Something Greater

What Is Work? | Exodus 20:8-11 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work , but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work , neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Ex 20:8-11 NIV) WORK : melakah /mel-ä-KÄ/ Properly, deputyship, ministry; generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstract or concrete); also property (as the result of labor) The biblical use of this work involves ones occupation and business: Occupation, business Property Work (something done or made) Workmanship Service, use Public business: political, religious My takeaway: "Work" is not only "effort" and &quo

Supervised, Supported and Purposed | Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus... (Eph 1:1) Father, all that you do is motivated by your pleasure and choice. Paul's life shows how you were in control throughout every circumstance and influence, to make of him an apostle of your Son. I rest now in that same control over my life. All that I've experienced, thought and acted in and upon, every moment of my life, has been supervised, supported, and purposed for good by you, in accordance with your pleasure and will. Continue, Lord God! Make it so, Lord God, however you desire and determine! Amen!

Contentment in Every Circumstance "The battle against covetousness is a battle against unbelief in God’s promise to be all we need in every circumstance..." Too good to not pass along! www.desiringgod.org/articles/i-can-be-content-in-every-circumstance Photo by Rostyslav Savchyn on Unsplash

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus | Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus... (Eph 1:1) Christ Jesus chose and commissioned Paul Paul was one of Christ's unique ambassadors and delegates Paul's writings communicate Christ's rule, authority and dominion over my life All that Paul wrote was intended by God the Father to glorify himself in me through the work of the Spirit of Christ Jesus Hearing and believing the preaching of Paul's writings is essential for me The commands given by Paul are given with Christ's authority, wisdom, love and goodness Father in heaven, am I consistently eager to be built up through the the words written by your faithful apostles, those early revealers and supporters of the people you called to be Christ's ambassadors and delegates, followers of your Son Jesus Christ? No, I am not consistent in my pursuit of your word. I am distrac

Three Stages of Sanctification Sanctification, or holiness, may be seen in The Holy Bible in three different contexts or categories: A Moment Realized : Sanctification begins at regeneration A Lifetime Lived : Sanctification continues imperfectly for a lifetime An Eternity Perfected : Sanctification made perfect for all time First Stage: A Moment Realized Our primary desires change, toward God and away from sin Dead to sin, alive to God in Christ Jesus (Rom 6:11) Made an instrument of righteous for God (Rom 6:13) No longer ruled or dominated by sin (Rom 6:14) Second Stage: A Lifetime Lived A lifetime of yielding to God's Spirit and resisting sinful desires of the flesh Our master becomes righteousness (Rom 6:18) Daily we offer ourselves in submission to righteousness (Rom 6:19) We are being transformed with ever-increasing glory (2 Cor 3:18) Let us run with perseverance, throwing off all sin that so easily hinders and entangles (Heb 12:1) Third Stage: An Et

Temptation | A Brief Word Study | A Prayer | James 1:12-16 (Notation in parentheses refers to Strong's Greek Dictionary) James 1:12-16 (KJV) Blessed ( G3107 - supremely blest, fortunate, well off, joyful, rewarded, happier ) is the man that endures ( G5278 - to stay under or behind, remain, undergo, bear trials, have fortitude, persevere, abide, endure, take patiently, suffer, tarry behind ) temptation ( G3986 - trials, testing, putting to proof by experiment, experience of evil, solicitation, discipline or provocation, adversity ): for when he is tried ( G1384 - approved, tested, acceptable ) he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted ( G3985 - tested, tried, trapped, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline ), "I am tempted ( G3985 - tested, tried, trapped, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline ) of God": for God cannot be tempted ( G551 - tempted, tried, temptable ) with evil,

Ready For The Real Thing | Genesis 1:2-4 Sounds like an advertising slogan. I intended to use it for the title of a sermon. Not sure about it now. But, it does capture a bit of what I feel the Lord is working in, with and around me. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:2-4 (ESV) God wanted the earth to have light. He wanted whatever and whoever that was earthly to have light. Why? Because light reveals what's real. Darkness hides what's real. Shadows distort and confuse. The black of night overwhelms color and form. Gloom depresses. God wants me to see the real thing. Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his na