Luke 15:32 - "We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!"
The story of the prodigal son is such a great story. It really is a story about all of us.
Jesus' parable reminds us that at one time or another we all fall away from the path God put us on. We squander the great gifts and talents that God gave us on useless things, and when we realize our failures, we return to the path God had for us. The beauty of it is that God doesn't lecture, ridicule, or punish us either. He rejoices! Jesus tells us that all of heaven rejoices over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God (Luke 15:7).
In this parable, the brother that wasn't happy about the celebration is the enemy that we deal with everyday. He cannot stand that they are celebrating over this derelict son that wasted away all that he was blessed with. He wants the father to recognize all the good that he has done for him and his faithfulness and loyalty toward him. While it is good that the other son has been good, faithful, and loyal to his father, the father is right for celebrating.
Aren't we all a bit like the lost son in this parable? I know there are plenty of people who were raised in the church as children, and have spent their whole lives in a relationship with God. Does that mean they are perfect and never sinned? Of course not. Everyone sins. When we repent and turn our hearts back to God is the cause for celebration. Winning souls for God's Kingdom is the cause for celebration.
As much as I love being spiritually fed every week at church, my favorite part of every service, is the altar call. Seeing those people respond to the stirring in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, and giving their lives over to the Father who has always loved them, reminds me of the this parable and that God and everyone in Heaven is celebrating. Shouldn't we all be?
Dear Father, thank You for reminding me just how loved we all really are. I know You love me, and that You gave Your Son as a sacrifice for me, but getting little reminders here and there about just how loved I really am, is a blessing. I am blessed that You and all of Heaven celebrated when I prayed for You to come into my heart and life, as You did for everyone else that does. I pray for those that haven't prayed that prayer yet. My prayer is that they will feel Your stirring in them and realize just how much You love them, and all You want to do is bless them with an abundant life filled with Your love. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
All Things
Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
God can and will make it all happen for those who love Him and operate within His will and out of love for and worship to Him.
This doesn't mean we just sit back and let God do all the heavy lifting. We need to be actively engaged in what God has called us to do. He will never lead us down a path that we can't traverse. He will always take care of us when we need it.
A couple of years ago, I felt a real calling on me and my life. But I knew I wasn't equipped for it. At first I resisted. I believed that the calling was from God, but I was also convinced that He had the wrong guy. I kept thinking that there was no way He wanted to use some warehouse supervisor in some small town that was a former drug addict and had been through two divorces. During this time, I came across a couple of stories in the Bible in succession, even though they weren't right after each other in the Bible. I came across Joseph's story in Genesis 41, and Daniel, and Esther. I love when God speaks to me through His Word. It was really the hand of God showing me those passages. I came across them separately on consecutive days, and finally understood that it wasn't an accident.
After I realized that what I was thinking was the enemy trying to plant lies inside my head that I was not worth God's time, and unworthy of His calling on my life, I began to work on a plan. I knew that I needed to go back to school, but how was I supposed to pay for it? I prayed, and God opened doors. God really took the time to show me that He would make everything work together for good for those who love Him and operate according to His will.
This doesn't mean that I have been perfect ever since that time. Far from it. I am definitely still a work in progress, and will be until I go home to be with God forever. But I know that God is working in and through me until that time (Philippians 1:6). I don't have everything figured out, and I never will, but I am enjoying the ride with God behind the wheel.
Dear Father, thank You for working in my life so that I may bring You the glory in all that I do. I pray that I will continue to operate in Your will for my life. I know I will make mistakes, but I trust that You will forgive me, and pick me back up and set me back on the right path when I fall, because that's how You work. I pray for those that are resisting Your calling for them. My prayer is that when the enemy tries to whisper into their head that they are no good, they will believe in their heart that they are because You said so, and You can and will make things happen for them when they trust in You and work according to Your will. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God can and will make it all happen for those who love Him and operate within His will and out of love for and worship to Him.
This doesn't mean we just sit back and let God do all the heavy lifting. We need to be actively engaged in what God has called us to do. He will never lead us down a path that we can't traverse. He will always take care of us when we need it.
A couple of years ago, I felt a real calling on me and my life. But I knew I wasn't equipped for it. At first I resisted. I believed that the calling was from God, but I was also convinced that He had the wrong guy. I kept thinking that there was no way He wanted to use some warehouse supervisor in some small town that was a former drug addict and had been through two divorces. During this time, I came across a couple of stories in the Bible in succession, even though they weren't right after each other in the Bible. I came across Joseph's story in Genesis 41, and Daniel, and Esther. I love when God speaks to me through His Word. It was really the hand of God showing me those passages. I came across them separately on consecutive days, and finally understood that it wasn't an accident.
After I realized that what I was thinking was the enemy trying to plant lies inside my head that I was not worth God's time, and unworthy of His calling on my life, I began to work on a plan. I knew that I needed to go back to school, but how was I supposed to pay for it? I prayed, and God opened doors. God really took the time to show me that He would make everything work together for good for those who love Him and operate according to His will.
This doesn't mean that I have been perfect ever since that time. Far from it. I am definitely still a work in progress, and will be until I go home to be with God forever. But I know that God is working in and through me until that time (Philippians 1:6). I don't have everything figured out, and I never will, but I am enjoying the ride with God behind the wheel.
Dear Father, thank You for working in my life so that I may bring You the glory in all that I do. I pray that I will continue to operate in Your will for my life. I know I will make mistakes, but I trust that You will forgive me, and pick me back up and set me back on the right path when I fall, because that's how You work. I pray for those that are resisting Your calling for them. My prayer is that when the enemy tries to whisper into their head that they are no good, they will believe in their heart that they are because You said so, and You can and will make things happen for them when they trust in You and work according to Your will. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Rule Of The Heart
Isaiah 29:13 - And so the Lord says, "These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote."
God doesn't want us to pay lip service to Him. He wants our hearts, not our man-made rules.
Ever been to a church that was all about the rules? They tell you, "Well you have to do this and that. And this requires a minimum donation of such and such to show your devotion to God." Well that's not a donation, that's a fee. God doesn't charge fees for entrance into His Kingdom. And He doesn't want us to be mundane about our worship of Him. Just like God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7), He loves and desires a cheerful worshiper.
Jesus told us that our mouth (our lip-service) reveals what's in our hearts, and the heart is what the Lord will examine (Matthew 15:11). We need to have love in our hearts, so that it shines and pours out of our lips and souls. I'm sure you've heard the term "rule of thumb." Our rule of thumb should be the rule of the heart. If we have things that aren't laced with love and grace coming out of our hearts and lips, then we are doing it wrong and we should seek God in prayer to turn our hearts to Him. A heart that seeks God is the entrance fee to the Kingdom of Heaven...
Dear Father, turn my heart towards You. I know I let bitterness and anger enter into my heart, and I am sorry. I cannot transform my heart without Your help, and I ask for Your Holy Spirit to work in me to truly change me into the person You desire me to be for Your Kingdom and Your cause. I pray for those that haven't given their hearts over to You. My prayer is that they will stop paying You lip service, and give themselves to the rule of the heart that Your love and grace would shine brightly from their hearts to everyone they encounter. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God doesn't want us to pay lip service to Him. He wants our hearts, not our man-made rules.
Ever been to a church that was all about the rules? They tell you, "Well you have to do this and that. And this requires a minimum donation of such and such to show your devotion to God." Well that's not a donation, that's a fee. God doesn't charge fees for entrance into His Kingdom. And He doesn't want us to be mundane about our worship of Him. Just like God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7), He loves and desires a cheerful worshiper.
Jesus told us that our mouth (our lip-service) reveals what's in our hearts, and the heart is what the Lord will examine (Matthew 15:11). We need to have love in our hearts, so that it shines and pours out of our lips and souls. I'm sure you've heard the term "rule of thumb." Our rule of thumb should be the rule of the heart. If we have things that aren't laced with love and grace coming out of our hearts and lips, then we are doing it wrong and we should seek God in prayer to turn our hearts to Him. A heart that seeks God is the entrance fee to the Kingdom of Heaven...
Dear Father, turn my heart towards You. I know I let bitterness and anger enter into my heart, and I am sorry. I cannot transform my heart without Your help, and I ask for Your Holy Spirit to work in me to truly change me into the person You desire me to be for Your Kingdom and Your cause. I pray for those that haven't given their hearts over to You. My prayer is that they will stop paying You lip service, and give themselves to the rule of the heart that Your love and grace would shine brightly from their hearts to everyone they encounter. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, April 26, 2014
At Last, Some Regularity
James 1:17 - Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the Heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
With all the change and constant moving we deal with in our lives, it is comforting to have some regularity. To have some normalcy. The great part about the regularity and normalcy we receive from God, is that it is all a good and perfect gift He gives us out of love.
I don't know about you, but I don't deal with change too well (although I think my sister is worse about it). I get comfortable doing things a certain way, and when they change it can be frustrating to say the least.
The rules and acceptable practices that society and the culture try to make everyone follow change frequently. Yesterday it was okay to do this, tomorrow it won't be. That's the beauty of God. He doesn't keep doing that to us. The problem with society's rules and practices is that they are put into place and changed from time to time, to get us to conform to how they think we should all live. That's not regularity, that's chaos. God's rules and practices for our lives that He laid out in the Bible for us so many years ago, haven't changed. They were put in there, so that when we accept His free gift of salvation, and then live according to His decrees, we would be made acceptable to Him. He is the ultimate arbiter for our eternal soul, not society.
Now this might sound like anarchy, but it isn't. Anarchy is the absence of government control or a lack of obedience to authority (look it up). Following God's will and plan for us, is hardly disobedience to authority. It is the exact opposite. It is obedience to the Highest Authority the world has ever, or will ever, know.
Some might argue that God needs to update His rules for a more contemporary society. That's just ridiculous. Why should the Creator of everything have to change to conform to the self-serving ideals that His Creation has developed? That's letting the inmates run the asylum...that is anarchy. God tells us in Malachi that He does not change (Malachi 3:6). The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and also warns us not to to be attracted by strange, new ideas (Hebrews 13:8).
I can't speak for you, but I like having this kind of regularity and normalcy. God's perfect plan for me and for all of us is a breath of fresh air in a turbulent culture that regularly tries to impress strange, new ideas that don't make a lot of sense other than serving their own personal cause. The only cause I am concerned with, is the good and perfect cause of God and His Son Jesus Christ. That cause begins and ends with love...
Dear Father, thank You for being the same yesterday, today, and forever. You really are a breath of fresh air in this chaotic world, and I am blessed by the relationship I have with You. I pray that Your will and purpose for my life will always take center stage, and that from Your guidance I will not chase any strange, new ideas that attempt to contradict Your will for me. I pray for those that don't know You and don't know that You really are the Authority that should always take front and center in their lives. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will stir in their hearts and they will begin to pursue Your will for their lives, and trust in You for their eternal salvation. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
With all the change and constant moving we deal with in our lives, it is comforting to have some regularity. To have some normalcy. The great part about the regularity and normalcy we receive from God, is that it is all a good and perfect gift He gives us out of love.
I don't know about you, but I don't deal with change too well (although I think my sister is worse about it). I get comfortable doing things a certain way, and when they change it can be frustrating to say the least.
The rules and acceptable practices that society and the culture try to make everyone follow change frequently. Yesterday it was okay to do this, tomorrow it won't be. That's the beauty of God. He doesn't keep doing that to us. The problem with society's rules and practices is that they are put into place and changed from time to time, to get us to conform to how they think we should all live. That's not regularity, that's chaos. God's rules and practices for our lives that He laid out in the Bible for us so many years ago, haven't changed. They were put in there, so that when we accept His free gift of salvation, and then live according to His decrees, we would be made acceptable to Him. He is the ultimate arbiter for our eternal soul, not society.
Now this might sound like anarchy, but it isn't. Anarchy is the absence of government control or a lack of obedience to authority (look it up). Following God's will and plan for us, is hardly disobedience to authority. It is the exact opposite. It is obedience to the Highest Authority the world has ever, or will ever, know.
Some might argue that God needs to update His rules for a more contemporary society. That's just ridiculous. Why should the Creator of everything have to change to conform to the self-serving ideals that His Creation has developed? That's letting the inmates run the asylum...that is anarchy. God tells us in Malachi that He does not change (Malachi 3:6). The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and also warns us not to to be attracted by strange, new ideas (Hebrews 13:8).
I can't speak for you, but I like having this kind of regularity and normalcy. God's perfect plan for me and for all of us is a breath of fresh air in a turbulent culture that regularly tries to impress strange, new ideas that don't make a lot of sense other than serving their own personal cause. The only cause I am concerned with, is the good and perfect cause of God and His Son Jesus Christ. That cause begins and ends with love...
Dear Father, thank You for being the same yesterday, today, and forever. You really are a breath of fresh air in this chaotic world, and I am blessed by the relationship I have with You. I pray that Your will and purpose for my life will always take center stage, and that from Your guidance I will not chase any strange, new ideas that attempt to contradict Your will for me. I pray for those that don't know You and don't know that You really are the Authority that should always take front and center in their lives. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will stir in their hearts and they will begin to pursue Your will for their lives, and trust in You for their eternal salvation. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, April 25, 2014
Where's The Joy?!
Psalm 119:71 - My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to Your decrees.
Going through hard times can actually be a good thing. It teaches, or at least it should, to trust in God more. Of course we shouldn't wait for those situations to come up in order for us to trust Him, they are a great opportunity for us to increase our faith, and pay attention to what He is trying to teach us.
During these times, it is easy to ask, "Where's the joy in this?!"
For starters, the joy is found in knowing that God's will is being accomplished for our better. God promises a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11), not eternal suffering for His chosen people.
There is joy to be found knowing that when we respond correctly, those around us - particularly non-believers - get to see real faith on display. The Apostle Paul talked about this regularly. He knew he was suffering, but he didn't care, because he was doing so in order for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be shared (Ephesians 6:20, Philippians 1:12-14).
Just because God has closed a door or blocked off a road we thought we should be traveling on, doesn't mean He doesn't like us anymore. It means He has other things planned for us. Things we don't know, but that He promises will be amazing and remarkable, great and mighty (Jeremiah 33:3).
How we choose to respond to bumps in the road, speaks volumes about us, our faith, and our God...
Dear Father, thank You for caring enough about me to take the time to close doors that are not meant for me, and open others that are even better. I deserve nothing good, but You give me great and mighty. I pray for those that struggle to find their joy during hard times. I think Paul said it best in Colossians:
We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people, who live in the light. For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His Dear Son, Who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:11-14).
My prayer for those that can't find their joy, is that they will realize that You didn't send You son to rescue them, just so You could torture them later with suffering. You did it show that You could show them what real love and joy are, and reveal to them the great and mighty things You have always planned for them from the beginning. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Going through hard times can actually be a good thing. It teaches, or at least it should, to trust in God more. Of course we shouldn't wait for those situations to come up in order for us to trust Him, they are a great opportunity for us to increase our faith, and pay attention to what He is trying to teach us.
During these times, it is easy to ask, "Where's the joy in this?!"
For starters, the joy is found in knowing that God's will is being accomplished for our better. God promises a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11), not eternal suffering for His chosen people.
There is joy to be found knowing that when we respond correctly, those around us - particularly non-believers - get to see real faith on display. The Apostle Paul talked about this regularly. He knew he was suffering, but he didn't care, because he was doing so in order for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be shared (Ephesians 6:20, Philippians 1:12-14).
Just because God has closed a door or blocked off a road we thought we should be traveling on, doesn't mean He doesn't like us anymore. It means He has other things planned for us. Things we don't know, but that He promises will be amazing and remarkable, great and mighty (Jeremiah 33:3).
How we choose to respond to bumps in the road, speaks volumes about us, our faith, and our God...
Dear Father, thank You for caring enough about me to take the time to close doors that are not meant for me, and open others that are even better. I deserve nothing good, but You give me great and mighty. I pray for those that struggle to find their joy during hard times. I think Paul said it best in Colossians:
We also pray that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people, who live in the light. For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His Dear Son, Who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:11-14).
My prayer for those that can't find their joy, is that they will realize that You didn't send You son to rescue them, just so You could torture them later with suffering. You did it show that You could show them what real love and joy are, and reveal to them the great and mighty things You have always planned for them from the beginning. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, April 24, 2014
All We Need
2 Peter 1:3 - By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence.
Everything we need to live the way we should is given to us by God. He has never held back anything from His chosen people. All we have to do is ask.
God loves us so much that He gives freely. It can be difficult for us as humans, and our finite minds, to really grasp and believe this, but it's true. We ask, "There's a catch right? Nope. Well there has to be some sort of cost involved." Well actually there was. The sacrifice of His Son was the cost involved to save us. That's how He called us to Himself. Jesus Christ was the means of His marvelous glory and excellence.
See, I knew it cost something! Yeah, but it didn't cost us anything. And the cost involved was also given freely by God. Even though we didn't deserve anything more than punishment, He loved us that much that He freely gave His Son as a sacrifice for our salvation. That whoever believes that Jesus died for us, is saved and will be given eternal life in Heaven (John 3:16). That's the beauty of it - He gave His Son as a sacrifice because He WANTED to (out of love), not because He had to. God gave and continues to give freely without any expectation of compensation, because He loves us.
Am I doing the same? When someone asks me for a favor, do I respond by saying, "It'll cost ya," or do I just say "Yes."? If I'm not responding the way Jesus would respond, am I really learning anything by spending the time with Him every day that I do?
Dear Lord, thank You for giving so freely when I didn't (and never could) deserve it. I am so blessed by Your love and Your giving spirit. I pray that I will show that same love and giving spirit to everyone that I encounter. I pray for those that haven't been able to grasp the true concept that You really do give without any expectation of compensation. My prayer is that they will finally see that what You have done, and continue to do, for them and all of us, is out of love and free to anyone who asks. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Everything we need to live the way we should is given to us by God. He has never held back anything from His chosen people. All we have to do is ask.
God loves us so much that He gives freely. It can be difficult for us as humans, and our finite minds, to really grasp and believe this, but it's true. We ask, "There's a catch right? Nope. Well there has to be some sort of cost involved." Well actually there was. The sacrifice of His Son was the cost involved to save us. That's how He called us to Himself. Jesus Christ was the means of His marvelous glory and excellence.
See, I knew it cost something! Yeah, but it didn't cost us anything. And the cost involved was also given freely by God. Even though we didn't deserve anything more than punishment, He loved us that much that He freely gave His Son as a sacrifice for our salvation. That whoever believes that Jesus died for us, is saved and will be given eternal life in Heaven (John 3:16). That's the beauty of it - He gave His Son as a sacrifice because He WANTED to (out of love), not because He had to. God gave and continues to give freely without any expectation of compensation, because He loves us.
Am I doing the same? When someone asks me for a favor, do I respond by saying, "It'll cost ya," or do I just say "Yes."? If I'm not responding the way Jesus would respond, am I really learning anything by spending the time with Him every day that I do?
Dear Lord, thank You for giving so freely when I didn't (and never could) deserve it. I am so blessed by Your love and Your giving spirit. I pray that I will show that same love and giving spirit to everyone that I encounter. I pray for those that haven't been able to grasp the true concept that You really do give without any expectation of compensation. My prayer is that they will finally see that what You have done, and continue to do, for them and all of us, is out of love and free to anyone who asks. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Just Like That
2 Timothy 4:16 - The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them.
Paul was a great model of loving and forgiving as Jesus does. Paul tells us that when he was first taken to trial, everyone abandoned him. But without flinching, he forgave them just like that.
How hard is that to do? Friends turn against us for various reasons or betray our confidence, and we swear we will never forgive them. Or we say, I forgive them but I can never forget what they did. Why not?
God never holds our sins against us after we confess and repent. The writer of Hebrews tells us that God promises to never again remember our sins (Hebrews 8:12, Jeremiah 31:34). So your spouse cheated on you, or stole money from you; Someone at work, who you thought was your friend, betrayed you to get a promotion over you. Did they betray you to the point of prison and eventual death (see: Jesus, Paul)? I'm sure they didn't (or you wouldn't be reading this).
Do you think that Jesus gives Peter a hard time in Heaven? While I'm convinced that God does have a great sense of humor (see: the platypus), I don't think He does when it comes to sin. He would never bring up Peter's denial of Jesus in the courtyard during the trial. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him (John 21:15-17). It was a way for Peter to repent of what he had done, and Jesus never brought it up again. I seriously doubt they would be sitting in Heaven, and Jesus would whisper to John, "Watch this. Hey Peter, remember that time in the courtyard?!" just to get a laugh out of everyone. He doesn't work like that.
When we are wronged, it may take a little time to process it, but then we have to forgive. Jesus forgave us without complaining about it, and He suffered far more than we ever could (especially since He didn't deserve it). Why can't we?
Am I forgiving and forgetting without bringing it up? When someone wrongs me, do I truly turn the page just like that?
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving and forgetting my sins. I can never deserve anything more than Your just punishment for what I have done wrong. But in Your grace you give me mercy in place of the punishment, and You never remember my sins again. I pray for the strength to love like Jesus loves, and forgive people when they do me wrong, and to never remember it again. I pray for those that have not been able to get over that hill of forgiveness. My prayer is that they will seek Your strength to get over things and never remember them again. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Paul was a great model of loving and forgiving as Jesus does. Paul tells us that when he was first taken to trial, everyone abandoned him. But without flinching, he forgave them just like that.
How hard is that to do? Friends turn against us for various reasons or betray our confidence, and we swear we will never forgive them. Or we say, I forgive them but I can never forget what they did. Why not?
God never holds our sins against us after we confess and repent. The writer of Hebrews tells us that God promises to never again remember our sins (Hebrews 8:12, Jeremiah 31:34). So your spouse cheated on you, or stole money from you; Someone at work, who you thought was your friend, betrayed you to get a promotion over you. Did they betray you to the point of prison and eventual death (see: Jesus, Paul)? I'm sure they didn't (or you wouldn't be reading this).
Do you think that Jesus gives Peter a hard time in Heaven? While I'm convinced that God does have a great sense of humor (see: the platypus), I don't think He does when it comes to sin. He would never bring up Peter's denial of Jesus in the courtyard during the trial. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him (John 21:15-17). It was a way for Peter to repent of what he had done, and Jesus never brought it up again. I seriously doubt they would be sitting in Heaven, and Jesus would whisper to John, "Watch this. Hey Peter, remember that time in the courtyard?!" just to get a laugh out of everyone. He doesn't work like that.
When we are wronged, it may take a little time to process it, but then we have to forgive. Jesus forgave us without complaining about it, and He suffered far more than we ever could (especially since He didn't deserve it). Why can't we?
Am I forgiving and forgetting without bringing it up? When someone wrongs me, do I truly turn the page just like that?
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving and forgetting my sins. I can never deserve anything more than Your just punishment for what I have done wrong. But in Your grace you give me mercy in place of the punishment, and You never remember my sins again. I pray for the strength to love like Jesus loves, and forgive people when they do me wrong, and to never remember it again. I pray for those that have not been able to get over that hill of forgiveness. My prayer is that they will seek Your strength to get over things and never remember them again. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Never Empty Handed
Ephesians 6:11 - Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
Paul's description of the different pieces of God's armor is fantastic. What I like best is that it is all provided for us by God.
God will never send us into the world empty handed. He will faithfully provide everything we need to not only resist the temptations of evil and sin (verse 13), but to serve His people and to thrive. It's not always easy to see it that way, but it's true. All we have to do is believe and trust in Him to provide. All it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed for God to be able to use us for good in this dark world.
Do I trust God completely that He will not send me out every day without the tools I need to survive and thrive? Am I using all the tools He gives me for the good of His people? He is always faithful to provide for me, and He will never leave me empty handed. I have to keep this in mind and never doubt His faithfulness to me.
Dear Lord, thank You for providing me with the tools I need every day. I am blessed to serve a God like You that is forever faithful to give me the armor I need to resist the temptations in the world. I pray for those that aren't taking all of the tools into the battle with them on a daily basis. My prayer is that they will see that they need everything You provide, and that they cannot just pick and choose what suits them. I pray that they will not be empty handed. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Paul's description of the different pieces of God's armor is fantastic. What I like best is that it is all provided for us by God.
God will never send us into the world empty handed. He will faithfully provide everything we need to not only resist the temptations of evil and sin (verse 13), but to serve His people and to thrive. It's not always easy to see it that way, but it's true. All we have to do is believe and trust in Him to provide. All it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed for God to be able to use us for good in this dark world.
Do I trust God completely that He will not send me out every day without the tools I need to survive and thrive? Am I using all the tools He gives me for the good of His people? He is always faithful to provide for me, and He will never leave me empty handed. I have to keep this in mind and never doubt His faithfulness to me.
Dear Lord, thank You for providing me with the tools I need every day. I am blessed to serve a God like You that is forever faithful to give me the armor I need to resist the temptations in the world. I pray for those that aren't taking all of the tools into the battle with them on a daily basis. My prayer is that they will see that they need everything You provide, and that they cannot just pick and choose what suits them. I pray that they will not be empty handed. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, April 21, 2014
A Good Example
1 Timothy 1:16 - But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life.
Paul uses himself to demonstrate to Timothy that all of us can be saved and have eternal life through our faith in Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter what we have done, because God loves us and has so much patience for us.
Ever have a teacher or boss tell you that they're going to make an example of out of you? I sure have...more times than I care to remember. Ninety nine times out of a hundred, it's not a good thing. But Jesus Christ is the exception to that rule. He makes us the good example to show others how deep His love and forgiveness for us really are.
Paul very well could have been the worst of them all (1 Tim 1:15), and so could the guy next door to me (and so could I). But that's not for any of us to decide. It's up to us to recognize how much patience God has for us, and show others the love He showed us. Often, we have decided that the person next to us is a bigger or worse sinner than we are. Just because they sin differently, doesn't mean it is worse (sin is still sin is still sin). When we attempt to act righteous, we are making ourselves look more foolish.
We need to remember that God still loves us, despite our attempts to look better than we are. We need to show that love to others so that they can see and believe that they are not too far gone. That they can still receive God's free gift of eternal salvation when they believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). The action in this command was not the "Go, therefore" part, it was the "Make disciples" part. We begin making disciples when we demonstrate God's love and forgiveness to others. Love like He loves...
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your unending love and patience for all of us sinners. I cannot thank You enough for the forgiveness that You showed when You sent Your Son to die for me on the cross. I know that I am a sinner, and that I need Your forgiveness daily. It doesn't matter how I have sinned, just that I have and that I need You because of it. I pray for those that believe they are too far gone. My prayer is that they will see that Your love and forgiveness is available to everyone who seeks it, and not those that think they are righteous (Mark 2:17). I pray that You will use me as an example to them according to Your will and purpose. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Paul uses himself to demonstrate to Timothy that all of us can be saved and have eternal life through our faith in Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter what we have done, because God loves us and has so much patience for us.
Ever have a teacher or boss tell you that they're going to make an example of out of you? I sure have...more times than I care to remember. Ninety nine times out of a hundred, it's not a good thing. But Jesus Christ is the exception to that rule. He makes us the good example to show others how deep His love and forgiveness for us really are.
Paul very well could have been the worst of them all (1 Tim 1:15), and so could the guy next door to me (and so could I). But that's not for any of us to decide. It's up to us to recognize how much patience God has for us, and show others the love He showed us. Often, we have decided that the person next to us is a bigger or worse sinner than we are. Just because they sin differently, doesn't mean it is worse (sin is still sin is still sin). When we attempt to act righteous, we are making ourselves look more foolish.
We need to remember that God still loves us, despite our attempts to look better than we are. We need to show that love to others so that they can see and believe that they are not too far gone. That they can still receive God's free gift of eternal salvation when they believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). The action in this command was not the "Go, therefore" part, it was the "Make disciples" part. We begin making disciples when we demonstrate God's love and forgiveness to others. Love like He loves...
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your unending love and patience for all of us sinners. I cannot thank You enough for the forgiveness that You showed when You sent Your Son to die for me on the cross. I know that I am a sinner, and that I need Your forgiveness daily. It doesn't matter how I have sinned, just that I have and that I need You because of it. I pray for those that believe they are too far gone. My prayer is that they will see that Your love and forgiveness is available to everyone who seeks it, and not those that think they are righteous (Mark 2:17). I pray that You will use me as an example to them according to Your will and purpose. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Good Mourning
Zechariah 12:10 - "Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on Me whom they have pierced and mourn for Him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for Him as for a firstborn son who has died."
Although Easter is a time of celebration as we remember the day that our Lord and Savior rose from the grave and defeated sin and death, it is also a time to mourn as well.
A little mourning can be good for the soul. It is certainly cathartic at times. But most important it is Biblical. Jesus told us in the Beatitudes that God blesses those who mourn and promises that they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4). Not only did God through Zechariah say that we will mourn for the death of Jesus, He also said that He will bless those of us that do.
It was our sin and separation from God that required the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to begin with, so I believe it is only right that we should mourn for His loss. At the same time, He shed His blood for us willingly out of His deep love for us. He could have easily avoided it as He said in the garden of Gethsemane when they came to arrest Him, but He didn't (Matthew 26:53).
As Jesus promised, we will be comforted. We take comfort in knowing that although it was our guilt and shame that put Him on that cross, when we accept His free gift of salvation that He paid for, we will be blessed by eternal life in His Glorious Kingdom. Now that is DEFINITELY a blessing that I can take comfort in, as should we all.
Dear Father, thank You! While I beg Your forgiveness for my sin that put Your Son on the cross to die for me, I am beyond thankful that You gave Him willingly so that You and I can have the intimate relationship that You have always wanted. I thank You for the comfort that You give as I mourn the death of my Savior, and thank You for the blessings of eternal life with You in Heaven. I pray for those that have not accepted Your gift of salvation. I pray that during this weekend, Your Holy Spirit will stir in their hearts and they will finally see Jesus Christ for Who He truly is: the Great Redeemer that You sent Him to be. Thank You for all You have done for us, Your children. In Jesus' powerful name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Although Easter is a time of celebration as we remember the day that our Lord and Savior rose from the grave and defeated sin and death, it is also a time to mourn as well.
A little mourning can be good for the soul. It is certainly cathartic at times. But most important it is Biblical. Jesus told us in the Beatitudes that God blesses those who mourn and promises that they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4). Not only did God through Zechariah say that we will mourn for the death of Jesus, He also said that He will bless those of us that do.
It was our sin and separation from God that required the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to begin with, so I believe it is only right that we should mourn for His loss. At the same time, He shed His blood for us willingly out of His deep love for us. He could have easily avoided it as He said in the garden of Gethsemane when they came to arrest Him, but He didn't (Matthew 26:53).
As Jesus promised, we will be comforted. We take comfort in knowing that although it was our guilt and shame that put Him on that cross, when we accept His free gift of salvation that He paid for, we will be blessed by eternal life in His Glorious Kingdom. Now that is DEFINITELY a blessing that I can take comfort in, as should we all.
Dear Father, thank You! While I beg Your forgiveness for my sin that put Your Son on the cross to die for me, I am beyond thankful that You gave Him willingly so that You and I can have the intimate relationship that You have always wanted. I thank You for the comfort that You give as I mourn the death of my Savior, and thank You for the blessings of eternal life with You in Heaven. I pray for those that have not accepted Your gift of salvation. I pray that during this weekend, Your Holy Spirit will stir in their hearts and they will finally see Jesus Christ for Who He truly is: the Great Redeemer that You sent Him to be. Thank You for all You have done for us, Your children. In Jesus' powerful name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, April 18, 2014
Anything But Foolish
1 Corinthians 1:18 - The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
For unbelievers, the message of Christ's death and resurrection doesn't make much sense. Some dismiss it outright as just a myth that men created to give people false hope.
But for those of us that believe, we realize that it is indeed a real thing. It is anything but false hope. We recognize that God, in all His power and glory, came to earth as a man to save the world and not condemn it (John 3:17), and to show the world His real power by taking our sins on Himself and dying for them. That is anything but foolish - that is love.
Today is Good Friday. The day that Jesus was crucified and died for us. To those who don't understand, it makes no sense to celebrate this day, much less to refer to it as GOOD Friday. What in the world could be so good about it? Well it's not what is in the world that makes it good. It is what came into the world for a brief time that made today special. God came into the world to spread His Good News (see Great News) about our redemption and salvation. That is anything but foolish...
Have I really accepted God's power in my life? Am I sharing the Gospel with others, or am I ashamed of it? Paul warned us not to be ashamed of this Gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God at work saving everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). God has been at work since time began to bring all of us back to Him. Working for His Kingdom to do our share to spread His message is anything but foolish.
Dear Father, thank You for Your love and Your sacrifice. I know that nothing I could ever do would ever make me righteous. It is only Your unselfish sacrifice on the cross that accomplished that. I pray that I will never be afraid or ashamed to spread the Great News of Your love and salvation to everyone that needs to hear it, because it is Your very power at work to save everyone. I pray for those that don't know You, and believe that everything in Your Word is just foolish nonsense. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will stir in their hearts, and they will finally see the truth for what it really is - healing, loving, and redeeming. My prayer is that they will accept Your sacrifice, and Your Son as their Savior, and begin to live their lives for You and Your Glorious Kingdom. In Jesus' precious, Holy, and powerful name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
For unbelievers, the message of Christ's death and resurrection doesn't make much sense. Some dismiss it outright as just a myth that men created to give people false hope.
But for those of us that believe, we realize that it is indeed a real thing. It is anything but false hope. We recognize that God, in all His power and glory, came to earth as a man to save the world and not condemn it (John 3:17), and to show the world His real power by taking our sins on Himself and dying for them. That is anything but foolish - that is love.
Today is Good Friday. The day that Jesus was crucified and died for us. To those who don't understand, it makes no sense to celebrate this day, much less to refer to it as GOOD Friday. What in the world could be so good about it? Well it's not what is in the world that makes it good. It is what came into the world for a brief time that made today special. God came into the world to spread His Good News (see Great News) about our redemption and salvation. That is anything but foolish...
Have I really accepted God's power in my life? Am I sharing the Gospel with others, or am I ashamed of it? Paul warned us not to be ashamed of this Gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God at work saving everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). God has been at work since time began to bring all of us back to Him. Working for His Kingdom to do our share to spread His message is anything but foolish.
Dear Father, thank You for Your love and Your sacrifice. I know that nothing I could ever do would ever make me righteous. It is only Your unselfish sacrifice on the cross that accomplished that. I pray that I will never be afraid or ashamed to spread the Great News of Your love and salvation to everyone that needs to hear it, because it is Your very power at work to save everyone. I pray for those that don't know You, and believe that everything in Your Word is just foolish nonsense. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will stir in their hearts, and they will finally see the truth for what it really is - healing, loving, and redeeming. My prayer is that they will accept Your sacrifice, and Your Son as their Savior, and begin to live their lives for You and Your Glorious Kingdom. In Jesus' precious, Holy, and powerful name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Meant For Good
1 Samuel 18:17 - One day Saul said to David: "I am ready to give you my older daughter, Merab, as your wife. But first you must prove yourself to be a real warrior by fighting the Lord's battles." For Saul thought, "I'll send him out against the Philistines and let them kill him rather than doing it myself."
What Saul intended for evil, God had intended for good. One of the recurring themes in the Bible (among several), is God turning man's evil plans on their head and using them for good and for His glory. We see it early on in the story of Joseph (Genesis 50:20), here, and of course with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In the book of Acts, Luke tells about a Pharisee named Gamaliel telling the council that if what the Apostles were doing was from God, then nothing could be done to stop them (Acts 5:39). Of course, they were doing God's work by carrying on the ministry of Jesus Christ by attempting to seek and save the lost. What the Pharisees had intended for evil when they demanded that Jesus be crucified, God had all along intended for good and for His glory. God was willing to sacrifice His Son for mankind, because He knew that in the death and resurrection of Jesus, that sin and death would finally be defeated, and that all who believed in their hearts would be saved and redeemed to God. What a gift!
Am I trying to get in God's way, or am I submitting myself to His will? He is always able to turn my wrong plans into good, but that doesn't mean I should make it a challenge for Him. I have no right to tempt or test God. I need to remember to seek His counsel before I act, so that I am doing His will and not my own.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for seeking and saving me. Thank You for taking what others meant for evil, and using it for good and for Your glory. I cannot thank and praise You enough for the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ. Because of You and Your sacrifice, I have the opportunity to be part of the final victory that You have planned for us all who are called according to Your purpose. To You be all the praise, honor, and glory forever. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
What Saul intended for evil, God had intended for good. One of the recurring themes in the Bible (among several), is God turning man's evil plans on their head and using them for good and for His glory. We see it early on in the story of Joseph (Genesis 50:20), here, and of course with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In the book of Acts, Luke tells about a Pharisee named Gamaliel telling the council that if what the Apostles were doing was from God, then nothing could be done to stop them (Acts 5:39). Of course, they were doing God's work by carrying on the ministry of Jesus Christ by attempting to seek and save the lost. What the Pharisees had intended for evil when they demanded that Jesus be crucified, God had all along intended for good and for His glory. God was willing to sacrifice His Son for mankind, because He knew that in the death and resurrection of Jesus, that sin and death would finally be defeated, and that all who believed in their hearts would be saved and redeemed to God. What a gift!
Am I trying to get in God's way, or am I submitting myself to His will? He is always able to turn my wrong plans into good, but that doesn't mean I should make it a challenge for Him. I have no right to tempt or test God. I need to remember to seek His counsel before I act, so that I am doing His will and not my own.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for seeking and saving me. Thank You for taking what others meant for evil, and using it for good and for Your glory. I cannot thank and praise You enough for the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ. Because of You and Your sacrifice, I have the opportunity to be part of the final victory that You have planned for us all who are called according to Your purpose. To You be all the praise, honor, and glory forever. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Be Alert
Colossians 4:2 - Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
When we are praying, we need to keep our mind alert and focused on God so that we can hear Him speaking to us, and keep our hearts humble and thankful.
This can be a tough one sometimes. It is very easy to be distracted by things going on around us when we are praying. It can also be very difficult to keep our hearts focused if we have a lot going on. I have struggled with this a lot recently. But that is exactly what the enemy wants - anything to keep our attention solely focused on our Savior.
For someone like me who has their Quiet Time in the mornings (usually after a cup or two of coffee), sometimes I can be just plain tired despite the coffee's effects. During a recent 40 day fast, I gave up coffee. Now that just added to my struggles to be alert. However, during the last couple of weeks, I was less groggy despite having no coffee. It's easy to dismiss that as my body adjusting to not having it, but I am convinced it was God working in me and telling me that I didn't need the coffee to wake up, I only needed to focus on Him and He would take care of the rest as He always does.
During my recent conflicts at work, I found myself praying even more than usual. Jesus told us to get rid of the log in our eye before we worry about the speck in someone else's (Matthew 7:5). He also told us to forgive others or God will not forgive us (Matthew 6:15). With the issues I have had with the way my boss has treated me and some other coworkers, it is difficult to do that. However, I have to keep my heart humble and thankful towards God and the first place to start is through forgiveness of others, and let Him work.
I love the way God works.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me what I needed to see during these last 6 weeks. You are always faithful in Your teachings through Your Word and Spirit, and I pray that I will keep my mind and heart alert, focused, and thankful for what You do for me. I pray for those that get distracted and can't seem to focus on You when they need to. My prayer is that they will not let the enemy get a foothold in their hearts and minds, and be humble and thankful for all that You provide. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When we are praying, we need to keep our mind alert and focused on God so that we can hear Him speaking to us, and keep our hearts humble and thankful.
This can be a tough one sometimes. It is very easy to be distracted by things going on around us when we are praying. It can also be very difficult to keep our hearts focused if we have a lot going on. I have struggled with this a lot recently. But that is exactly what the enemy wants - anything to keep our attention solely focused on our Savior.
For someone like me who has their Quiet Time in the mornings (usually after a cup or two of coffee), sometimes I can be just plain tired despite the coffee's effects. During a recent 40 day fast, I gave up coffee. Now that just added to my struggles to be alert. However, during the last couple of weeks, I was less groggy despite having no coffee. It's easy to dismiss that as my body adjusting to not having it, but I am convinced it was God working in me and telling me that I didn't need the coffee to wake up, I only needed to focus on Him and He would take care of the rest as He always does.
During my recent conflicts at work, I found myself praying even more than usual. Jesus told us to get rid of the log in our eye before we worry about the speck in someone else's (Matthew 7:5). He also told us to forgive others or God will not forgive us (Matthew 6:15). With the issues I have had with the way my boss has treated me and some other coworkers, it is difficult to do that. However, I have to keep my heart humble and thankful towards God and the first place to start is through forgiveness of others, and let Him work.
I love the way God works.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me what I needed to see during these last 6 weeks. You are always faithful in Your teachings through Your Word and Spirit, and I pray that I will keep my mind and heart alert, focused, and thankful for what You do for me. I pray for those that get distracted and can't seem to focus on You when they need to. My prayer is that they will not let the enemy get a foothold in their hearts and minds, and be humble and thankful for all that You provide. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, April 14, 2014
A Right Heart
1 Samuel 15:22 - But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the Lord: Your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams."
Samuel was never afraid to tell it like it is. Of course, being filled with God's Spirit will give you that kind of courage. Samuel points out to Saul that it wasn't the sacrifices that God was interested in, but a heart that was after God. A heart that was willing to not just obey God's will, but to actively seek it with real effort. Not a heart that was trying to wing it and assume it was doing right.
When it comes to our hearts, nothing has changed as far as God is concerned. That's what He wants more than anything, a right heart that is actively seeking and engaging Him. Obviously, we don't make sacrifices to Him as described in the Old Testament (at least I hope not), but we do sacrifice our time, talent, and treasure to Him as He directs/guides us to (at least we should be). But we should never do it grudgingly, we should be doing it because we want to obey Him.
Paul talked about this in 2 Corinthians 9:7 when he quoted Proverbs 22 and said that, "God loves a person who gives cheerfully." This is true. Someone who gives of themselves because they want to is happy about it. They do it not because they feel that they have to, but because they get joy out of it. For me personally, when I'm able to go out of my way and help someone, I definitely get joy out of it. Compared to the way I used to be, the only way to explain that is God's Holy Spirit transforming me (Romans 12:2). I used to hate doing people favors (I can't emphasize the word hate enough here). No matter how small the favor might have been, I did it through gritted teeth. God doesn't want a heart that is given to Him through gritted teeth, but one that is given to Him through a pearly white smile.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to seek You with my heart and that You want my heart more than my time, talent, or treasure. I know that if I continue to give You my heart, I will cheerfully give You everything else. I pray that I will continue to find joy in giving to You and Your people, and that I never do it grudgingly. I know that by the power of Your Holy Spirit moving inside of me, I will always find joy in Your service. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Samuel was never afraid to tell it like it is. Of course, being filled with God's Spirit will give you that kind of courage. Samuel points out to Saul that it wasn't the sacrifices that God was interested in, but a heart that was after God. A heart that was willing to not just obey God's will, but to actively seek it with real effort. Not a heart that was trying to wing it and assume it was doing right.
When it comes to our hearts, nothing has changed as far as God is concerned. That's what He wants more than anything, a right heart that is actively seeking and engaging Him. Obviously, we don't make sacrifices to Him as described in the Old Testament (at least I hope not), but we do sacrifice our time, talent, and treasure to Him as He directs/guides us to (at least we should be). But we should never do it grudgingly, we should be doing it because we want to obey Him.
Paul talked about this in 2 Corinthians 9:7 when he quoted Proverbs 22 and said that, "God loves a person who gives cheerfully." This is true. Someone who gives of themselves because they want to is happy about it. They do it not because they feel that they have to, but because they get joy out of it. For me personally, when I'm able to go out of my way and help someone, I definitely get joy out of it. Compared to the way I used to be, the only way to explain that is God's Holy Spirit transforming me (Romans 12:2). I used to hate doing people favors (I can't emphasize the word hate enough here). No matter how small the favor might have been, I did it through gritted teeth. God doesn't want a heart that is given to Him through gritted teeth, but one that is given to Him through a pearly white smile.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to seek You with my heart and that You want my heart more than my time, talent, or treasure. I know that if I continue to give You my heart, I will cheerfully give You everything else. I pray that I will continue to find joy in giving to You and Your people, and that I never do it grudgingly. I know that by the power of Your Holy Spirit moving inside of me, I will always find joy in Your service. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Rejoice!
Habakkuk 3:18-19 - Yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.
No matter what Habakkuk was dealing with, he found his joy by trusting in God for help and deliverance during the hard times they were facing.
Verse 17 in this chapter talks about those hard times that God's chosen people were going through. For a farming economy these things could be down right devastating.
But that's the beauty of it...they weren't! Habakkuk was no perfect man, but when he took the time to see the goodness in God and trusted in Him to help His people through their trials, he was able to rejoice in the God of his salvation. Like Paul talked about learning to be content with whatever he had, and trusting in the strength of Christ for everything (Philippians 4:11-13), Habakkuk trusted God in the same way. As Paul boasted in his weakness so that Christ's strength could work better (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), Habakkuk knew that his strength was from God. God would always provide what was needed for His people.
Am I trusting God for everything? Am I content in my weakness so that Christ's strength can work better through me? Am I rejoicing in everything God has done for me?
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me the joy I have in You. Thank You for being my strength. I pray that I will rejoice in every situation, for I know that You are at work in my life. I pray for those that are struggling to rejoice because they can't see You at work in their lives. My prayer is that they will take a minute to step back and reflect on everything, and see Your glory at work. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
No matter what Habakkuk was dealing with, he found his joy by trusting in God for help and deliverance during the hard times they were facing.
Verse 17 in this chapter talks about those hard times that God's chosen people were going through. For a farming economy these things could be down right devastating.
But that's the beauty of it...they weren't! Habakkuk was no perfect man, but when he took the time to see the goodness in God and trusted in Him to help His people through their trials, he was able to rejoice in the God of his salvation. Like Paul talked about learning to be content with whatever he had, and trusting in the strength of Christ for everything (Philippians 4:11-13), Habakkuk trusted God in the same way. As Paul boasted in his weakness so that Christ's strength could work better (2 Corinthians 12:9-10), Habakkuk knew that his strength was from God. God would always provide what was needed for His people.
Am I trusting God for everything? Am I content in my weakness so that Christ's strength can work better through me? Am I rejoicing in everything God has done for me?
Dear Lord, thank You for showing me the joy I have in You. Thank You for being my strength. I pray that I will rejoice in every situation, for I know that You are at work in my life. I pray for those that are struggling to rejoice because they can't see You at work in their lives. My prayer is that they will take a minute to step back and reflect on everything, and see Your glory at work. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, April 11, 2014
Staying Focused
James 1:8 - Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
When dealing with trials and temptations, we need to keep our focus on Him. Allowing our thoughts to be pulled in different directions makes us unstable, and will only make matters worse.
During the recent trials I have been dealing with at work, it has been difficult for me to stay focused. In the last two days, this verse has come up twice during different devotional readings, as well as Philippians 3:13, where Paul reminds us to stay focused on what lies ahead, and forgetting about what happened. When this happens, I know God is trying to get my attention.
He's telling me that I'm focusing on the wrong things. I haven't completely lost my eternal perspective on things, but I am being double-minded, and that is certainly not going to help. When I have problems at work with my boss, or anywhere else and with anyone else for that matter, I need to remember what Peter told us in 1 Peter 3:9 that I should not repay evil for evil and not retaliate with insults when I am insulted, but pay them back with a blessing.
This can be HARD! Recently my boss was making some brash comments about her plans for our department, and I was rather taken aback at her boldness. So before I said anything stupid (it's a gift sometimes), I walked away and said that I would be praying for her. Later she said she felt I was being negative about her plans. REALLY!? Praying for someone is negative?! I didn't even have anything to say about that (I'm rarely speechless).
I need to maintain that kind of focus during these times. It's easy to fall into my old ways of doing things and trust in my way of handling things. But I've already shown myself that my way doesn't work for the best. If it did, then Jesus didn't need to die for me (and He did!), and I wouldn't be writing this. But keeping my focus and my trust on Him is what I need to do. When I get flustered at situations, I need to take a walk and pray about it, and for the other person. Talking to God during these times really does clear the mind and maintain the focus.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for speaking to me through Your Word. I love learning from You every way I can, because Your wisdom is infinite and always fits every situation I face. I have been blessed by Your amazing teaching. Father, I lift up those who are struggling to maintain their focus on You. Like being unequally yoked in marriage, I pray that they will return their focus on You to avoid being double-minded. I pray that they will see that You have everything all worked out for their good, and You are just waiting to show them when they ask. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When dealing with trials and temptations, we need to keep our focus on Him. Allowing our thoughts to be pulled in different directions makes us unstable, and will only make matters worse.
During the recent trials I have been dealing with at work, it has been difficult for me to stay focused. In the last two days, this verse has come up twice during different devotional readings, as well as Philippians 3:13, where Paul reminds us to stay focused on what lies ahead, and forgetting about what happened. When this happens, I know God is trying to get my attention.
He's telling me that I'm focusing on the wrong things. I haven't completely lost my eternal perspective on things, but I am being double-minded, and that is certainly not going to help. When I have problems at work with my boss, or anywhere else and with anyone else for that matter, I need to remember what Peter told us in 1 Peter 3:9 that I should not repay evil for evil and not retaliate with insults when I am insulted, but pay them back with a blessing.
This can be HARD! Recently my boss was making some brash comments about her plans for our department, and I was rather taken aback at her boldness. So before I said anything stupid (it's a gift sometimes), I walked away and said that I would be praying for her. Later she said she felt I was being negative about her plans. REALLY!? Praying for someone is negative?! I didn't even have anything to say about that (I'm rarely speechless).
I need to maintain that kind of focus during these times. It's easy to fall into my old ways of doing things and trust in my way of handling things. But I've already shown myself that my way doesn't work for the best. If it did, then Jesus didn't need to die for me (and He did!), and I wouldn't be writing this. But keeping my focus and my trust on Him is what I need to do. When I get flustered at situations, I need to take a walk and pray about it, and for the other person. Talking to God during these times really does clear the mind and maintain the focus.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for speaking to me through Your Word. I love learning from You every way I can, because Your wisdom is infinite and always fits every situation I face. I have been blessed by Your amazing teaching. Father, I lift up those who are struggling to maintain their focus on You. Like being unequally yoked in marriage, I pray that they will return their focus on You to avoid being double-minded. I pray that they will see that You have everything all worked out for their good, and You are just waiting to show them when they ask. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Hate the Sin
Psalm 97:10 - You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of His godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked.
God has commanded us to hate the wickedness and evil that turns our hearts away from Him. He will always protect those who seek His righteousness over sinful pleasures.
But that doesn't mean we are supposed to reject the sinner. God loves us all, and we are all sinners. So we have no right to reject the sinners, because then we'd be rejecting ourselves. Not only that, we would be saying that it is our business to judge who is worthy of having a relationship with God. And that's just dangerous ground to be treading on.
Instead of rejecting the sinner, we need to love those who sin without knowing Christ. We need to share the Word of God with them. And not just scripture, but our lives as well. We have to do it with no fear of rejection. Paul talked regularly about being bold (2 Corinthians 3:12). He also talked about not having any fear (2 Timothy 1:7). We should never be afraid to share His Word with others. We should never be afraid to live our lives the way God is telling us to.
I have a friend that doesn't know Christ. He was raised Catholic, and never developed a relationship with Jesus Christ. He has said before that he knows he's a sinner, but he doesn't really care. I told him, God doesn't expect you to be perfect. He knows you're going to sin, because we all fall short. But you're not supposed to be indifferent about it and enjoy the ride down. I regularly pray for him, but beyond doing that and demonstrating God's love (as best I can) in the way I live, that's really all I can do for him. I can't reject him because he's a proud sinner, that's not my business to do. My business is to love boldly without fear.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to reject the sin and not the sinner. And for reminding me to love the sinner boldly without fear, for You have given us all a spirit of power and love (we're still working on the self-discipline one). I pray that I will boldly share Your Word with others, both in Scripture and in how I live, so they can see the love You have for them, and how You protect the lives of those who seek Your righteousness. For those who don't know You, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will work in their hearts, so that they will confess and repent of their sins, and seek You and Your will in all they do. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God has commanded us to hate the wickedness and evil that turns our hearts away from Him. He will always protect those who seek His righteousness over sinful pleasures.
But that doesn't mean we are supposed to reject the sinner. God loves us all, and we are all sinners. So we have no right to reject the sinners, because then we'd be rejecting ourselves. Not only that, we would be saying that it is our business to judge who is worthy of having a relationship with God. And that's just dangerous ground to be treading on.
Instead of rejecting the sinner, we need to love those who sin without knowing Christ. We need to share the Word of God with them. And not just scripture, but our lives as well. We have to do it with no fear of rejection. Paul talked regularly about being bold (2 Corinthians 3:12). He also talked about not having any fear (2 Timothy 1:7). We should never be afraid to share His Word with others. We should never be afraid to live our lives the way God is telling us to.
I have a friend that doesn't know Christ. He was raised Catholic, and never developed a relationship with Jesus Christ. He has said before that he knows he's a sinner, but he doesn't really care. I told him, God doesn't expect you to be perfect. He knows you're going to sin, because we all fall short. But you're not supposed to be indifferent about it and enjoy the ride down. I regularly pray for him, but beyond doing that and demonstrating God's love (as best I can) in the way I live, that's really all I can do for him. I can't reject him because he's a proud sinner, that's not my business to do. My business is to love boldly without fear.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to reject the sin and not the sinner. And for reminding me to love the sinner boldly without fear, for You have given us all a spirit of power and love (we're still working on the self-discipline one). I pray that I will boldly share Your Word with others, both in Scripture and in how I live, so they can see the love You have for them, and how You protect the lives of those who seek Your righteousness. For those who don't know You, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will work in their hearts, so that they will confess and repent of their sins, and seek You and Your will in all they do. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Boldly
Ephesians 6:20 - I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God's ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for Him, as I should.
Paul's passion for sharing God's Word is amazing. He is in prison, and yet isn't asking for prayers for his release or deliverance from the abuse he is surely suffering. Instead, he asks for prayers that he continues to boldly share the Gospel with anyone and everyone.
I love seeing this kind of passion. It really is encouraging to see it displayed. How often do we boldly share the Gospel message of Christ's love and redemption? Not nearly as often as we should, and I am certainly guilty of it.
At work, we tend to focus on our tasks at hand. We shy away from sharing the Good News because we don't want to offend anyone or get in any kind of trouble. Paul was in prison! I'd say he was in some kind of trouble. But he boldly preached the message anyway!
Paul talked about it in Philippians as well (Phil. 1:12-14). He realized he had a captive audience (pun intended) of both guards and prisoners, and that everything that was happening was helping to spread the Good News. Paul certainly wasn't worried about offending anyone or getting in any kind of trouble(he was in prison!).
Am I boldly sharing my faith? Am I using the opportunities given to me by God to be His ambassador and share the Good News of Jesus Christ?
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that whatever trials I may be facing, they pale in comparison to the problems that others may have, and that I need to take every opportunity to share the Gospel with everyone I can, regardless of any consequences. The benefits of Your Eternal Kingdom far outweigh anything that man can do to me. I pray for those that are shying away from boldly speaking about You. My prayer is that they will remember that everything is about You, and that they will be reaping eternal benefits from the seeds of love they sow. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Paul's passion for sharing God's Word is amazing. He is in prison, and yet isn't asking for prayers for his release or deliverance from the abuse he is surely suffering. Instead, he asks for prayers that he continues to boldly share the Gospel with anyone and everyone.
I love seeing this kind of passion. It really is encouraging to see it displayed. How often do we boldly share the Gospel message of Christ's love and redemption? Not nearly as often as we should, and I am certainly guilty of it.
At work, we tend to focus on our tasks at hand. We shy away from sharing the Good News because we don't want to offend anyone or get in any kind of trouble. Paul was in prison! I'd say he was in some kind of trouble. But he boldly preached the message anyway!
Paul talked about it in Philippians as well (Phil. 1:12-14). He realized he had a captive audience (pun intended) of both guards and prisoners, and that everything that was happening was helping to spread the Good News. Paul certainly wasn't worried about offending anyone or getting in any kind of trouble(he was in prison!).
Am I boldly sharing my faith? Am I using the opportunities given to me by God to be His ambassador and share the Good News of Jesus Christ?
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that whatever trials I may be facing, they pale in comparison to the problems that others may have, and that I need to take every opportunity to share the Gospel with everyone I can, regardless of any consequences. The benefits of Your Eternal Kingdom far outweigh anything that man can do to me. I pray for those that are shying away from boldly speaking about You. My prayer is that they will remember that everything is about You, and that they will be reaping eternal benefits from the seeds of love they sow. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
His Amazing Glory
Romans 8:18 - Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later.
Every bit of pain and suffering, trial and tribulation we experience now in this life is infinitely dwarfed by the glory that God will reveal to us when we finally meet Him face to face.
Trusting in His promises makes it all worth it. Keeping our problems in perspective and remembering His promised gift of this amazing glory makes our problems easier to bear for the sake of living life eternal with Him. However, keeping that perspective can be difficult sometimes.
I know I struggle with keeping this perspective. I have a huge tendency to get caught up in the moment and I will fail to think eternally. I would say that most of us probably do that. God wont't take back His promises if we have that tendency to act like human beings. But how we respond when we realize that we reacted wrong is what is important. We have to make sure we confess and repent. When we do that, He will forgive us by His mercy and grace.
I have to keep on working on my response, and pray for God's strength to continue the work He has started in me to make me more like Christ until that day of completion. His strength is the only way I can get through anything.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for the amazing gift of Your Glory that You have promised us all. Help me to keep my issues in that perspective, so that I may bring You the glory that You deserve. I can only do this with Your strength, and I ask for Your continued favor as I go into the world today. I also pray for those who have the same struggles of keeping their perspective. My prayer is that as they go into the world today, they will keep their eyes and hearts focused on You and Your eternal promises, so that they will be able to overcome any problem by Your strength. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Every bit of pain and suffering, trial and tribulation we experience now in this life is infinitely dwarfed by the glory that God will reveal to us when we finally meet Him face to face.
Trusting in His promises makes it all worth it. Keeping our problems in perspective and remembering His promised gift of this amazing glory makes our problems easier to bear for the sake of living life eternal with Him. However, keeping that perspective can be difficult sometimes.
I know I struggle with keeping this perspective. I have a huge tendency to get caught up in the moment and I will fail to think eternally. I would say that most of us probably do that. God wont't take back His promises if we have that tendency to act like human beings. But how we respond when we realize that we reacted wrong is what is important. We have to make sure we confess and repent. When we do that, He will forgive us by His mercy and grace.
I have to keep on working on my response, and pray for God's strength to continue the work He has started in me to make me more like Christ until that day of completion. His strength is the only way I can get through anything.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for the amazing gift of Your Glory that You have promised us all. Help me to keep my issues in that perspective, so that I may bring You the glory that You deserve. I can only do this with Your strength, and I ask for Your continued favor as I go into the world today. I also pray for those who have the same struggles of keeping their perspective. My prayer is that as they go into the world today, they will keep their eyes and hearts focused on You and Your eternal promises, so that they will be able to overcome any problem by Your strength. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, April 7, 2014
The Wrong Idea
1 John 1:8 - If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.
It's easy for us to convince ourselves that we are relatively good people and that we don't have any sin. But as the Apostle John said, we are just fooling ourselves.
This was something that kept me from surrendering to Jesus Christ for a long time. I was prideful. I believed that I was overall a good person and I didn't need saving. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit got a hold of my heart and showed me how wrong I really was. I totally had the wrong idea.
I believed that since I had accepted Him as my Savior, I didn't need church or to read the Bible. After all, I hadn't killed anyone. Why is it that a lot of people believe that murder is the only one of the ten commandments that counts? I hear a lot of people say, "I never killed anyone, I'm a good guy." There's still 10 right, they didn't change it?
More than anything, I was guilty of false worship. I believed that I was capable based on the abilities I had developed to achieve things. I believed that I accomplished everything by my own strength. I worshiped the god of self. My church was my job. My paychecks tithed to my celebration fund, where I celebrated whatever good thing I did to make myself look better to my bosses and friends. As I said, fortunately the Holy Spirit finally got a hold of my heart, and showed me where I was soooooo wrong.
Do I still fall into this trap believing that I don't have any sin? I don't think I do. I know where most of my shortcomings are, and I try to avoid them as best I can. The ones I'm unaware of, I trust that God will reveal them to me in His time.
Dear Lord, thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to show me where I was so misguided and wrong. I am blessed to have the relationship with You that I now have, and I pray that I will never turn my back on it for anything. I pray for those that don't have that relationship with You. My prayer is that they will walk away from the lies of the enemy and see that You are the answer they have been searching for. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
It's easy for us to convince ourselves that we are relatively good people and that we don't have any sin. But as the Apostle John said, we are just fooling ourselves.
This was something that kept me from surrendering to Jesus Christ for a long time. I was prideful. I believed that I was overall a good person and I didn't need saving. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit got a hold of my heart and showed me how wrong I really was. I totally had the wrong idea.
I believed that since I had accepted Him as my Savior, I didn't need church or to read the Bible. After all, I hadn't killed anyone. Why is it that a lot of people believe that murder is the only one of the ten commandments that counts? I hear a lot of people say, "I never killed anyone, I'm a good guy." There's still 10 right, they didn't change it?
More than anything, I was guilty of false worship. I believed that I was capable based on the abilities I had developed to achieve things. I believed that I accomplished everything by my own strength. I worshiped the god of self. My church was my job. My paychecks tithed to my celebration fund, where I celebrated whatever good thing I did to make myself look better to my bosses and friends. As I said, fortunately the Holy Spirit finally got a hold of my heart, and showed me where I was soooooo wrong.
Do I still fall into this trap believing that I don't have any sin? I don't think I do. I know where most of my shortcomings are, and I try to avoid them as best I can. The ones I'm unaware of, I trust that God will reveal them to me in His time.
Dear Lord, thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to show me where I was so misguided and wrong. I am blessed to have the relationship with You that I now have, and I pray that I will never turn my back on it for anything. I pray for those that don't have that relationship with You. My prayer is that they will walk away from the lies of the enemy and see that You are the answer they have been searching for. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
After God's Heart
2 Samuel 12:13 - Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan replied, "Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin."
David had really made a mess of things. He was an adulterer and a murderer. But he did the right thing. He confessed and repented of his sins, and God forgave him. God didn't have to, but He did so because of His love for him.
I remember the first couple of times I read the stories of Saul and David. I couldn't quite understand why God had such a love for David, but gave up on Saul so quickly. In reality He didn't. God knew Saul's heart, and He knew that Saul would not confess and repent of his sins. David on the other hand is described as a man after God's heart. But why? Because of his love and fear of God and because he would confess and repent. God knew they would both fall short of perfection, but David was the one after God's heart because of how he went about his business after the fact.
That's how it is for all of us as well. A lot of us tend to struggle with accepting that God could ever forgive us, or want to be in a close intimate relationship with us. But He does. That's the beauty of it all! Despite anything we have or could do, He desires a heart that seeks His forgiveness. We all fall short; none of us will ever be perfect. But we have a choice with how we respond to our shortcomings. God has already chosen how He responds to our shortcomings. With love, mercy, and grace. All we have to do is respond with confession and repentance.
Am I responding correctly when I sin? Am I after God's heart with confession and repentance, or am I giving up on myself too quickly?
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving me when I don't deserve it. I pray that I will seek after Your heart through confession and repentance. I am so blessed by Your love and grace for me. I know that it can never be earned, but was given freely when You gave Your Son as a sacrifice for me. I pray for those that believe the lie that they have gone too far in their sin to turn back to You now. My prayer is that they will see that it only takes a simple prayer to be right with You, and after Your heart again. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
David had really made a mess of things. He was an adulterer and a murderer. But he did the right thing. He confessed and repented of his sins, and God forgave him. God didn't have to, but He did so because of His love for him.
I remember the first couple of times I read the stories of Saul and David. I couldn't quite understand why God had such a love for David, but gave up on Saul so quickly. In reality He didn't. God knew Saul's heart, and He knew that Saul would not confess and repent of his sins. David on the other hand is described as a man after God's heart. But why? Because of his love and fear of God and because he would confess and repent. God knew they would both fall short of perfection, but David was the one after God's heart because of how he went about his business after the fact.
That's how it is for all of us as well. A lot of us tend to struggle with accepting that God could ever forgive us, or want to be in a close intimate relationship with us. But He does. That's the beauty of it all! Despite anything we have or could do, He desires a heart that seeks His forgiveness. We all fall short; none of us will ever be perfect. But we have a choice with how we respond to our shortcomings. God has already chosen how He responds to our shortcomings. With love, mercy, and grace. All we have to do is respond with confession and repentance.
Am I responding correctly when I sin? Am I after God's heart with confession and repentance, or am I giving up on myself too quickly?
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving me when I don't deserve it. I pray that I will seek after Your heart through confession and repentance. I am so blessed by Your love and grace for me. I know that it can never be earned, but was given freely when You gave Your Son as a sacrifice for me. I pray for those that believe the lie that they have gone too far in their sin to turn back to You now. My prayer is that they will see that it only takes a simple prayer to be right with You, and after Your heart again. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, April 4, 2014
Staying Content
2 Corinthians 4:17 - For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
Whatever problems we face on a daily basis are relatively small in comparison to the glory God has set aside for us in eternity.
Reading this today really gave me strength. I've been dealing with issues at work lately, and sometimes it is so hard to get up and go in the morning. But I have a lot to be content with and thankful for. Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to be thankful in all circumstances because it is God's will for those of us who belong to Christ Jesus. So where's the joy in my problems?!
The joy is found in knowing that God is sovereign and always in control. The joy is knowing that nothing that man can do to me can cause me to lose my salvation that comes from Christ Jesus. The joy is knowing that I am loved by an amazing God of mercy and grace that gave up His Son to have an intimate relationship with me. The joy is knowing that whatever problems I have are temporary, and God's love and glory are eternal, and He will comfort and protect me. That is more than enough for me to stay content...
Dear Abba Father, what can I say other than Your love overwhelms me. But in a great way. I love how You take the time every day to speak to me through Your Word, and tell me what I need to know to make it through another day in service to You and Your Kingdom. I love that You don't sugarcoat anything, but Your messages are filled with hope and love. I pray for those that don't know that feeling. My prayer is that You will speak to them today and give them the rest and reassurance they need to be and stay content. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Whatever problems we face on a daily basis are relatively small in comparison to the glory God has set aside for us in eternity.
Reading this today really gave me strength. I've been dealing with issues at work lately, and sometimes it is so hard to get up and go in the morning. But I have a lot to be content with and thankful for. Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to be thankful in all circumstances because it is God's will for those of us who belong to Christ Jesus. So where's the joy in my problems?!
The joy is found in knowing that God is sovereign and always in control. The joy is knowing that nothing that man can do to me can cause me to lose my salvation that comes from Christ Jesus. The joy is knowing that I am loved by an amazing God of mercy and grace that gave up His Son to have an intimate relationship with me. The joy is knowing that whatever problems I have are temporary, and God's love and glory are eternal, and He will comfort and protect me. That is more than enough for me to stay content...
Dear Abba Father, what can I say other than Your love overwhelms me. But in a great way. I love how You take the time every day to speak to me through Your Word, and tell me what I need to know to make it through another day in service to You and Your Kingdom. I love that You don't sugarcoat anything, but Your messages are filled with hope and love. I pray for those that don't know that feeling. My prayer is that You will speak to them today and give them the rest and reassurance they need to be and stay content. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Chosen
1 Peter 1:2 - God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and His Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Him and been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.
Since the beginning of time, each and everyone of us were chosen by God to be His holy people. When we accepted our calling and chose Him in return, we were washed clean by the blood of Jesus.
God never ceases to wow me. The more I study His Word every day, the more I see and understand His great love for me. I'm a very analytical person by nature, so it can be difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that He had already chosen me centuries ago. He knew the path I would take to find Him, and He patiently waited for me to make the choice to follow Him.
How amazing is the God we serve that He did that for each and every one of us? He knew about us, made plans for us, and waited. I don't think we could ever have just a fraction of the patience He has, but we are blessed because He has infinitely more patience than we do. He waited a long time so He could wrap His loving arms around us. And when we finally came to Him, He didn't use it as an opportunity to say, "It's about time," or anything like that. All He said was, "I love You, and it brings me joy that you're here." He gave up His Son for us, so that we could return to Him. That's just amazing love.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your amazing love for all of us. We have all been so blessed beyond words that You loved us with a love that waited centuries for us to realize. I pray for those that haven't come to realize it yet. My prayer is that they will not wait any longer. I pray that the stirring in their hearts will get to the point that they cannot contain themselves, and will leap into Your arms with joy. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Since the beginning of time, each and everyone of us were chosen by God to be His holy people. When we accepted our calling and chose Him in return, we were washed clean by the blood of Jesus.
God never ceases to wow me. The more I study His Word every day, the more I see and understand His great love for me. I'm a very analytical person by nature, so it can be difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that He had already chosen me centuries ago. He knew the path I would take to find Him, and He patiently waited for me to make the choice to follow Him.
How amazing is the God we serve that He did that for each and every one of us? He knew about us, made plans for us, and waited. I don't think we could ever have just a fraction of the patience He has, but we are blessed because He has infinitely more patience than we do. He waited a long time so He could wrap His loving arms around us. And when we finally came to Him, He didn't use it as an opportunity to say, "It's about time," or anything like that. All He said was, "I love You, and it brings me joy that you're here." He gave up His Son for us, so that we could return to Him. That's just amazing love.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your amazing love for all of us. We have all been so blessed beyond words that You loved us with a love that waited centuries for us to realize. I pray for those that haven't come to realize it yet. My prayer is that they will not wait any longer. I pray that the stirring in their hearts will get to the point that they cannot contain themselves, and will leap into Your arms with joy. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Patient Endurance
James 1:12 - God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
God will not test or tempt us, that comes from within us and from the enemy (verse 13-15). But He does allow the testing to happen (see Job). Nothing happens to His children without His approval. But He allows it so that He can reward us. When we stay faithful and don't allow our will to drag us into more sin, He is well pleased and He promises to reward us for our faith.
While I believe that James was specifically referring to persecution here, this message can certainly be applied to our every day lives now. I have come across this passage 5 or 6 different times in the past week. A lot of us have bosses that drive us crazy. How easy would it be to just say, "Forget it, I'm outta here!" I know I have felt that a lot lately.
However I have to remember that I am being tested. I am being tested to see if I will try to insert my will in place of God's will and do what I want as opposed to what is right. God is allowing the test so that He can refine me like gold in a fire. All I can do is pray that He will give me the strength I need to stay the course and trust in His will for my life. He has promised to take care of me, and I know He will. I can overcome anything by His strength (Phil. 4:13).
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to stay the course and trust in Your will for me. It can be so easy at times to throw up my hands and try to take charge, but I know that is not the right thing to do. I pray for those that haven't had the strength to endure the testing that comes from within. My prayer is that they will lean on You and Your strength to get them through any and everything, because You can overcome it all. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
God will not test or tempt us, that comes from within us and from the enemy (verse 13-15). But He does allow the testing to happen (see Job). Nothing happens to His children without His approval. But He allows it so that He can reward us. When we stay faithful and don't allow our will to drag us into more sin, He is well pleased and He promises to reward us for our faith.
While I believe that James was specifically referring to persecution here, this message can certainly be applied to our every day lives now. I have come across this passage 5 or 6 different times in the past week. A lot of us have bosses that drive us crazy. How easy would it be to just say, "Forget it, I'm outta here!" I know I have felt that a lot lately.
However I have to remember that I am being tested. I am being tested to see if I will try to insert my will in place of God's will and do what I want as opposed to what is right. God is allowing the test so that He can refine me like gold in a fire. All I can do is pray that He will give me the strength I need to stay the course and trust in His will for my life. He has promised to take care of me, and I know He will. I can overcome anything by His strength (Phil. 4:13).
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me to stay the course and trust in Your will for me. It can be so easy at times to throw up my hands and try to take charge, but I know that is not the right thing to do. I pray for those that haven't had the strength to endure the testing that comes from within. My prayer is that they will lean on You and Your strength to get them through any and everything, because You can overcome it all. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Wonk, Wonk, Wonk
1 Corinthians 13:1 - If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If we're not showing love to people, then what are we doing? If we're talking about the Good News of Jesus Christ, but the word love doesn't come out, then what are we saying? If we don't have love in our hearts that comes out of our mouths, then we're just making noise.
Ever listen to someone complain on and on? Don't they sound like Charlie Brown's teacher sometimes? Love doesn't complain. It doesn't mean that if we have the love of Christ in our hearts, that we'll never have anything to complain about. We are human after all. What it means is that we won't complain about it. Complaining about something takes away from our worship of the One who solves all the problems when we let Him in. Instead of sounding like Charlie Brown's teacher, maybe we should focus on the Teacher who shows us how to love unconditionally, and not complain.
Am I complaining too much? Do I really have Christ's love in my heart to the point that when I'm tempted to complain, I instead pray and lift my problems up to Him?
Dear Father, I am sorry that I complain sometimes. I need to remember that Jesus didn't complain once when He was being led to the cross, so what could I possibly have to complain about? I need to remember to lift my problems to Him for His solution and remember that complaining doesn't offer solutions. Please give me the strength and wisdom I need to keep You in my heart so that complaining won't enter it. I pray for those that don't have Your love in their hearts, and go around complaining about everything. My prayer is that they will see that their complaints don't solve anything, but You do when You are invited in. I pray that they will invite You in today. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
If we're not showing love to people, then what are we doing? If we're talking about the Good News of Jesus Christ, but the word love doesn't come out, then what are we saying? If we don't have love in our hearts that comes out of our mouths, then we're just making noise.
Ever listen to someone complain on and on? Don't they sound like Charlie Brown's teacher sometimes? Love doesn't complain. It doesn't mean that if we have the love of Christ in our hearts, that we'll never have anything to complain about. We are human after all. What it means is that we won't complain about it. Complaining about something takes away from our worship of the One who solves all the problems when we let Him in. Instead of sounding like Charlie Brown's teacher, maybe we should focus on the Teacher who shows us how to love unconditionally, and not complain.
Am I complaining too much? Do I really have Christ's love in my heart to the point that when I'm tempted to complain, I instead pray and lift my problems up to Him?
Dear Father, I am sorry that I complain sometimes. I need to remember that Jesus didn't complain once when He was being led to the cross, so what could I possibly have to complain about? I need to remember to lift my problems to Him for His solution and remember that complaining doesn't offer solutions. Please give me the strength and wisdom I need to keep You in my heart so that complaining won't enter it. I pray for those that don't have Your love in their hearts, and go around complaining about everything. My prayer is that they will see that their complaints don't solve anything, but You do when You are invited in. I pray that they will invite You in today. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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