Scripture Notes: Psalm 27

Posted by admin on Jun 1, 2011 in Contemplations, Scripture Notes | 0 comments

Fear in relationships comes from a lack of trust in the other. Fear in life comes from a lack of trust in its author.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid?  The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” -Psalm 27:1 (NLT)
- – - – - – - – - -
“The one thing I ask of the Lord – the thing I seek most – is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in His temple.” -Psalm 27:4

The greatest joy in life is found in practicing the presence of God.

This, too, is the greatest promise of the life to come, as “God Himself will be WITH them…” -Revelation 21:3b

On Reading

Posted by admin on May 30, 2011 in Observations | 0 comments

Do not so quickly rush by what you read that it has no opportunity to take hold of your heart and take root in your mind.

Be still for a moment.
Breathe.
Write.
Think.
Pray.

Be aware of the words you’ve just read, and let them have their way in you, for it is often through this that the Spirit will speak to your soul.

Justice and Love: Psalm 7

Posted by admin on May 27, 2011 in Contemplations, Scripture Notes | 0 comments

“I will thank the Lord because He is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.” -Psalm 7:17

Meditating on this passage recently, here are a few thoughts that came to mind.

- Love without choice is not love, but slavery. Choice without consequences is not choice, but an illusion. Consequences out of scope with their cause, are either pointless gestures or miscarriages of justice.
- Love is not love without the potential for hate. Forgiveness is meaningless without the possibility of damnation. They each of them exist as a function of their opposites.
- God’s love brings comfort and rest. His justice brings security and gratefulness that His love actually means something.
- Because of this, I say God’s justice is just as lovely as His love.

End of the World [an Encouraging Word 003]

Posted by admin on May 26, 2011 in an Encouraging Word, Teaching, Video | 0 comments

So, apparently Jesus is about to come back and it’s the end of the world.

Apparently scores of people are selling all their belongings and hitting the streets.
Ever wonder what JESUS said about this sort of thing?
(NOTE: Scripture references below video)

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
Matthew 24:3-4a
Matthew 24:36

[End of the World: an Encouraging Word 003 | © 2011 phillipgonzales.com]

Preemptive Praise

Posted by admin on May 11, 2011 in Contemplations, Featured | 0 comments

“The angel of the Lord appeared to [Gideon] and said, ‘Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!’” -Judges 6:12

There is a tendency in most of us to withhold praise and encouragement until it’s actually earned. This makes a lot of sense. After all, if a person or plan fails miserably, congratulations would be rather unwarranted.

Why is it, though, that God often does just the opposite with us? Indeed, with Gideon, the man is NOT a hero when God comes to him. Quite the contrary, he’s basically hiding in a pit from the bad guys. Curious, then, that God comes to him not with judgement or anger for not standing up and taking action, but with preemptive praise, knowing that in time, he will.

What would happen in my life if I began to treat others this way?

What would happen in yours?

What would happen in marriages and families and churches and companies if we started to see people as God sees them, and let them know?

Perhaps then they – and we – would be free to become the “Mighty heroes” God made us to be…

Death of an Enemy [an Encouraging Word 002]

Posted by admin on May 3, 2011 in an Encouraging Word, Teaching, Video | 0 comments

Osama Bin Laden is dead.

As with any such event, the question always comes up, “How should Christians respond?” There is a tension inherent in the question, but perhaps the Bible can help us find our way.
(NOTE: Scripture references below video)

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
Matthew 5:43-45
Romans 13:4
Ezekiel 33:11
Romans 12:19
Romans 13:1
Isaiah 13:11
1 Timothy 2:1,3-4

[Death of an Enemy: an Encouraging Word 002 | © 2011 phillipgonzales.com]

Easter [an Encouraging Word 001]

Posted by admin on Apr 22, 2011 in an Encouraging Word, Video | 0 comments

Somehow, every Easter it seems like the same thing.

Mad rushing to prepare, getting everything “perfect” around the church building in anticipation of new visitors, hoping to get it all right… but is that really the point of it all?

[Easter: an Encouraging Word 001 | © 2011 phillipgonzales.com]