We have started a new set of talks at NCC called “Big Mouth”. We are talking about how our little mouth has such a big impact on the outcome of our lives. Our mouths can do us great good or great harm.
Criticizing and complaining is a trap to avoid if we want good outcomes in life. In all of Scripture the most prevalent negative use of the tongue is found in the books of the Law – Genesis through Deuteronomy. To the casual reader, it seems as though you cannot turn a page in this book without finding something said concerning the murmuring or complaining of Israel. Their negative and critical spirits trapped them wandering in the wilderness until an entire generation was gone.
I have provided some scriptures for our Monday morning reflection. I find it interesting how much judgment and the mouth are connected.
Numbers 11:1 (NLT) 1 The people soon began to complain to the LORD about their hardships; and when the LORD heard them, his anger blazed against them.
James 3:5 (NLT) 5 So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
Romans 14:10 (TLB) 10 You have no right to criticize your brother or look down on him. Remember, each of us will stand personally before the Judgment Seat of God.
Matthew 12:36-37 (NLT) And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."
Matthew 7:1-2 (NLT) 1 "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. 2 For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.
James 2:12-13 (NLT) 12 So whenever you speak, or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law of love, the law that set you free. 13 For there will be no mercy for you if you have not been merciful to others. But if you have been merciful, then God's mercy toward you will win out over his judgment against you.
Ephesians 4:29 (NLT) 29 Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
I must not allow my mouth to hold me back from God’s blessing. God desires for us to be life-givers in our speech. In order for me to be a life-giver, I must minimize negative, critical and judgmental speech. I can think before I speak and ask God for grace to season my words. I benefit-others benefit, and my tongue becomes a creative force instead of a destructive one.
May all words of death be gone from your vocabulary. May you be a life-giver today!
Current weekend series:
“Big Mouth”
Embracing the Impact of my Words
Visit Our Website
Chris Bennett
New Community Church
Monday, November 27, 2006
Negativity-the opposite of gratitude
Ok, so what is the opposite of Thanksgiving? It has to be complaining and criticizing. I am doing my “Thank-ups" this morning, and I am purposing to go through an entire day without complaining or critcizing not even one thing.
Philippians 2:14 (NLT) In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing,
Matthew 7:1-2 (MSG) "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. 2 That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.
Yes, in the spirit of thanksgiving I, super pastor, will attempt one full day without saying one itsy bitsy little thing that could be any form of complaint or criticism of any kind. I am going to say something good or I am not going to say anything at all. Can I make it? Can anyone? We will see. Wish me luck. (Pray too!) p.s. If you want to really trip on some scripture, trip on this: (I sat and meditated on this for an hour)
Matthew 12:34-37 (NLT) “For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."
Chris Bennett
New Community Church
email: chrisb@newcommchurch.org
phone: 702-435-9505
web: http://www.ncclv.com
Philippians 2:14 (NLT) In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing,
Matthew 7:1-2 (MSG) "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. 2 That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.
Yes, in the spirit of thanksgiving I, super pastor, will attempt one full day without saying one itsy bitsy little thing that could be any form of complaint or criticism of any kind. I am going to say something good or I am not going to say anything at all. Can I make it? Can anyone? We will see. Wish me luck. (Pray too!) p.s. If you want to really trip on some scripture, trip on this: (I sat and meditated on this for an hour)
Matthew 12:34-37 (NLT) “For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."
Chris Bennett
New Community Church
email: chrisb@newcommchurch.org
phone: 702-435-9505
web: http://www.ncclv.com
Monday, November 20, 2006
Almighty Attitude
What if I told you something that could immediately make you feel better?
When a person realizes they are physically out of shape, they cannot immediately change that condition. They must discipline themselves in diet and exercise for a time to become healthy. But there is a Holy prescription that the Great physician has provided that has an immediate impact on our state of being.
“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.” Col. 3:15-17
I am becoming more and more convinced that an attitude of thankfulness is the most important attitude to develop in life. Because this truth is so elementary it can be easily overlooked. Often, simplicity is equated with insignificance, but nothing could be further from the truth. I am becoming more convinced that thanksgiving is the foundational attitude of living. It is number one in my mind. If a heart isn’t seasoned with thanksgiving, one is greatly handicapped in life. Living from a foundation of thanksgiving, I remain stable in an unstable world. Bad news never has good timing but a heart that remains thankful is insulated against bitterness and extended seasons of discouragement.
An attitude of thankfulness is essential for mental and emotional health. A heart conditioned by thanksgiving opens the door into God’s very presence. Regular offerings of thanks are like the opening of windows so that fresh air and sunshine can come into a dark and gloomy house. “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving…” Psalm 95:2 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving…” Psalm 100:4 Thanksgiving always provides an entry into God’s presence.
“In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Ps. 16:11
Romans 1 tells us that when a person does not honor God with thankfulness their heart is darkened and thinking becomes futile. I call it depression. The darkness of ingratitude leaves us in our dissatisfaction and, left unchecked, leads to some forms of mental illness. We were not designed to be ungrateful.
Gratitude is a spiritual discipline that can have an immediate impact. At times when I have had bouts with discouragement, I have turned my heart to God in thanksgiving and find myself being immediately lifted. My circumstances don’t change, I do! The fog lifts from around my head and I again see clearly how good God has been to me.
I do what I call “Thank-ups”. Similar to physically dropping and doing push-ups, I just simply start thanking God for all He has done and is doing and has promised to do (the more reps the better). A realization of His goodness gives way to awareness of His presence and I begin to feel better-just like that! Amazing!
When an attitude of gratitude is fused into my character mix, I become more whole and I reflect God’s goodness to others. Yes, Thanksgiving is a powerful holiday if we can keep from missing its significance in our rush to Christmas.
God has been so good to us. If we just look around, we can see His goodness everywhere. May God bless you this Holiday season. But, more than that, may you be aware and thankful for it.
Chris
When a person realizes they are physically out of shape, they cannot immediately change that condition. They must discipline themselves in diet and exercise for a time to become healthy. But there is a Holy prescription that the Great physician has provided that has an immediate impact on our state of being.
“And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.” Col. 3:15-17
I am becoming more and more convinced that an attitude of thankfulness is the most important attitude to develop in life. Because this truth is so elementary it can be easily overlooked. Often, simplicity is equated with insignificance, but nothing could be further from the truth. I am becoming more convinced that thanksgiving is the foundational attitude of living. It is number one in my mind. If a heart isn’t seasoned with thanksgiving, one is greatly handicapped in life. Living from a foundation of thanksgiving, I remain stable in an unstable world. Bad news never has good timing but a heart that remains thankful is insulated against bitterness and extended seasons of discouragement.
An attitude of thankfulness is essential for mental and emotional health. A heart conditioned by thanksgiving opens the door into God’s very presence. Regular offerings of thanks are like the opening of windows so that fresh air and sunshine can come into a dark and gloomy house. “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving…” Psalm 95:2 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving…” Psalm 100:4 Thanksgiving always provides an entry into God’s presence.
“In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Ps. 16:11
Romans 1 tells us that when a person does not honor God with thankfulness their heart is darkened and thinking becomes futile. I call it depression. The darkness of ingratitude leaves us in our dissatisfaction and, left unchecked, leads to some forms of mental illness. We were not designed to be ungrateful.
Gratitude is a spiritual discipline that can have an immediate impact. At times when I have had bouts with discouragement, I have turned my heart to God in thanksgiving and find myself being immediately lifted. My circumstances don’t change, I do! The fog lifts from around my head and I again see clearly how good God has been to me.
I do what I call “Thank-ups”. Similar to physically dropping and doing push-ups, I just simply start thanking God for all He has done and is doing and has promised to do (the more reps the better). A realization of His goodness gives way to awareness of His presence and I begin to feel better-just like that! Amazing!
When an attitude of gratitude is fused into my character mix, I become more whole and I reflect God’s goodness to others. Yes, Thanksgiving is a powerful holiday if we can keep from missing its significance in our rush to Christmas.
God has been so good to us. If we just look around, we can see His goodness everywhere. May God bless you this Holiday season. But, more than that, may you be aware and thankful for it.
Chris
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
good news
Today as I pray for you, I am praying that the story of your life will be “Gospel”. I am asking God to give us all the desire to be so much more than “believers” but incarnations of Jesus life here in Las Vegas. Our mission is to “Good News” our city. Are you good news to others?
Michelle and I came here to Vegas with a vision-that vision has been tested and refined over and over again. I could give a bullet list of accomplishments spanning over the last 8 ½ years but how much of it matters? In the end, how will it all be evaluated by the Lord?
The vision we received is about a community-a new community where people of all kinds would come together and listen to Jesus. He would then take our broken lives and do His thing-“restore”. Restoration is God’s intention for everything--me, us, others, and all of created order.
I am amazed at just how little I really knew about what I was doing when we first started. I am thankful to God that He would work with me like that.
Our church and achievement of its mission in the world is not ready to be judged. The real measurable results of NCC will not be obvious until 15-20 years from now. The question that haunts me now is not, ‘Do people enjoy our services?’ but ‘Are we becoming like Jesus?’ Is there any real spiritual formation happening? That is what I am asking myself. I know that there is, but is there enough collectively happening to “good news” our city. I believe the real Jesus in us is very attractive. Don’t misunderstand me. I want our church to be enjoyable, but more than that I desire it (us) to be transformational.
Is the life that I am and you are going to live today going to look like Jesus? Will I be “good news” to someone today? Will my life be sacrificed for others or squandered on self? If we live enough days incarnationally over the next 15-20 years, the vision will be realized and the world will have been “Good Newsed” by us. That is my hope!
So, back to my prayer: Father, I ask that Jesus would permeate and saturate our hearts and lives. Take our offered and broken lives and do Your thing. Restore us. Restore our city through us. May we be “Good News” to those around us today. May the story of our lives over time be the Gospel.
Grace to you,
Chris
Michelle and I came here to Vegas with a vision-that vision has been tested and refined over and over again. I could give a bullet list of accomplishments spanning over the last 8 ½ years but how much of it matters? In the end, how will it all be evaluated by the Lord?
The vision we received is about a community-a new community where people of all kinds would come together and listen to Jesus. He would then take our broken lives and do His thing-“restore”. Restoration is God’s intention for everything--me, us, others, and all of created order.
I am amazed at just how little I really knew about what I was doing when we first started. I am thankful to God that He would work with me like that.
Our church and achievement of its mission in the world is not ready to be judged. The real measurable results of NCC will not be obvious until 15-20 years from now. The question that haunts me now is not, ‘Do people enjoy our services?’ but ‘Are we becoming like Jesus?’ Is there any real spiritual formation happening? That is what I am asking myself. I know that there is, but is there enough collectively happening to “good news” our city. I believe the real Jesus in us is very attractive. Don’t misunderstand me. I want our church to be enjoyable, but more than that I desire it (us) to be transformational.
Is the life that I am and you are going to live today going to look like Jesus? Will I be “good news” to someone today? Will my life be sacrificed for others or squandered on self? If we live enough days incarnationally over the next 15-20 years, the vision will be realized and the world will have been “Good Newsed” by us. That is my hope!
So, back to my prayer: Father, I ask that Jesus would permeate and saturate our hearts and lives. Take our offered and broken lives and do Your thing. Restore us. Restore our city through us. May we be “Good News” to those around us today. May the story of our lives over time be the Gospel.
Grace to you,
Chris
Good news
Today as I pray for you, I am praying that the story of your life will be “Gospel”. I am asking God to give us all the desire to be so much more than “believers” but incarnations of Jesus life here in Las Vegas. Our mission is to “Good News” our city. Are you good news to others?
Michelle and I came here to Vegas with a vision-that vision has been tested and refined over and over again. I could give a bullet list of accomplishments spanning over the last 8 ½ years but how much of it matters? In the end, how will it all be evaluated by the Lord?
The vision we received is about a community-a new community where people of all kinds would come together and listen to Jesus. He would then take our broken lives and do His thing-“restore”. Restoration is God’s intention for everything--me, us, others, and all of created order.
I am amazed at just how little I really knew about what I was doing when we first started. I am thankful to God that He would work with me like that.
Our church and achievement of its mission in the world is not ready to be judged. The real measurable results of NCC will not be obvious until 15-20 years from now. The question that haunts me now is not, ‘Do people enjoy our services?’ but ‘Are we becoming like Jesus?’ Is there any real spiritual formation happening? That is what I am asking myself. I know that there is, but is there enough collectively happening to “good news” our city. I believe the real Jesus in us is very attractive. Don’t misunderstand me. I want our church to be enjoyable, but more than that I desire it (us) to be transformational.
Is the life that I am and you are going to live today going to look like Jesus? Will I be “good news” to someone today? Will my life be sacrificed for others or squandered on self? If we live enough days incarnationally over the next 15-20 years, the vision will be realized and the world will have been “Good Newsed” by us. That is my hope!
So, back to my prayer: Father, I ask that Jesus would permeate and saturate our hearts and lives. Take our offered and broken lives and do Your thing. Restore us. Restore our city through us. May we be “Good News” to those around us today. May the story of our lives over time be the Gospel.
Grace to you,
Chris
Michelle and I came here to Vegas with a vision-that vision has been tested and refined over and over again. I could give a bullet list of accomplishments spanning over the last 8 ½ years but how much of it matters? In the end, how will it all be evaluated by the Lord?
The vision we received is about a community-a new community where people of all kinds would come together and listen to Jesus. He would then take our broken lives and do His thing-“restore”. Restoration is God’s intention for everything--me, us, others, and all of created order.
I am amazed at just how little I really knew about what I was doing when we first started. I am thankful to God that He would work with me like that.
Our church and achievement of its mission in the world is not ready to be judged. The real measurable results of NCC will not be obvious until 15-20 years from now. The question that haunts me now is not, ‘Do people enjoy our services?’ but ‘Are we becoming like Jesus?’ Is there any real spiritual formation happening? That is what I am asking myself. I know that there is, but is there enough collectively happening to “good news” our city. I believe the real Jesus in us is very attractive. Don’t misunderstand me. I want our church to be enjoyable, but more than that I desire it (us) to be transformational.
Is the life that I am and you are going to live today going to look like Jesus? Will I be “good news” to someone today? Will my life be sacrificed for others or squandered on self? If we live enough days incarnationally over the next 15-20 years, the vision will be realized and the world will have been “Good Newsed” by us. That is my hope!
So, back to my prayer: Father, I ask that Jesus would permeate and saturate our hearts and lives. Take our offered and broken lives and do Your thing. Restore us. Restore our city through us. May we be “Good News” to those around us today. May the story of our lives over time be the Gospel.
Grace to you,
Chris
If you can be honest
As I come toward the end of my journey through Colossians I am deeply impressed by a part of the letter that frankly, I was just going to skip. Often at the end of Paul’s letters, he goes through this boring (or so I used to think) list of people thanking, encouraging, etc. I am discovering some “hidden nuggets” here at the end of this book that can speak very powerfully to us all.
I am sure you have seen the current sex and drug scandal involving Ted Haggard. I move between shock and heartbreak with every newscast that I see. I ask myself, “How did he get there?” I literally weep for Him, his wife, children, and wonderful church that he gave twenty plus years of his life building. I pray for them with deep concern and compassion. What is more is the even greater damage the cause of Christ as the ripples go out in a thousand unintended directions.
At the end of Colossians Paul mentions some names: “Onesimus, Mark-Barnabas's cousin, Dear Doctor Luke sends his greetings, and so does Demas” just to mention a few. These all were flawed men who struggled with sin, and at times, each other. Some of them quit ministry and some even walked away from the faith.
People who give their lives to Jesus to serve Him are under tremendous pressure and real satanic attack. Sometimes they go down in flames. Good men and women with strong desires to do good with their lives have something in common with the rest of us. Sin! Yes they (I) sin and often. AND this is nothing new. Sometimes they make it to the finish line and other times they don’t.
We all have our ugly moments that we are ashamed of. Each of us has the same propensity to commit destructive acts like these men and worse! I know that I do. What a private and personal hell Ted Haggard and his entire family must be in right now. We can take moments like these and allow them to teach us valuable lessons that can save marriages, families and careers.
“These are all warning markers—DANGER!—in our history books, written down so that we don't repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel— they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence.” I Cor. 10:11-12 (MSG)
Someone once said, “You are only as sick as your secrets”. Do you have some secrets that you don’t want anyone to know? Are you privatly toying with something destructive? Do you have something going on that you wish you could stop but you feel powerless? "Every day ... keep encouraging one another so that none of you is hardened by the glamour of sin." Heb. 3:13 (JB)
Let me encourage all of us to find someone we can be honest with-someone who we can pray with-cry with-heal with. God embraces broken people He always has and He will continue. So we don’t need to hide or pretend-not with Him and not with each other. The church can be that place but we need courage. It will take courage on someone’s part to dare to build with others an atmoshere of grace and acceptance.
I am reminded of God’s words to a man after the very first sin, “Adam, where are you”. I believe they are words of love that He still speaks today. I hear them. Please hear them with me. Let’s dare to come out from behind our coverings. Let’s overcome our shame and fear with faith that Jesus is who he said He was. He said that He did not come to condemn us but to save us. Still hoping to build an honest community,Chris
Chris Bennett
I am sure you have seen the current sex and drug scandal involving Ted Haggard. I move between shock and heartbreak with every newscast that I see. I ask myself, “How did he get there?” I literally weep for Him, his wife, children, and wonderful church that he gave twenty plus years of his life building. I pray for them with deep concern and compassion. What is more is the even greater damage the cause of Christ as the ripples go out in a thousand unintended directions.
At the end of Colossians Paul mentions some names: “Onesimus, Mark-Barnabas's cousin, Dear Doctor Luke sends his greetings, and so does Demas” just to mention a few. These all were flawed men who struggled with sin, and at times, each other. Some of them quit ministry and some even walked away from the faith.
People who give their lives to Jesus to serve Him are under tremendous pressure and real satanic attack. Sometimes they go down in flames. Good men and women with strong desires to do good with their lives have something in common with the rest of us. Sin! Yes they (I) sin and often. AND this is nothing new. Sometimes they make it to the finish line and other times they don’t.
We all have our ugly moments that we are ashamed of. Each of us has the same propensity to commit destructive acts like these men and worse! I know that I do. What a private and personal hell Ted Haggard and his entire family must be in right now. We can take moments like these and allow them to teach us valuable lessons that can save marriages, families and careers.
“These are all warning markers—DANGER!—in our history books, written down so that we don't repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel— they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence.” I Cor. 10:11-12 (MSG)
Someone once said, “You are only as sick as your secrets”. Do you have some secrets that you don’t want anyone to know? Are you privatly toying with something destructive? Do you have something going on that you wish you could stop but you feel powerless? "Every day ... keep encouraging one another so that none of you is hardened by the glamour of sin." Heb. 3:13 (JB)
Let me encourage all of us to find someone we can be honest with-someone who we can pray with-cry with-heal with. God embraces broken people He always has and He will continue. So we don’t need to hide or pretend-not with Him and not with each other. The church can be that place but we need courage. It will take courage on someone’s part to dare to build with others an atmoshere of grace and acceptance.
I am reminded of God’s words to a man after the very first sin, “Adam, where are you”. I believe they are words of love that He still speaks today. I hear them. Please hear them with me. Let’s dare to come out from behind our coverings. Let’s overcome our shame and fear with faith that Jesus is who he said He was. He said that He did not come to condemn us but to save us. Still hoping to build an honest community,Chris
Chris Bennett
transformation
Did you know that you can now buy a completely new face? Recently I saw on the evening news the first complete face transplant. It was amazing! I spent the other morning on a web-site for “attractive prototypes”. They use computers to alter people’s faces to fit the prototype for what is considered to be attractive. Above is the picture of a young woman before and after her face has undergone a computer generated transformation. It is interesting to see the process from where her face was to the image you see now.
Transformation. Interesting word. It is what first drew me to Christ-the promise of change-to be something or someone different than what I had become. I felt ugly and ashamed of who I was. I wanted a do-over.
The Good News is that God gives us the gift of a “do-over”. He takes the old and makes us new. But the newness is different than what people are looking for today. The scriptures mention the “hidden person of the heart”. This is the place where God does His extreme makeover.
Jesus, the most magnetic person ever takes up residence in my heart and a transformation begins.
If I like, each day I can be “clothed in Him” (Rom. 13:14).
He is a refreshing fragrance coming out of my life. (2 Cor. 2:14)
He refreshes my attitude. (Phil. 2:5)
He illuminates my personality. (John 15:4)
He gives great face lifts as well. (Ps. 34:5)
In short, I have His image restored in me.
Jesus in me is quite compelling. He’s interesting, humorous and compassionate.
He is all that in me and so much more! AND there is more to come!
So I’m not tall, dark, and handsome. WHO CARES!
I’m transforming. We all are!
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)
Transformation. Interesting word. It is what first drew me to Christ-the promise of change-to be something or someone different than what I had become. I felt ugly and ashamed of who I was. I wanted a do-over.
The Good News is that God gives us the gift of a “do-over”. He takes the old and makes us new. But the newness is different than what people are looking for today. The scriptures mention the “hidden person of the heart”. This is the place where God does His extreme makeover.
Jesus, the most magnetic person ever takes up residence in my heart and a transformation begins.
If I like, each day I can be “clothed in Him” (Rom. 13:14).
He is a refreshing fragrance coming out of my life. (2 Cor. 2:14)
He refreshes my attitude. (Phil. 2:5)
He illuminates my personality. (John 15:4)
He gives great face lifts as well. (Ps. 34:5)
In short, I have His image restored in me.
Jesus in me is quite compelling. He’s interesting, humorous and compassionate.
He is all that in me and so much more! AND there is more to come!
So I’m not tall, dark, and handsome. WHO CARES!
I’m transforming. We all are!
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)
Thursday, November 02, 2006
are you attractive?
When I was a little boy, my mom pasted these old newspaper ads to stained wood and hung them on the wall as antique decorations. They were food advertisements for women. I remember one particularly: FATTEN-U-FOOD! That’s right. It was food to make women fat. In the past, it was actually considered unattractive to be thin. Skinny women were passed over by men who wanted a more “substantial gal”. I remember the ads of those beautiful heavy models like it was yesterday.
By the way, who says what is attractive and what is unattractive anyway? Who says you have to weigh a certain weight, have a certain hair and skin color, etc.? Where do they make those rules? AND many times, what this world determines is attractive is shallow, possessing little or no significance. The way our world evaluates people is oppressive to most.
“So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now! What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” 2 Cor. 5:16-17
Fresh, attractive, influential, and magnetic people are what Jesus is making. People who don’t just look good-they are good! They make a difference in the world. What makes the Christ-follower attractive runs much deeper than the culture’s surface evaluations. Let’s continue a little further in the same passage.
“All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NLT)
In Christ I have found a way to be attractive as well as significant. In Him I am clothed fashionably and given access to the finest of fragrances. Also, as I abide in Him, my personality and attitude are fine tuned in such a way that I can at times be “irresistible”.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not taken with myself, but I do think God has given me an opportunity to reflect His image and His image is "at least" attractive.
Find out more this weekend. Hear the message, “Becoming Magnetic”.
By the way, who says what is attractive and what is unattractive anyway? Who says you have to weigh a certain weight, have a certain hair and skin color, etc.? Where do they make those rules? AND many times, what this world determines is attractive is shallow, possessing little or no significance. The way our world evaluates people is oppressive to most.
“So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being. How differently I think about him now! What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” 2 Cor. 5:16-17
Fresh, attractive, influential, and magnetic people are what Jesus is making. People who don’t just look good-they are good! They make a difference in the world. What makes the Christ-follower attractive runs much deeper than the culture’s surface evaluations. Let’s continue a little further in the same passage.
“All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NLT)
In Christ I have found a way to be attractive as well as significant. In Him I am clothed fashionably and given access to the finest of fragrances. Also, as I abide in Him, my personality and attitude are fine tuned in such a way that I can at times be “irresistible”.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not taken with myself, but I do think God has given me an opportunity to reflect His image and His image is "at least" attractive.
Find out more this weekend. Hear the message, “Becoming Magnetic”.
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