:14 states that “the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart…”

We know, of course that Samuel is speaking about the young King David. So, here’s the question… What does it mean to be “a man after God’s own heart?”

Some say it was the fact that David was always quick to repent when confronted with his sin. Some believe that it was his humility in his dealings with King Saul. Some say it was his willingness to abandon himself and “worship the Lord with all his might.”

The theological offerings could go on and on but I’d like to know what you think.

I hear people constantly making statements like “We’ve gotten church all wrong!”, or “Most church leaders are crooks!”, or; I think the popular one right now is “We shouldn’t be worried about GOING to church, we should just concentrate on BEING the church.”

I only have one rule for this discussion: POSITIVE STATEMENTS ONLY!

I want us to look at this as a body (if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He came to earth, lived a perfect life, died on a cross, and rose again on the third day, then we are in the same boat) and see if we can define what it is that the church is supposed to be. I want to find out what it means to “be the church.” I am asking God this year to make me one of those people to whom He would refer as “a man after His own heart.”

Ok… Here we go… What do you think?

 

 

Filed Under: Christianity 101, Discussions, Worship 101 Tagged With: character, Christian, christianity, Leadership, Salt and Light

Simple thought…

December 17, 2010 by Joey Hughes 1 Comment

I came from dirt…

I lived and walked in a dirty world…

I will return to the dirt…

It’s amazing to me that no matter how many times we humans (especially “christian” humans) say “I will never be that way!” or “I will never do that!”, we always end up becoming or doing the very thing we said “We would never do!”

Maybe we should all remember…

We’re all just dirt and if there is anything useful in dirt, it’s only because it’s had a lot of CRAP dumped on it. And if we can be used in any way at all, it’s because someone dug us up.

How stupid is it for dirt to point it’s finger at dirt and say “You’re dirty!”

Ok… I’ll stop!

Your turn…

Filed Under: Christianity 101, Discussions, Leadership 101 Tagged With: Better Life, character, Salt and Light

“I Hope”

September 13, 2010 by Joey Hughes Leave a Comment

One of my all time favorite movies is the 1994 drama The Shawshank Redemption. It’s a story about two men who become close friends while serving time in Shawshank Prison. I don’t have time here to give details of the movie, so I’ll trust that either you’ve seen it or perhaps you will take time soon to give it a look.

The movie ends with these words from Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding (played by Morgan Freeman):

“I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as beautiful as it has been in my dreams. I hope…”

In a world where we are touched daily by crime, poverty, hatred, corruption, divorce, and all sorts of darkness running rampant and seemingly without any control or remedy, how do we remain people of light? How do we retain our distinction as “Salt and Light” to this world? How do we keep a smile on our faces when, all around us, there is so much pain and hurt?

The answer is simple… it’s HOPE!

Hope is the thing that distinguishes us as believers from those who do not know the Lord as Savior.

Ephesians 2:12-13 says: Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 says: But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

Hope is what brings us to have faith for something different. Hebrews 11:1 says: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We are not talking about “blind faith” or “wishful thinking,” but a firm assurance about things that are not seen and still in the future. Jesus said “I have come that they might have life and that more abundantly.” Jesus never talked about hope, but in living the life He lived He proved to us that we could live a life of victory just as he did. Hebrews 4:15 says: For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

In Psalm 42:5 David says: Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.

Our life as believers should not be spent dwelling on the things that are wrong in our world, rather we should be the ones offering comfort and assurance to those around us who are in need. We should be the carriers of a hope that causes people to believe there is something out there that is better than what they are experiencing.

Are you a vessel of hope to YOUR world?

Filed Under: Christianity 101 Tagged With: Christian, Hope, Leadership, Salt and Light

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