Jeremiah 15:19 - This is how the Lord responds: "If you return to Me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve Me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be My spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you."
No matter what we have done, God still wants us back. He always wants His children to be with their family - God's family.
When I read this passage and think about it in this context, it makes me think of a teacher with a class on a field trip. No matter how hard the teacher tries to keep the class together, inevitably there is going to be one or two stragglers. The teacher will say, "Hang on, we have to wait for Wayne to catch up." (or whatever the kid's name may be...) ;-). That's what God does for us. He waits for us to catch up to the rest of the crowd.
Even when we backslide, He still waits. The Pastor at my church once spoke about backsliding. He said that no matter how many steps we may slide back in our faith, it only takes one step forward to be back in God's arms. As I struggled with my faith for nearly 10 years after I was first saved, I almost had myself convinced that God gave me all the chances He was going to give me, and I was on my own. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. He was right where I had left Him, waiting for me to catch up.
My prayer tonight, as the clock gets ready to turn over to the New Year, is that anyone who may read this (all five of you) will remember that God is always there for you. He is just waiting for you to catch up and join the rest of the family.
For those of you that I have gotten to know over the last year, thank you. Thank you for the honor and privilege of your friendship, and for being amazing brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that this next year and beyond will be filled with God's amazing blessings on you and your families.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for waiting. I gave you no reason whatsoever to sit around and wait for this late bloomer, and gave You every reason to just keep walking. I love when You show me passages like this that remind me that You always want us back no matter what. Thank You so much for loving me, and allowing me the opportunity to serve You and Your people. In Jesus' precious, powerful, and Holy name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Monday, December 30, 2013
Wear It On Your Sleeve
Matthew 10:33 - "But everyone who denies Me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in Heaven."
Ever know anyone who seems to be living two lives? Their church life, and their other life? When they get confronted with it, often their response is, "I go to Church. I read the Bible. I'm a good person." If the people outside of our Church can't tell that we're Christians, then chances are that we're not.
I come across people on various social media sites like Twitter, who are great about sharing God's Word and encouraging others in their faith. Then they make mention that they have a second Twitter account for other people in their lives. My question is why? If the Gospel is offending someone, I believe that is because the Holy Spirit is moving in their hearts and convicting them of their sin, and they don't know how to respond to it.
I knew a Pastor who was hesitant to share too many faith based messages on his Facebook because he was worried about alienating his non-Christian friends. Really?! Paul tells us that we are not to be ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God (Romans 1:16). If we are hesitating to share the Word and witness with everyone in our lives, then we aren't doing our job.
How about me? Am I living two lives, or do I wear my faith on my sleeve? I know that I am far from perfect, but I will never deny my faith to anyone because I am worried that it might offend them. If hearing God's Word and His Message offends them, that means it's working. I know I have a tendency to let my temper get the better of me, my language could definitely use some improvement, and I can be selfish at times, but I could never deny the power of God.
Dear Lord, I pray for Your power and strength to be a strong witness of the Good News that You have given us all. It is not a message that is meant to be kept secret, but shared with everyone. Please use me in whatever way I can be useful, to be a faithful witness for the glory of Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Ever know anyone who seems to be living two lives? Their church life, and their other life? When they get confronted with it, often their response is, "I go to Church. I read the Bible. I'm a good person." If the people outside of our Church can't tell that we're Christians, then chances are that we're not.
I come across people on various social media sites like Twitter, who are great about sharing God's Word and encouraging others in their faith. Then they make mention that they have a second Twitter account for other people in their lives. My question is why? If the Gospel is offending someone, I believe that is because the Holy Spirit is moving in their hearts and convicting them of their sin, and they don't know how to respond to it.
I knew a Pastor who was hesitant to share too many faith based messages on his Facebook because he was worried about alienating his non-Christian friends. Really?! Paul tells us that we are not to be ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God (Romans 1:16). If we are hesitating to share the Word and witness with everyone in our lives, then we aren't doing our job.
How about me? Am I living two lives, or do I wear my faith on my sleeve? I know that I am far from perfect, but I will never deny my faith to anyone because I am worried that it might offend them. If hearing God's Word and His Message offends them, that means it's working. I know I have a tendency to let my temper get the better of me, my language could definitely use some improvement, and I can be selfish at times, but I could never deny the power of God.
Dear Lord, I pray for Your power and strength to be a strong witness of the Good News that You have given us all. It is not a message that is meant to be kept secret, but shared with everyone. Please use me in whatever way I can be useful, to be a faithful witness for the glory of Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Choices
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
This is probably the most recognized and quoted passage in the entire Bible. And it is just as important for what it does not say as much as what it does.
It's all about choices. Choices for us as well as God. We made a choice as to whether or not we believe this passage and everything else in the Bible. We chose to accept Christ as our Savior and invite Him into our hearts and lives. But God chose first!
As sin entered the world through a man (Adam), so it was also defeated by a man (Jesus) (Romans 5). While it does mean that the only way for us to be redeemed to God was through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it does not mean that God had to do it. He chose to do it. He chose us before we ever chose Him. He could have easily just said, "Forget it, these people are long gone. I'll just start over." But He didn't do that. He loves us too much to let us go without a fight. As John said later in the book of 1 John, we love each other because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). God showed us what unfailing love and forgiveness look like. We should be trying to model that to everyone else.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that You chose me long before I was ever here. You chose me because You love me. You made the choice because of Your unfailing love and forgiveness. Please give me the strength and wisdom to model that same love and forgiveness to everyone I encounter every day. I can only do this by Your power and strength. I can only love because You loved me first. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
This is probably the most recognized and quoted passage in the entire Bible. And it is just as important for what it does not say as much as what it does.
It's all about choices. Choices for us as well as God. We made a choice as to whether or not we believe this passage and everything else in the Bible. We chose to accept Christ as our Savior and invite Him into our hearts and lives. But God chose first!
As sin entered the world through a man (Adam), so it was also defeated by a man (Jesus) (Romans 5). While it does mean that the only way for us to be redeemed to God was through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it does not mean that God had to do it. He chose to do it. He chose us before we ever chose Him. He could have easily just said, "Forget it, these people are long gone. I'll just start over." But He didn't do that. He loves us too much to let us go without a fight. As John said later in the book of 1 John, we love each other because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). God showed us what unfailing love and forgiveness look like. We should be trying to model that to everyone else.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that You chose me long before I was ever here. You chose me because You love me. You made the choice because of Your unfailing love and forgiveness. Please give me the strength and wisdom to model that same love and forgiveness to everyone I encounter every day. I can only do this by Your power and strength. I can only love because You loved me first. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Action Not Words
James 2:20 - How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
I read in a devotional recently a great definition of faith. It said that faith is a verb. What's a verb? An action.
If you've never read the book Love Does by Bob Goff, or heard him speak, he says that our faith should entail loving God, loving others, and doing stuff (paraphrasing).
Our faith in God should be expressed not just in our prayer and quiet time with Him (both actions), but also in how we serve and love others (actions).
God has always loved us, and always will. He has always had faith that we would seek Him for our redemption. In order to help us with that, He did something. He sent His Son into the world to show us the path to that redemption. He loved us, so He did something about it. He had faith in us, so He did something about it.
I have had the privilege to serve in a couple of ministries at my Church. One for over a year now, and the other for about the last 6 months. Both are run by two very amazing men of God. These two Pastors show their love for God and others in such great ways. I was speaking to one of them recently, and said something about working in ministry. He said something that really resonated with me. He said, "It's all ministry." How true...We're all serving in God's ministry. We're all called to love and do for others. When we are doing that, we are showing that our faith is alive, and not just a lot of talk.
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me how much You really love me by doing something about it. You sent Your Son to show me the way, and to redeem me. I have been blessed to serve You and Your chosen people with some great and gifted people after Your heart. I pray that You will keep my heart focused on You and Your people, so that my faith will be about action, and not just words. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
I read in a devotional recently a great definition of faith. It said that faith is a verb. What's a verb? An action.
If you've never read the book Love Does by Bob Goff, or heard him speak, he says that our faith should entail loving God, loving others, and doing stuff (paraphrasing).
Our faith in God should be expressed not just in our prayer and quiet time with Him (both actions), but also in how we serve and love others (actions).
God has always loved us, and always will. He has always had faith that we would seek Him for our redemption. In order to help us with that, He did something. He sent His Son into the world to show us the path to that redemption. He loved us, so He did something about it. He had faith in us, so He did something about it.
I have had the privilege to serve in a couple of ministries at my Church. One for over a year now, and the other for about the last 6 months. Both are run by two very amazing men of God. These two Pastors show their love for God and others in such great ways. I was speaking to one of them recently, and said something about working in ministry. He said something that really resonated with me. He said, "It's all ministry." How true...We're all serving in God's ministry. We're all called to love and do for others. When we are doing that, we are showing that our faith is alive, and not just a lot of talk.
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me how much You really love me by doing something about it. You sent Your Son to show me the way, and to redeem me. I have been blessed to serve You and Your chosen people with some great and gifted people after Your heart. I pray that You will keep my heart focused on You and Your people, so that my faith will be about action, and not just words. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, December 27, 2013
Always Constant
Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
I love this promise. In a world that seems to be so out of control, it is so reassuring to know that the One who created the world is in control. He isn't going anywhere. He has promised to be with us forever (Matthew 28:20).
Our daily lives can be so hectic sometimes. We run around like chickens with our heads cut off, but when we take the time to pause and remember that God is in control, it has such a great calming effect on us. More often than not, we try to figure out ways to make things more manageable. We don't need to do that. God's job is already taken, and He does a fantastic job of doing it. We need to trust His plan for us. We need to quiet our minds, and spend some time talking to Him. He will tell us great and mighty things He has planned for us, and nothing is out of His control.
Am I quieting my mind so that I can listen to Him? I have gotten so much better about this in the last couple of years. I get so busy with work and school, that I can start to feel overwhelmed, and I don't feel like I'm making any progress on anything. But I am. God isn't going to give me more than I can handle, even though it feels like it sometimes. He gives me just enough to build me up stronger, and I have to trust Him and give Him the glory for it.
Dear Lord, thank You for giving me what I need to get through every day, and for showing me that You are always in control. I pray for Your continued strength to keep on trusting Your plan for me, because I know that I can and will accomplish everything You have for me by Your power. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
I love this promise. In a world that seems to be so out of control, it is so reassuring to know that the One who created the world is in control. He isn't going anywhere. He has promised to be with us forever (Matthew 28:20).
Our daily lives can be so hectic sometimes. We run around like chickens with our heads cut off, but when we take the time to pause and remember that God is in control, it has such a great calming effect on us. More often than not, we try to figure out ways to make things more manageable. We don't need to do that. God's job is already taken, and He does a fantastic job of doing it. We need to trust His plan for us. We need to quiet our minds, and spend some time talking to Him. He will tell us great and mighty things He has planned for us, and nothing is out of His control.
Am I quieting my mind so that I can listen to Him? I have gotten so much better about this in the last couple of years. I get so busy with work and school, that I can start to feel overwhelmed, and I don't feel like I'm making any progress on anything. But I am. God isn't going to give me more than I can handle, even though it feels like it sometimes. He gives me just enough to build me up stronger, and I have to trust Him and give Him the glory for it.
Dear Lord, thank You for giving me what I need to get through every day, and for showing me that You are always in control. I pray for Your continued strength to keep on trusting Your plan for me, because I know that I can and will accomplish everything You have for me by Your power. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Knock, Knock...Now What?
Revelation 3:20 - Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
So you've accepted Jesus' free gift of salvation. You've prayed the prayer and repented when you finally heard Jesus knocking on the door of your heart, so now what? For me, I figured I was good. I didn't know or understand anything about following up or taking the next step. Once I found out that faith without good deeds was useless (James 2:20), I was like, "Whoa! I gotta work at this too?!"
The book of James was very convicting to me; especially considering the source. This was Jesus' brother who didn't believe that Jesus was who He said He was for awhile. It wasn't until Jesus' resurrection that James believed in Him. James tells us that we are to help one another. The faith we have is supposed to move us to do good works and selfless acts of love for others.
When I started to realize this and take it to heart, I thought, "Man, this stuff is hard work. I don't know if I'm cut out for this." Then I thought about Jesus. Was it easy work for Him to carry the cross up to Golgotha? Was it easy for Him to allow Himself to be crucified? To take the punishment and afflictions that we all had and put them on Himself? I seriously doubt it. But He did it. Because it was God's will. Before He was arrested, He prayed for God to take the cup of suffering that He was about to bear, away from Him. But He also surrendered Himself to God's will.
That's what I, and all of us, have to do. It is God's will for us to love each other, and serve each other selflessly. Yes, it can be hard work sometimes, but Jesus already did the heavy lifting for us when He carried that cross up the hill.
Dear Father, thank You for reminding me that my work for Your Kingdom was not completed when I simply accepted You into my heart and life. I pray I will have the servant's heart for Your people, and that by doing for them, they will see the love of Jesus in me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
So you've accepted Jesus' free gift of salvation. You've prayed the prayer and repented when you finally heard Jesus knocking on the door of your heart, so now what? For me, I figured I was good. I didn't know or understand anything about following up or taking the next step. Once I found out that faith without good deeds was useless (James 2:20), I was like, "Whoa! I gotta work at this too?!"
The book of James was very convicting to me; especially considering the source. This was Jesus' brother who didn't believe that Jesus was who He said He was for awhile. It wasn't until Jesus' resurrection that James believed in Him. James tells us that we are to help one another. The faith we have is supposed to move us to do good works and selfless acts of love for others.
When I started to realize this and take it to heart, I thought, "Man, this stuff is hard work. I don't know if I'm cut out for this." Then I thought about Jesus. Was it easy work for Him to carry the cross up to Golgotha? Was it easy for Him to allow Himself to be crucified? To take the punishment and afflictions that we all had and put them on Himself? I seriously doubt it. But He did it. Because it was God's will. Before He was arrested, He prayed for God to take the cup of suffering that He was about to bear, away from Him. But He also surrendered Himself to God's will.
That's what I, and all of us, have to do. It is God's will for us to love each other, and serve each other selflessly. Yes, it can be hard work sometimes, but Jesus already did the heavy lifting for us when He carried that cross up the hill.
Dear Father, thank You for reminding me that my work for Your Kingdom was not completed when I simply accepted You into my heart and life. I pray I will have the servant's heart for Your people, and that by doing for them, they will see the love of Jesus in me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Just Love
Proverbs 25: 21-22 - If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.
The reason we are being told to treat our enemies well isn't to shame them in the strict sense of the word. That isn't our job necessarily. The idea being put forth by Solomon here was to love our enemies (sound familiar?). Treat them better than they would treat you. The love of Christ that we show them will soften their hearts so they can see the shame of their sin and turn to God for healing and redemption.
Jesus spoke of this as well. In Luke 6:35, He commanded us to love our enemies and to do good to them. He wanted us to show them the love of God, for which we will be rewarded in Heaven. That is the reward that Solomon spoke of as well. God won't reward us for trying to do His job and punishing those who sin. He rewards us for being the watchmen that He commanded us to be (Ezekiel 33:9).
Am I being a watchman or trying to be a judge? Am I trying to love people to Christ or shame them? I have to be mindful that I don't fall into the dangerous trap of being judgmental. It isn't my place to judge, it's my place to just love.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me of this today. I am so grateful for the lessons You give me every day, and I thank You for allowing me to share them so that hopefully someone will find something helpful in my thoughts and words. Thank You for loving me like no one can, and I pray that I can show that love to others every day. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
The reason we are being told to treat our enemies well isn't to shame them in the strict sense of the word. That isn't our job necessarily. The idea being put forth by Solomon here was to love our enemies (sound familiar?). Treat them better than they would treat you. The love of Christ that we show them will soften their hearts so they can see the shame of their sin and turn to God for healing and redemption.
Jesus spoke of this as well. In Luke 6:35, He commanded us to love our enemies and to do good to them. He wanted us to show them the love of God, for which we will be rewarded in Heaven. That is the reward that Solomon spoke of as well. God won't reward us for trying to do His job and punishing those who sin. He rewards us for being the watchmen that He commanded us to be (Ezekiel 33:9).
Am I being a watchman or trying to be a judge? Am I trying to love people to Christ or shame them? I have to be mindful that I don't fall into the dangerous trap of being judgmental. It isn't my place to judge, it's my place to just love.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me of this today. I am so grateful for the lessons You give me every day, and I thank You for allowing me to share them so that hopefully someone will find something helpful in my thoughts and words. Thank You for loving me like no one can, and I pray that I can show that love to others every day. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Pride
Job 33:17 - He makes them turn from doing wrong; He keeps them from pride.
Pride is an ugly thing and keeps us from seeking God in humility. Because of the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, we should approach God in humility to ask for His forgiveness. We cannot walk around thinking that it is okay to sin because we are forgiven. It does not work that way. That is not humility, that is arrogance. Jesus promised that God will bless the humble (Matthew 5:5).
C.S. Lewis said it best in his book Mere Christianity. He said, "As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you." Such true words. If we are too busy focusing on being better than what is below us, then we cannot focus on the most important thing that is above us - God.
Am I keeping my focus on Him? I know that when I do a good job on something at work, I tend to feel gratification for a job well done. That is not the problem. It becomes a problem when I start to feel superior to others because of the job well done, and when I do not give God the glory for what was accomplished. I accomplish nothing but by His strength, wisdom, and will. I must keep myself mindful where my true success comes from - God.
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me this to keep me from getting arrogant and proud. I pray for Your continued guidance every day so that I may give You the glory, and stay humbly Your servant. And I thank You for Your patience in me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Pride is an ugly thing and keeps us from seeking God in humility. Because of the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, we should approach God in humility to ask for His forgiveness. We cannot walk around thinking that it is okay to sin because we are forgiven. It does not work that way. That is not humility, that is arrogance. Jesus promised that God will bless the humble (Matthew 5:5).
C.S. Lewis said it best in his book Mere Christianity. He said, "As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you." Such true words. If we are too busy focusing on being better than what is below us, then we cannot focus on the most important thing that is above us - God.
Am I keeping my focus on Him? I know that when I do a good job on something at work, I tend to feel gratification for a job well done. That is not the problem. It becomes a problem when I start to feel superior to others because of the job well done, and when I do not give God the glory for what was accomplished. I accomplish nothing but by His strength, wisdom, and will. I must keep myself mindful where my true success comes from - God.
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me this to keep me from getting arrogant and proud. I pray for Your continued guidance every day so that I may give You the glory, and stay humbly Your servant. And I thank You for Your patience in me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, December 23, 2013
Strong Faith
Daniel 1:19 - The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service.
Only teenagers at the time of their capture and exile, Daniel and his companions had stronger faith than anyone else. They refused to compromise any aspect of their faith and were not afraid of any punishment that could be given by man. They allowed God to work through them to show His power and bring others, like Nebuchadnezzar, to believe in Him.
I always love reading the story of Daniel. It is by far my favorite story in the Bible. To have such strong and uncompromising faith is such a blessing to see and read about. How's my faith? Am I as uncompromising as Daniel and his friends? Would I stand up to whomever I had to in order to show them that I trust what God has for me and that I trust that what they mean for evil, God will use for good?
It's easy to sit here as I write this and say yes I do, but unless and until that situation presents itself, I have no way of knowing how I would react, only God does. All I can do is pray for God to give me the strength to stay strong in the face of adversity and to never lose heart. Jesus told us that with the faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. All it takes is for us to have a little faith in God, and He can build on that and makes us strong enough to resist anything.
Dear Lord, thank You for building my faith day by day. I am in awe of all the beautiful and amazing things You show me every day, and I pray that You will continue to build my faith stronger so that I can resist any temptations that are set before me. I know that I am not perfect, and You do not expect me to be, but I trust in Your love and grace to comfort and rescue me when I fall short. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Only teenagers at the time of their capture and exile, Daniel and his companions had stronger faith than anyone else. They refused to compromise any aspect of their faith and were not afraid of any punishment that could be given by man. They allowed God to work through them to show His power and bring others, like Nebuchadnezzar, to believe in Him.
I always love reading the story of Daniel. It is by far my favorite story in the Bible. To have such strong and uncompromising faith is such a blessing to see and read about. How's my faith? Am I as uncompromising as Daniel and his friends? Would I stand up to whomever I had to in order to show them that I trust what God has for me and that I trust that what they mean for evil, God will use for good?
It's easy to sit here as I write this and say yes I do, but unless and until that situation presents itself, I have no way of knowing how I would react, only God does. All I can do is pray for God to give me the strength to stay strong in the face of adversity and to never lose heart. Jesus told us that with the faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. All it takes is for us to have a little faith in God, and He can build on that and makes us strong enough to resist anything.
Dear Lord, thank You for building my faith day by day. I am in awe of all the beautiful and amazing things You show me every day, and I pray that You will continue to build my faith stronger so that I can resist any temptations that are set before me. I know that I am not perfect, and You do not expect me to be, but I trust in Your love and grace to comfort and rescue me when I fall short. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Make Some Room
Colossians 3:13 - Make allowance for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
It is not our business to judge others for what they do or don't do, or what they believe or don't believe. It's our job to show them Christ's love. It is our job to forgive them when they do something to hurt us. God forgave us, so what right do we have to not forgive others?
Just because someone likes different things than you doesn't make them less of a person. It is just evidence of their uniqueness. God created us that way - as unique individuals. He loves variety. Just because someone sins differently than you doesn't make them worse of a person than you. It means they have different issues they need to deal with than you. They still have to confess and repent of their sins like you do. And when they do, they will be saved just like you are. Make some room for differences. Accepting someone doesn't mean you are approving of their behavior (read: sin). It means you are loving them as Christ loves you (and them), and you are following Christ's command to love others as yourself. Let God deal with the sin issue. That's His job, not ours.
Am I accepting others as Christ accepted me? I didn't seek Christ because I had changed. I sought Him to be changed. I have to be careful not to disapprove of someone because of the way they sin. I need to make sure that I hate the sin, not the sinner. I have been commanded to love the sinner they way Christ loved me. And with God's wisdom and discernment, I will.
Dear Lord, thank You for putting this on my heart today. I know I can allow myself to get mad at people when they sin against me. I have to keep my heart focused on You and Your love and grace, so that I continue to love them and forgive them as You have done for me...repeatedly. Please continue to work on my heart so that I can show everyone the love You have shown me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
It is not our business to judge others for what they do or don't do, or what they believe or don't believe. It's our job to show them Christ's love. It is our job to forgive them when they do something to hurt us. God forgave us, so what right do we have to not forgive others?
Just because someone likes different things than you doesn't make them less of a person. It is just evidence of their uniqueness. God created us that way - as unique individuals. He loves variety. Just because someone sins differently than you doesn't make them worse of a person than you. It means they have different issues they need to deal with than you. They still have to confess and repent of their sins like you do. And when they do, they will be saved just like you are. Make some room for differences. Accepting someone doesn't mean you are approving of their behavior (read: sin). It means you are loving them as Christ loves you (and them), and you are following Christ's command to love others as yourself. Let God deal with the sin issue. That's His job, not ours.
Am I accepting others as Christ accepted me? I didn't seek Christ because I had changed. I sought Him to be changed. I have to be careful not to disapprove of someone because of the way they sin. I need to make sure that I hate the sin, not the sinner. I have been commanded to love the sinner they way Christ loved me. And with God's wisdom and discernment, I will.
Dear Lord, thank You for putting this on my heart today. I know I can allow myself to get mad at people when they sin against me. I have to keep my heart focused on You and Your love and grace, so that I continue to love them and forgive them as You have done for me...repeatedly. Please continue to work on my heart so that I can show everyone the love You have shown me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Confident Trust
2 Chronicles 13:18 - So Judah defeated Israel on that occasion because they trusted in the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
As flawed as Abijah may have been, he confidently trusted in God's plan for His people. He knew that was the only way. He knew they were outnumbered by Israel's troops, but he knew he had God on his side, and because of that he could overcome any obstacle that was against God's will.
This is a good reminder that we don't have to be perfect to be blessed by God. He doesn't ask or expect us to be. We need to be surrendered to His will in obedience and trust in Him. He will never lead us astray when we do these things.
Am I surrendered to God's will for me? Do I have that confident trust in Him to bless me? Yes I am and yes I do. I lived a lot of my life not doing these things, and I paid the price for it. It wasn't God punishing me, it was me punishing myself. When I finally understood the need to be surrendered to God and started trusting Him, He has blessed me beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I will forever trust His will for my life.
Dear Lord, thank You for the amazing blessings You give me every day. I pray for the continued strength and wisdom to remain trusting in You and surrendered to Your will. I am confident that if I do these things, You will continue to bless me, and I know that with the strength and wisdom You abundantly provide I can do these things. I am Your servant. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
As flawed as Abijah may have been, he confidently trusted in God's plan for His people. He knew that was the only way. He knew they were outnumbered by Israel's troops, but he knew he had God on his side, and because of that he could overcome any obstacle that was against God's will.
This is a good reminder that we don't have to be perfect to be blessed by God. He doesn't ask or expect us to be. We need to be surrendered to His will in obedience and trust in Him. He will never lead us astray when we do these things.
Am I surrendered to God's will for me? Do I have that confident trust in Him to bless me? Yes I am and yes I do. I lived a lot of my life not doing these things, and I paid the price for it. It wasn't God punishing me, it was me punishing myself. When I finally understood the need to be surrendered to God and started trusting Him, He has blessed me beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I will forever trust His will for my life.
Dear Lord, thank You for the amazing blessings You give me every day. I pray for the continued strength and wisdom to remain trusting in You and surrendered to Your will. I am confident that if I do these things, You will continue to bless me, and I know that with the strength and wisdom You abundantly provide I can do these things. I am Your servant. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, December 20, 2013
Always Shining
Malachi 3:18 - Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12) and He has commanded us to be the light of the world as well (Matthew 5:14). We do this by letting His light shine through us. When we are doing it right, people will notice a difference.
We can't do it half way though. We can't be convenient Christians that believe, pray, and talk about what God is doing in our lives when it suits our needs. Jesus said that if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). God didn't send Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins because it was convenient for Him. He did it because He loved us.
I regularly see people on Facebook and Twitter with different accounts for their regular friends and their Christian friends. They have said things like, "Well not all of my friends are Christian, so I have this anonymous account so I can talk about Jesus. I just don't want to offend anyone." We should NEVER be afraid to share the Word of God (Romans 1:16). Who are these people reaching out to, if they're not letting their non-believing friends hear the Word? Other Christians? Sure we can always use encouragement, but quoting Bible verses from someone who is hesitant or ashamed to share the Word of God with people who don't know it doesn't encourage people. It only shows them how to live two lives, neither of which are genuine.
Am I being a light to the world? Am I always letting God's light shine through me to people I encounter? Though it can be difficult to be a Christian in a non-Christian workplace, I cannot allow that to discourage me or cause me to live separate lives. I have to be a 24:7 Christian. God loves me all the time, not just when it's convenient for Him. I have a duty to do the same.
Dear Abba Father, please continue to fill me with the love and strength to be a powerful witness for You no matter where I may be. I thank You for the opportunity to share Your Word with a coworker yesterday. I pray that You will continue to work in her heart, so that she will continue to seek You. Thank You for your continual blessings in my life, and please continue to use me for Your glory wherever I can serve You and others. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12) and He has commanded us to be the light of the world as well (Matthew 5:14). We do this by letting His light shine through us. When we are doing it right, people will notice a difference.
We can't do it half way though. We can't be convenient Christians that believe, pray, and talk about what God is doing in our lives when it suits our needs. Jesus said that if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father (Matthew 10:33). God didn't send Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins because it was convenient for Him. He did it because He loved us.
I regularly see people on Facebook and Twitter with different accounts for their regular friends and their Christian friends. They have said things like, "Well not all of my friends are Christian, so I have this anonymous account so I can talk about Jesus. I just don't want to offend anyone." We should NEVER be afraid to share the Word of God (Romans 1:16). Who are these people reaching out to, if they're not letting their non-believing friends hear the Word? Other Christians? Sure we can always use encouragement, but quoting Bible verses from someone who is hesitant or ashamed to share the Word of God with people who don't know it doesn't encourage people. It only shows them how to live two lives, neither of which are genuine.
Am I being a light to the world? Am I always letting God's light shine through me to people I encounter? Though it can be difficult to be a Christian in a non-Christian workplace, I cannot allow that to discourage me or cause me to live separate lives. I have to be a 24:7 Christian. God loves me all the time, not just when it's convenient for Him. I have a duty to do the same.
Dear Abba Father, please continue to fill me with the love and strength to be a powerful witness for You no matter where I may be. I thank You for the opportunity to share Your Word with a coworker yesterday. I pray that You will continue to work in her heart, so that she will continue to seek You. Thank You for your continual blessings in my life, and please continue to use me for Your glory wherever I can serve You and others. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Heavy Lifting
Matthew 11:28 - Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
Whenever I hear someone mistakenly characterize God as being unforgiving or hot-tempered, I like to refer them to this passage. I have yet to meet or hear of anyone who is unforgiving, mean-spirited, or hot-tempered that promises to ease someone's burdens. Only those who are all about love want to do that.
That's what God wants to do for us. He wants us to rest and trust in Him when our burdens are heavy. He is always happy to help us, but we have to ask for it. He won't come where He isn't invited. But once we invite Him, our lives will be forever changed for the better. He will do the heavy lifting for us when we ask Him to. It's easy for us to think, "I got this." But do we? If we're going to sit and complain about how heavy something may be weighing on our shoulders, then we don't have this. We need to turn it over to God.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that I don't have all the answers, and I need to remember to turn everything over to You. You are the Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God that will do the heavy lifting for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Whenever I hear someone mistakenly characterize God as being unforgiving or hot-tempered, I like to refer them to this passage. I have yet to meet or hear of anyone who is unforgiving, mean-spirited, or hot-tempered that promises to ease someone's burdens. Only those who are all about love want to do that.
That's what God wants to do for us. He wants us to rest and trust in Him when our burdens are heavy. He is always happy to help us, but we have to ask for it. He won't come where He isn't invited. But once we invite Him, our lives will be forever changed for the better. He will do the heavy lifting for us when we ask Him to. It's easy for us to think, "I got this." But do we? If we're going to sit and complain about how heavy something may be weighing on our shoulders, then we don't have this. We need to turn it over to God.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that I don't have all the answers, and I need to remember to turn everything over to You. You are the Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God that will do the heavy lifting for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
A License To Love
Galatians 5:13 - For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
Paul's reminder that Jesus didn't come to set us free so that we could act like fools is exactly what I needed to hear today. Jesus came to set us free so that we could let go of our sinful nature and love each other like He loves us. He gave us a license to love.
I remember a scene in some movie I saw a while back. Some lady got upset and started yelling and cussing at someone. The guy with her told her she shouldn't be talking like that because she was a Christian. She looked around and said it was okay because no one from her church was there. But there was - Jesus Christ was there. He didn't save her so she could go off on someone like that when they pushed her buttons. He did it so she could show them the love of Jesus. Having the mentality of, "Well I've been saved, and I know Jesus will forgive me," is the absolute wrong way of thinking. Jesus didn't give us a license to steal His blessings, but a license to love His people.
It has been a very trying past couple of weeks for me at work. I have been getting my buttons pushed regularly by people that seem to enjoy seeing how far they can go and how much they can get away with, without any consequences. I am a Supervisor, but I am not their Supervisor, so I can't discipline them. It has been so tough to hold back from giving back what has been coming from them. Needless to say, I have been doing a lot of praying these last couple of weeks. Coming across this passage reminds me why I don't lose my temper and control with them. Jesus didn't give me a license to yell, He gave me a license to love. Feeling His reassuring strength has kept me calm and focused.
Dear Lord, thank You for blessing me with calm and with Your love. It has been so difficult the last couple of weeks, but I know and trust that You are with me and You will bless me when I respond properly - in love. Thank You, not for calming the storm raging outside, but the one inside of me that wants to lash out. Please continue to guide and strengthen me during this (and all) time. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Paul's reminder that Jesus didn't come to set us free so that we could act like fools is exactly what I needed to hear today. Jesus came to set us free so that we could let go of our sinful nature and love each other like He loves us. He gave us a license to love.
I remember a scene in some movie I saw a while back. Some lady got upset and started yelling and cussing at someone. The guy with her told her she shouldn't be talking like that because she was a Christian. She looked around and said it was okay because no one from her church was there. But there was - Jesus Christ was there. He didn't save her so she could go off on someone like that when they pushed her buttons. He did it so she could show them the love of Jesus. Having the mentality of, "Well I've been saved, and I know Jesus will forgive me," is the absolute wrong way of thinking. Jesus didn't give us a license to steal His blessings, but a license to love His people.
It has been a very trying past couple of weeks for me at work. I have been getting my buttons pushed regularly by people that seem to enjoy seeing how far they can go and how much they can get away with, without any consequences. I am a Supervisor, but I am not their Supervisor, so I can't discipline them. It has been so tough to hold back from giving back what has been coming from them. Needless to say, I have been doing a lot of praying these last couple of weeks. Coming across this passage reminds me why I don't lose my temper and control with them. Jesus didn't give me a license to yell, He gave me a license to love. Feeling His reassuring strength has kept me calm and focused.
Dear Lord, thank You for blessing me with calm and with Your love. It has been so difficult the last couple of weeks, but I know and trust that You are with me and You will bless me when I respond properly - in love. Thank You, not for calming the storm raging outside, but the one inside of me that wants to lash out. Please continue to guide and strengthen me during this (and all) time. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
One Step At A Time
Luke 1:38 - Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." And then the angel left her.
Something I recently caught on to in this section about Mary's response, is that she didn't try to get ahead of everything. She only asked the obvious question - How - since she was a virgin, but she didn't sit and argue with the angel about what was supposed to happen with Joseph, or any of the details of raising God's Son.
Thinking with an eternal perspective, and a strong faith in God, she trusted that He would always provide and show her the right path to take at all times. Mary didn't argue about the details even though this was no ordinary pregnancy or baby. That is how we all need to be. There's nothing wrong with thinking long term, but doing it with an eternal perspective and taking things one step at a time, will keep us grounded in our faith and trust in God.
This is something I have to make sure I am working on. I have a tendency to get ahead of myself and wonder, "What about this, what about that?!" I have improved on this quite a bit, because I know that if I am staying faithful to God, and following the prompts He gives me, the decisions I make will always work out for the best for me.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to stay strong and grounded in my faith and trust in Your will for my life. I know that You only want the best for me, and I pray that I will always seek Your counsel for everything I do. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Something I recently caught on to in this section about Mary's response, is that she didn't try to get ahead of everything. She only asked the obvious question - How - since she was a virgin, but she didn't sit and argue with the angel about what was supposed to happen with Joseph, or any of the details of raising God's Son.
Thinking with an eternal perspective, and a strong faith in God, she trusted that He would always provide and show her the right path to take at all times. Mary didn't argue about the details even though this was no ordinary pregnancy or baby. That is how we all need to be. There's nothing wrong with thinking long term, but doing it with an eternal perspective and taking things one step at a time, will keep us grounded in our faith and trust in God.
This is something I have to make sure I am working on. I have a tendency to get ahead of myself and wonder, "What about this, what about that?!" I have improved on this quite a bit, because I know that if I am staying faithful to God, and following the prompts He gives me, the decisions I make will always work out for the best for me.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to stay strong and grounded in my faith and trust in Your will for my life. I know that You only want the best for me, and I pray that I will always seek Your counsel for everything I do. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, December 16, 2013
Faithful Love
Lamentations 3:22 - The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
Jeremiah was sad and in deep distress. The prophecies he had spoken were coming true, and he was upset because Israel didn't do what was needed in order to avoid their calamity. But Jeremiah's faith and trust in God didn't wane. He continued to trust Him for Israel's deliverance from captivity. He trusted that God would bring His people out of exile because of His faithful love and mercy.
It is easy to give up on God when things don't go our way. When we hit the first sign of trouble or resistance to our plans, we start to question if God is really looking out for us, and we even doubt His love for us. God's love knows no end. He will always love us. I heard a Pastor say once, that God will always love us, but if we aren't being obedient to Him, He won't bless us. When things are not going the way we think they should, we need to take our troubles to Him in obedience and trust His love for us.
Am I trusting in God to deliver me from my problems? I need to make sure I remember that just because things aren't going exactly how I expect them to, they are going exactly how God wants them to. He loved me so much that He sacrificed His only Son so that I could spend eternity with Him. That's faithful love. He'll never let me down.
Father, thank You for the greatest display of faithful love the world has ever known. I pray for the strength and wisdom to remain obedient to You, and trust in Your great plan for me. I know You will always do what is best for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Jeremiah was sad and in deep distress. The prophecies he had spoken were coming true, and he was upset because Israel didn't do what was needed in order to avoid their calamity. But Jeremiah's faith and trust in God didn't wane. He continued to trust Him for Israel's deliverance from captivity. He trusted that God would bring His people out of exile because of His faithful love and mercy.
It is easy to give up on God when things don't go our way. When we hit the first sign of trouble or resistance to our plans, we start to question if God is really looking out for us, and we even doubt His love for us. God's love knows no end. He will always love us. I heard a Pastor say once, that God will always love us, but if we aren't being obedient to Him, He won't bless us. When things are not going the way we think they should, we need to take our troubles to Him in obedience and trust His love for us.
Am I trusting in God to deliver me from my problems? I need to make sure I remember that just because things aren't going exactly how I expect them to, they are going exactly how God wants them to. He loved me so much that He sacrificed His only Son so that I could spend eternity with Him. That's faithful love. He'll never let me down.
Father, thank You for the greatest display of faithful love the world has ever known. I pray for the strength and wisdom to remain obedient to You, and trust in Your great plan for me. I know You will always do what is best for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Taking It To Him
2 Kings 19:14 - After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord's Temple and spread it out before the Lord.
Hezekiah had the right idea. He was doing what God had instructed him to do, but he was having problems with Israel's enemies. When he received the letter from them, he immediately took it to God. He knew and trusted that God would handle the problem, but only after Hezekiah was obedient by taking it to Him.
Whenever I read this story of Hezekiah, I get a mental picture of him in the Temple pointing at the letter and saying, "What are You gonna do about this God?!" God wants to help us. He won't always "DO" for us, but He will always "PROVIDE" for us. There's a difference. He will always provide a solution, or a way out for us, but He leaves it up to us to do the right thing. When we take our problems to Him first, that is the first step, but not the last one.
Am I taking my problems to God first, or do I try to figure them out myself? I have improved on this a great deal, but I still have a lot of work to do. Just because I may make the right choices (God's solutions), does not mean I have all the answers. It just means that I know where to go to get them. I have to remember that He will always provide the right path when I remember to seek His counsel first.
Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder to seek Your wisdom and counsel first. I know I have a habit of thinking I have all the answers. I will work to remember to bring my problems to You first, and be obedient in following the path you lay out for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Hezekiah had the right idea. He was doing what God had instructed him to do, but he was having problems with Israel's enemies. When he received the letter from them, he immediately took it to God. He knew and trusted that God would handle the problem, but only after Hezekiah was obedient by taking it to Him.
Whenever I read this story of Hezekiah, I get a mental picture of him in the Temple pointing at the letter and saying, "What are You gonna do about this God?!" God wants to help us. He won't always "DO" for us, but He will always "PROVIDE" for us. There's a difference. He will always provide a solution, or a way out for us, but He leaves it up to us to do the right thing. When we take our problems to Him first, that is the first step, but not the last one.
Am I taking my problems to God first, or do I try to figure them out myself? I have improved on this a great deal, but I still have a lot of work to do. Just because I may make the right choices (God's solutions), does not mean I have all the answers. It just means that I know where to go to get them. I have to remember that He will always provide the right path when I remember to seek His counsel first.
Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder to seek Your wisdom and counsel first. I know I have a habit of thinking I have all the answers. I will work to remember to bring my problems to You first, and be obedient in following the path you lay out for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Looking Back...
Ecclesiastes 7:10 - Don't long for the "good old days." This is not wise.
How often do we sit and think about the could have's, should have's, and would have's? If only I had done this or that differently, life would be so much better... Would it though?
God put us on the path we are on for a purpose. He chose us because He loves us. We could have exercised our free will and ignored Him and His calling, but would our lives have been better? Not a chance. When we accepted His love and sacrifice, we exchanged a life of death and eternal darkness for eternal life in His Glorious Kingdom. I think we got the better end of that deal.
I have never been one for regret. I believe that regret is a wasted emotion because all it does is dwell on the negative aspect of things, instead of focusing on learning from mistakes and making us better. God wants us to be better, which is why He offered His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He wants us to have the eternal life in His Glorious Kingdom.
I'm not saying that we should never think about the past. Looking back is not a terrible thing. But we should be looking back to focus on how we can learn from our mistakes, and make us better people that can love God and others and serve Him and His people better. If I just reflected on the bad and/or stupid things I've done, it would totally consume my time. I wouldn't have time for anything else. I am where God wants me to be at this moment. Every experience is part of His divine plan for me and my life. As it is for you and your life. That is a blessing...
Dear Lord, thank You for the wonderful blessings You have given me. I am so grateful for the path You have put me on, because it led me to You. I pray for Your continued strength and guidance so that I may serve You and Your people with love and joy forever. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
How often do we sit and think about the could have's, should have's, and would have's? If only I had done this or that differently, life would be so much better... Would it though?
God put us on the path we are on for a purpose. He chose us because He loves us. We could have exercised our free will and ignored Him and His calling, but would our lives have been better? Not a chance. When we accepted His love and sacrifice, we exchanged a life of death and eternal darkness for eternal life in His Glorious Kingdom. I think we got the better end of that deal.
I have never been one for regret. I believe that regret is a wasted emotion because all it does is dwell on the negative aspect of things, instead of focusing on learning from mistakes and making us better. God wants us to be better, which is why He offered His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He wants us to have the eternal life in His Glorious Kingdom.
I'm not saying that we should never think about the past. Looking back is not a terrible thing. But we should be looking back to focus on how we can learn from our mistakes, and make us better people that can love God and others and serve Him and His people better. If I just reflected on the bad and/or stupid things I've done, it would totally consume my time. I wouldn't have time for anything else. I am where God wants me to be at this moment. Every experience is part of His divine plan for me and my life. As it is for you and your life. That is a blessing...
Dear Lord, thank You for the wonderful blessings You have given me. I am so grateful for the path You have put me on, because it led me to You. I pray for Your continued strength and guidance so that I may serve You and Your people with love and joy forever. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, December 13, 2013
Infinitely More
Ephesians 3:20 - Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
There is nothing we can ask or hope for that is too big for God to handle. God is certainly bigger than any problem we may have, and He is able to help us overcome anything when we ask with our heart in the right place. As long as it's His will for us, He will handle it. And His will is what we should always be seeking. God knows our heart, so we aren't going to be able to pull a fast one on Him. We will never be able to hide selfishness from Him.
I love thinking of that idea of infinitely more. I remember a movie I saw one time. I can't remember what the movie was, and it was some time ago when I saw it, but there was one particular exchange of dialogue between two of the character's that has always stuck with me. The man was asking the woman why she wasn't pursuing her dreams, and she responded that it was just a dream. She said she never believed that it was something she could have, just something she wanted. He responded to her and said, "You don't dream right."
That's how it is with God. We should never be afraid of asking Him for something. We should never feel that it's something that He can't or won't handle for us. When we seek Him in prayer with a right heart, and ask for His will to be done, He loves that. You don't know if you don't ask. He is able and willing to do infinitely more than we could ever hope for, and He loves to be asked.
Dear God, please keep my heart right and focused on Your will for my life. I know I tend to get frustrated and come to you in a selfish way, and I am sorry for that. I am prepared to face any problem I may have because I know I have You on my side, and You are bigger than any problem. You can accomplish infinitely more, and I am blessed because of You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
There is nothing we can ask or hope for that is too big for God to handle. God is certainly bigger than any problem we may have, and He is able to help us overcome anything when we ask with our heart in the right place. As long as it's His will for us, He will handle it. And His will is what we should always be seeking. God knows our heart, so we aren't going to be able to pull a fast one on Him. We will never be able to hide selfishness from Him.
I love thinking of that idea of infinitely more. I remember a movie I saw one time. I can't remember what the movie was, and it was some time ago when I saw it, but there was one particular exchange of dialogue between two of the character's that has always stuck with me. The man was asking the woman why she wasn't pursuing her dreams, and she responded that it was just a dream. She said she never believed that it was something she could have, just something she wanted. He responded to her and said, "You don't dream right."
That's how it is with God. We should never be afraid of asking Him for something. We should never feel that it's something that He can't or won't handle for us. When we seek Him in prayer with a right heart, and ask for His will to be done, He loves that. You don't know if you don't ask. He is able and willing to do infinitely more than we could ever hope for, and He loves to be asked.
Dear God, please keep my heart right and focused on Your will for my life. I know I tend to get frustrated and come to you in a selfish way, and I am sorry for that. I am prepared to face any problem I may have because I know I have You on my side, and You are bigger than any problem. You can accomplish infinitely more, and I am blessed because of You. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Be Quiet and Listen
Proverbs 2:2 - Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
What do you mean I don't have have all the answers?!
A hard lesson of life that we all have to learn at some point, is that we don't have all the answers. That was always a tough one for me to wrap my head around. I'm a smart person, but I don't know everything (wait...did I just say that out loud?!). When I was coming to terms with that and asked myself this question, I finally realized, "No you don't have all the answers Wayne. That's why you're a Warehouse Supervisor and He's God. So be quiet and list to His instructions."
How about now? Do I listen? You bet I do. I took a Life Coaching course this past Spring that taught some good methods of effective listening. One of the traps we tend to fall into is forming a question or comment while the person is still talking. This causes us to tune out part of what they're saying and then we could wind up missing crucial information. I will sometimes catch myself doing this during my Quiet Time with God.
Although I've read the bible 3 or 4 times, I still enjoy every word I read every day. For me, the book is still a page-turner, and I find myself excited to find out what happens next. When I catch myself trying to get ahead of the story, I can hear God whispering to me, "Relax, there's something I wanted to show you on this page before you get to the next one." I learn something new every day in His Word. Even though I've read it before, doesn't mean I took it all in completely the first time (or the second, third...). God's whisper during those times is His way of telling me to be quiet and listen. He wants us to know Him better, and He uses the Bible more than anything else to show us.
Dear Lord, thank You for those gentle reminders to be quiet and still, and listen to what You're telling me through Your Word. I am so blessed to be able to spend time with You every day, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Thank You for Your amazing blessings and unfailing love. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
What do you mean I don't have have all the answers?!
A hard lesson of life that we all have to learn at some point, is that we don't have all the answers. That was always a tough one for me to wrap my head around. I'm a smart person, but I don't know everything (wait...did I just say that out loud?!). When I was coming to terms with that and asked myself this question, I finally realized, "No you don't have all the answers Wayne. That's why you're a Warehouse Supervisor and He's God. So be quiet and list to His instructions."
How about now? Do I listen? You bet I do. I took a Life Coaching course this past Spring that taught some good methods of effective listening. One of the traps we tend to fall into is forming a question or comment while the person is still talking. This causes us to tune out part of what they're saying and then we could wind up missing crucial information. I will sometimes catch myself doing this during my Quiet Time with God.
Although I've read the bible 3 or 4 times, I still enjoy every word I read every day. For me, the book is still a page-turner, and I find myself excited to find out what happens next. When I catch myself trying to get ahead of the story, I can hear God whispering to me, "Relax, there's something I wanted to show you on this page before you get to the next one." I learn something new every day in His Word. Even though I've read it before, doesn't mean I took it all in completely the first time (or the second, third...). God's whisper during those times is His way of telling me to be quiet and listen. He wants us to know Him better, and He uses the Bible more than anything else to show us.
Dear Lord, thank You for those gentle reminders to be quiet and still, and listen to what You're telling me through Your Word. I am so blessed to be able to spend time with You every day, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Thank You for Your amazing blessings and unfailing love. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Staying Faithful
Jeremiah 3:19 - "I thought to Myself, I would love to treat you as My own children! I wanted nothing more than to give you this beautiful land - the finest possession in the world. I looked forward to your calling Me 'Father," and I wanted you never to turn from Me."
In this chapter of Jeremiah, Israel's idolatry is likened to adultery by God, and it is breaking His heart. God wanted nothing more than His bride to stay faithful so that He could bless them beyond their wildest dreams. He had already given them the best land, and He had more great things in store for them.
God loves us so much, that He gives the chance to return whenever we fall away. In verses 14, He tells Israel (us) to return to Him, and He will bless us. He will restore us to where we were. Verse 15 says that He will give us shepherds after His own heart to guide us. Not only does He offer us a chance to come back to Him, but He promises to give us faithful people to help guide us. Our idolatry isn't specifically worshiping other gods, but anything that we put above God on the level of importance, is idolatry. It is being adulterous to the One who has always saved us and welcomed us back into His arms with unfailing love and grace.
Am I an idolater? Have I been cheating on my Abba? I pray every day for God to keep me focused on Him. I don't want anything to get in the way of my love and worship of the One who rescued me, and continues to do so all the time.
Dear Lord, thank You so much for offering me a way back. I am blessed by the shepherds You have put in my life that have helped guide me back to You. I am especially blessed by the greatest Shepherd of all, Jesus Christ. Without His sacrifice and taking my sin and shame on His shoulders, I wouldn't have the opportunity to know You and have a relationship with You. Thank You for everything Lord. Help me to stay focused on You today and every day. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
In this chapter of Jeremiah, Israel's idolatry is likened to adultery by God, and it is breaking His heart. God wanted nothing more than His bride to stay faithful so that He could bless them beyond their wildest dreams. He had already given them the best land, and He had more great things in store for them.
God loves us so much, that He gives the chance to return whenever we fall away. In verses 14, He tells Israel (us) to return to Him, and He will bless us. He will restore us to where we were. Verse 15 says that He will give us shepherds after His own heart to guide us. Not only does He offer us a chance to come back to Him, but He promises to give us faithful people to help guide us. Our idolatry isn't specifically worshiping other gods, but anything that we put above God on the level of importance, is idolatry. It is being adulterous to the One who has always saved us and welcomed us back into His arms with unfailing love and grace.
Am I an idolater? Have I been cheating on my Abba? I pray every day for God to keep me focused on Him. I don't want anything to get in the way of my love and worship of the One who rescued me, and continues to do so all the time.
Dear Lord, thank You so much for offering me a way back. I am blessed by the shepherds You have put in my life that have helped guide me back to You. I am especially blessed by the greatest Shepherd of all, Jesus Christ. Without His sacrifice and taking my sin and shame on His shoulders, I wouldn't have the opportunity to know You and have a relationship with You. Thank You for everything Lord. Help me to stay focused on You today and every day. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Plan A
Jeremiah 2:13 - For My people have done two evil things: They have abandoned Me - the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all.
God is telling us here that the people of Israel have gone with their backup plan. They were failing to trust the flow of God's unending grace and love, so they were throwing together idolatry in things that were satisfying them temporarily. They were afraid that God's well would run dry, which would never happens as long as we stay strong in our faith and honest in our repentance.
Often times, we find ourselves drifting away from God. God never drifts away from us, because He is constant. When we make mistakes, sometimes we feel as though they are too much for God to forgive, so out of shame we believe we can't go back to Him. We come up with our Plan B's (and C's and D's) to try and satisfy our guilt. These don't work. Our Plan A - God - is all we ever need. He will never abandon us. And when we slip down the slope of sin, He will always welcome us back with open and loving arms when we repent and confess our sins to Him.
Am I trusting in Plan A and not even giving consideration to any other options? I am. I know I will make mistakes, but I have faith that nothing is too great for my Abba Father to forgive. He is bigger than my problems.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that You are bigger than my problems. I ask for the strength and wisdom to remember that You will always be there for me, and when I make mistakes I can always come to You. Thank You for always being there. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God is telling us here that the people of Israel have gone with their backup plan. They were failing to trust the flow of God's unending grace and love, so they were throwing together idolatry in things that were satisfying them temporarily. They were afraid that God's well would run dry, which would never happens as long as we stay strong in our faith and honest in our repentance.
Often times, we find ourselves drifting away from God. God never drifts away from us, because He is constant. When we make mistakes, sometimes we feel as though they are too much for God to forgive, so out of shame we believe we can't go back to Him. We come up with our Plan B's (and C's and D's) to try and satisfy our guilt. These don't work. Our Plan A - God - is all we ever need. He will never abandon us. And when we slip down the slope of sin, He will always welcome us back with open and loving arms when we repent and confess our sins to Him.
Am I trusting in Plan A and not even giving consideration to any other options? I am. I know I will make mistakes, but I have faith that nothing is too great for my Abba Father to forgive. He is bigger than my problems.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that You are bigger than my problems. I ask for the strength and wisdom to remember that You will always be there for me, and when I make mistakes I can always come to You. Thank You for always being there. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, December 9, 2013
The Right Helper
Isaiah 31:1 - What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
Through the prophet Isaiah, God is reminding us not to trust in the limitations of human help with our problems. We are to seek His counsel which has no limitations. God's wisdom will never let us down or lead us astray. He won't tell us what we want to hear for the sake of saving our feelings, but He will always tell us what we need to hear to keep us safe and on the right path.
One thing I have learned is that people can be, and often are, very self-serving. People don't have the best intentions of others when they give advice and counsel. God has never let me down when I seek His counsel in prayer. I need to be mindful that I am always seeking Him first and trusting His plan for me. Solomon reminded us in Proverbs 3 not to rely on our own understanding, and to seek God for all we need. God will never let us down. He will show us the path we NEED to take, not necessarily the path we WANT to take, and His way is always right.
Dear Lord, thank You for always being reliable and trustworthy. Thank You for showing me what I need, and not giving me something just because I want it. I pray that I will continue to seek Your counsel for everything so that I will remain on the right path You have for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Through the prophet Isaiah, God is reminding us not to trust in the limitations of human help with our problems. We are to seek His counsel which has no limitations. God's wisdom will never let us down or lead us astray. He won't tell us what we want to hear for the sake of saving our feelings, but He will always tell us what we need to hear to keep us safe and on the right path.
One thing I have learned is that people can be, and often are, very self-serving. People don't have the best intentions of others when they give advice and counsel. God has never let me down when I seek His counsel in prayer. I need to be mindful that I am always seeking Him first and trusting His plan for me. Solomon reminded us in Proverbs 3 not to rely on our own understanding, and to seek God for all we need. God will never let us down. He will show us the path we NEED to take, not necessarily the path we WANT to take, and His way is always right.
Dear Lord, thank You for always being reliable and trustworthy. Thank You for showing me what I need, and not giving me something just because I want it. I pray that I will continue to seek Your counsel for everything so that I will remain on the right path You have for me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
A True Servant
John 13:8 - "No," Peter protested, "You will never ever wash my feet!" Jesus replied, "Unless I wash you, you won't belong to me."
Jesus exemplified what a true servant was to be like. The night before He died, all that He focused on was making sure that His disciples were taken care of. He knew what was ahead of Him, and He knew that God was going to take care of Him. He kept teaching until the end and serving His disciples to make sure they would be ready to spread His message after He was gone.
How would most of us react if we knew the exact time we were going to die? There are plenty of us that would take the opportunity to enjoy every last possible minute we had. What about our families? Would we want them to be prepared? What about our kids (if you have them)? Wouldn't a parent want to make sure they were as equipped for life without you as they possibly could be?
The fact is, we don't know the exact time we are going to die. I once heard a Pastor ask the question, "Would you do it if God was standing there with you?" The truth is, He is standing there with us - all the time. We should strive to be examples of integrity, love, and service to those we encounter every day. We should live and love and serve like it's our last chance to ever do so, because we never know when it will be.
Am I living like that? Am I serving everyone I can based on the instructions of the Great Teacher? I really do love to do for others. I do get a lot of joy out of it. But I think I could be better about it. I have to work on not doing it only when it's convenient for me. I have really felt this weighing on my heart recently, and I feel so blessed that God put this section of Scripture in front of me this morning. He works in such great ways.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your loving convictions. Thank You for teaching me through Your Word. I am beyond blessed because of everything You do for me. Thank You for reminding me what a true servant is supposed to look like. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Jesus exemplified what a true servant was to be like. The night before He died, all that He focused on was making sure that His disciples were taken care of. He knew what was ahead of Him, and He knew that God was going to take care of Him. He kept teaching until the end and serving His disciples to make sure they would be ready to spread His message after He was gone.
How would most of us react if we knew the exact time we were going to die? There are plenty of us that would take the opportunity to enjoy every last possible minute we had. What about our families? Would we want them to be prepared? What about our kids (if you have them)? Wouldn't a parent want to make sure they were as equipped for life without you as they possibly could be?
The fact is, we don't know the exact time we are going to die. I once heard a Pastor ask the question, "Would you do it if God was standing there with you?" The truth is, He is standing there with us - all the time. We should strive to be examples of integrity, love, and service to those we encounter every day. We should live and love and serve like it's our last chance to ever do so, because we never know when it will be.
Am I living like that? Am I serving everyone I can based on the instructions of the Great Teacher? I really do love to do for others. I do get a lot of joy out of it. But I think I could be better about it. I have to work on not doing it only when it's convenient for me. I have really felt this weighing on my heart recently, and I feel so blessed that God put this section of Scripture in front of me this morning. He works in such great ways.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your loving convictions. Thank You for teaching me through Your Word. I am beyond blessed because of everything You do for me. Thank You for reminding me what a true servant is supposed to look like. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, December 7, 2013
The Promise
Isaiah 53:5 - But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
This whole chapter of Isaiah, which was written several hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ, lays out God's promise of our redemption. This promise is what God had in mind from the beginning. And it cost us nothing. This free gift of God was given out of love.
It is our choice to accept this gift. How blessed are those who accept it, and live our lives for Him. We have been saved and redeemed by a God that loves us so much that He offered His Son as a sacrifice for all of mankind.
Jesus said that His apostles and the others that believed Him at the time were blessed for believing based on what they saw, and how much more blessed are those who believe Him on faith, because they didn't witness what He did (John 20). My prayer is for anyone who doesn't have a relationship with Jesus Christ will come to accept Him and know Him as our Savior. How blessed they will be for their faith. How blessed they will be for believing in the promise.
Dear Lord, I ask for Your Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of those who don't know You. I pray that they will finally hear Your gentle whisper and accept what You sacrificed for them. I ask to be used by You to serve You and them in whatever way I can help facilitate that for them, according to Your will. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
This whole chapter of Isaiah, which was written several hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ, lays out God's promise of our redemption. This promise is what God had in mind from the beginning. And it cost us nothing. This free gift of God was given out of love.
It is our choice to accept this gift. How blessed are those who accept it, and live our lives for Him. We have been saved and redeemed by a God that loves us so much that He offered His Son as a sacrifice for all of mankind.
Jesus said that His apostles and the others that believed Him at the time were blessed for believing based on what they saw, and how much more blessed are those who believe Him on faith, because they didn't witness what He did (John 20). My prayer is for anyone who doesn't have a relationship with Jesus Christ will come to accept Him and know Him as our Savior. How blessed they will be for their faith. How blessed they will be for believing in the promise.
Dear Lord, I ask for Your Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of those who don't know You. I pray that they will finally hear Your gentle whisper and accept what You sacrificed for them. I ask to be used by You to serve You and them in whatever way I can help facilitate that for them, according to Your will. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, December 6, 2013
Pride - A Dangerous Weapon
Philippians 3:7 - I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.
Nothing we could ever do is more important than what Christ did for us. He gave us the chance to be free from our bondage of worshiping ourselves. Pride is a dangerous and powerful weapon. It takes away from us giving honor and glory to God for what He has orchestrated in our life. It's easy to believe that we got where we are because of what we did, but it isn't true. We only get where we are going by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
After dwelling on this some might wonder, "What's the point then? Why do I bother?" The point is that we have to responsible with the gifts we are given. Everyone has their own gifts they are given by God, and how we utilize them is our responsibility. When we are using our God-given talents properly, we have to remember to give the glory and honor to God because we couldn't do it without them.
Like a lot of people, I work for a pretty thankless company. I'm really no different than most. I like what I do because I get to play a role in making sure that kids are getting educated who otherwise might not. I get to use my God-given talents of leadership and organization to make sure the tools needed are getting out and into the hands of those that need them in a timely manner. But there is no material reward for what I do beyond a paycheck to pay my bills. I'm fine with that, because the kids are getting the reward of wisdom.
The Bible speaks about wisdom frequently, and a lot of it is in the book of Proverbs. In Proverbs 11:2, it says, "Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" (NLT). I have to remind myself that it isn't about me. It doesn't matter about any material rewards I may or may not receive. It is about using God's talents responsibly and appropriately, and giving Him the glory for it. I would be nothing without God in my life. It took me a long time to realize that. I wished I had discovered it earlier in life, but everything happens according to His timing, which is perfect. I am blessed beyond words for what I get to do, and how I am able to serve God's people.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your tremendous blessings, and for the talents and abilities You have blessed me with. I pray that I will forever serve You and Your people, and that I will always remember to give You the honor and glory for what I do. In Jesus' powerful and glorious name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Nothing we could ever do is more important than what Christ did for us. He gave us the chance to be free from our bondage of worshiping ourselves. Pride is a dangerous and powerful weapon. It takes away from us giving honor and glory to God for what He has orchestrated in our life. It's easy to believe that we got where we are because of what we did, but it isn't true. We only get where we are going by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
After dwelling on this some might wonder, "What's the point then? Why do I bother?" The point is that we have to responsible with the gifts we are given. Everyone has their own gifts they are given by God, and how we utilize them is our responsibility. When we are using our God-given talents properly, we have to remember to give the glory and honor to God because we couldn't do it without them.
Like a lot of people, I work for a pretty thankless company. I'm really no different than most. I like what I do because I get to play a role in making sure that kids are getting educated who otherwise might not. I get to use my God-given talents of leadership and organization to make sure the tools needed are getting out and into the hands of those that need them in a timely manner. But there is no material reward for what I do beyond a paycheck to pay my bills. I'm fine with that, because the kids are getting the reward of wisdom.
The Bible speaks about wisdom frequently, and a lot of it is in the book of Proverbs. In Proverbs 11:2, it says, "Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" (NLT). I have to remind myself that it isn't about me. It doesn't matter about any material rewards I may or may not receive. It is about using God's talents responsibly and appropriately, and giving Him the glory for it. I would be nothing without God in my life. It took me a long time to realize that. I wished I had discovered it earlier in life, but everything happens according to His timing, which is perfect. I am blessed beyond words for what I get to do, and how I am able to serve God's people.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your tremendous blessings, and for the talents and abilities You have blessed me with. I pray that I will forever serve You and Your people, and that I will always remember to give You the honor and glory for what I do. In Jesus' powerful and glorious name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Shout It Out Loud
Psalm 105:1 - Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done.
This whole Psalm is a brief summary of what God did for His chosen people. It gives a short account of the lengths that God went to in order to protect and deliver His people into the land He had set aside for them. It was a lot to say the least.
God has done and continues to do so much for those that love and honor Him. If you look at all the things He did for the Israelites in those early days, there were a lot of them that didn't even believe in Him. Yet He still took care of them. Imagine how much more He does for those that do believe. These people saw God's powerful hand at work, yet struggled to believe. As Jesus said, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me." (John 20:29). We should all be beyond thankful for His enormous blessings and let everyone know how great He truly is.
Am I sharing His Good News with people? Am I being a light to the world to give God the honor and glory He undoubtedly deserves? I think I can be a better lamp to those who don't know Him. I want my light to shine bright so that it can be seen by many. God's honor and glory deserve no less.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your amazing blessings. Thank You for doing so much to deliver Your people. Not just the Israelites mentioned in this passage, but all of Your people since the beginning to now and beyond. I am so grateful that I have come to know You and have a relationship with You. I want others to have the same feeling I get when I am with You every day. Please give me the wisdom and courage to share Your Gospel to everyone I can. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
This whole Psalm is a brief summary of what God did for His chosen people. It gives a short account of the lengths that God went to in order to protect and deliver His people into the land He had set aside for them. It was a lot to say the least.
God has done and continues to do so much for those that love and honor Him. If you look at all the things He did for the Israelites in those early days, there were a lot of them that didn't even believe in Him. Yet He still took care of them. Imagine how much more He does for those that do believe. These people saw God's powerful hand at work, yet struggled to believe. As Jesus said, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me." (John 20:29). We should all be beyond thankful for His enormous blessings and let everyone know how great He truly is.
Am I sharing His Good News with people? Am I being a light to the world to give God the honor and glory He undoubtedly deserves? I think I can be a better lamp to those who don't know Him. I want my light to shine bright so that it can be seen by many. God's honor and glory deserve no less.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your amazing blessings. Thank You for doing so much to deliver Your people. Not just the Israelites mentioned in this passage, but all of Your people since the beginning to now and beyond. I am so grateful that I have come to know You and have a relationship with You. I want others to have the same feeling I get when I am with You every day. Please give me the wisdom and courage to share Your Gospel to everyone I can. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
All That I Am
Psalm 104:1 - Let all that I am praise the Lord. O Lord my God, how great You are! You are robed with honor and majesty.
I love how this Psalm begins and ends the same way by saying, "Let all that I am praise the Lord." In between the writer describes all the great things that God created, and how He did it for us and all of His creation. He did the hard work, and we get to enjoy the fruits of His labor. How great He is indeed.
How often do I take time to reflect on the beauty that God has placed all around me? Not nearly as much as I should. God put everything exactly where it is for a reason. Taking the time to appreciate the fruit of His labor and the marvel of His creation can only strengthen my love and appreciation for Him. It will certainly give me the desire to praise Him with all that I am.
Dear Lord, thank You for this beautiful place we call home. I know that through the years, mankind hasn't exactly treated it like they should. I pray that You will give me the heart to appreciate all the beauty You have put around me. I pray that I will honor and praise You with all that I am. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
I love how this Psalm begins and ends the same way by saying, "Let all that I am praise the Lord." In between the writer describes all the great things that God created, and how He did it for us and all of His creation. He did the hard work, and we get to enjoy the fruits of His labor. How great He is indeed.
How often do I take time to reflect on the beauty that God has placed all around me? Not nearly as much as I should. God put everything exactly where it is for a reason. Taking the time to appreciate the fruit of His labor and the marvel of His creation can only strengthen my love and appreciation for Him. It will certainly give me the desire to praise Him with all that I am.
Dear Lord, thank You for this beautiful place we call home. I know that through the years, mankind hasn't exactly treated it like they should. I pray that You will give me the heart to appreciate all the beauty You have put around me. I pray that I will honor and praise You with all that I am. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Teacher's Pet or Joyful Servant?
Isaiah 6:8 - Then I heard the Lord asking, "Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?" I said, "Here I am. Send me."
I remember the first time I really started to read the Bible, I began in the book of Isaiah. I don't know what made me start there, I just did. When I came across this passage I remember thinking that Isaiah sounded like a real teacher's pet that was trying to work his way into God's good graces.
As I read the Bible more and more over the next couple of years, and came to understand the nature of God and our Salvation, I realized that wasn't the case. There is nothing we can do to earn our way into Heaven. God loves a joyful giver, and He loves a joyful servant. We are not called to serve God and His chosen people because we are trying to work off our debt to God. Jesus paid our debt for us, so there is nothing to work off. We are called to serve God and His people because of the joy that is in our hearts because of our Salvation. A couple of verses before this one, Isaiah's sins had been forgiven. What could give someone more joy than that?! After he realized He had been saved, he was excited to get to work serving God's Kingdom.
How about me? Am I serving God's people with the right motives? Am I being a teacher's pet, or displaying the heart of a joyful servant? I need to make sure my heart is in the right place. If it isn't, I am only doing them a disservice. I love serving in the different ministries I am involved with. I love being able to reach out and share and show God's love and be an encouragement to others. Prior to having a real relationship with God, and finding my home church, I never had that kind of love and encouragement shown to me and I believe it would have made a difference in my life had it been there.
Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to serve You and Your people with a joyful heart. I ask for the strength and wisdom that I can only get from You, so that my heart stays focused on You and I serve Your people properly. Thank You for my Salvation by the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ, and for giving me the heart to serve. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
I remember the first time I really started to read the Bible, I began in the book of Isaiah. I don't know what made me start there, I just did. When I came across this passage I remember thinking that Isaiah sounded like a real teacher's pet that was trying to work his way into God's good graces.
As I read the Bible more and more over the next couple of years, and came to understand the nature of God and our Salvation, I realized that wasn't the case. There is nothing we can do to earn our way into Heaven. God loves a joyful giver, and He loves a joyful servant. We are not called to serve God and His chosen people because we are trying to work off our debt to God. Jesus paid our debt for us, so there is nothing to work off. We are called to serve God and His people because of the joy that is in our hearts because of our Salvation. A couple of verses before this one, Isaiah's sins had been forgiven. What could give someone more joy than that?! After he realized He had been saved, he was excited to get to work serving God's Kingdom.
How about me? Am I serving God's people with the right motives? Am I being a teacher's pet, or displaying the heart of a joyful servant? I need to make sure my heart is in the right place. If it isn't, I am only doing them a disservice. I love serving in the different ministries I am involved with. I love being able to reach out and share and show God's love and be an encouragement to others. Prior to having a real relationship with God, and finding my home church, I never had that kind of love and encouragement shown to me and I believe it would have made a difference in my life had it been there.
Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to serve You and Your people with a joyful heart. I ask for the strength and wisdom that I can only get from You, so that my heart stays focused on You and I serve Your people properly. Thank You for my Salvation by the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ, and for giving me the heart to serve. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, December 2, 2013
All The Answers
Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
What do you mean I don't have all the answers?! Isn't that what a lot of us ask ourselves? I know I was really good about seeking the answers within myself. I was never very much intro trusting other people's advice, because I always believed that their opinions about what I needed were less than fully informed.
But I never sought answers from the One who has them. I trusted myself for far too long, and I paid a price for it. When I finally started to trust God and His wisdom, I finally found what I was looking for. That doesn't mean I have it all figured out. Far from it. That just means I know where to go when I need questions answered.
For the longest time, I resisted going back to school. I felt that if I wanted to learn something, I could just get a few books on the particular subject and learn about it that way. I finally found the one book that taught me the things I really needed to hear and learn - the Bible. The Bible is a great source of information for all aspects of our lives. God's wisdom is all over every page of that book. One of the best things I ever did for myself was to open up His book and start reading.
How about now? Do I still seek His wisdom through His word? Yes I do...every day. Prayer is also a key part of that. Prayer is like asking a teacher questions in class. When I'm in God's word and I don't really understand something, I pray for God to explain it to me. He has been diligent in showing me what I have been looking for. He has joyfully shared His wisdom with me.
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me that I needed to rely on Your understanding and not my own. I trust You with all of my heart to show me the right way to go, and to teach me the things I need to live according to Your will and purpose for my life. Please continue to give me the wisdom I need to serve, honor, and glorify You in everything I do every day. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
What do you mean I don't have all the answers?! Isn't that what a lot of us ask ourselves? I know I was really good about seeking the answers within myself. I was never very much intro trusting other people's advice, because I always believed that their opinions about what I needed were less than fully informed.
But I never sought answers from the One who has them. I trusted myself for far too long, and I paid a price for it. When I finally started to trust God and His wisdom, I finally found what I was looking for. That doesn't mean I have it all figured out. Far from it. That just means I know where to go when I need questions answered.
For the longest time, I resisted going back to school. I felt that if I wanted to learn something, I could just get a few books on the particular subject and learn about it that way. I finally found the one book that taught me the things I really needed to hear and learn - the Bible. The Bible is a great source of information for all aspects of our lives. God's wisdom is all over every page of that book. One of the best things I ever did for myself was to open up His book and start reading.
How about now? Do I still seek His wisdom through His word? Yes I do...every day. Prayer is also a key part of that. Prayer is like asking a teacher questions in class. When I'm in God's word and I don't really understand something, I pray for God to explain it to me. He has been diligent in showing me what I have been looking for. He has joyfully shared His wisdom with me.
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me that I needed to rely on Your understanding and not my own. I trust You with all of my heart to show me the right way to go, and to teach me the things I need to live according to Your will and purpose for my life. Please continue to give me the wisdom I need to serve, honor, and glorify You in everything I do every day. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Sunday, December 1, 2013
The Company You Keep
Psalm 101:6 - I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me.
How many times did our parents tell us to be careful about the company we keep? I think I lost count after a few hundred.
When I first got sober, I moved almost 1,500 miles away because I knew I wouldn't be able to get clean being around the same environments I was in. I knew the temptation would be too great. After a few months, I figured I was strong enough to resist, so I came back. I was wrong. It didn't take long for me to break my sobriety, because I started hanging around with the same people again. What's that they say about the definition of insanity...? A few months later, I broke off contact with them, and was able to sober up again. Now, I'm coming up on 15 years of being clean next month.
My problem (among several) was that I wasn't being careful about the company I was keeping. I underestimated the devil's power over me through these bad influences. Once I made that second break, God worked in my heart in ways I could not have anticipated to keep me on the right path. Once I stopped making the wrong choices of people to be my companions in life, I started to receive God's blessings.
God doesn't want us to do life alone. We aren't built that way. He wants us to choose the right people to accompany us on this journey of life, and He promises to bless us when we choose wisely.
Dear Lord, thank You for keeping me strong all these years. I pray that I will make the right choices that are pleasing to You so that I may enjoy Your abundant blessings in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
How many times did our parents tell us to be careful about the company we keep? I think I lost count after a few hundred.
When I first got sober, I moved almost 1,500 miles away because I knew I wouldn't be able to get clean being around the same environments I was in. I knew the temptation would be too great. After a few months, I figured I was strong enough to resist, so I came back. I was wrong. It didn't take long for me to break my sobriety, because I started hanging around with the same people again. What's that they say about the definition of insanity...? A few months later, I broke off contact with them, and was able to sober up again. Now, I'm coming up on 15 years of being clean next month.
My problem (among several) was that I wasn't being careful about the company I was keeping. I underestimated the devil's power over me through these bad influences. Once I made that second break, God worked in my heart in ways I could not have anticipated to keep me on the right path. Once I stopped making the wrong choices of people to be my companions in life, I started to receive God's blessings.
God doesn't want us to do life alone. We aren't built that way. He wants us to choose the right people to accompany us on this journey of life, and He promises to bless us when we choose wisely.
Dear Lord, thank You for keeping me strong all these years. I pray that I will make the right choices that are pleasing to You so that I may enjoy Your abundant blessings in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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