Word Worldwide
Woodson Ministries
Woody's Weekly Word
Christ's Church is to be a clear voice on the earth, and not be silent (1 Cor. 14:7-9).
Woody Woodson
Books I Have Read and Recommend
The Bible
Rediscovering the Kingdom (Myles Munroe)
God's Big Idea (Myles Munroe)
When
Heaven Invades Earth (Bill Johnson)
Developing the Leader Within (John Maxwell)
CD's I Like
Shout
to the Lord (Hillsong)
Anything sung by Chris Tomlin
Various praise and worship CD's
Movies I Like
Fireproof
Glory
Road
Brief Audio Mini-Sermon
At bottom of page
All scripture references in Woody's blogs are taken from the New American Standard Bible.
Date: 5/04/09
Not
Condemning, Not Condoning
by Woody Woodson
There are two trends that are equally alarming to me in the
Christian world. The two are extreme opposites. One is the ultra-religious, legalistic actions and words of people who condemn
everyone who is not like them. These people see themselves as judges and feel it is their job to correct every human being. An example
of this was a lady who came up to me after I preached in a service and, with an angry scawl on her face, asked me what I thought about
women wearing make-up. I could tell she thought that wearing make-up was a terrible sin that could send someone straight to hell.
When she asked me in that way what I thought about make-up, I answered her honestly, "Buy some." It is that kind of majoring on frivolous
issues that has given Christianity a bad name with some people. Jesus did NOT come to condemn the world, but so that the world
might be saved through Him (John 3:17).
The second observation I have made is equally distrubing to me: a
lack of Biblical standards. Some churches are growing by compromising the Word of God. That is the wrong way for a church
to grow. I have heard of pastors who refuse to preach on what the Bible says about tithing, sexual purity, homosexuality, abortion,
heaven and hell, etc., because these subjects can be divisive. The Word does divide; it brings a division in our hearts between
what is good and evil. Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth but a sword" (Matt. 10:34). The Word of God
is "sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the DIVISION of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow,
and ABLE TO JUDGE THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTIONS OF THE HEART" (Heb. 4:12). God does not want us to add to or take away from His Word.
I believe the best approach is to love unbelievers and backslidden Christians but also tell them the truth. When Jesus talked with a
woman he met at a well, He did not ignore the fact that she had lived a morally-loose life. He did not ignore her sin or water
down His words to her about it. Jesus told her straight that He knew she'd had five husbands and that the man she was living
with currently was not her husband (John 5:17, 18). Yet in doing it, Jesus did not condemn her. He did not do like a lot of Christians
I know who would have said, "You are going to hell, you depraved repobate slut!" Jesus lovingly showed her the way out of her current
life into eternal life.
John 1:14 says that Jesus Christ was "full of grace and truth" -- grace AND truth,
both. Let's be like Jesus: not condemning or condoning, but presenting saving grace.
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Date:
4/27/09
If the Food's There, Eat It!
by Woody Woodson
Today I was reminded of the importance
of making the most of every opportunity. It is imperative we exercise faith that God works all things together for our good because
we love him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). It is not time to have a pitty party -- a party with the pit. We
can sit and lick our wounds or rise up and be overcomers (Rom. 8:37).
In the Bible there were four lepers
-- outcasts because of their disease -- who were stuck in depression. One day one of them asked a question, one that is pertinent
for today: "Why sit we here till we die?" They got up and started moving...and when they started moving, God moved on their behalf
and turned their bad situation around for their good (2 Kings 7:3-9). They walked into the camp of Israel's enemies, found it deserted,
loaded up on the silver and gold and goods there, and became heroes upon telling the king about the camp.
One of my favorite stories about making the most of every opportunity happened to my brother when he was in elementary school. During
one of his classes, he was caught talking in class. The teacher sent him to sit in a a large coat closet in the back of the classroom
for a time-out. She went on teaching and forgot about my brother. He stayed in the coat room for over an hour. When she
finally remembered him, she hurried back to tell him it was okay to come out. When the teacher opened the door and looked
in, she found out my brother really knew how to make the most of every opportunity. The coat closet was not only where the children
hung their coats; it was where they stored their lunch bags. My brother was sitting on the floor, eating all the kids' lunches! He
had turned a punishment into a feast. The teacher tried to be angry but had to smile. My brother is three years older than me, and
by the time I got into that teacher's class, she no longer used the closet as a time-out place.
You might
be in a coat closet; but look around -- if the food's there, eat it! Whatever life throws you, expect God to work it for your good
(Rom. 8:28). Like Joseph in the Bible, we can say, "What the devil intended for evil, God has worked for my good" (Gen. 50:20).
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Date:4/22/09
In
Everything By Prayer
My motto for this year is found in Philippians 4:6, which says, "Be anxious
for nothing but IN EVERYTHING BY PRAYER and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." The words "in
everything by prayer" remind me that we should pray about everything (2 Thes. 5:17). ANYTHING that requires our attention is the EVERYTHING
to pray about in life. A lot requires our attention, so we need to talk to God; because HE is the one with
power to be able to answer our prayers. I have heard it said that the epitome of pride is prayerlessness; lack
of prayer says, "I can make it without God." But we actually can't make it without God, and we sure discover that when we decide
not to talk to Him. Jesus stated that prayerlessness is a reason people faint or lose heart (Luke 18:1).
Years ago, I heard a humorous story about a little boy who wanted a new bicycle. His parents told him that they could not afford to
purchase one for him and that he should pray for God to help him get the bike. He prayed and expected to see a bicycle the next
day on the doorstep. He did not receive one. In fact, the boy prayed and prayed; days went by, but still no bike. One day,
his parents took him with them to pray at the church across the street from their house. In front of the church sanctuary was
a little statue of the Virgin Mary. The boy got an idea. When the meeting ended, he told his parents that he was "a big
kid now" and asked if he could walk home by himself. He waited until his parents and others left the building... then he took the
little statue of Mary. Hiding it under his shirt, he ran across the street. He shot up the stairs to his bedroom and
shoved the statue under the bed. He got down on his knees and said, "Jesus, if you ever want to see your mama
again -- give me the bike!"
While, of course, I am not advocating stealing statues out of churches or
the boys' theology, I did like his passion. The Bible says that "the heartfelt prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16). There
is so much God has provided for us that is only activated by the prayer of faith. When we pray and believe God, the results are great.
In John 16:23, 24, Jesus said, "Truly, truly I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My
name. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full."
I challenge you to live this year "In Everything By Prayer." Pray, so that your joy may be full. Dare to cast your cares on God and
voice your desires in prayer to God. God loves it when His children pray in faith. There is so much He has for us...if we will just
ask Him for it.
1-to-5-minute audio devotional by Woody
Woodson Ministries
Themes From the Bible I Like to Study
Faith
Righteousness
Kingdom
of God
Leadership
Authority of the Believer
Archives
Past blogs ( the Word of God is timeless,
so whenever they were written, they are still relevant for our lives spiritually)
Be strong in the Lord...taking the shield of faith & the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (Eph. 6)
WW
Copyright 2009, Woody Woodson, Woodson Ministries, Tulsa, OK