Showing posts with label Philippians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philippians. Show all posts

My Hope Of Heaven by Edwin O'Hanlon

Imagine you’re taking a trip. You arrive at the airport check-in desk, but you’re the only passenger there. Security's a ghost town. So is your gate. You board an empty airplane and meet no one the entire flight. No captain. No stewardess. No one.

In many ways, this is death. We enter this world alone, and we leave just the same. But what if the person you loved most of all was eagerly waiting for you once you disembarked the flight? That ought to warm your heart and stop the trip from feeling like a Twilight Zone episode, right? Well, Jesus promises just this!

The joy of hoping on heaven purifies the lives of the redeemed. Paul says: If you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (Col. 3:1). Paul toiled tirelessly for the Church’s sanctification because he knew heavenly eyes are the best shield against sin. 

We may be positionally righteous on this side of heaven, but none of us are practically perfect until we go to be with the Lord. We must look ahead to the sweet hereafter. And when our day of departure comes, may we share Paul’s desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better (Phil. 1:23). Amen and amen. Come Lord Jesus.

***

Edwin O'Hanlon

Christians celebrate both the Cross, where Jesus gave His life to rescue us, and the Crown, symbolic of His victory over sin and death. 

He died and rose again that sinners like me might forever know and love God. 

My mission now is to rejoice in Christ, explore Scripture, and magnify its loving author by publishing weekly articles at www.fromcrosstocrown.com

To Do Good And Share With Others

 

Whoever Gives To The Poor Will Not Want

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.

Luke 6:38

Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.

Proverbs 28:27

She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

Proverbs 31:20

If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

Isaiah 58:10

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:4

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 13:16

You Have To Do What Is In Your Heart And What Is Between You And God
I had gotten to a place where I could tithe again and the savings had grown to a few hundred dollars because I was deducting it from my income but accumulating it. In the past, I've tithed to any local church where I was heavily involved. I've done it the traditional way, giving hundreds of dollars, over time, off the top and faithfully to churches, even though I could not financially afford to.

I have also given to various TV and online ministries through which I enjoy learning, even though they operate with millions of dollars and always feel like they need to grow more. During the times that I struggled financially, barely being able to pay bills and often not being able to pay them at all, my tithing fell by the wayside. In my heart, I always carried a desire to begin a tithing program again.

In this new, retirement-era of my life, I talked to God about it often and chose to wait until I got to a point where my leftover funds after bill paying were 10% of my income. Some Christians would say that I am doing it backwards and that I should have been taking the 10% off first, like I used to. I don't believe that I should take bill money and give it away. My heart does not condemn me in this. I talk to God about it all of the time. You have to do according to what is in your heart. That is between you and God.

Maybe God Wants Us To Give Away Our Vacation Money Sometimes

I believe that we are to be good stewards of our money and manage our financial affairs with the utmost care. That means paying bills on time, not over spending and not living beyond our means. That means not giving away money that should go towards bills and then expecting God to make it up when the bills are due. I know this is totally against what some teach and preach. It is hard to think like this. You don't have to. This is for those who are of the same mind and did not think there was anyone else who understood.

Last week, Joyce Meyer said something to this effect, that God does not necessarily want you to give money that you won't miss. Maybe he wants you to give away your vacation money sometimes. It's the second part of what she said that illustrates my belief about tithing and giving. If a person donates their vacation money, that means that their bills are paid. They wouldn't be able to save for vacation if their bills were not paid first. To give away money that you have earmarked for yourself is truly a holy sacrifice.

Each Of Us Must Give As We Have Decided In Our Hearts
I understand that tithing and donating are different. The only real difference, however, is the amount and the order. Tithing is generally a set % and giving is anything beyond that amount. Some Christians don't bother with a tithed %. They are happy to give whatever amount they want to give. The Bible teaches, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7  Whether it is tithed or donated, giving is giving. Whether it is given before or after our life needs are taken care of, it is giving that is honored by God.

I distribute my tithes how and where I see fit and I give a little above the 10% that I choose to honor. I don't feel that I need to give my funds to any one place or any certain place. As long as it is not used on myself, I consider that I've given it for the work of God, because it is given to the needs of others. I've always had a heart for homeless people and those who are struggling financially. I don't hand out on the street anymore, because it has become so dangerous. God wants us to be generous, not foolhardy and unaware.

Give With A Heart That Is Comfortable With The Giving
I didn't want my tithes to continue accumulating because it becomes more challenging to not spend them. I began to ask God to show me people online to give to because I am retired and spend most of my day online doing many creative things. I wanted to be led to people in need, struggling, homeless, hopeless and unhappy. I'd always been impressed by GoFundMe campaigns, so I started looking there. I am happy to say that so far I've given to 7+ campaigns. I searched in certain states and cities, which narrowed the number of campaigns I found that I wanted to give to. 

Though I may give to some of them a 2nd time, I can expand my search area to find more suitable causes to which to give. In addition to homeless, ministries and churches, I also searched for struggling single mothers raising a son. I struggled so much raising my son and working and so many times I wished someone would reach out and help me with just $5. I promised myself that if I ever got to the position that I would reach out and help others.

Find Persons And Causes To Give To
I am thrilled to be giving at GoFundMe! It's a dream come true. I like using my tithes and giving in this way because I'm giving directly to the person. There are too many times when people can't get the immediate financial help that they need from organizations and funds. I prefer to give direct, personal help, for the most part. I divide my funds out and decide who gets what, as the Holy Spirit leads. Here are some of the campaigns that I've given to:

  • A homeless woman who obtained a tiny shed house and put it on the land of a kind person who offered her the space for free and the city is going to condemn her house if she does not come up with hundreds of $$$ to install utilities on the undeveloped plot.
  • A homeless man who wants to buy a fixer upper home and who recently was able to get a mobile home fairly cheap because a tree had fallen on it and has been doing his best to keep dry.
  • A homeless woman who is living in her car.
  • A non-profit, mobile services organization that reaches out to provide hair cuts, manicures, personal products and other to senior citizens, homeless, low income persons and veteran communities, also aiding churches, schools and small businesses.  
  • A man and his fiance who want to buy 3 buildings to house at-risk homeless and runaway children and who have been helping people living on the streets and under bridges for several years now.
  • A young lady who is collecting $250 to get food, socks, gloves and beanies hats for the homeless and who wants to do this because "growing up me and my brothers didn't have much but we always had a roof over our heads....as i got older i realized how blessed we were to have a place to call home that was warm....and when i look around it saddens me how so many people are walking around in this weather without even that."
  • A man, when going to the barber shop, noticed a homeless man sitting outside in the freezing weather who looked like he hadn't eaten in days and, who gave him warm clothes, a hotel room and food.
  • A woman with her son trying to get on her feet after being stabbed in the neck and chest when leaving work from an upscale, 4-star hotel and who was so traumatized that she lost everything and lost all friends when she became homeless, who has been painting houses and stands outside Home Depot or Lowe's trying to get work but is not often picked.

God gives us a lot of flexibility in this life, flexibility that too many Christians don't take advantage of. Don't feel bound, constricted and secretly miserable about what you feel you have to do. Don't allow other Christians to impose their fears and restrictions upon you. Study, pray and learn about the freedoms in Christ Jesus that are available to you today.

I'm so grateful to God that he has led me to a place where I can regularly give to the needs of others in the way that I've always wanted to. It has made a tremendous difference in my life and I'm not doing it to be blessed. I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do and because I finally can. I always pray that the Lord will increase to the recipient what I give to them and I plan to consistently increase my giving, in Jesus' name.



Encouragement To Give Thanks!



In Everything Give Thanks!

Everything Is Not Good,

But

God Is!

In Everything,

Using Humble And Earnest Prayer,

Tell Him

What Is On Your Mind. 

I Thess. 5:18, Philippians 4:6-7


It's hard sometimes to give thanks in difficult situations, isn't it? What we are really supposed to do is give thanks for a good God, who is good always and forever. We don't have to cultivate a thankful spirit for bad things, horrific occurrences or evil outcomes. Even when being grateful for difficulties that can strengthen us, we are really being grateful for a God who will take those unfortunate circumstances and convert the results into something that will bless us richly in many ways. When we understand what to be thankful for, it's not so hard to give thanks in everything.


 

How Can I Control My Anger?


When you feel anger coming on, pray, 


"God, right now, I need your peace. Please soothe my mind. I feel you replacing my anger with patience. I thank you for this gift of quiet.

Let your restraining, healing hand be upon me today, Lord. Help me to meet every situation calmly and with control."

 


Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Philippians 4:6 (KJV)

Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart.
Philippians 4:6 (GNT) 

Do not be over-anxious about anything, but by prayer and earnest pleading, together with thanksgiving, let your request be unreservedly made known in the presence of God. 
Philippians 4:6 (WNT) 

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Philippians 4:6 (NLT) 

Don't worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him. 
Philippians 4:6 (NIRV) 

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. 
Philippians 4:6 (MSG)

How many times has God told us, in His Word, not to worry, but to turn worrying thoughts into prayer? Stop what you are thinking and doing right now, or at any time of worry, and tell it all, tell the truth, just as you were thinking it, to God.

It takes a lot of effort and practice to defeat useless, persistent and harmful anger. Whether it has a valid reason or not, most of the time it can't help us, or anyone else. It can easily destroy, rather than build up. Most of the time, it is bad for our emotional well-being, bad for our physical health, and bad for our spiritual growth. So, you've got to defeat it, with God's help, if you sincerely want to be healed, and be a help to others. You can do it, with God's help.


Scriptures: BibleStudyTools.comBibleStudyTools.com
Images: Pixabay.com Free Images
Anger Prayer: Triumph Over Life's Toughest Problems, Norman Vincent Peale, A Guideposts Outreach Publication, GuidepostsFoundation.org
 

7 Things For The Growing Christian To Be Happy About


I was reading Proverbs 11:1-23 this morning, and was struck by the number of scriptures that shared the blessings received by the righteous. We know that to become righteous we accept Jesus Christ as our one and only Savior. We who have done this are the righteousness of Christ, according to

Romans 8:10
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness, and

Phillipians 3:9,
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.

But righteousness can be grown and extended if we choose to grow in the Lord. According to Phillipians 1:11, this is available to us,

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.  

This last scripture is what the passage that I read this morning pertains to. When we take an active part in committing our day to God, in consulting him throughout the day, trusting him in times of not only sorrow, but joy too, and regularly reading what his Living Word says, we experience the abundance that Solomon talks about.

...righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 11:4

The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way...
Proverbs 11:5

The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them...
Proverbs 11:6

The righteous is delivered out of trouble,...
Proverbs 11:8

...to him that sows righteousness shall be a sure reward.
Proverbs 11:18

...the righteous shall be delivered.
Proverbs 11:21

The desire of the righteous is only good.
Proverbs 11:23

So, for the growing Christian, there is positional righteousness, and then there is righteousness from growing in Christ. The latter results in more bounty, here and now.



If you would like to be sure that you are Saved, say this simple prayer:

Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God, and the only Savior. Come into my heart, and save me. I was born in sin and you died for me so that I can know God and not be blamed anymore. Thank you for my new life. Show me the way and help me to understand. I don't have to fear death anymore, and thank you for eternal life. 


Image: Pixabay.com