Ashame!

Have you ever done something that you are ashamed of?  The obvious answer to this question is yes!  How do you respond in those times?  Does that feeling of shame cause you to consider your actions or in other words lead to a period of contemplation?   How often does our quote on quote worst moments become teachable moments?  How sincere is your relationship with God?  I acknowledge that there are a wide array thoughts that crosses one's mind:

• Does God still love me?  The answer is YES!
• I don't feel worthy to go into his presence?  You never were or are worthy to go into his presence only because of the blood of Jesus you are granted access to the father! So always take the opportunity to repent. The enemy always once you to keep unconfessed sin in your life that you may be more susceptible to his wiles.
• If I was real a Christian who is growing in my relationship with God would I have done this?  The answer is Yes you are fallible meaning you are subject to sin due your inherent sin nature.  However, as you grow you tend to sin less and become aware of the need for repentance.

Ultimately, what I am getting at is that as Christians we should hate sin because we recognize sin separates us from God.  If we are to honor God with our lives and sin is dishonorable in the sight of God we must stay in a continuous state of repentance. Why wait another moment?  As matter fact, I need to repent right now!

Gracious God, I thank you for your tender mercies and your abundance of grace that you have allotted me.  Most of all I thank you for being God.  So awesome, so wise, so loving, so understanding, and so faithful.  I come now acknowledging my need for repentance for I have sin both knowingly and unknowingly.  Please take this desire away from me and I turn away from _______ to honor you with my life. In Jesus the Christ name I offer this prayer. Amen.

Scripture Reference: Psalms 51:7

God bless,
Bondservant Hollis

Be Challenged!

What is about us that we become a bit  perturbed when challenges come into our life?  Why are we so uneasy or so uncomfortable with challenges?  Could it be we do not have the right perspective of challenges?  One can handle challenges in one of two ways.  The first way is to back down, run away, or even deny the reality of it.  The second way is to embrace it, respond to it with enthusiasm, or initiate the challenge yourself.  As believers we are to embrace challenges you ask why?  Well here are a few reasons why:

1. Challenges allow opportunities for us to grow.
2. Challenges give us an opportunity to strengthen our faith.
3. Challenges give us an opportunity to trust God.

In first century Palestine looking at this idea of challenge from a cultural anthropology perspective (this is for my friend who shall remain nameless) which operated on an honor and shame system.  Meaning honor was like our credit rating and no one wanted a bad credit rating.  Thusly, if someone challenged you and you loss the challenge it was dishonorable. I said all that to say this the honorable thing to do is respond to the challenges of life whole-heartedly with the assurance that you are not in this thing alone.  You have the Holy Spirit, and your brothers and sisters in Christ with you.

Finally, the Scriptures presents believers with a few challenges Jesus before he ascended back to heaven challenged the disciples to go ye therefore and make disciples baptizing them in name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Paul challenged believers to live a life worthy of there calling.  The question becomes today how will you respond to the challenges presented to you?

Scripture Reference: Mtthw. 28:18-20, Ephesians 4:1-3

God bless,
Bondservant Hollis

The Power Of One!

There is only one God!  Who is revealed is three forms Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer or more commonly the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  There is only one body.  For which Christ is the head yet there are many members (parts of the body).  There is only one Church for which is the bride of Christ but there are many local assemblies throughout the world.

You may be asking what are you getting at and that is a fair question. I am trying to illustrate this thing called UNITY!  You may have heard the adage united we stand divided we fall.  Well there is some truth to that just as the Trinity works together in unity and in perfect harmony to achieved there purposes.  So must the body of Christ follow that example and unite as one.  In this pluralistic society we find ourselves in it is easy to become divided. 

However the Christian call is to UNITY!  How else can we show the world that we are set apart?  How else can we demonstrate the love that changes peoples lives?  How else can man know that we are his disciples other than we love one another in unity as one body in Christ?  The psalmist declared how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!

Think about this.  Do you know what Jesus prayer for all that believed in him and all those who would believe in him?  I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one!

Scripture Reference: John 17:21

God bless,
Bondservant Hollis

He Wants it All!

What area of your life have you not surrender over to our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ.  Is it your finances?  Do your financial decisions consider what God would have you to do?  Is it your love life? Does your date like consider individuals God would approve of? Is it your job?  Do you act one way on Sunday morning but a completely different way at your job to the point that people cannot recognize that you are a believer?  Is it your time? Do you have time for everything and everybody else but when it comes to time for God you are tired?  Do you serve in countless ministries and go to church every Sunday but it has become so habitual that it just apart of your daily life?

The church of Ephesus or the church at Ephesus was considered a good church Jesus himself affirm that they were bearing fruit.  They were faithful to the truth, they were faithful witnesses, and they endured persecutions for Jesus name sake.  They were a warm and loving church known throughout Asia Minor for their love for Christ and others.

However, there was one thing that Jesus the Christ had against them.  What is it you ask?  They had forsaken their first love. I believe Forever Jones had it right when she says, "There is a God that walks over the earth looking for heart that is desperate longing for a child that will give him there all."  He wants it all.  Jesus Christ wants it all.  He wants your heart, your mind, and your soul.  He wants it all. 

Have you been forsaking your first love?

Scripture Reference: Rev. 2:4

God bless
Bondservant Hollis