God has given each one of us a unique temperament and personality; these God given temperaments and personalities each have tremendous gifts and abilities. Each is unique and designed and planned by God expressly for the purpose here on earth as a member of the family of God. Some of us are introverted calm and quiet while others are oppositely extroverted enthusiastic talkers. This extreme variance of temperaments can often be seen between siblings, parents and children and even twins. As you have gone about your life, working with your siblings, parents, or even your own children you have probably noticed these differences can sometimes cause conflict. While taking two different approaches to the same task or an activity, one may ask “why should I do it his or her way, when my way is just as legitimate and possibly even better.” These two approaches based on different thought processes have just conflicted, neither person’s method is necessarily wrong. These conflicts, though small at first can be detrimental to a healthy relationship.

This is where deference comes into play. Deference, what is it? Deference is yielding to the opinions, wishes or judgment of another person. Deference means controlling my privileges and preferences in order not to offend those God has called me to serve. Deference is a very deliberate act, and comes from the heart. I think my mom was secretly trying to teach me and one of my sisters deference when I was about 12 or 13 years old. My mom assigned one of my sisters and I a job to do together for a whole year. We had to do dishes together. This normally would not have been a big deal except I am a perfectionist, and my sister isn’t so much, she’s more like, let’s get this job done as fast as we can. In case you’re wondering speed and perfection don’t really mix to well. You can imagine some of those few long weeks as we disputed over what methods for washing dishes was best. Deference from the beginning sure would have helped but it was eventually learned.

By not showing deference you are in fact disrespecting another individual. Deference can be shown in many ways, but it will always put others before yourself. This goes against our human nature and unless we are Spirit filled we will struggle to show deference. Paul instructed the Corinthians to show deference to other believers who could not eat meat that had previously been offered to idols. (1 Cor 8 )  This meat may have been cheaper, or more convenient to buy. And while Paul made it clear technically there may not have been anything wrong with eating this meat. He warned in 1 Cor 8:9 “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak.” And then in verse 12 adds “But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.” This verse here emphasizes how vital it really is to show deference, especially when it comes to not offending the conscience of another believer even calling it sin to not show deference to our brothers and sisters. Deference shows our willingness to live out Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”

It is humbling ourselves to the will of God and esteeming others higher than ourselves and laying down our lives to demonstrate the New Life that dwells within us.

Patience is something I’ve had to continually ask God for help with. When irritations towards other people, things, and circumstances arise; patience is sometimes not an immediate response. One of the things I have also learned in this area is that usually when I¹m frustrated with someone, and impatient with that person, it generally comes back to that I¹m lacking patience with myself.

I have a very close relationship with my older sister, but as relationships between sisters usually go, we are very different. She is the type of person who can immediately jump into the middle of anything and flourish. I on the other hand, like to take a slower approach to things.

Processing everything, and taking it step by step before I can reach the same level of enjoyment or ability that she has right at the beginning.

Before we realized our differences, there was no end of frustrations between us. It would usually end with me feeling frustrated with myself, and thinking that I would never be able to do the things she was able to do so easily. When I came to the understanding of how God had made me different from her in this area and was able to accept it; I was then able to build on that, by learning how to have patience with myself and others.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience),

kindness, goodness, faithfulness…”Galatians 5:22

The Creative Power of God’s Word

When ever I study the character quality of creativity I always think of God’s creative power.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” it does not say he made or built the heavens and the earth but instead “God created the heavens and the earth”. The difference between creating and building is pretty obvious. Building something engages only the hands while creating involves the heart and the soul…Now, imagine Gods creative power in just mere words.

As He called upon light, history began. Existence became measurable. And a mighty hand went to work. Canyons were carves. Oceans were dug. Mountains erupted out of flat lands. He must have had a blast. Painting the stripes on the zebra. Hanging the stars in the sky. Putting the gold in the sunset. What creativity! Stretching the neck of the giraffe, putting the flutter in the mockingbirds wings, planting the giggle in the hyena. And then as a finale to a brilliant performance, he created man. With his typical creative flair, he began with a useless mound of dirt and ended up with an invaluable species called a human. How original were his thoughts! A human who had the unique honor to bear the stamp “in His image”. At this point one would be tempted to jump and clap.

“BRAVO!” “UNMATCHABLE!”

But the applause would be premature. If you thought He was imaginary with the sea and stars, wait until you read what creative ideas He had to get His creation to listen to Him:

A ninety year old woman gets pregnant.

Another woman turns to salt.

A flood blankets the earth.

A bush burns ( but doesn’t burn up!)

The Red Sea splits in two.

The walls of Jericho fall.

The sky rains fire.

A donkey talks.

God, still the compassionate creator, woos His creation. Man, the creation, alternately reaches out in repentance and runs in rebellion. It is within this simple scrip that God’s creativity flourishes to this day. There is no other perfect example for creativity besides our God. He has set the standard for creative thinking, planning and speaking.

Through and through, He is the creator. A tireless dreamer and designer.

“And (Jesus) said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”(Mathew 19:5-6)

The commandment “Honor Marriage” is a radical life changing commandment. Many people may think that “honor marriage” begins in the altar by saying the phrase “I do” when, indeed, it begins since our youth, with a preparation, many years before even before knowing our future wife (husband).

I’m a football player, I know that if I get into a football game without having prepared myself fiscally and mentally, I will end up injured and without enjoying the game. In order for this not to happen, first I have to let someone who knows football more than I, prepare me several months before, and also go to the gym, so I can get stronger (even if it hurts) to be ready for the hits of the game and not get injured. Also, I must learn the playbook so whenever I come out to the field I know what to do.

When we apply this commandment, God does these same things for us. God, knowing everything, prepares us and gives us the ability and the power to have a godly marriage and therefore, to have further godly seed. Even if it sometimes hurts us to be trained by Him, (let’s keep in mind that He just wants what’s best for us) He is making us ready for the “hits” of the marriage life. God, during the training, shows us how to conquer several giants in our lives that will damage our marriage if we don’t conquer them now. Such as: anger, lust, greed, bitterness, envy, fear, and guilt. He also gives us the weapons to conquer them. I would like to touch on just two of them.

· Vow of Singleness: helps us not be trying to figure out who’s the person God will give us as wife (husband) and thinking about the other sex in the sensual manner. Instead, this enables us to give God all our youth and strength until He shows us the correct person. Keeping us from fighting against temptations that would become very attractive and difficult to control, enabling us to give God all of ourselves to serve Him with our best; knowing that the rewards He gives are even greater.

· Principle of Authority: in this case, we refer to it as living under the authority of our parents (living under the same roof). When Jesus stated “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife” (See Mathew 19:5) He said “shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.” He didn’t put it this way: “shall leave father and mother and go to college”, neither did He say: “…shall go live by his (her) own”, He put the things CRYSTAL CLEAR, “AND SHALL BE UNITED TO HIS WIFE (her husband)”.

Why did He say it so? What happens when we don’t live under the authority of our parents?

1. We are not under God’s protection through our parents.

2. We loose the opportunity to receive their wise counsel.

3. We don’t receive the training that God gives us to be ready for marriage, (because this is normally transmitted through our parents).

4. We don’t receive God’s blessings through our parents, which is fundamental for our lives.

5. We won’t know who the person God designed to be our wife (husband) is. Because God uses our parents to counsel us and confirm who that person is.

So, if we don’t live under the authority of our parents, we are not living the abundant life God wants us to live.

This commandment of Honor Marriage was designed by Jesus so perfectly, that if we follow it the way He indicates, it will prepare us to have a powerful godly life.

Punctuality is, on the surface, rather uncomplicated: not easy perhaps, but simple enough.

“Be where you’re supposed to be, when you’re supposed to be there.”

What is so hard to grasp about that? Nothing. All of us know it merely an art of thinking ahead and planning, giving your self time to prepare your food, getting enough rest, having your clothes cleaned and pressed. So that when we tell some one that we will be there we are there, appropriately dressed, fed and in our right mind.

Although we place great importance on punctuality is it perhaps only practice,

Practice in keeping the real appointments of our lives. Let us, for a moment, note the obvious: life is so much more than we see at the first glance.

Life is a mosaic being carefully fitted together by an All Knowing God…a tapestry that He is weaving every day, one thread at a time. We are the threads, the precious stones….

As our great Lord is weaving the masterpiece are we attentive to Him? Have we taken the time to think ahead, to be prepared to meet with Him, to rid ourselves of distractions so that we have the time to be groomed, to be prepared stones, perfectly cut and polished, the threads, vivid, delicate and strong?

We are appalled at the thought of “standing someone up” but why? It shows a major lack of character.

It is proof that something or someone, is or was, more important than the person that we gave our word to.

How many times does this need to happen before it is safe to say that you do not love that person?

In the same way how many times do we need to put God off, failing to meet with Him at appointed

time: “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” (Prov.8:17)

in the appointed place: “…before the testimony, where I will meet with you.” (Num.17:4),

before it is safe to say that you don’t love God all that much.

There is no argument that there are many kinds of false prophets in our day. Because they love to disguise themselves, they are sometimes difficult to discern. But one thing is sure,

“Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” (Matthew 7:16-17)

Have you ever thought about the type of fruit that results from watching movies? As we observe the fruit in our lives, whether good or evil, we might be surprised at how much we are actually influenced by them.

Why would I, as a kid, pretend my bike was a horse, the shed a jail, my hand a pistol, and the backyard a vast expanse of prairie? Was it not the desire to be like the heroes in those wild-west or frontiersmen films?

Did not my younger siblings and I climb all over the house and pretend to accomplish dangerous fetes in an attempt to reenact the accomplishments of mountain-climbers? This kind of fruit is not morally wrong; but it gives you an idea of how much a movie can impact actions.

But then there is the story that my dad tells of when he was a kid, jumping from a 12 foot building because he wanted to be like Superman. The fruit? Hilarious now, but distressing then, the result was a seriously sprained ankle.

I asked a young teenager one time what it was that motivated him to do so much exercise in hopes of being a weightlifter. More or less, the answer was because he wanted to be like so-and-so in this-and-that film who did such-and-such amazing things. Movies have the potential of changing an entire future.

As for myself, I won’t even attempt to count the number of times I’ve quoted some catchy phrase from a movie during a conversation for the sake of being funny. And how many times do I hum a tune or theme engrained in my head from a movie I’ve seen many times before–or even once!

What more needs to be said? Can I go as far as to say that movies have an impact on behavior like no other median of entertainment history has encountered? What movies are impacting us? What are we doing right now because of something we have watched in the past? I’m not saying movies are false prophets; a movie is no more a false prophet than a person is. The point in question is the message being proclaimed. What

fruit is growing, what actions carried out, what words being spoken, what tunes being hummed that have originated from the fact that we have simply seen a movie?

A friend of mine, who was telling me how he had recently decreased the amount of movies he watched, used the following criteria for discerning what movies to keep and which ones to toss out:

What commandments are being broken without consequence?

What violation of a commandment is being condoned?

Does it in any way deride the Trinity?

A few more criterions that have been helpful for me are:

What statements are being made in jest that would otherwise be inappropriate?

What personal convictions are not being upheld?

What standard of music is being condoned?

Is the message worth the time and emotion of watching the movie?

May we be encouraged to discern the false prophets of our day by considering the fruit that is evident in our thoughts, words, and actions!

“But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mat 20:26

The call to be a servant is one of the greatest callings
given to mankind, but yet it is also one of the most difficult to accomplish. Christ’s ability to reach so many lives in the short amount of time He had, while holding no political or positional status in the world’s eyes was due to exercising this command.

I can’t help but think of the great impact Jesus had on all the people from the least to the greatest because He was willing to humble Himself and to help the most helpless.

Christ’s example of this command is the foundation of how every follower of the Lord Jesus Christ should live out their lives. I believe the key to fulfilling this call from Christ is by applying Psalm 51:1; “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, Oh God, thou wilt not despise.”

By humbling ourselves and by being willing to yield our spirit, soul and body to the Lord’s disposal, God will be able to use us as servants to fulfill His purpose and calling for our lives. We must never despise or forget this awesome opportunity to reveal the character of Christ through the life God has given us!

Matt. 5:47-48  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Here the word “perfect” is not calling us to be without fault but to be complete in how we live, be consistent or without hypocrisy. We are not to treat some people one way and other people another way; we are to treat every person the same. Giving a perfect greeting is something all of us can do in every situation. We are not to be excited only when we greet a good friend; we are to greet the clerk at the grocery store, the teller at the bank, and the young man who stops by our house selling something as though they are our dearest friends.

But we are not to just give perfect greetings to everyone we come in contact with; we are to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. God has 3 parts which are all perfect. Therefore, since we are made in the image of God (in 3 parts), we are to be perfect in all 3 parts: spirit, soul, and body.

As born-again Christians, Christ has already made us perfect in our spirit. Our spirit is complete;
there is nothing lacking.

However, there is a continuous battle in our soul. To make it perfect it must be “transformed by the renewing of your mind (intellect–must revert back to original position under the spirit), that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, (complete) will of God.” –Rom. 12:2

God’s will is exactly what we would choose if we knew all of the facts. Since we don’t know all of the facts, how do we learn and obey God’s will? It is only through the fellowship of our spirit with His Spirit that we learn God’s will. We don’t know all of the facts so we must take our mind off the throne (renew our mind) and yield to the Spirit’s promtings. Meditating on God’s Word is the process by which our mind is renewed. Through meditation, we move His Truth from our head to our heart. If we don’t meditate on the rhemas He gives us, we have gained knowledge but we do not receive the wisdom needed to properly apply it, and our intellect remains on the throne. One thing God has taught me in recent months is the importance of meditating on His Word not once or twice a day when I read the Bible, but all throughout each day. Since our minds are not always busy with work, there are many opportunities each day to do this. When we meditate on God’s Word throughout each day, He reveals to us ways to apply the insights He gives us to our lives.

Finally, be perfect in your body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19).
And “the Lord is in His holy temple” –Hab. 2:20

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” –Rom. 12:1

The Old Testament temple was glorious, and God cared about every tiny detail of how the temple was built, furnished, and used. How much more does He care about how we do this with our bodies. We are to use our dress, words, and actions to present our bodies perfect in Christ. As the temple of the Holy Spirit, we should strive to present our bodies as worthy to host a holy God. In the same way, we are to interact with others whether they are long-time friends or people we have never met, no matter their outward appearance including dress, words, and actions.

“Therefore be perfect, even as your Father which is

in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

Boldness: The quality of standing out strongly and distinctly. If you are a true follower of the King of kings, you have a reason to be bold. You are commanded to be different, set apart from the world and to stand out strongly and distinctly.

At one point, my life was dominated by fear. The only concern I had was, “What will others think of me?” I did not take the time of day to question, “What does God think of me and my life?” If being accepted by others meant breaking off fellowship with the God of the Whole Universe, I chose people over God. This got me nowhere. Not only did I let down the people I longed to please, but I also was never able to attain a personal relationship with God, leaving me completely unsatisfied and unfulfilled. Now, if this sounds like you, I have a few words to encourage you with and hopefully guide you toward the right path, the bold path.

Every one of us has a story. A story of how God has worked in your life, how he changed you from what you were, to where you are now, and how he is continually conforming you to the image of His Son. If you have such a story, God has commanded you to speak in the light, and preach on the housetops, to proclaim his truth to all.

In one of Tom Harmon’s recent messages he told the audience of a time in his life where he was ashamed of the word of God. At the time he denied it of course, but when the rubber hit the road, he knew he was guilty of just that. Until one day someone asked him, “You don’t take the word of God literally do you?” That was the last straw for him, he turned around and said proudly and honestly, “I take it literally, laterally, horizontally, vertically, and any way God says it I take it!” This is the kind of boldness I am talking about.

Now, let’s think about this in human perspectives. Say, someone does something for you that you did not expect, something so kind it changed your life forever. Now, would you be ashamed to be friends with this person, to give credit to this person for doing what they did for you? I sure hope not. And in the same way Jesus gave His life for us, changed us, and brought us into His family. We did not deserve it, and we didn’t even ask for it, but He did. How could we ever be ashamed of Him, how could we ever be afraid to say He is our friend and our Savior?

There will always be people in your life that will question you, your faith, and your standards. They will not understand why you must be different. Next time you are questioned, be bold in your answers, do not apologize for what you believe in, and they will wonder what can cause you to speak without fear of consequences or what others may think. If you are not ashamed of Him, He will not be ashamed of you.

Live like you have a purpose. Walk with a spring in your step, and a smile on your face, and always, always be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within you. People want something to live for and to die for. It is better for a man to die standing than to live on his knees. Remember, your life is not an apology it is a statement!

In In relation to all that I’ve said, I have one word of caution. If you are going to be bold and be strong, make sure you know the one you are defending, personally. If you are secretly in the throes of sin and addiction and someone asks, do you believe in the word of God, are you a follower of Christ? What authority do you have to speak against their ways, or say you know God? Make sure you are right with God, a clear conscience makes for a bold person.

I leave with you this exhortation from our Lord Jesus Christ, Mathew 10:26-33 says to you, “Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

I think that true loyalty comes from a heart of love, because without love it is not the same kind of loyalty. You can be loyal to your boss or your job, but it is more out of duty, not because you love them (usually). But if you love someone you will want to stay loyal to them. No matter what may come, and that is true love, true loyalty, to me at least.

In my life, I think the best example or way that I can practice Loyalty is in my devotion to God. Like making sure I find a time each day to spend with Him, no matter how long, just to acknowledge Him as my Lord, my Savior, the one who gives me life each day, and by my spending time with Him, I am letting him know that I am being Loyal in my devotion to Him. Also by fearing Him, if I truly love God and fear Him then I will want to be Loyal to him all the days of my life.

photo via Flickr