LIVE JESUS!

Posted on March 29, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward…live Jesus’ way. If you had a few last words to tell your family before you passed on from this life to the next, what would you say? When you close…

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LIVE JESUS!

Posted on March 29, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward…live Jesus’ way.

If you had a few last words to tell your family before you passed on from this life to the next, what would you say? When you close your letters, emails or messages of communication to those you might not see again, what would you say? If you truly love them, what God’s best for them, you would probably say what Paul said to the believers in Thessalonica. This passage is a blessing of encouragement with ways to live Jesus, His way, with unconditional love as a never ending circle that delivers peace and joy no matter what our circumstances might be. Take joy in reading and rereading from someone who really cares, who points us to live Jesus!

1 Thessalonians 5, The Message
The Way He Wants You to Live

12-13 And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!

13-15 Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.

16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

19-22 Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

23-24 May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!

25-27 Friends, keep up your prayers for us. Greet all the followers of Jesus there with a holy embrace. And make sure this letter gets read to all the brothers and sisters. Don’t leave anyone out.

28 The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you!

Reflection:
–Am I living Jesus, in His ways? How?
–Do I embrace the stragglers with patience and love?
–Am I cheerful, no matter what?
–Am I grieving the Holy Spirit by ignoring His promptings to me?
–Am I allowing God to transform me? To keep me fit for His company and coming?
–Am I praying God’s blessings on others? Am I leaving anyone out of those prayers?

IT-IS-NO-LONGER-IWHO-LIVE

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for Your salvation and Your grace that makes us holy before you. Transform me. Change me. Make me into all You intended for me to be. I’m Yours. Help me not to worry about others so much but leave them in Your hands. May Your Holy Spirit guide me, tell me when to speak and when to be silent. When it’s time to speak, Lord, give me Your Words. I want to live You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

And I’m singing…
Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

Posted in Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Corinthians, Encouragement, Faith, heaven, Holy Spirit, hospitality, insight, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Macedonian Call, marriage, ministry, Prayer, Romans, Salvation, Teaching, Training, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NO ONE LEFT BEHIND!

Posted on March 28, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward According to psychology studies, we humans have an innate need to belong. We have a great tendency to be and do what others want us to be and do for the primary…

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NO ONE LEFT BEHIND!

Posted on March 28, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward

According to psychology studies, we humans have an innate need to belong. We have a great tendency to be and do what others want us to be and do for the primary reason of not wanting to be left out…or left behind. If we could look past others and first, look up to the One who loves us so much He died, defeated death and is now preparing a forever home in heaven for us and live to please Him…we will never be left out orleft behind. Here is the promise…

1 Thessalonians 5, The Message
1-3 I don’t think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other—“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!”—suddenly everything will fall apart. It’s going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.

4-8 But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.

9-11 God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.

What do we learn? What gives us hope and encouragement?
–NO ONE is left out, no one left behind.
–Jesus death triggered life for us.
–Live forward…Live Jesus!
–Jesus IS coming back for us…

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Dear Heavenly Father, We can be so discouraged by the feelings and actions of others toward us, and then You remind us of Your love, Your actions of love toward us and we are encouraged, Our souls are revived once more. Living with You saves us from the inside out. Thank you for saving us, helping us to be better than yesterday. Continue Your transformation work within us until we are are all You intended for us to be and do. In Jesus Name, Amen I believe.

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WHAT JESUS DID MEANS FOR US…

Posted on March 27, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward 1 Thessalonians 4, The Message “Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus. 15-18…

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WHAT JESUS DID MEANS FOR US…

Posted on March 27, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward

1 Thessalonians 4, The Message
“Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus.

15-18 And then this: We can tell you with complete confidence—we have the Master’s word on it—that when the Master comes again to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind. In actual fact, they’ll be ahead of us. The Master himself will give the command. Archangel thunder! God’s trumpet blast! He’ll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise—they’ll go first. Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. Oh, we’ll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.”

empty tomb

What this means?
–The grave does not hold the last Word.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you. In Jesus Name, I believe.

Posted in ACTS, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Corinthians, Encouragement, Faith, heaven, Holy Spirit, hospitality, insight, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Macedonian Call, marriage, ministry, Prayer, Romans, Salvation, Teaching, Training, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

PURE HEARTS PRESENT THE PURE MESSAGE

Posted on March 26, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward Know God. Know His Message. Know Your Heart. Know Your Audience. These words have guided me for many years. I head them in a presentation at a Billy Graham Scho…

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PURE HEARTS PRESENT THE PURE MESSAGE

Posted on March 26, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward

Know God.
Know His Message.
Know Your Heart.
Know Your Audience.

These words have guided me for many years. I head them in a presentation at a Billy Graham School of Evangelism that Randy and I attended together. At the time, Randy had left behind public school teaching to pastor the church where we grew up. We both knew we needed help. I was still a public school teacher, his helper in ministry and taught kids at church.

Ron Hutchcraft was the speaker of a breakout session that I attended. The presentation was entitled “Sixteen and Lost”. I took notes feverishly that day, hanging on every word. It’s wasn’t the speaker so much as the Holy Spirit driving me to listen, to pay attention, to open my heart, to really hear through this messenger what God wanted me to know, to be and then do.

The words challenged and changed me. I knew God was calling me to something different than public school teaching. I was transformed because this messenger knew God, knew God’s message, knew his own heart motivation for speaking and knew what his audience needed to hear because of listening to the Holy Spirit and allowing God to speak through him. A pure heart, a pure focused message. Life transformed.

Paul leads us to this same truth…

2 Thessalonians, The Message
No Hidden Agendas
3-5 God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you we’re not after crowd approval—only God approval. Since we’ve been put through that battery of tests, you’re guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. We never used words to butter you up. No one knows that better than you. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you.

6-8 Even though we had some standing as Christ’s apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. We weren’t aloof with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children. We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.

The Message transforms lives…always has, always will IF we listen…and take it to heart.

13 And now we look back on all this and thank God, an artesian well of thanks! When you got the Message of God we preached, you didn’t pass it off as just one more human opinion, but you took it to heart as God’s true word to you, which it is, God himself at work in you believers!

What do we learn?
–KNOW GOD. Let Him have complete control of every part of our lives. Know that God is continually at work in us.
–KNOW HIS MESSAGE: Read, study, and meditate on God’s Word. KNOW His Message well.
–KNOW YOUR HEART. Let God purify our hearts daily so that there is nothing standing between God, His Message and our ability to deliver God’s message with pure motivations…our of love for God and others.
–KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. Know when to say what to whom at the right time and place. That comes from listening and yielding to the Holy Spirit. Always. We might have an agenda WE think our audience needs to hear, but more than likely it is not what God wants said. God knows all hearts. HE knows real needs. Listen to your audience. Listen to God. The message needs to fit the needs of the audience, not the other way around. Our need to say it, in other words, is probably not what our audience needs most.

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Dear Heavenly Father, Your Word, Your Message, Your teaching is an ever flowing river of wisdom. Thank you. Forgive us when we don’t listen. Transform our thinking to match Your thinking. Purify our hearts. In Jesus Name, Amen

Posted in ACTS, Christian Living, Christian Perspective, Corinthians, Encouragement, Faith, heaven, Holy Spirit, hospitality, insight, Jesus, joy, Leadership, Macedonian Call, marriage, ministry, Prayer, Romans, Salvation, Teaching, Training, Truth, Uncategorized, Unconditional love, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

AFFECTIONATE AFFIRMATION

Posted on March 25, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward When affirmed in my faith because of who I am in Jesus or encouraged in the positive things others see in me, it gives me a lift, more energy and a desire to do…

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AFFECTIONATE AFFIRMATION

Posted on March 25, 2016 by randscallawayffm

Thessalonians – Living Forward

When affirmed in my faith because of who I am in Jesus or encouraged in the positive things others see in me, it gives me a lift, more energy and a desire to do even more. How about you? Words of affirmations help us to be more and do more that is positive and helpful to others.

To say to someone, “I’m thankful you are in my life” or “I see Jesus in you when…….” with true affection without empty flattery that expects something in return is worth our weight in gold. Right? To me, it’s even better than a paycheck. It makes me work harder, be better and love what I am doing with a desire to be more, not less. When was the last time we gave affectionate affirmation to someone expecting nothing in return? Don’t be surprised if it shocks them…which is a sign we don’t affirm each other enough!

Paul is so thankful for other Christian believers. He is not hesitant to affirm others in ways that encourage and uplift who they are as well as what they do. If we want examples of how to affectionately affirm others, we can read the beginning of every letter Paul writes to fellow believers of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Here is yet another example…

1 Thessalonians 1, The Message
I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy, send greetings to the church at Thessalonica, Christians assembled by God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ. God’s amazing grace be with you! God’s robust peace!

Convictions of Steel
2-5 Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you’re in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.

5-6 You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.

7-10 Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don’t even have to say anything anymore—you’re the message! People come up and tell us how you received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God. They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.

What do we learn?
–Be affirming to others. It’s is first thing about your faith that will get their attention.
–Look for the good in others…first and foremost. We already know what is bad in ourselves.
–Don’t wait to be affirmed to be affirming.
–Truly thank God, right now, for all the people He has put into your life.
–Don’t hesitant to tell them that you are glad God put them in your life.

From me to YOU…
“Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you’re in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father.”

In Jesus Name, Amen

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