A Brand-New Beginning

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, unless one is born again,  he cannot be in God's kingdom.

John 3:3

The people of Israel were much like people today. They were constantly seeking restoration. They wanted broken bodies whole. Broken relationships mended. Their broken nation restored to peace and prosperity. Their broken link to eternity reforged. Yet God did not settle for restoration. He sent Jesus to bring regeneration - a totally new life.

This new life is what Jesus was speaking about when he talked to Nicodemus, a Pharisee of rare character who was honestly seeking God's truth. At first Nicodemus misunderstood the whole concept, arguing that there was no possible way for a baby to reenter his mother's womb and be reborn. But the birth Jesus was speaking about was a spiritual rebirth, a radical reawakening to who you were created to be. The spiritual rebirth was a brand-new way of relating to life that is possible only through the gift of a totally new nature.

The "old" nature was focused on self. The "new" nature is focused on God. Like a newborn who is predisposed toward certain traits because of his DNA but nonetheless has to positively participate in the maturity you need to live a godly life. To mature in that life, you must choose to nurture your new nature. Nourish yourself with the Bible. Exercise your spiritual muscles by acting on what God asks you to do. Rest in God's promise that the past is gone and that you have been born again.

Use Jesus's words as a touchstone anytime you get discouraged about how long it takes to become spiritually mature. You have the right DNA. Adulthood is inevitable. It just take times to get there.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray to God to keep your eyes on the prize - the prize of eternal salvation. The process of spiritual maturity is a gift God has provided us on earth to condition us to what awaits us in heaven. Through each transformative trial and tribulation that we encounter God wants us to glorify Him in the process. He wants us to focus on pleasing Him more then ourselves. That means loving when it's unfair (when we are hurt). That means forgiving without regret (do not keep a score card) sure in the knowledge that God is in control and He will guide you through all turbulence that this earthly life might push towards you. Actions taken by a spiritual mature Christian heart will yield the peace and love on earth that which awaits us in heaven. ~ MME Team

Buried Treasure

In [Christ] all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge are safely kept.

Colossians 2:3

In ancient Colossae, Gnosticism was all the rage. It was a religious cult that promised salvation through secret knowledge that was said to be delivered by angels. Even the group's name was derived from the Greek word for "knowledge," gnosis. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wanted the church to be able to discern what was false from what was true. Instead of seeking secret knowledge, Paul told people to seek Jesus - the source of knowledge itself.

Today people continue to seek the answer of life through intellectual pursuits, philosophical debate, and even angelic revelation. Yet what was true in Paul's day is still true today. Faith in Jesus is the only road to salvation and to the secrets of life. Faith comes from knowing God through personal experience, not intellectual pursuit. Any knowledge derived from that perfect source bonds people together in love, they do not pit themselves against one another to show off what they know. Knowing God encourages a state of mind that is peaceful and secure.

Yet this kind of knowledge isn't a treasure trove you acquire the moment you invite God into y our life. It is something that's revealed one gem at a time as you dig deeper into the Bible. Focus on Jesus. Get to know him intimately, with your whole being. You'll find knowledge that's practical, eternal and worth infinitely more than any doctoral degree.

When you act on what you've learned by focusing on Jesus, you demonstrate wisdom. The more you put wisdom to use, the wiser you become.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray to God for a stronger will to seek Jesus in all things. In the good times and bad times - seek the source of knowledge that will lead you to peace and security of salvation. ~ MME Team

All in the Family

Whoever does not care for his own relatives, especially his own family members, has turned against the faith and is worse than someone who does not believe in God.

1 Timothy 5:8

Paul gave advice to the young pastor Timothy on how to help organize and maintain a vital, God-honoring church. One area Paul discussed was meeting the needs of others. It seems that some members of the congregation were giving their time, energy, and resources to the church but neglecting the needs of their own families. Paul addressed this problem to help the people at Ephesus set their priorities straight.

The truth behind his words can help do the same for you. Paul's warning is clear-cut and to the point: anyone who turns his back on his own family turns his back on God. It's true that in biblical times, there were no government-run social programs to help widows, orphans, and women who had been left impoverished after their husbands divorced them. Today, people in similar situations have places to turn for help. But that doesn't alleviate the responsibility God gives each person in providing for those in his or her own family.

Providing entails more than financial responsibility. Supporting your parents, spouse, and children emotionally is equally important. When God previously commanded his children to love one another, he obviously meant that to include their own family circle. Use Paul's' words as a reminder to regularly ask for God's guidance in knowing how to care for the people whom he has place closest to you. Use Paul's words to better meet apparent needs as well as needs that aren't so apparent.

Loving one another and caring for your family are joyous and rewarding commands from God, and he will give you guidance to do both.

Source: 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray for blessings for ALL YOUR FAMILY... God leads us; wants us to love each other. Love your neighbor as yourself. ~ MME Team

Praying Like Jesus

You should pray like this: "Our Father in heaven, may your name always be kept holy. May your kingdom come and what you want be done, here on earth as it is in heaven. Give us the food we need for each day. Forgive us for our sins, just as we have forgiven those who sinned against us. And do not cause us to be tempted, but save us from the Evil One."

Matthew 6:9-13

          These verses are some of the most-often-repeated words in the Bible. Various Bible translations differ on a word here or there, but the heart of the Lord's Prayer remains the same. Right before Jesus shared how to pray, he emphasized how not to pray. One of the things he said not to do was repeat the same words over and over again without thinking about what is being said. That's exactly what many people do with the Lord's Prayer.

          Use the Lord's Prayer the way Jesus intended. Let it help you better understand, and put into practice, three vital elements of prayer: praise, petition, and confession. Jesus's prayer began with thanks for who God is, a Father deserving honor. Then Jesus requested help by sharing personal needs, both physical and spiritual. He asked for the basic provision of food, as well as for the protection and the strength necessary to do what God wanted. He also prayed for the needs of others, asking that their lives would align more with God's desires.

          Jesus had nothing to confess, but he knew those listening did, so he modeled how to ask for forgiveness. Confessing where you've failed keeps communication with God honest and open and helps you become more merciful to those who fail you. As Jesus demonstrated, prayer is simply inviting God to play an active role in your life.

          The Lord's Prayer is Jesus's most concrete lesson on prayer. Pray as Jesus did. Share your deepest concerns with God, and invite God to make your heart and your will more like his.

   

          Prayer is an act of love that demonstrates to our Lord, Creator, Heavenly Father that we are HIS PEOPLE. God made us and he wants a personal intimate relationship with his creation. Pray today to God; he is always ready to hear your prayers. ~ MME Team

Blade of Truth

God's word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts.

Hebrews 4:12

The family has an invaluable role in passing on the faith in a joyful and bold manner. Children will learn that they are members of the Body of Christ and have a valuable role in the Church. Let us read the Bible as a family of God.

          The Bible is not your ordinary book. Like a surgeon's scalpel, it has the power to slice through lies to expose raw truth. It can prick a guilty conscience, heal a broken heart, or open eyes that have long been blind to God's existence. The verse in Hebrews is like the Bible's warning label. It lets you know that what you're holding in your hands should be handled carefully - and that it will leave a reader or listener a changed person.

          That's because the Bible is much more than merely print on paper. The Bible is alive with the power of God's Spirit. Like Jesus, its genesis is both fully human and fully divine. Through ordinary people wrote it, God worked through those writers in an extraordinary way. Throughout the Bible's sixty-six books of history, prophecy, and guidelines for living written over a period of six hundred years by more than thirty authors using three languages, there is a consistency of purpose about God and his plan that mere coincidence could never achieve.

          The Bible is not a reference book to teach you about God. The Bible is an invitation to connect with God in a personal way - and to learn more about yourself in the process. The more time you spend reading the Bible and meditating on how God wants you to apply what you've read, the more you'll learn to recognize the whisper of God's Spirit in your life and to see his hand at work in the world around you.

          Get to know God better by becoming better acquainted with the Bible. Reading one psalm and a chapter from one of the Gospels each morning is a great way to begin.

          Pray for heavenly vision, to transform your view of the Bible from mere words to the THE WORD. "The Word is God's most intimate, and informative, communication with those whom he created." ~ MME Team
       

The One and Only

You must worship no other gods, but only the LORD, for he is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you.

Exodus 34:14

          The Israelites saw God part the Red Sea and save them from captivity in Egypt. But soon afterward, they gave up on the God who'd rescued them. They chose to worship a golden calf instead. When Moses returned from receiving the Ten Commandments, he saw the Israelites - God's people - engaged in idolatry. Moses threw the tablets to the ground, shattering them just as the people had shattered God's first commandment - to worship only God.

          God is a God of second chances, however. God gave Moses new tablets and reiterated his commands. Those commands are as important today as they were for the Israelites, because God designed his commands to build relationships with him and with the people around you. Obeying God's commands helps you to love well.

          The first commandment, that God alone is to be worshiped, is the heart of them all. God doesn't ask you for worship because his ego needs stroking. He asks it because worshiping him alone is the best thing that could happen to you. You don't have to kneel before a golden calf to worship idols. An idol is anything for which you have a deeper devotion than for God. An idol could be power, money, comfort, pleasure, even religion. Worshiping God above everything else keeps life in the proper perspective. God is passionate about his relationship with you. Worshiping him alone helps you become more passionate about him.

         Consider what's important in your life. Weigh your relationship with God in light of everything else. Ask God to help you identify anything that you give higher priority to than getting to know him better.

          Pray for wisdom from God to put all things in correct priority - put God first. ~ MME Team