How to be Rich.

Not to toot my own horn, but the next series at illuminate is one not to miss. How to be Rich - Finances from God's point of view.

Check out the teaser:

Walking in the Spirit.

Scripture:

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Galatians 5:16 TNIV)

Obsveration:

This scripture is pretty clear. We are called to walk (an action!) by the Spirit of God that was put in us when we said Yes to Jesus. If we walk in that Spirit then we will not give in to our old nature that wants to sin.

Application:

I can choose with every decision if I will walk in my old man or walk in the Spirit. My ability to make that choice seems to be influenced by other choices I have made that day. Did I read my Bible? Pray? Journal? When I am making the first choice to develop my relationship with God through spiritual disciplines (and it’s no coincidence that discipline looks like disciple) then I am more likely to choose to walk in the spirit when an opportunity to sin occurs.

Prayer:

Lord, today help me to walk in your Spirit. Help me to make right choices so that I will honor Your name in all I do. Amen.

Bind Them on Your Foreheads.

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ^[a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6)

Today is the day to love God with everything that I have. Every day after this is that day as well.

I love that right in with God telling us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is that His commandments are to be “on our hearts.” Although God loves us and we are forgiven by Christ without any work on our own, if we really love Him it will show up in how we act. Just as God commanded the Israelites to put God’s commends on their hands and foreheads I am also to have the way other people see me reflect God’s character.

This passage of scripture begins with us loving God inside ourselves and ends with loving God in ways that show up to the outside world.

How can we live heart first today?