Matthew 7:11 - So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him?
We've all received gifts for birthdays and Christmas that we really didn't want, right? We are grateful for the thought people put into them, but sometimes we want to say, "Uh that's really not what I wanted (or asked for)." While we all would hope that wouldn't be our thought process, it's okay to admit that we are still human and it does/will happen sometimes.
How about when God orchestrates something we really weren't expecting (or wanting)?
At my last job, things were going downhill fast. It was quickly becoming an unbearable and extremely stressful place to work. Over the last couple of months I was there, I was starting to look for something new. I knew that God had better plans for me, and that I wasn't meant to be there forever. I prayed about it and asked for God's guidance and direction, but didn't really get many answers other than to keep looking.
Then I got the news that they were restructuring/reorganizing and that my position was being eliminated, and it was my last day. While I was trusting God's plans for me, that really wasn't how I was expecting Him to work things out.
On the drive home that day, I was praying and I said to God, "You know, I probably would have handled that whole thing differently. I wouldn't have done it that way." In other words, if it had been left up to me, I would have left on my terms after I found something new.
Now before you start thinking that I was questioning God or demanding that He did things my way, that wasn't what I was doing. I was simply saying what was on my heart. Isn't that what we're supposed to do? God knows our hearts, so if we aren't confessing what's on our heart it's kind of pointless. It's like making a Doctor's appointment and then telling the Doctor that nothing is wrong. I have no problem accepting His will for my life, because I believe the Bible and passages like this one above from Matthew. Jesus is telling us that God will give us greater than we could expect.
In the book of Isaiah, God tells us that His thoughts are nothing like our thoughts and His ways are far beyond anything we could imagine (Isaiah 55:8). That was exactly the message I received on that drive home that day. God wasn't necessarily rebuking me for what was on my heart. He was reminding me that He does have great and mighty things for me, and He will reveal them to me when He is ready. More importantly, He will reveal them to me when He makes me ready for them.
After spending the last 4 months (and counting) off work, I have seen and felt God working in me to draw me closer to Him. These last few months have been a great sabbatical for me to become closer to the One who always has my best interests in His heart. My stress levels are non-existent now, except maybe when I drive (come on it's California freeways - baby steps).
I believe that He wanted me to get some healing and repairing and some more intimate time with me before He sends me back out in the world in whatever may come my way. And you know what, I'm perfectly fine with that. It may not have been how I would have handled it, but that's a good thing. It may not have been what I was asking for, but thank God it was exactly what I have needed.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for so much. It is impossible to put into words just how grateful I am that Your thoughts and ways are so much higher than mine. I know I sometimes feel like I know what's best for me, but thankfully You DO know what's best for me and there's no need to question that. I pray that I will never question Your working in my life even when I don't understand it. I know You will show me what I need to know when I need to know it. I pray that I will always trust in Jesus' promise that You will always give much better to those who ask. While I may ask or want certain things to happen, I want Your will to be done Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Big Shoes To Fill
Joshua 1:9 - "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua had some pretty big shoes to fill, don't you think? His boss had just died, and not just any boss. Moses was pretty tight with God. The Bible tells us that Lord buried Moses Himself (Deuteronomy 34:6). Whether the passage literally meant that God did it personally, or meant that He sent an angel to tend to Moses burial isn't the important part. The important part is that God didn't leave it up to the Israelites to do it. He took a personal interest in making sure Moses was taken care of. I'd say that's a pretty tight friendship, wouldn't you?
Now that Joshua's boss and friend was gone, he was given the charge of leading God's people into the Promised Land. While Joshua had the background and training as a military leader, this was a big step up for him. Think he might have been a little nervous, perhaps even unsure of himself? I think so. Who wouldn't be?
God tells us the things He does for specific reasons. Every word that comes from Him has a purpose. He doesn't do idle chit chat. Whether we understand the specific purpose of God's instructions at the time we receive them is another story; sometimes we realize it later. But God's words always have a useful reason behind them.
When I read these first nine verses of the Joshua 1, I see God trying to build up Joshua's confidence. I also hear God telling Joshua all he needs to remember to lead God's people in the way that God wanted him to.
Three times He reminded Joshua to be strong and courageous (verses 6, 7, & 9). Twice God told him that if he followed Moses instructions that were received from God, He would be successful (verses 7 & 8). That was God's way of intentionally showing Joshua that He chose him, He had confidence in him, and He had already given him the instructions he needed to add to his already great military experience and training. All he had to do was follow them.
The beauty of all of this, is that God does this for each and every one of us. The Bible is God's gift to all of us, and it shows us how to prosper and succeed in all we do. God also takes the time to intentionally show us that He has specific plans for each and every one of us. God doesn't want us to be something we're not.
Some of us may have had the type of parents or bosses who tried to make us clones of themselves. The kind of parents that said, "You have to do this because you're my child and that's what's expected of you." Or the type of boss that said, "I need to you to do this like so and so did, because that's what works." I was blessed that I didn't have those type of parents, but I have had those types of bosses in the past.. And I have struggled to try and fill anyone's shoes but my own.
God didn't make us clones of each other. He didn't make mankind a one size fits all. He made us all individual and unique. He gave each of us a unique calling on our lives to serve His Kingdom and His people. He didn't give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but He told us to be strong and courageous. He wants us to embrace our uniqueness and be obedient to His call on our lives. And when we do, He promises to make us successful and be with us wherever we go.
All we have to do is be who He created us to be.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for making me the unique person I am, and for loving me regardless of my shortcomings. I know that I have not always been obedient to Your call, but You have never left me in the dust to fend for myself. You have always been there, even though I didn't realize it. I am grateful for Your mercy and grace that continues to develop this work in progress until the day of completion. I pray for those that are trying to fit some mold that others have told them they are supposed to be. My prayer is that they will realize that they only need to be who You made them to be, because You took the time to intimately form them, and You have a unique and perfect plan for their lives. I pray they will respond to Your Holy Spirit speaking to their hearts, and be strong and courageous to obediently follow Your call for their life, and not the world's call. I pray we all do. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Joshua had some pretty big shoes to fill, don't you think? His boss had just died, and not just any boss. Moses was pretty tight with God. The Bible tells us that Lord buried Moses Himself (Deuteronomy 34:6). Whether the passage literally meant that God did it personally, or meant that He sent an angel to tend to Moses burial isn't the important part. The important part is that God didn't leave it up to the Israelites to do it. He took a personal interest in making sure Moses was taken care of. I'd say that's a pretty tight friendship, wouldn't you?
Now that Joshua's boss and friend was gone, he was given the charge of leading God's people into the Promised Land. While Joshua had the background and training as a military leader, this was a big step up for him. Think he might have been a little nervous, perhaps even unsure of himself? I think so. Who wouldn't be?
God tells us the things He does for specific reasons. Every word that comes from Him has a purpose. He doesn't do idle chit chat. Whether we understand the specific purpose of God's instructions at the time we receive them is another story; sometimes we realize it later. But God's words always have a useful reason behind them.
When I read these first nine verses of the Joshua 1, I see God trying to build up Joshua's confidence. I also hear God telling Joshua all he needs to remember to lead God's people in the way that God wanted him to.
Three times He reminded Joshua to be strong and courageous (verses 6, 7, & 9). Twice God told him that if he followed Moses instructions that were received from God, He would be successful (verses 7 & 8). That was God's way of intentionally showing Joshua that He chose him, He had confidence in him, and He had already given him the instructions he needed to add to his already great military experience and training. All he had to do was follow them.
The beauty of all of this, is that God does this for each and every one of us. The Bible is God's gift to all of us, and it shows us how to prosper and succeed in all we do. God also takes the time to intentionally show us that He has specific plans for each and every one of us. God doesn't want us to be something we're not.
Some of us may have had the type of parents or bosses who tried to make us clones of themselves. The kind of parents that said, "You have to do this because you're my child and that's what's expected of you." Or the type of boss that said, "I need to you to do this like so and so did, because that's what works." I was blessed that I didn't have those type of parents, but I have had those types of bosses in the past.. And I have struggled to try and fill anyone's shoes but my own.
God didn't make us clones of each other. He didn't make mankind a one size fits all. He made us all individual and unique. He gave each of us a unique calling on our lives to serve His Kingdom and His people. He didn't give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but He told us to be strong and courageous. He wants us to embrace our uniqueness and be obedient to His call on our lives. And when we do, He promises to make us successful and be with us wherever we go.
All we have to do is be who He created us to be.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for making me the unique person I am, and for loving me regardless of my shortcomings. I know that I have not always been obedient to Your call, but You have never left me in the dust to fend for myself. You have always been there, even though I didn't realize it. I am grateful for Your mercy and grace that continues to develop this work in progress until the day of completion. I pray for those that are trying to fit some mold that others have told them they are supposed to be. My prayer is that they will realize that they only need to be who You made them to be, because You took the time to intimately form them, and You have a unique and perfect plan for their lives. I pray they will respond to Your Holy Spirit speaking to their hearts, and be strong and courageous to obediently follow Your call for their life, and not the world's call. I pray we all do. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Not Them Too?!
John 4:27 - Just then His disciples came back. They were shocked to find Him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, "What do You want with her?" or "Why are You talking to her?"
Although the Apostle John didn't write it here, I believe there was probably at least one of the disciples, if not more, that was thinking, "I know He told us to love everyone, but I'm sure He didn't mean them too. Not the Samaritans."
But why wouldn't He mean them too? Isaiah told us that the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world (Isaiah 11:10). I'm not a geography whiz, but I'm pretty sure that when Isaiah said 'all the world', he was including the next door neighbor of the Jews.
How about today? Ever stereotype someone because of what they do (or don't do), or what they believe (or don't believe)? I would venture a guess to say that a significant majority of us do. Well if our goal is to be true disciples of Jesus, what's our reasoning for stereotyping, or even worse, not accepting others? Stereotyping is something that humans do. Not accepting someone is from the enemy.
I have caught myself, more than I care to admit, saying to myself, "He couldn't have meant them too." Paul talked about this when he said, "Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory" (Romans 15:7). Now, while a man may have written those words with a pen, they are there because God wanted them there. Sort of like Paul was taking dictation for God.
Paul also said, "Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:6). Now, I'm not a math whiz either, but I'm pretty sure that when he said 'all of you', he was including every single person. That's a tough one sometimes though, isn't it? I mean everyone?
What about the one who did (fill in the blank)? Or that guy I saw (fill in the blank)? Yeah...they would be included in 'all of you'. They would be included in 'all the world'.
For those that know me, I have a bit of a patience problem. I'm really impatient with people in general, but particularly those with whom I have labeled in a particular way. When people seem to be lacking common sense, I tend to lose it pretty easy and give up on them. That's a problem. That's something I have been working on, and will be continuing to work on for some time to come. When I catch myself getting frustrated, which is easy to do, I have to force myself to pray through it. I have to remind myself that of that really key part of Romans 15:7 where Paul said, "Just as Christ has accepted you."
(Side Note: If we are ever having a conversation where we are not agreeing on something, and you see me start to grit my teeth, please stop and tell me to stop and pray. The teeth gritting is when I am starting to get upset).
I'm sure there are more than a few million times where God was 'gritting his teeth' with me. But He didn't give up on me. He accepted me long before I invited Him into my heart. A quote that is often attributed to Abraham Lincoln says, "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right." Whether or not Lincoln actually said that doesn't matter. The point is that we should be striving to be on God's side, and let Him decide who we should be loving and accepting, because He is always right. The great thing is, He has already decided. He did say 'all the world', didn't He?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me that there is still work to be done for my patience. I beg Your forgiveness for my many sins, and for falling short in my love for everyone as You have commanded. I am grateful for Your mercy and grace which You freely give so that I may continue to love and serve You and all of Your children. I pray for continued strength today and every day to follow Your commands wholeheartedly and without putting my own two cents in. I also pray for those that are struggling with this same issue. For whatever reason, they have trouble accepting others that may sin differently than themselves, or they fall short of their own personal standards for whatever reason. My prayer is that since we are not qualified to judge by any standards, only You are, and Your standards are perfect, I pray that we will all leave the judging up to You, and do more accepting. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Although the Apostle John didn't write it here, I believe there was probably at least one of the disciples, if not more, that was thinking, "I know He told us to love everyone, but I'm sure He didn't mean them too. Not the Samaritans."
But why wouldn't He mean them too? Isaiah told us that the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world (Isaiah 11:10). I'm not a geography whiz, but I'm pretty sure that when Isaiah said 'all the world', he was including the next door neighbor of the Jews.
How about today? Ever stereotype someone because of what they do (or don't do), or what they believe (or don't believe)? I would venture a guess to say that a significant majority of us do. Well if our goal is to be true disciples of Jesus, what's our reasoning for stereotyping, or even worse, not accepting others? Stereotyping is something that humans do. Not accepting someone is from the enemy.
I have caught myself, more than I care to admit, saying to myself, "He couldn't have meant them too." Paul talked about this when he said, "Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory" (Romans 15:7). Now, while a man may have written those words with a pen, they are there because God wanted them there. Sort of like Paul was taking dictation for God.
Paul also said, "Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:6). Now, I'm not a math whiz either, but I'm pretty sure that when he said 'all of you', he was including every single person. That's a tough one sometimes though, isn't it? I mean everyone?
What about the one who did (fill in the blank)? Or that guy I saw (fill in the blank)? Yeah...they would be included in 'all of you'. They would be included in 'all the world'.
For those that know me, I have a bit of a patience problem. I'm really impatient with people in general, but particularly those with whom I have labeled in a particular way. When people seem to be lacking common sense, I tend to lose it pretty easy and give up on them. That's a problem. That's something I have been working on, and will be continuing to work on for some time to come. When I catch myself getting frustrated, which is easy to do, I have to force myself to pray through it. I have to remind myself that of that really key part of Romans 15:7 where Paul said, "Just as Christ has accepted you."
(Side Note: If we are ever having a conversation where we are not agreeing on something, and you see me start to grit my teeth, please stop and tell me to stop and pray. The teeth gritting is when I am starting to get upset).
I'm sure there are more than a few million times where God was 'gritting his teeth' with me. But He didn't give up on me. He accepted me long before I invited Him into my heart. A quote that is often attributed to Abraham Lincoln says, "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right." Whether or not Lincoln actually said that doesn't matter. The point is that we should be striving to be on God's side, and let Him decide who we should be loving and accepting, because He is always right. The great thing is, He has already decided. He did say 'all the world', didn't He?
Dear Abba Father, thank You for reminding me that there is still work to be done for my patience. I beg Your forgiveness for my many sins, and for falling short in my love for everyone as You have commanded. I am grateful for Your mercy and grace which You freely give so that I may continue to love and serve You and all of Your children. I pray for continued strength today and every day to follow Your commands wholeheartedly and without putting my own two cents in. I also pray for those that are struggling with this same issue. For whatever reason, they have trouble accepting others that may sin differently than themselves, or they fall short of their own personal standards for whatever reason. My prayer is that since we are not qualified to judge by any standards, only You are, and Your standards are perfect, I pray that we will all leave the judging up to You, and do more accepting. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Missing Something
1 John 4:20 - If someone says, "I love God," but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?
How easy is it for us to be so focused on our relationship with God, and leave out our relationships with His people? If we claim to know and love God but we don't bother to know and love God's children, then we are definitely missing something.
Jesus told us to focus on two commandments to love God and love others, because as He said they are equally important (Matthew 22:37-40). If they weren't equally important, He wouldn't have said so.
When my last marriage ended, I told myself that I was going to only focus on my relationship with God for awhile, and if God wanted me to have any other relationships, He would make it clear to me and would change my heart as only He is capable of doing. I don't think it's a bad thing to want to be focused on our relationship with God, but not at the expense of other loving relationships with those that God loves. I said He would make it clear to me. He did. It's all over the Bible, I just chose to only focus on certain other parts. That was a critical area that I have been coming up short in.
We've all read about man's fall in the Garden of Eden, when Eve was deceived by the serpent about what God intended for them. I remember once hearing a Pastor talking about this section, and he pointed out something that I had never really noticed before at that time. Throughout the first 2 chapters of the book of Genesis, God is referred to as Lord God. This would indicate that He is not only God the Creator, but also Master (Lord).
Satan never denied that God is the Creator, but he refused to accept His authority as Master. In Genesis 3:1-5, the serpent only refers to Him as God. It wasn't a typo by the writer of the book, it was intentional on the part of the serpent.
The Apostle John said, "But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:8). If I claim that I love and follow God, but I am ignoring my brothers and sisters, I missed the mark. God wants, and more importantly deserves, complete obedience. He doesn't want us to be half way. He knows that we will fall short and make mistakes. He doesn't expect or demand perfection. But when we stand up, dust off, and continue on, we need to stay 'all in'.
Jesus said in the book of Revelation that He doesn't want us to be lukewarm (Revelation 3:16). He also warned us that not everyone will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father (Matthew 7:21). What's the will of His Father? It starts with loving God and loving others.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your Word the Bible. Thank You for the instructions that You give us throughout that show us how to live our lives for You and Your Kingdom. I pray that I will always be all in for You despite my stumbles along the way. I don't want to miss out on anything. I pray for those that are only going half way. My prayer is that they will be reminded that You don't want for anyone to be lukewarm, but for us all to be all in and on fire to serve You, Your Kingdom, and Your children. I pray that we all will stay on fire for You, Lord God. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
How easy is it for us to be so focused on our relationship with God, and leave out our relationships with His people? If we claim to know and love God but we don't bother to know and love God's children, then we are definitely missing something.
Jesus told us to focus on two commandments to love God and love others, because as He said they are equally important (Matthew 22:37-40). If they weren't equally important, He wouldn't have said so.
When my last marriage ended, I told myself that I was going to only focus on my relationship with God for awhile, and if God wanted me to have any other relationships, He would make it clear to me and would change my heart as only He is capable of doing. I don't think it's a bad thing to want to be focused on our relationship with God, but not at the expense of other loving relationships with those that God loves. I said He would make it clear to me. He did. It's all over the Bible, I just chose to only focus on certain other parts. That was a critical area that I have been coming up short in.
We've all read about man's fall in the Garden of Eden, when Eve was deceived by the serpent about what God intended for them. I remember once hearing a Pastor talking about this section, and he pointed out something that I had never really noticed before at that time. Throughout the first 2 chapters of the book of Genesis, God is referred to as Lord God. This would indicate that He is not only God the Creator, but also Master (Lord).
Satan never denied that God is the Creator, but he refused to accept His authority as Master. In Genesis 3:1-5, the serpent only refers to Him as God. It wasn't a typo by the writer of the book, it was intentional on the part of the serpent.
The Apostle John said, "But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:8). If I claim that I love and follow God, but I am ignoring my brothers and sisters, I missed the mark. God wants, and more importantly deserves, complete obedience. He doesn't want us to be half way. He knows that we will fall short and make mistakes. He doesn't expect or demand perfection. But when we stand up, dust off, and continue on, we need to stay 'all in'.
Jesus said in the book of Revelation that He doesn't want us to be lukewarm (Revelation 3:16). He also warned us that not everyone will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father (Matthew 7:21). What's the will of His Father? It starts with loving God and loving others.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for Your Word the Bible. Thank You for the instructions that You give us throughout that show us how to live our lives for You and Your Kingdom. I pray that I will always be all in for You despite my stumbles along the way. I don't want to miss out on anything. I pray for those that are only going half way. My prayer is that they will be reminded that You don't want for anyone to be lukewarm, but for us all to be all in and on fire to serve You, Your Kingdom, and Your children. I pray that we all will stay on fire for You, Lord God. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, October 27, 2014
I'm Kind Of A Big Deal
Luke 12:8 - "I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God's angels."
I don't know if you're aware of this, but I'm kind of a big deal. To Jesus that is. Now, before you start to think that I'm getting a big head or being obnoxious, YOU are a big deal to Him as well. We all are.
To state the obvious, when Jesus was on earth, He liked to have an audience. While He certainly retreated into seclusion to have intimate quiet time with God, and He definitely spent quality time teaching His disciples, I think He definitely loved to have an audience.
Isaiah told us, and Paul reminded us, that it's not possible for us to fully comprehend just how much God really loves us (Isaiah 64:4; 2 Corinthians 2:9), passages like this one from Luke's Gospel give us an idea. But that's part of the beauty, too - it's just an inkling.
Remember when King Xerxes honored Mordecai (Esther 6). He had Haman put Mordecai on one of the kings horses, wearing one of the kings robes, and paraded him around the fortress shouting that this was what the kind did for someone he wishes to honor (Esther 6:7-11). Couldn't you see Jesus doing that for us in the presences of God's angels in Heaven? I sure could.
In Luke 15, Jesus' parable of the lost coin tells us, "There is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents" (Luke 15:10). Similar to Jesus' parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7), Jesus wants to honor us for our steadfast faith in Him.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that when we get to Heaven that it's going to be all about us, because it's not. It's all about our worshiping our Lord and Savior and Creator. But I do believe that there is certainly going to be some celebration and Jesus will honor us for our faith in Him. I think He is excited about honoring us in the presence of the angels. Why is He excited? Because it's in the Bible. To quote a movie I recently saw, "Now those words are in red, so they're important." Reading passages like these ones from Luke 12 and 15 definitely reinforce my love for and encourage my faith in the One who died to save me.
Jesus told us that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends (John 15:13). How do I know that I, and all of us, are a big deal? Because God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:16-17). He orchestrated everything so that we could spend eternity in Heaven with Him. So He could acknowledge and celebrate us in the presence of God's angels. I think that makes us a pretty big deal to Him.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for making everything work together for Your good and perfect plans of redeeming me to You. Thank You for the ultimate sacrifice You gave so that I could spend eternity with You in Heaven. Because You want to acknowledge and celebrate me in Heaven, I will gladly and with a full heart, acknowledge and celebrate You while I'm here on earth to anyone that will hear. I pray for those that believe they are unlovable. For those that believe there is no way You could ever forgive them for what they may have done, much less believe that You would want to save them and bring them to You in Heaven for eternity. I know what it's like, because I have been there myself. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will stir in them and convict their heart to the point that they see that they are wrong. I pray they will finally start to see that You do love them with a love that could never be fully comprehended on this side of Heaven. If I can be used by You to reach out to these people for Your Holy Spirit to work through me, I am Your servant. Let me be a lamp that shines Your glorious light to anyone You choose. In the precious name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I pray this. Amen!
God Bless!!!
I don't know if you're aware of this, but I'm kind of a big deal. To Jesus that is. Now, before you start to think that I'm getting a big head or being obnoxious, YOU are a big deal to Him as well. We all are.
To state the obvious, when Jesus was on earth, He liked to have an audience. While He certainly retreated into seclusion to have intimate quiet time with God, and He definitely spent quality time teaching His disciples, I think He definitely loved to have an audience.
Isaiah told us, and Paul reminded us, that it's not possible for us to fully comprehend just how much God really loves us (Isaiah 64:4; 2 Corinthians 2:9), passages like this one from Luke's Gospel give us an idea. But that's part of the beauty, too - it's just an inkling.
Remember when King Xerxes honored Mordecai (Esther 6). He had Haman put Mordecai on one of the kings horses, wearing one of the kings robes, and paraded him around the fortress shouting that this was what the kind did for someone he wishes to honor (Esther 6:7-11). Couldn't you see Jesus doing that for us in the presences of God's angels in Heaven? I sure could.
In Luke 15, Jesus' parable of the lost coin tells us, "There is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents" (Luke 15:10). Similar to Jesus' parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7), Jesus wants to honor us for our steadfast faith in Him.
Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that when we get to Heaven that it's going to be all about us, because it's not. It's all about our worshiping our Lord and Savior and Creator. But I do believe that there is certainly going to be some celebration and Jesus will honor us for our faith in Him. I think He is excited about honoring us in the presence of the angels. Why is He excited? Because it's in the Bible. To quote a movie I recently saw, "Now those words are in red, so they're important." Reading passages like these ones from Luke 12 and 15 definitely reinforce my love for and encourage my faith in the One who died to save me.
Jesus told us that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends (John 15:13). How do I know that I, and all of us, are a big deal? Because God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:16-17). He orchestrated everything so that we could spend eternity in Heaven with Him. So He could acknowledge and celebrate us in the presence of God's angels. I think that makes us a pretty big deal to Him.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for making everything work together for Your good and perfect plans of redeeming me to You. Thank You for the ultimate sacrifice You gave so that I could spend eternity with You in Heaven. Because You want to acknowledge and celebrate me in Heaven, I will gladly and with a full heart, acknowledge and celebrate You while I'm here on earth to anyone that will hear. I pray for those that believe they are unlovable. For those that believe there is no way You could ever forgive them for what they may have done, much less believe that You would want to save them and bring them to You in Heaven for eternity. I know what it's like, because I have been there myself. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will stir in them and convict their heart to the point that they see that they are wrong. I pray they will finally start to see that You do love them with a love that could never be fully comprehended on this side of Heaven. If I can be used by You to reach out to these people for Your Holy Spirit to work through me, I am Your servant. Let me be a lamp that shines Your glorious light to anyone You choose. In the precious name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ I pray this. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, October 24, 2014
Some Help You Are...
Job 19:2-3 - How long will you torture me? How long will you try to crush me with your words? You have already insulted me ten times. You should be ashamed of treating me so badly.
Job had been through a pretty rough time (to say the least), and his "friends" weren't being helpful at all. How many of us have people like that in our lives? More importantly - why?
Chuck Swindoll points out, "Unfortunately, people like Bildad still roam around wrecking others with their potent, verbal weapons." But what happens when we're the ones wielding those potent, verbal weapons?
We have all been given various gifts to serve the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven while we are here on earth. Those of us who have been given the gift of encouragement most often do so through their words. When Job's friends first showed up after His tragedy struck, we are told that they went to Job to comfort and console him (Job 2:11). Being able to comfort and console someone is definitely a gift from God.
But then they opened their mouths, they were anything but comforting and consoling. Paul tells us that the gifts Christ gave to the church are to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church (Ephesians 4:12). He also told us to let everything we say be good and helpful, so that our words would be an encouragement to those who hear them (Ephesians 4:29).
Bildad certainly missed the mark here. Job said that he had insulted him 10 times. How many more until Job just hauled off and belted him? For me, I think Job lasted 8 more times than I would have. And that's the problem, isn't it?
Recently, I said something to someone that could have hurt their feelings. When I first said it, their initial reaction was that they were hurt. My response was, "If I hurt your feelings, I'm sorry. If you're joking about it, I'm not." After knowing them for my entire life, there was a couple of problems with what happened. First, why didn't I know whether or not I hurt their feelings? And second, why should that even be a question in the first place? As it turns out, they were only joking around that they were upset to make me feel guilty.
But the thing is, I still feel guilty about it. The fact that the potential for my words to hurt their feelings was there is the problem. They should have never came out of my mouth to begin with. So how do I fix this? I ask for forgiveness. Not only from them, but from God. While they weren't upset, I still have to ask them to forgive me for even raising the possibility of hurting their feelings. Whether or not they are a believer doesn't matter.
I also have to ask God to forgive me. I have to ask His forgiveness for not using the gift He gave me for building someone up. I used it for breaking down. I need to ask Him to continue to work in me to change the way I think by transforming my mind (Romans 12:2). I am beyond grateful for the lesson I have learned from this, because it has allowed me to see where I am still lacking in my walk with Christ. The fact that God put this on my heart today, shows me that He still desires to continue His work within me until it is finally finished (Philippians 1:6). While I know that He is willing to forgive me, the fact that what I did breaks His heart is a problem for me. I have to do better, and by the power of His Holy Spirit I will.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You! Thank You for convicting me of where I still fall short, and showing me what I need to keep working on. I know that I will overcome my shortcomings by the power of Your Holy Spirit as long as I continue to trust and obey You and the work You are doing in me. I ask for forgiveness for not using the gifts You have given me properly, and I pray that by Your instruction, I will be salt and light to those who need to see You, and not a bitter pill that people desperately try to avoid. Thank You for continuing Your work in and through me. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Job had been through a pretty rough time (to say the least), and his "friends" weren't being helpful at all. How many of us have people like that in our lives? More importantly - why?
Chuck Swindoll points out, "Unfortunately, people like Bildad still roam around wrecking others with their potent, verbal weapons." But what happens when we're the ones wielding those potent, verbal weapons?
We have all been given various gifts to serve the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven while we are here on earth. Those of us who have been given the gift of encouragement most often do so through their words. When Job's friends first showed up after His tragedy struck, we are told that they went to Job to comfort and console him (Job 2:11). Being able to comfort and console someone is definitely a gift from God.
But then they opened their mouths, they were anything but comforting and consoling. Paul tells us that the gifts Christ gave to the church are to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church (Ephesians 4:12). He also told us to let everything we say be good and helpful, so that our words would be an encouragement to those who hear them (Ephesians 4:29).
Bildad certainly missed the mark here. Job said that he had insulted him 10 times. How many more until Job just hauled off and belted him? For me, I think Job lasted 8 more times than I would have. And that's the problem, isn't it?
Recently, I said something to someone that could have hurt their feelings. When I first said it, their initial reaction was that they were hurt. My response was, "If I hurt your feelings, I'm sorry. If you're joking about it, I'm not." After knowing them for my entire life, there was a couple of problems with what happened. First, why didn't I know whether or not I hurt their feelings? And second, why should that even be a question in the first place? As it turns out, they were only joking around that they were upset to make me feel guilty.
But the thing is, I still feel guilty about it. The fact that the potential for my words to hurt their feelings was there is the problem. They should have never came out of my mouth to begin with. So how do I fix this? I ask for forgiveness. Not only from them, but from God. While they weren't upset, I still have to ask them to forgive me for even raising the possibility of hurting their feelings. Whether or not they are a believer doesn't matter.
I also have to ask God to forgive me. I have to ask His forgiveness for not using the gift He gave me for building someone up. I used it for breaking down. I need to ask Him to continue to work in me to change the way I think by transforming my mind (Romans 12:2). I am beyond grateful for the lesson I have learned from this, because it has allowed me to see where I am still lacking in my walk with Christ. The fact that God put this on my heart today, shows me that He still desires to continue His work within me until it is finally finished (Philippians 1:6). While I know that He is willing to forgive me, the fact that what I did breaks His heart is a problem for me. I have to do better, and by the power of His Holy Spirit I will.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You! Thank You for convicting me of where I still fall short, and showing me what I need to keep working on. I know that I will overcome my shortcomings by the power of Your Holy Spirit as long as I continue to trust and obey You and the work You are doing in me. I ask for forgiveness for not using the gifts You have given me properly, and I pray that by Your instruction, I will be salt and light to those who need to see You, and not a bitter pill that people desperately try to avoid. Thank You for continuing Your work in and through me. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Going Half Way
Romans 12:8 - If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
I have a bad habit that I have struggled to overcome. I have a tendency to only do things half way. The bigger problem I have is that I get bored with things (rather easily) and then look for something else to entertain me and occupy my time.
I have to be careful about this, because I don't want it to affect, or rather infect, my spiritual life. The last thing I want to do is get bored in my walk with Christ.
God didn't go half way for me, or for any of us, and I have no excuse to be anything but all in for Him and His Kingdom. He sacrificed His only Son for me.
I'm reminded of the story of the rich man in Mark 10. He was happy to point out all the good he had done. But Jesus knew his heart, and told him that he wasn't quite there yet, because he had been holding something back - his possessions (Mark 10:17-22). The point of this isn't about selling everything I own, the point is not holding back from sharing the gifts and talents that God has given me.
I believe that I have been given the gift of encouragement. God loves to show His sense of humor, doesn't he? Anyone who says God doesn't have a sense of humor is wrong (look at the platypus...). For those who know me, they know that I don't like people. I really don't. I don't have patience and tolerance for people, and I tend to get annoyed very easily (especially when I'm driving).
But the funny thing is, God put it on my heart a couple of years ago to go back to school and major in Psychology and Human Resources Management. For someone that doesn't like people, what's that all about?! But God loves people. He knew about my love for learning and understanding, as well as my desire to help people better themselves. I mean He gave me that love after all. That was His gift to me. I may not have realized that I had it at the time, but it has become very obvious to me now.
God also put it on my heart to take a class in Life Coaching last year. After spending over a year without coaching anyone, I was ready to blow it off. Suddenly, I had two life coaching clients. I say suddenly, but we all know that God doesn't do 'suddenly'. He had it planned that way from the beginning.
The point is, how easy is it for us to give up on things when we become bored or disenchanted with them, because they aren't happening the way we envisioned them? For the first 34 or 35 years of my life, I was becoming an expert on giving up. I became skilled at going half way and then getting bored and stopping. God has not only blessed me with the gifts He has given me, but He has also been working to transform me into a new person by changing the way I think (Romans 12:2).
He is trying to do that with all of us. We just have to let Him. While it's very easy to give up and give in to selfish plans and desires, the beauty of letting God work in our hearts and through our lives, is that His only desire is to transform us into the perfect image of His Son Jesus Christ. But that work takes time. Paul reminded us that we are all works in progress that will not be completed until we meet Jesus (Philippians 1:6). That may feel like it is too long to wait for some, but man it will be totally worth it.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing patience with me. Thank You for the gifts You have given me because of Your unfailing love for me. I pray that I will remain steadfast in my love for You and Your people, and use the gifts You have given me to help build up the Body of Christ in whatever way You want me to. I pray for those that struggle as I have with only going half way. My prayer is that they will take some time to reflect that while they aren't what they should be, they are much better than they used to be, and that is because of Your amazing grace, mercy, and love that is born of Your desire to bring us all into perfection on that final day. I pray they will come to You with a renewed heart to serve You and Your Kingdom with love like a fire that could never be put out. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
I have a bad habit that I have struggled to overcome. I have a tendency to only do things half way. The bigger problem I have is that I get bored with things (rather easily) and then look for something else to entertain me and occupy my time.
I have to be careful about this, because I don't want it to affect, or rather infect, my spiritual life. The last thing I want to do is get bored in my walk with Christ.
God didn't go half way for me, or for any of us, and I have no excuse to be anything but all in for Him and His Kingdom. He sacrificed His only Son for me.
I'm reminded of the story of the rich man in Mark 10. He was happy to point out all the good he had done. But Jesus knew his heart, and told him that he wasn't quite there yet, because he had been holding something back - his possessions (Mark 10:17-22). The point of this isn't about selling everything I own, the point is not holding back from sharing the gifts and talents that God has given me.
I believe that I have been given the gift of encouragement. God loves to show His sense of humor, doesn't he? Anyone who says God doesn't have a sense of humor is wrong (look at the platypus...). For those who know me, they know that I don't like people. I really don't. I don't have patience and tolerance for people, and I tend to get annoyed very easily (especially when I'm driving).
But the funny thing is, God put it on my heart a couple of years ago to go back to school and major in Psychology and Human Resources Management. For someone that doesn't like people, what's that all about?! But God loves people. He knew about my love for learning and understanding, as well as my desire to help people better themselves. I mean He gave me that love after all. That was His gift to me. I may not have realized that I had it at the time, but it has become very obvious to me now.
God also put it on my heart to take a class in Life Coaching last year. After spending over a year without coaching anyone, I was ready to blow it off. Suddenly, I had two life coaching clients. I say suddenly, but we all know that God doesn't do 'suddenly'. He had it planned that way from the beginning.
The point is, how easy is it for us to give up on things when we become bored or disenchanted with them, because they aren't happening the way we envisioned them? For the first 34 or 35 years of my life, I was becoming an expert on giving up. I became skilled at going half way and then getting bored and stopping. God has not only blessed me with the gifts He has given me, but He has also been working to transform me into a new person by changing the way I think (Romans 12:2).
He is trying to do that with all of us. We just have to let Him. While it's very easy to give up and give in to selfish plans and desires, the beauty of letting God work in our hearts and through our lives, is that His only desire is to transform us into the perfect image of His Son Jesus Christ. But that work takes time. Paul reminded us that we are all works in progress that will not be completed until we meet Jesus (Philippians 1:6). That may feel like it is too long to wait for some, but man it will be totally worth it.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your amazing patience with me. Thank You for the gifts You have given me because of Your unfailing love for me. I pray that I will remain steadfast in my love for You and Your people, and use the gifts You have given me to help build up the Body of Christ in whatever way You want me to. I pray for those that struggle as I have with only going half way. My prayer is that they will take some time to reflect that while they aren't what they should be, they are much better than they used to be, and that is because of Your amazing grace, mercy, and love that is born of Your desire to bring us all into perfection on that final day. I pray they will come to You with a renewed heart to serve You and Your Kingdom with love like a fire that could never be put out. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Can I Give You Something For That?
Romans 11:6 - And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is - free and undeserved.
Ever have someone give you something for free? It's hard to accept it sometimes, isn't it? Most of us were raised to believe that nothing good comes free. Everything costs something whether it be time, talent, or treasure. But most often, it cost someone their blood, sweat, and tears. We feel obliged to give them something for it.
The beauty of God's grace - His undeserved kindness as Paul put it (Romans 11:5) - is that it is free to us. That doesn't mean it didn't cost someone something. It cost Jesus plenty! We all know that Jesus wept when Lazarus died (John 11:35). But He also wept as He made His way into Jerusalem before His final Passover (Luke 19:41). Why? Because He knew what was to come for God's beloved city.
Jesus also sweat over what was to come. In the Garden of Gethsemane, before His arrest, Luke tells us that Jesus was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood (Luke 22:41). That is some serious prayer and anguish if you ask me.
And of course, we know that Jesus bled for us. When He allowed His blood to be shed on the Cross, He was bleeding for all of us. His blood was poured out as the final sacrifice that would allow us to be reconciled to God.
So you see, it did cost someone some blood, sweat, and tears.
It's natural for us to want to pay for it, isn't it? We want to ask God, "Can I just give You something for that?" After all, it makes it easier for us to understand and reconcile it in our mind if we have to pay for it, right? But God doesn't want/need anything from us. After all, what do you give to the One who has everything anyway, right?
What we can do to show our faith, is be cheerful givers of our time, talents, and treasures to those who need them. The Apostle James asks the important question, "What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions" (James 2:14)? Jesus gave us the best reasoning for this when He said, "I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me" (Matthew 25:45).
We aren't saved by our works, but we have been saved for good works (Ephesians 2:9-10). The works aren't our way to pay God back. They are our way to show others the great fruit that our faith has produced. Anyone who knew me 10 years ago, would tell you that I am selfish and egotistical. While I pray that I am less so now, I can only show people how much the Lord has transformed me. Talk is cheap, and my works show my transformation by faith in Jesus Christ. They don't show the transformation to God because He knows my heart, but they show it to others for the glory of God.
While it is easy to want our money for nothing (had to put that one in there), it's hard to accept something for nothing. The beauty of God's love and mercy, is that His grace is truly free. When we ask God if we can give Him something for that, don't be surprised when He tells you the answer You may not want to hear, "Do it for the least of these my brothers and sisters." I remember Bob Goff once said, "If you're not sure who you're supposed to love, start with everyone and go from there." That's what you can give the One who has everything.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your free gift of salvation and undeserved kindness. I know I can never pay You for what I have been given for the high price of the blood of Your Son, but I pray that I will give freely of my time, talent, treasure, and most importantly, my love, to all of my brothers and sisters. I pray for those that are struggling to accept Your gift for free. My prayer is that they will realize that salvation through Jesus Christ is indeed offered for free to those who accept it, as is Your grace and mercy. I pray they will stop trying to buy the free gifts, and just go out and love everyone instead. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, October 20, 2014
Sorry, I Didn't Even See You There...
Romans 10:20 - And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God saying, "I was found by people who were not looking for Me. I showed Myself to those who were not asking for Me."
We have all heard people say, "I found Jesus," or some variation of that phrase. But to be honest, how many of us were actually looking for Him when we "found" Him? While there are plenty of people who were looking for answers to questions that lead them to Jesus Christ, I'm sure there are many more who weren't even looking for Him.
I wasn't. When I first gave my life to Jesus Christ, I was recovering from drug addiction. I wasn't thinking about anything at the time, except staying clean one day at a time. I wasn't looking for any answers to any questions, because I was trying to stay focused on one single task - sobriety. So how did I come to accept Jesus Christ? Because He revealed Himself to me. But why?
As Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah in this passage (Isaiah 65:1), God has revealed Himself to those who weren't even looking for Him. He has offered His free gift of salvation to everyone.
To those who said they found Jesus when they were trying to find answers to their questions, He was never hiding. He was always there, waiting to reveal Himself to you when you looked for Him. None of us "accidentally" found Jesus. The title of this post may lead some to think that it was by accident that they "stumbled" onto the truth, but that's not accurate. Nothing ever happens by accident. God certainly doesn't work miracles in our hearts and through our lives by chance.
King Solomon told us that God planted eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). He has always been there waiting for us to seek Him out and accept His salvation. Jesus told us that when we knock, the door will be opened to us (Matthew 7:7-8), and the prophet Jeremiah told us that when we look wholeheartedly for the Lord, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:12).
As much as I would like to say that I wasn't looking for Him, I really was even though I didn't know it. He knows my heart, and He revealed Himself to me at just the right time. What I thought was my brain trying to focus on recovery, was my heart crying out for the Lord to save me from myself. My brain was saying, "How can we make it through today?" That's when Jesus told my heart, "Come to me and I will show you." God said that He searches all hearts and examines secret motives. He said that He gives people their rewards due according to their actions (Jeremiah 17:10). The reward He gave me that day was eternal life. He promises that to all who call on His name for salvation.
It was no accident that He revealed His plan of salvation to the gentiles when He did. That was always a part of His plan from the beginning. It happened exactly when He wanted it to - when the harvest was plentiful and the workers were few (Matthew 9:37). Just as we found our way to Him exactly when He wanted us to - when our hearts were ready.
Dear Lord God, thank You for saving me from myself. I am so grateful for Your perfect love and mercy, and the grace You have shown me through the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ on the cross. Thank You for answering the door when I didn't even realize I was knocking. I pray for those that haven't opened their hearts to You. My prayer is that they will open their hearts and realize that You are waiting to reveal Yourself and Your unfailing love to them. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray this, Amen!
God Bless!!!
We have all heard people say, "I found Jesus," or some variation of that phrase. But to be honest, how many of us were actually looking for Him when we "found" Him? While there are plenty of people who were looking for answers to questions that lead them to Jesus Christ, I'm sure there are many more who weren't even looking for Him.
I wasn't. When I first gave my life to Jesus Christ, I was recovering from drug addiction. I wasn't thinking about anything at the time, except staying clean one day at a time. I wasn't looking for any answers to any questions, because I was trying to stay focused on one single task - sobriety. So how did I come to accept Jesus Christ? Because He revealed Himself to me. But why?
As Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah in this passage (Isaiah 65:1), God has revealed Himself to those who weren't even looking for Him. He has offered His free gift of salvation to everyone.
To those who said they found Jesus when they were trying to find answers to their questions, He was never hiding. He was always there, waiting to reveal Himself to you when you looked for Him. None of us "accidentally" found Jesus. The title of this post may lead some to think that it was by accident that they "stumbled" onto the truth, but that's not accurate. Nothing ever happens by accident. God certainly doesn't work miracles in our hearts and through our lives by chance.
King Solomon told us that God planted eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). He has always been there waiting for us to seek Him out and accept His salvation. Jesus told us that when we knock, the door will be opened to us (Matthew 7:7-8), and the prophet Jeremiah told us that when we look wholeheartedly for the Lord, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:12).
As much as I would like to say that I wasn't looking for Him, I really was even though I didn't know it. He knows my heart, and He revealed Himself to me at just the right time. What I thought was my brain trying to focus on recovery, was my heart crying out for the Lord to save me from myself. My brain was saying, "How can we make it through today?" That's when Jesus told my heart, "Come to me and I will show you." God said that He searches all hearts and examines secret motives. He said that He gives people their rewards due according to their actions (Jeremiah 17:10). The reward He gave me that day was eternal life. He promises that to all who call on His name for salvation.
It was no accident that He revealed His plan of salvation to the gentiles when He did. That was always a part of His plan from the beginning. It happened exactly when He wanted it to - when the harvest was plentiful and the workers were few (Matthew 9:37). Just as we found our way to Him exactly when He wanted us to - when our hearts were ready.
Dear Lord God, thank You for saving me from myself. I am so grateful for Your perfect love and mercy, and the grace You have shown me through the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ on the cross. Thank You for answering the door when I didn't even realize I was knocking. I pray for those that haven't opened their hearts to You. My prayer is that they will open their hearts and realize that You are waiting to reveal Yourself and Your unfailing love to them. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray this, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, October 17, 2014
We Are The Champions!!
Romans 8:37 - No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
I will attempt to refrain from quoting Freddie Mercury, but no guarantees...
When we hit dry seasons in our relationship with Jesus Christ (and they will occur), it can be very hard to remember this great truth that Paul gave us here. Regardless of what we go through in our lives, nothing will ever change the fact that God loves us and because of Jesus' sacrifice we will win in the end. But we have to keep on fighting to the end (ok, I had to get one in there...)
Paul told us in Romans 5:3-4 that when we have problems and trials they help us develop endurance which will develop strength of character and as a result strengthen our confident hope of salvation. The Psalmist talked about trusting in God for victory in Psalm 44. He said, "I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. You are the One Who gives us victory over our enemies; You disgrace those who hate us. O God, we give glory to You all day long and constantly praise Your name" (Psalm 44:6-9). The Psalmist realized that despite the fact that they were being slaughtered like sheep every day (Psalm 44:22), that victory would still come from God.
So what's the trick to acting like the winners we are because of Christ's love? You've probably heard various coaches from sports tell their teams to act like they've been there before. The idea behind that, in a sports sense, is to maintain good sportsmanship and don't rub your opponents nose in it. In other words, maintain your integrity.
This doesn't mean we need to walk around with fake smiles plastered on our faces when we're going through a dry season. Most people can spot a phony. But it shouldn't preclude us from still sharing the love of Christ with others. And it certainly shouldn't keep us from praising God. The Bible tells us, "For the Lord delights in His people; He crowns the humble with victory. Let the faithful rejoice that He honors them. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds. Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands" (Psalm 144:4-6).
When we're facing tough days, the best thing we can do is pick up our Bibles (sharp sword) and dive into God's Word to refresh us and lift us up. If things have gotten you down to the point that you don't want to get out of bed (we all have those days sometimes), that's okay. Sing for joy as you lie in your bed. Sing God's praises as You read and study His Word. And when you get through that dry season, and have achieved victory by the power of Christ over whatever was bringing you down, act like you've been there before. Be humble. Maintain your integrity.
If anyone had a reason to give up, it was Job. I'm not saying he would have been justified to do so, but if he had done it, I sure a lot of us would have understood why. But I loved his response in chapter 2 when his wife told him to just curse God and die. He said, "You talk like a foolish woman" (Job 2:10). Job realized that there should be (and there isn't) anything that compromises his (our) integrity and his (our) faith in God, because of all that God has done for us.
When God brings us through the valleys, stay humble and rejoice in His love that brings us overwhelming victory. The peaks we reach during our life here, are nothing compared the mountaintop that He will bring us to in eternity.
Abba Father, thank You for the overwhelming victory we will enjoy because of Your love and mercy. Thank You for showing us throughout Your Word that You will make everything worth it. I pray for strength so that I will maintain my integrity and be humble before You during the good times and the bad. I pray for those that can't see their way out of the dark valley they are in. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will remind them that there is a way out, and it starts by putting their hand in Yours and their trust and faith in You to lead them out to overwhelming victory. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
I will attempt to refrain from quoting Freddie Mercury, but no guarantees...
When we hit dry seasons in our relationship with Jesus Christ (and they will occur), it can be very hard to remember this great truth that Paul gave us here. Regardless of what we go through in our lives, nothing will ever change the fact that God loves us and because of Jesus' sacrifice we will win in the end. But we have to keep on fighting to the end (ok, I had to get one in there...)
Paul told us in Romans 5:3-4 that when we have problems and trials they help us develop endurance which will develop strength of character and as a result strengthen our confident hope of salvation. The Psalmist talked about trusting in God for victory in Psalm 44. He said, "I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. You are the One Who gives us victory over our enemies; You disgrace those who hate us. O God, we give glory to You all day long and constantly praise Your name" (Psalm 44:6-9). The Psalmist realized that despite the fact that they were being slaughtered like sheep every day (Psalm 44:22), that victory would still come from God.
So what's the trick to acting like the winners we are because of Christ's love? You've probably heard various coaches from sports tell their teams to act like they've been there before. The idea behind that, in a sports sense, is to maintain good sportsmanship and don't rub your opponents nose in it. In other words, maintain your integrity.
This doesn't mean we need to walk around with fake smiles plastered on our faces when we're going through a dry season. Most people can spot a phony. But it shouldn't preclude us from still sharing the love of Christ with others. And it certainly shouldn't keep us from praising God. The Bible tells us, "For the Lord delights in His people; He crowns the humble with victory. Let the faithful rejoice that He honors them. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds. Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands" (Psalm 144:4-6).
When we're facing tough days, the best thing we can do is pick up our Bibles (sharp sword) and dive into God's Word to refresh us and lift us up. If things have gotten you down to the point that you don't want to get out of bed (we all have those days sometimes), that's okay. Sing for joy as you lie in your bed. Sing God's praises as You read and study His Word. And when you get through that dry season, and have achieved victory by the power of Christ over whatever was bringing you down, act like you've been there before. Be humble. Maintain your integrity.
If anyone had a reason to give up, it was Job. I'm not saying he would have been justified to do so, but if he had done it, I sure a lot of us would have understood why. But I loved his response in chapter 2 when his wife told him to just curse God and die. He said, "You talk like a foolish woman" (Job 2:10). Job realized that there should be (and there isn't) anything that compromises his (our) integrity and his (our) faith in God, because of all that God has done for us.
When God brings us through the valleys, stay humble and rejoice in His love that brings us overwhelming victory. The peaks we reach during our life here, are nothing compared the mountaintop that He will bring us to in eternity.
Abba Father, thank You for the overwhelming victory we will enjoy because of Your love and mercy. Thank You for showing us throughout Your Word that You will make everything worth it. I pray for strength so that I will maintain my integrity and be humble before You during the good times and the bad. I pray for those that can't see their way out of the dark valley they are in. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will remind them that there is a way out, and it starts by putting their hand in Yours and their trust and faith in You to lead them out to overwhelming victory. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Yeah, But Is It Worth It?
John 5:6 - When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for long time, He asked him, "Would you like to get well?"
When Jesus asks the sick man this question it almost seems like a silly question to ask - on the surface. After all, the man had been sick for 38 years. Who wouldn't want to get well?!
The more I think about this passage, I realize Jesus isn't just asking him the obvious. He's really asking him if he still wants to rely on his or other human efforts to do so, or if he actually wants to get better. The man's response in verse 7 was the right answer. He realizes that he can't be healed by human efforts.
One of the biggest questions I used to ask myself a lot when I first started to come into a relationship with God was whether or not it was worth it. I mean, why do I need Him? Is He really going to heal me of my issues that have kept me separated from Him? The answer was only if I wanted Him to. I had to choose to accept Him as my Savior. And allow Him to be the Lord over my life. Then He would heal me. Or would He?
Paul and Jesus had something in common. They both had issues that they took to God in prayer three times that He refused to take away from them so that He would be glorified through their pain and suffering. Jesus asked God to take away the cup of suffering if it was His will (Mark 14:36). Paul had his thorn in the flesh that He begged the Lord to take away from him three times (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). We know why God didn't remove the cup of suffering from Jesus. And God told Paul that he wouldn't remove the thorn so that He could be glorified more in Paul's weakness.
So the question remains, Is it all worth it? Paul tells us in Romans 8:18, "Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later." In other words, no matter how bad what we are going through may seem now, it is nothing compared to how great everything will be when we enter eternity in Heaven with God. It may seem like our lives are ending because the suffering won't, but until God calls us home, they aren't. The more we suffer, the more we need to remember to give God the glory for His promise of deliverance from the pain.
We are all familiar with Paul's reminder that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). The beauty is that we have all been chosen by God to be His children. We just have to accept His calling.
The answer to the question of whether it is worth it, is found in Romans 8:30. Paul tells us, "And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory." The beauty of this verse, is how it builds up and gets better and better. He chose us. He called us to Him, He gives us right standing with Him. And finally, He give us His glory. How amazingly awesome (I'm out of superlatives here...) is it that God wants to give us His glory?!
Jesus told us that He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 22). He is the One who makes it all worth it. He didn't say that He would do it the minute we say yes to Him, but He did say that He would do it.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for freeing me of the bondage to my sin. I am eternally grateful that when You asked if I wanted to be healed and get well I said yes. Even though it took me longer than it should, You waited because of Your amazing grace and mercy and love. I pray for those that don't believe that serving You and Your Kingdom and Your children is worth the time and effort. My prayer is that they will see that they cannot overcome by their own strength and that they will turn to You, the One who can heal them. I pray they will realize that You will give them Your glory when they respond to Your calling. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When Jesus asks the sick man this question it almost seems like a silly question to ask - on the surface. After all, the man had been sick for 38 years. Who wouldn't want to get well?!
The more I think about this passage, I realize Jesus isn't just asking him the obvious. He's really asking him if he still wants to rely on his or other human efforts to do so, or if he actually wants to get better. The man's response in verse 7 was the right answer. He realizes that he can't be healed by human efforts.
One of the biggest questions I used to ask myself a lot when I first started to come into a relationship with God was whether or not it was worth it. I mean, why do I need Him? Is He really going to heal me of my issues that have kept me separated from Him? The answer was only if I wanted Him to. I had to choose to accept Him as my Savior. And allow Him to be the Lord over my life. Then He would heal me. Or would He?
Paul and Jesus had something in common. They both had issues that they took to God in prayer three times that He refused to take away from them so that He would be glorified through their pain and suffering. Jesus asked God to take away the cup of suffering if it was His will (Mark 14:36). Paul had his thorn in the flesh that He begged the Lord to take away from him three times (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). We know why God didn't remove the cup of suffering from Jesus. And God told Paul that he wouldn't remove the thorn so that He could be glorified more in Paul's weakness.
So the question remains, Is it all worth it? Paul tells us in Romans 8:18, "Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later." In other words, no matter how bad what we are going through may seem now, it is nothing compared to how great everything will be when we enter eternity in Heaven with God. It may seem like our lives are ending because the suffering won't, but until God calls us home, they aren't. The more we suffer, the more we need to remember to give God the glory for His promise of deliverance from the pain.
We are all familiar with Paul's reminder that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). The beauty is that we have all been chosen by God to be His children. We just have to accept His calling.
The answer to the question of whether it is worth it, is found in Romans 8:30. Paul tells us, "And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory." The beauty of this verse, is how it builds up and gets better and better. He chose us. He called us to Him, He gives us right standing with Him. And finally, He give us His glory. How amazingly awesome (I'm out of superlatives here...) is it that God wants to give us His glory?!
Jesus told us that He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 22). He is the One who makes it all worth it. He didn't say that He would do it the minute we say yes to Him, but He did say that He would do it.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for freeing me of the bondage to my sin. I am eternally grateful that when You asked if I wanted to be healed and get well I said yes. Even though it took me longer than it should, You waited because of Your amazing grace and mercy and love. I pray for those that don't believe that serving You and Your Kingdom and Your children is worth the time and effort. My prayer is that they will see that they cannot overcome by their own strength and that they will turn to You, the One who can heal them. I pray they will realize that You will give them Your glory when they respond to Your calling. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Thanatophobia
Romans 8:11 - The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
Ever get anxious? I'm sure you have. Most people do. Ever have anxiety or panic attacks? A lot of us have. What causes your anxiety? Everyone has different reasons for it. Mine has always been caused by a fear of death.
Most everyone has a fear of death at some level. Some worse than others. Mine used to be debilitating sometimes. I would get an anxiety attack, and not be able to function. Just thinking about it would freak me out.
An anxiety disorder is different from fear. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) tells us, "Fear is the emotional response to real or perceived imminent threat, whereas anxiety is anticipation of future threat" (2013, Pg. 189). I would anticipate dying and be paralyzed. It was a subject that I never could talk about, and made me sick to my stomach to even think about. So what's the point of all this? For starters, the fact that I am able to even write about this is a testimony to the saving and healing power of God.
I was saved over 16 years ago, however I didn't have a relationship with Jesus Christ until about 6 years ago. So what changed? A message I heard in church that talked about fear and anxiety, and how God can take it away when we trust Him. And that's exactly what He did. The closer I have drawn to Him, the more I realize that this sometimes crippling fear I had was because I wasn't sure of what was ahead of me after I died. In other words, I didn't know where I was going.
I realized that the panic attacks I was having was the Holy Spirit trying to get my attention. He was doing His job of convicting my heart and leading me to God. And by the grace of God, it worked! It has taken some time, but I am pretty much over the anxiety that would cause me to have to pull over on the freeway because I couldn't function behind the wheel.
From time to time, I will feel a little panic set in, but I overcome it through prayer. The anxiety I get now is from the enemy. I know this, because it only happens when I'm reading the Bible. I can feel my mind wander away from the page I'm reading and start to think about how bad I used to be, and how pointless it is for me to spend time interacting and engaging with my Lord and Savior. That definitely isn't the Holy Spirit convicting me of any unresolved sin I have. That is the enemy trying to lie to me and tell me that God hasn't healed me. Fortunately, I was able to recognize it for what it is by the grace of God.
Whenever I feel those little panic attacks come on, I remind myself of Paul's words. He said, "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). This means that when I confess and repent of my sins to God, He doesn't hold them against me. No matter what lie the enemy tries to put in my head, I have to remember God's promise of eternal life in His Glorious Kingdom because of His amazing grace. We are all going to die some day. I know where I am going, and I want to take as many people as I can with me.
Peter told us to give all of our anxieties to God because He cares for us (1 Peter 5;7). That is some of the greatest advice anyone could ever give. God has already overcome everything, and while His Holy Spirit will convict me of unresolved sin, He will never condemn me once I have confessed and repented of them, because I belong to Christ Jesus.
What are you anxious about? What causes you to lose sleep, or sometimes even have incapacitating anxiety? The next time you feel it creeping in, stop and pray. Give it all over to God. Remember Isaiah's words, "Say to those who have an anxious heart, 'Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you' "(Isaiah 35:4). The recompense of God is the atonement and reward He promises us when we are faithful. Trust Him and He will heal you. Trust Him and He will save you.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for the healing You give. Thank You for saving me, when I believed the lie that I was unsavable. I know I will sin from time to time, but I am grateful for Your grace and mercy when I confess and repent of them. I pray those sins that I allow to creep into my life will be few and far between. Lord, I want to lift up those who have fears and anxieties that keep them from coming to You. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will stir in their hearts and lead them to You so that they can see that You really can heal when we let You in. I pray for any healing they need to come quickly so that they can begin the good work You have set for them for Your Kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Ever get anxious? I'm sure you have. Most people do. Ever have anxiety or panic attacks? A lot of us have. What causes your anxiety? Everyone has different reasons for it. Mine has always been caused by a fear of death.
Most everyone has a fear of death at some level. Some worse than others. Mine used to be debilitating sometimes. I would get an anxiety attack, and not be able to function. Just thinking about it would freak me out.
An anxiety disorder is different from fear. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) tells us, "Fear is the emotional response to real or perceived imminent threat, whereas anxiety is anticipation of future threat" (2013, Pg. 189). I would anticipate dying and be paralyzed. It was a subject that I never could talk about, and made me sick to my stomach to even think about. So what's the point of all this? For starters, the fact that I am able to even write about this is a testimony to the saving and healing power of God.
I was saved over 16 years ago, however I didn't have a relationship with Jesus Christ until about 6 years ago. So what changed? A message I heard in church that talked about fear and anxiety, and how God can take it away when we trust Him. And that's exactly what He did. The closer I have drawn to Him, the more I realize that this sometimes crippling fear I had was because I wasn't sure of what was ahead of me after I died. In other words, I didn't know where I was going.
I realized that the panic attacks I was having was the Holy Spirit trying to get my attention. He was doing His job of convicting my heart and leading me to God. And by the grace of God, it worked! It has taken some time, but I am pretty much over the anxiety that would cause me to have to pull over on the freeway because I couldn't function behind the wheel.
From time to time, I will feel a little panic set in, but I overcome it through prayer. The anxiety I get now is from the enemy. I know this, because it only happens when I'm reading the Bible. I can feel my mind wander away from the page I'm reading and start to think about how bad I used to be, and how pointless it is for me to spend time interacting and engaging with my Lord and Savior. That definitely isn't the Holy Spirit convicting me of any unresolved sin I have. That is the enemy trying to lie to me and tell me that God hasn't healed me. Fortunately, I was able to recognize it for what it is by the grace of God.
Whenever I feel those little panic attacks come on, I remind myself of Paul's words. He said, "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). This means that when I confess and repent of my sins to God, He doesn't hold them against me. No matter what lie the enemy tries to put in my head, I have to remember God's promise of eternal life in His Glorious Kingdom because of His amazing grace. We are all going to die some day. I know where I am going, and I want to take as many people as I can with me.
Peter told us to give all of our anxieties to God because He cares for us (1 Peter 5;7). That is some of the greatest advice anyone could ever give. God has already overcome everything, and while His Holy Spirit will convict me of unresolved sin, He will never condemn me once I have confessed and repented of them, because I belong to Christ Jesus.
What are you anxious about? What causes you to lose sleep, or sometimes even have incapacitating anxiety? The next time you feel it creeping in, stop and pray. Give it all over to God. Remember Isaiah's words, "Say to those who have an anxious heart, 'Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you' "(Isaiah 35:4). The recompense of God is the atonement and reward He promises us when we are faithful. Trust Him and He will heal you. Trust Him and He will save you.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for the healing You give. Thank You for saving me, when I believed the lie that I was unsavable. I know I will sin from time to time, but I am grateful for Your grace and mercy when I confess and repent of them. I pray those sins that I allow to creep into my life will be few and far between. Lord, I want to lift up those who have fears and anxieties that keep them from coming to You. My prayer is that Your Holy Spirit will stir in their hearts and lead them to You so that they can see that You really can heal when we let You in. I pray for any healing they need to come quickly so that they can begin the good work You have set for them for Your Kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Stop It!
Romans 7:15 - I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
Wouldn't it be nice if it were just that easy for us to say stop it and we would stop sinning and be right with God? Life would be much simpler, because everything would fit into that nice and neat little box we try to shove everything.
Since we are human, that just isn't possible. Fortunately for us, there is a way to be made right with God. That way is through Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross. He told us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one could get to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). How blessed are we that despite our shortcomings and sinful nature, God still provided a path to Him!
I once watched a hilarious comedy skit where a woman was going to a therapist to try and overcome some issues she was having. The therapist, played by Bob Newhart, said he had two words that would help her. And then he yelled, "Stop It!" No matter what her issue was, that was his advice. Life certainly would be much simpler if that fixed everything.
We can't control our circumstances. Nothing happens by accident, and there is no such thing as luck. Everything happens according to God's plan and timing. When we realize that, things do become much simpler for us. We have to realize that we can't control our circumstances, but we do control our reactions to them. I once heard it explained that happiness is dependent on our circumstances, but joy is dependent on our reaction to them. That made sense to me.
The Apostle Paul told us, "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). He didn't say, "Don't worry, be happy." No matter what circumstances come our way, remember that God is in charge, and He will never give us more than we can handle. He has molded and pruned us to be able to handle whatever circumstances occur. When we are obedient to Him, we will overcome by His power. When we understand and accept this, that is when we find the joy that Paul told us about. And happiness comes from finding our joy in the Lord.
We can't control our happiness, but we can control our joy. When we choose to rejoice in everything the Lord has given us and done for us, life really does become much simpler. That doesn't mean that it will be easier or we will not have any problems or stop sinning. It just means that we can confront everything that comes our way, because we have faith in the One that controls everything.
A man much smarter than me once told me that since we are saved, that doesn't mean we are sinless, but that we sin less. We will never be able to completely stop sinning on this side of Heaven. A simple "Stop It!" won't work. But we can trust that God will forgive us and redeem us to Himself when we confess our sins to Him and repent. While it is easy to be bummed that we haven't overcome the sin in our life, don't be. Remember that we don't have to, because the answer isn't in us but is in Jesus Christ (Romans 7:25). We are free because He has made us free. That should always make us stop and rejoice!
Dear Abba Father, thank You for the freedom from bondage to my sin that You have given me. I am so grateful and joyful that I don't have to do this on my own. Thank You for the grace and mercy You freely give us all. I pray for those that haven't found joy because they are looking for happiness. My prayer is that they will see that rejoicing in all You have done will make them happier than they ever thought possible. I pray that we all find that joy. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wouldn't it be nice if it were just that easy for us to say stop it and we would stop sinning and be right with God? Life would be much simpler, because everything would fit into that nice and neat little box we try to shove everything.
Since we are human, that just isn't possible. Fortunately for us, there is a way to be made right with God. That way is through Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross. He told us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one could get to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). How blessed are we that despite our shortcomings and sinful nature, God still provided a path to Him!
I once watched a hilarious comedy skit where a woman was going to a therapist to try and overcome some issues she was having. The therapist, played by Bob Newhart, said he had two words that would help her. And then he yelled, "Stop It!" No matter what her issue was, that was his advice. Life certainly would be much simpler if that fixed everything.
We can't control our circumstances. Nothing happens by accident, and there is no such thing as luck. Everything happens according to God's plan and timing. When we realize that, things do become much simpler for us. We have to realize that we can't control our circumstances, but we do control our reactions to them. I once heard it explained that happiness is dependent on our circumstances, but joy is dependent on our reaction to them. That made sense to me.
The Apostle Paul told us, "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). He didn't say, "Don't worry, be happy." No matter what circumstances come our way, remember that God is in charge, and He will never give us more than we can handle. He has molded and pruned us to be able to handle whatever circumstances occur. When we are obedient to Him, we will overcome by His power. When we understand and accept this, that is when we find the joy that Paul told us about. And happiness comes from finding our joy in the Lord.
We can't control our happiness, but we can control our joy. When we choose to rejoice in everything the Lord has given us and done for us, life really does become much simpler. That doesn't mean that it will be easier or we will not have any problems or stop sinning. It just means that we can confront everything that comes our way, because we have faith in the One that controls everything.
A man much smarter than me once told me that since we are saved, that doesn't mean we are sinless, but that we sin less. We will never be able to completely stop sinning on this side of Heaven. A simple "Stop It!" won't work. But we can trust that God will forgive us and redeem us to Himself when we confess our sins to Him and repent. While it is easy to be bummed that we haven't overcome the sin in our life, don't be. Remember that we don't have to, because the answer isn't in us but is in Jesus Christ (Romans 7:25). We are free because He has made us free. That should always make us stop and rejoice!
Dear Abba Father, thank You for the freedom from bondage to my sin that You have given me. I am so grateful and joyful that I don't have to do this on my own. Thank You for the grace and mercy You freely give us all. I pray for those that haven't found joy because they are looking for happiness. My prayer is that they will see that rejoicing in all You have done will make them happier than they ever thought possible. I pray that we all find that joy. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, October 13, 2014
The Only Thing We Really Need
Psalm 27:4 - The one thing I ask of the Lord - the thing I seek most - is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord's perfections and meditating in His temple.
I came across this passage in a devotional I read recently. In the devotional, the writer talked about David's desire to have a single focus on the Lord and being in His presence. It made me think a bit (which is always a good thing when studying God's Word). That's really all we need.
Jesus talked about having this single focus in His Sermon on the Mount. He said, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need" (Matthew 6:33). Often times, when I or someone I know is having issues with anxiety creeping in, I will share this passage with them. It always helps me to remember that no matter what I am dealing with or going through, as long as my focus remains on God, everything else will be ok.
Things may not always go the way I, or any of us, plan them to, but that's ok because God has much better thoughts and plans than us (Isaiah 55:8). He will never let us down, and He will always love us. But we have to do our part if we want Him to bless us.
How do we do our part? It all starts with obedience. It's one thing to pray and ask God for guidance and direction. But we have to follow that guidance and direction when He leads us. If we pray for it, and then say, "Well that doesn't make sense to me so I can't do it," or, "That doesn't work for me right now," then what was the point of praying? To get God to agree with what we already had in mind? He doesn't work that way.
One thing I have really been trying to work on these last few months, has been my obedience. I have always been one of those that has a tendency to ask God for something, with the intention of obeying if He tells me what I want to hear. I have to regularly remind myself that it doesn't work that way. God didn't send Jesus to the cross and say, "If they love me, I will sacrifice You." He sacrificed Him in the hopes that we would love Him, but with no guarantee. He sacrificed because He loved us (John 3:16).
We should be willing to be obedient because we love Him, and want to please Him. Showing God our love for Him through obedience to Him and loving others as He loves us, is our way of showing that we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Having that single focus on seeking His will and being obedient to Him is really all we need to get started and to know that we are on the right path.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for reminding me to stay focused on You and Your love above all else. I trust that everything will fall into place the way You want it to, and the way it needs to be, when I focus on seeking You and Your righteousness every day. I pray for those that aren't seeking You and Your will above all else. My prayer is that they will be reminded that it all starts with Your righteousness, and that is where their focus should always be. I pray that they will start fresh today seeking You and will begin their journey of a new life with You at the center of it. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
I came across this passage in a devotional I read recently. In the devotional, the writer talked about David's desire to have a single focus on the Lord and being in His presence. It made me think a bit (which is always a good thing when studying God's Word). That's really all we need.
Jesus talked about having this single focus in His Sermon on the Mount. He said, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need" (Matthew 6:33). Often times, when I or someone I know is having issues with anxiety creeping in, I will share this passage with them. It always helps me to remember that no matter what I am dealing with or going through, as long as my focus remains on God, everything else will be ok.
Things may not always go the way I, or any of us, plan them to, but that's ok because God has much better thoughts and plans than us (Isaiah 55:8). He will never let us down, and He will always love us. But we have to do our part if we want Him to bless us.
How do we do our part? It all starts with obedience. It's one thing to pray and ask God for guidance and direction. But we have to follow that guidance and direction when He leads us. If we pray for it, and then say, "Well that doesn't make sense to me so I can't do it," or, "That doesn't work for me right now," then what was the point of praying? To get God to agree with what we already had in mind? He doesn't work that way.
One thing I have really been trying to work on these last few months, has been my obedience. I have always been one of those that has a tendency to ask God for something, with the intention of obeying if He tells me what I want to hear. I have to regularly remind myself that it doesn't work that way. God didn't send Jesus to the cross and say, "If they love me, I will sacrifice You." He sacrificed Him in the hopes that we would love Him, but with no guarantee. He sacrificed because He loved us (John 3:16).
We should be willing to be obedient because we love Him, and want to please Him. Showing God our love for Him through obedience to Him and loving others as He loves us, is our way of showing that we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Having that single focus on seeking His will and being obedient to Him is really all we need to get started and to know that we are on the right path.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for reminding me to stay focused on You and Your love above all else. I trust that everything will fall into place the way You want it to, and the way it needs to be, when I focus on seeking You and Your righteousness every day. I pray for those that aren't seeking You and Your will above all else. My prayer is that they will be reminded that it all starts with Your righteousness, and that is where their focus should always be. I pray that they will start fresh today seeking You and will begin their journey of a new life with You at the center of it. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, October 10, 2014
Kickin It Up A Notch
Romans 5:20 - God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant.
One of God's awesome qualities (and there are too many to count), is His unending love for us, His children. Since He first created man, He has given us chance after chance to be made right by Him. It's true that He has punished some for their transgressions, but He has to. He can't let sin go unchecked.
But our chances at redemption far outweigh anything else in abundance. Jesus' words in the Gospel of John tell us that the enemy comes to take us away from God's love by stealing, killing, and destroying our joy and hope, but that God has come to give us life abundantly (John 10:10). Because He loves us. He gave us a demonstration of that love by going to the cross and taking our sins upon Himself.
We all sin. That's been part of the human condition since Adam and Eve tore into the apple in the Garden of Eden. But God has repeatedly given us a way out since then. He could have easily destroyed Adam and Eve for breaking the one rule He gave them. But He didn't. He gave them clothes to wear and allowed them to live (Genesis 3:21).
David, who is known as a man after God's heart, repeatedly wrote of God's faithful and enduring love. 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 117:2, and all of Psalm 136 (among many others) remind us that God loves us faithfully and eternally.
When we sin and separate our selves from God, He doesn't give up on us. He gives us numerous opportunities to confess and repent of our sins and return to Him. That's abundant grace. That's abundant love. It's very easy for us to think, "Well I screwed up, there's no way He will take me back now." But that's simply not true. Paul told us that God is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). I love how he used the words, "far more abundantly beyond." That's first century language for way way way way way way more than we could ever think possible.
He has showed that to us throughout human history. The recurring theme in the old testament when God's people messed up was God repeatedly showing His love to His chosen people to bring them back to Him. Whenever they messed up, He kicked it up a notch to show them that He loved them more than they could screw up. He sent Jesus to show them, and all of us, what we had been missing.
That doesn't sound like a God that just likes to strike people down when they make mistakes. That sounds like a gracious Father that loves His children enough to discipline them when He needs to, but show them even more love after He does so.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me when I was separated from You. Thank You for increasing Your love for me so that I couldn't help but feel it and recognize it for what it was. I have been blessed by Your unfailing and enduring love, and I pray that I will remain in Your love forever. I pray for those that haven't felt Your love in their hearts and their lives. My prayer is that You will increase Your love, so that they can no longer ignore how great You really are, and how great Your love really is. I pray that they will confess their sins, and return to Your loving arms for eternity. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
One of God's awesome qualities (and there are too many to count), is His unending love for us, His children. Since He first created man, He has given us chance after chance to be made right by Him. It's true that He has punished some for their transgressions, but He has to. He can't let sin go unchecked.
But our chances at redemption far outweigh anything else in abundance. Jesus' words in the Gospel of John tell us that the enemy comes to take us away from God's love by stealing, killing, and destroying our joy and hope, but that God has come to give us life abundantly (John 10:10). Because He loves us. He gave us a demonstration of that love by going to the cross and taking our sins upon Himself.
We all sin. That's been part of the human condition since Adam and Eve tore into the apple in the Garden of Eden. But God has repeatedly given us a way out since then. He could have easily destroyed Adam and Eve for breaking the one rule He gave them. But He didn't. He gave them clothes to wear and allowed them to live (Genesis 3:21).
David, who is known as a man after God's heart, repeatedly wrote of God's faithful and enduring love. 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 100:5, Psalm 117:2, and all of Psalm 136 (among many others) remind us that God loves us faithfully and eternally.
When we sin and separate our selves from God, He doesn't give up on us. He gives us numerous opportunities to confess and repent of our sins and return to Him. That's abundant grace. That's abundant love. It's very easy for us to think, "Well I screwed up, there's no way He will take me back now." But that's simply not true. Paul told us that God is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). I love how he used the words, "far more abundantly beyond." That's first century language for way way way way way way more than we could ever think possible.
He has showed that to us throughout human history. The recurring theme in the old testament when God's people messed up was God repeatedly showing His love to His chosen people to bring them back to Him. Whenever they messed up, He kicked it up a notch to show them that He loved them more than they could screw up. He sent Jesus to show them, and all of us, what we had been missing.
That doesn't sound like a God that just likes to strike people down when they make mistakes. That sounds like a gracious Father that loves His children enough to discipline them when He needs to, but show them even more love after He does so.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for loving me when I was separated from You. Thank You for increasing Your love for me so that I couldn't help but feel it and recognize it for what it was. I have been blessed by Your unfailing and enduring love, and I pray that I will remain in Your love forever. I pray for those that haven't felt Your love in their hearts and their lives. My prayer is that You will increase Your love, so that they can no longer ignore how great You really are, and how great Your love really is. I pray that they will confess their sins, and return to Your loving arms for eternity. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, October 9, 2014
A Little Tongue Tied
Nehemiah 2:4-5 - The king asked, "Well, how can I help you?" With a prayer to the God of Heaven, I replied, "If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried."
Ever get tongue tied when you try to talk to someone? It could be about anything. Maybe you meet an attractive woman (or man) and you just can't get the right words out. You try, but it sounds something like, "jdlksfahfsdkl firuiewourjrl." What do you do in that situation? If you're like me, you do what any sensible person would do in that situation. You find the lamest excuse to leave and get the heck out of there, right? (If you said no, we'll talk about lying another time).
What if you're sharing the Gospel with someone? Especially if you're sharing it with someone who may not want to hear it and tries to challenge every aspect of what you are telling them. Jesus talked about this when He said, "And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don't worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said" (Luke 12:11-12).
As we all know, everyone's an authority, right? Those who have never heard one peep about the Gospel but challenge it because they were told it was not true, have all the facts, don't they? I know before I came to know Jesus Christ, I had all the answers, didn't you? (If you said no, we'll talk about lying another time).
One time, not that long ago, someone was challenging me on some aspect of the Gospel. They made a good argument regarding their case against Jesus, and I didn't have a response. I sat there staring at them trying to find the words to say. All I came up with was, "fjjkdsljhfkla;f urioewur." Or something to that effect. I eventually told them I would have to look into what they said and get back to them. But I felt stupid. I should have had the answer, shouldn't I?
Not necessarily. When we get tongue tied like this, the best thing we can do is pray for God to give us the words. They're His Words anyway, so let Him explain them through us by the power of His Holy Spirit. We aren't the ones saving people, He is. We're just the conduit for His Holy Spirit to work through.
In this passage, Nehemiah was scared, even terrified (Nehemiah 2:2). He didn't know how to respond to the king, who it turns out just wanted to help him. So what did he do? He prayed to the God of Heaven. Whenever I read about the Apostle Peter being so...free speaking...(I didn't want to say bumbling), I think to myself, "He should have probably prayed before he opened his mouth." (See Matthew 17). However, that's one of the things that I love about Peter. He's so much like me. Oftentimes, I catch myself in one of those situations where my mouth moves faster than my brain, and I blurt out stuff that makes me cringe afterwards. I think we all do that. (If you say you don't, we'll talk about lying another time).
I love God's promise to give us the words we need to say at the right time. That's just another way for Him to show us how much He loves us and wants to use us for His work. I don't mind getting tongue tied so much, because God has shown me the best way to untie my tongue. All we have to do is ask for His help, and He is faithful to help us.
Abba Father, thank You for helping me through those tough situations when I can't find the right words to say. I know I haven't always been faithful in coming to You for help, but I am grateful that You have always been faithful to help when I did come to You. I pray that I will remember to come to You in prayer first so that I will have the words You want me to say on the tip of my tongue, and through the power of Your Holy Spirit, someone can be saved by the power of hearing Your Word and Your Spirit stirring in their hearts. I pray for those that get tongue tied like a lot of us do. My prayer is they will seek Your help in untying their tongues, and through Your power and Your Word, they can be a conduit for the work of Your saving grace. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Ever get tongue tied when you try to talk to someone? It could be about anything. Maybe you meet an attractive woman (or man) and you just can't get the right words out. You try, but it sounds something like, "jdlksfahfsdkl firuiewourjrl." What do you do in that situation? If you're like me, you do what any sensible person would do in that situation. You find the lamest excuse to leave and get the heck out of there, right? (If you said no, we'll talk about lying another time).
What if you're sharing the Gospel with someone? Especially if you're sharing it with someone who may not want to hear it and tries to challenge every aspect of what you are telling them. Jesus talked about this when He said, "And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don't worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said" (Luke 12:11-12).
As we all know, everyone's an authority, right? Those who have never heard one peep about the Gospel but challenge it because they were told it was not true, have all the facts, don't they? I know before I came to know Jesus Christ, I had all the answers, didn't you? (If you said no, we'll talk about lying another time).
One time, not that long ago, someone was challenging me on some aspect of the Gospel. They made a good argument regarding their case against Jesus, and I didn't have a response. I sat there staring at them trying to find the words to say. All I came up with was, "fjjkdsljhfkla;f urioewur." Or something to that effect. I eventually told them I would have to look into what they said and get back to them. But I felt stupid. I should have had the answer, shouldn't I?
Not necessarily. When we get tongue tied like this, the best thing we can do is pray for God to give us the words. They're His Words anyway, so let Him explain them through us by the power of His Holy Spirit. We aren't the ones saving people, He is. We're just the conduit for His Holy Spirit to work through.
In this passage, Nehemiah was scared, even terrified (Nehemiah 2:2). He didn't know how to respond to the king, who it turns out just wanted to help him. So what did he do? He prayed to the God of Heaven. Whenever I read about the Apostle Peter being so...free speaking...(I didn't want to say bumbling), I think to myself, "He should have probably prayed before he opened his mouth." (See Matthew 17). However, that's one of the things that I love about Peter. He's so much like me. Oftentimes, I catch myself in one of those situations where my mouth moves faster than my brain, and I blurt out stuff that makes me cringe afterwards. I think we all do that. (If you say you don't, we'll talk about lying another time).
I love God's promise to give us the words we need to say at the right time. That's just another way for Him to show us how much He loves us and wants to use us for His work. I don't mind getting tongue tied so much, because God has shown me the best way to untie my tongue. All we have to do is ask for His help, and He is faithful to help us.
Abba Father, thank You for helping me through those tough situations when I can't find the right words to say. I know I haven't always been faithful in coming to You for help, but I am grateful that You have always been faithful to help when I did come to You. I pray that I will remember to come to You in prayer first so that I will have the words You want me to say on the tip of my tongue, and through the power of Your Holy Spirit, someone can be saved by the power of hearing Your Word and Your Spirit stirring in their hearts. I pray for those that get tongue tied like a lot of us do. My prayer is they will seek Your help in untying their tongues, and through Your power and Your Word, they can be a conduit for the work of Your saving grace. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
It's Really Not That Complicated
Romans 4:4-5 - When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.
As consumers, don't we love free stuff? Whenever we watch an infomercial, our ears tend to perk up when we hear they are adding something for free to go with the treadmill we don't really need because we probably won't use it much anyway, right? But what's the first question we ask when we find out we are getting something for free - "What's the catch?"
As human beings, trust doesn't come easy for us. Many of us have been jaded by those that have hurt us by violating our trust, so we tend to keep things we are unsure of at arms length.
Accepting God's free gift of salvation is one of those instances when we are naturally inclined to ask that question. What's the catch? It's really not that complicated. It's free. Well what does it cost? It costs us nothing. Jesus already paid for it. Well I don't get it, why would God offer me something that's so great, but not make me earn it? Because He loves you. Well the last person that said they loved me cheated on me. Well God doesn't do that. He's not capable of anything other than unfailing love that lasts forever. I don't get it. Well it's really not that complicated.
God's design for us was always to be in intimate relationship with Him. Just because we screwed it up, doesn't mean He changed His mind. He doesn't do that. He still wants that relationship with us. But we have to choose to accept it. When we were separated from Him because of our sin, He sent His Son to die on the cross and take on the punishment that was rightfully ours. All because He loved us, and wants to spend eternity with us. It's not as complicated as we try to make it.
Ever have that conversation (or something similar to it) with someone you tried to share the Gospel with? I have. I had it with myself when I came to know Jesus Christ. I could not accept that I didn't have to work at it. I was leery of people, and didn't believe that anything came free. But it's true that this does (yes I talk to myself - all the time - and so do you).
Paul makes the great point in this passage of Romans about Abraham being counted as righteous because of his faith, and not because of anything he did. In Genesis 12, God called Abram. In Genesis 15:6, we are told, "Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him righteous because of his faith." But wait, what did Abram do to be called by God? Nothing. He didn't have to earn it. None of us do. We are all called by God to be in intimate fellowship with Him.
If Abram would have had to do something to earn his calling, don't you think that would have been mentioned in Genesis 12? I think that would be some pretty important information, don't you? God wouldn't have left something like that out. He doesn't do things accidentally, and He wouldn't have spent all this time telling us one thing just to tell us, "Psyche!" when we get to Heaven.
Throughout the Bible we are told that it takes faith to be counted as righteous. Jesus told us that it only takes faith the size of a mustard seed and anything would be possible (Matthew 17:20). God will do the watering to grow the mustard seed. We just have to be willing to put our plants underneath his spigot full of love, grace, and mercy. It's really not that complicated.
Dear Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for providing me a way into Your arms that I didn't have to earn. I am eternally grateful for Your grace and mercy, and I pray that my faith will produce good works of love. I pray for those that have kept You at arm's length because they are struggling with the same issues of trust in You that we have all had at one time or another. My prayer is that someone will be able to get through to them by the power of Your Holy Spirit and they will see that they really don't have to earn anything, they just have to believe. I pray that if I can be used for that purpose, I will be obedient to Your call. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
As consumers, don't we love free stuff? Whenever we watch an infomercial, our ears tend to perk up when we hear they are adding something for free to go with the treadmill we don't really need because we probably won't use it much anyway, right? But what's the first question we ask when we find out we are getting something for free - "What's the catch?"
As human beings, trust doesn't come easy for us. Many of us have been jaded by those that have hurt us by violating our trust, so we tend to keep things we are unsure of at arms length.
Accepting God's free gift of salvation is one of those instances when we are naturally inclined to ask that question. What's the catch? It's really not that complicated. It's free. Well what does it cost? It costs us nothing. Jesus already paid for it. Well I don't get it, why would God offer me something that's so great, but not make me earn it? Because He loves you. Well the last person that said they loved me cheated on me. Well God doesn't do that. He's not capable of anything other than unfailing love that lasts forever. I don't get it. Well it's really not that complicated.
God's design for us was always to be in intimate relationship with Him. Just because we screwed it up, doesn't mean He changed His mind. He doesn't do that. He still wants that relationship with us. But we have to choose to accept it. When we were separated from Him because of our sin, He sent His Son to die on the cross and take on the punishment that was rightfully ours. All because He loved us, and wants to spend eternity with us. It's not as complicated as we try to make it.
Ever have that conversation (or something similar to it) with someone you tried to share the Gospel with? I have. I had it with myself when I came to know Jesus Christ. I could not accept that I didn't have to work at it. I was leery of people, and didn't believe that anything came free. But it's true that this does (yes I talk to myself - all the time - and so do you).
Paul makes the great point in this passage of Romans about Abraham being counted as righteous because of his faith, and not because of anything he did. In Genesis 12, God called Abram. In Genesis 15:6, we are told, "Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him righteous because of his faith." But wait, what did Abram do to be called by God? Nothing. He didn't have to earn it. None of us do. We are all called by God to be in intimate fellowship with Him.
If Abram would have had to do something to earn his calling, don't you think that would have been mentioned in Genesis 12? I think that would be some pretty important information, don't you? God wouldn't have left something like that out. He doesn't do things accidentally, and He wouldn't have spent all this time telling us one thing just to tell us, "Psyche!" when we get to Heaven.
Throughout the Bible we are told that it takes faith to be counted as righteous. Jesus told us that it only takes faith the size of a mustard seed and anything would be possible (Matthew 17:20). God will do the watering to grow the mustard seed. We just have to be willing to put our plants underneath his spigot full of love, grace, and mercy. It's really not that complicated.
Dear Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for providing me a way into Your arms that I didn't have to earn. I am eternally grateful for Your grace and mercy, and I pray that my faith will produce good works of love. I pray for those that have kept You at arm's length because they are struggling with the same issues of trust in You that we have all had at one time or another. My prayer is that someone will be able to get through to them by the power of Your Holy Spirit and they will see that they really don't have to earn anything, they just have to believe. I pray that if I can be used for that purpose, I will be obedient to Your call. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen!
God Bless!!!
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Psst...Pass It On
Ezra 7:6 - This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the Lord his God was on him.
Twice in these first nine verses of this chapter of Ezra we read how the gracious hand of the Lord was on Ezra (verses 6 & 9). Why is that? What made Ezra so special that this gets pointed out to us twice like that?
Could it be that God just really liked him? Perhaps. Could it be a way to show that God loves to protect His faithful servants? I'd say that's definitely a big part of it. So what made Ezra such a faithful servant? The answer, I believe, lies in the beginning of Verse 6 and 10. In Ezra 7:10 it says, "This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel."
It wasn't just that Ezra sought to know God and be in an intimate relationship with Him. It was also because he passed on the Word of God to the people. He didn't hoard the message, he shared it. When I came across this passage, I was reminded of Jesus' conversation with Peter on the shore after His resurrection. In John 21:15-17, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. He then told him to feed and take care of His sheep. How was Peter supposed to do that? By sharing the Word of God.
After Peter's denials of Jesus, while he was moping about in the fishing boat, God gave him the opportunity to redeem himself by sharing the Gospel with others. Peter was obviously one of Jesus' favorites despite his bumbling ways, and Jesus had great plans for Peter.
Jesus is the Word of God as we all know (John 1). His Word and His promise of salvation give us the nourishment we need to live (John 4:32,34). The best part of this promise, is that it is for everyone. While Peter was tasked with taking His message to the Jews, salvation was always intended for everyone. Paul mentioned this in his letter to the Romans. He said, "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are" (Romans 3:22). Paul also told us that God is not just the God of the Jews, but the God of the Gentiles also (Romans 3:29).
God's promises of His unfailing love and salvation for everyone were never meant to be kept a secret for a select few. We should be willing to share it with anyone who wants to listen. That is how we finish the work that Jesus Christ started so long ago. It's easy to think we have nothing in common with the stranger we pass on the street, or to think we have nothing to say to someone we don't know. But we do. Start with John 1 and pass it on.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your promises of unfailing love and salvation for all who believe. Thank You for the opportunity You give me every day to feed your lambs. I pray for the opportunity to boast of Your goodness and Your love. I pray for those that don't know You. My prayer is that they will hear about You, and respond to Your message by coming into a relationship with You. If I can be used for that purpose, I am Your willing servant. I pray that others will be willing and obedient to pass on Your message, and share You with as many people as possible. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Twice in these first nine verses of this chapter of Ezra we read how the gracious hand of the Lord was on Ezra (verses 6 & 9). Why is that? What made Ezra so special that this gets pointed out to us twice like that?
Could it be that God just really liked him? Perhaps. Could it be a way to show that God loves to protect His faithful servants? I'd say that's definitely a big part of it. So what made Ezra such a faithful servant? The answer, I believe, lies in the beginning of Verse 6 and 10. In Ezra 7:10 it says, "This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel."
It wasn't just that Ezra sought to know God and be in an intimate relationship with Him. It was also because he passed on the Word of God to the people. He didn't hoard the message, he shared it. When I came across this passage, I was reminded of Jesus' conversation with Peter on the shore after His resurrection. In John 21:15-17, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. He then told him to feed and take care of His sheep. How was Peter supposed to do that? By sharing the Word of God.
After Peter's denials of Jesus, while he was moping about in the fishing boat, God gave him the opportunity to redeem himself by sharing the Gospel with others. Peter was obviously one of Jesus' favorites despite his bumbling ways, and Jesus had great plans for Peter.
Jesus is the Word of God as we all know (John 1). His Word and His promise of salvation give us the nourishment we need to live (John 4:32,34). The best part of this promise, is that it is for everyone. While Peter was tasked with taking His message to the Jews, salvation was always intended for everyone. Paul mentioned this in his letter to the Romans. He said, "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are" (Romans 3:22). Paul also told us that God is not just the God of the Jews, but the God of the Gentiles also (Romans 3:29).
God's promises of His unfailing love and salvation for everyone were never meant to be kept a secret for a select few. We should be willing to share it with anyone who wants to listen. That is how we finish the work that Jesus Christ started so long ago. It's easy to think we have nothing in common with the stranger we pass on the street, or to think we have nothing to say to someone we don't know. But we do. Start with John 1 and pass it on.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your promises of unfailing love and salvation for all who believe. Thank You for the opportunity You give me every day to feed your lambs. I pray for the opportunity to boast of Your goodness and Your love. I pray for those that don't know You. My prayer is that they will hear about You, and respond to Your message by coming into a relationship with You. If I can be used for that purpose, I am Your willing servant. I pray that others will be willing and obedient to pass on Your message, and share You with as many people as possible. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Monday, October 6, 2014
The Best We Can
Luke 19:26 - " 'Yes,' the king replied, 'and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.' "
Do you ever wonder if you are doing the best that you can with the gifts that God has blessed you with? I think a lot of us do. I know I sure do. I think about it every day.
Over time, I have accepted that God doesn't expect me to be perfect, and He doesn't expect me to do everything. As a perfectionist, this is hard to accept sometimes. He didn't give me the talent to do everything. He gave all of us certain talents to use to spread the Word of His Gospel message to those who need to hear it. The problem I have always had, is that I always feel as though I am not doing enough.
I always feel like I could be doing more. Since I'm not, I start to question whether I am doing what I do properly. When I don't hear answers, I tend to question what I'm doing even more. But something struck me when I read this passage this morning. The reason I don't hear the answers I'm looking for, is because I'm not asking the right questions. Instead of me asking God if I'm doing all I can, I should be asking if I'm being faithful with what I am currently doing.
It's not for me to figure out what more I can do. That's what God does. He will give us all more to do when He is satisfied that we have been faithful in what He has tasked us to do. If I wanted to to be a long distance runner (which I would never want to do), but I wasn't able to walk, that would be a problem. God may want me to be a long distance runner at some point, but He wants me to learn how to walk first. He wants me to build up the strength in my legs and lungs so that I can get to where He wants me to be. He will always give me what I need to succeed as long as I'm being faithful and obedient to following His steps. Therein lies the key.
Following His steps is hard to do. God doesn't work on our timetable, and for someone who struggles with patience as I do, it's hard to wait for Him to show me the next step. Part of Him building me towards the next step of where He wants me to be, is building my patience. God doesn't just focus on building one aspect of our gifts and talents, He focuses on building them all, we just don't realize it at the time.
One thing we have to be weary of are distractions. Anything that distracts us from serving our purpose for God's Kingdom is both a danger and helpful at the same time. It's dangerous for the obvious reasons, but how is it helpful? It's helpful, because it shows us that we are on the right path. The enemy wouldn't bother tempting or distracting us if we weren't.
Nehemiah caught on to his enemies plans when he was trying to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. His reply to his enemies who were trying to take him away from his work and were plotting his death was a great one. In Nehemiah 6:3 he said, "I replied by sending this message to them: "I am engaged in a great work, so I can't come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?" I love his response. He recognized that they were trying to kill him, which also reinforced his belief that his work was for the Lord, and was therefore more important than anything they could say or do to him.
Do you ever feel distracted from following God's plan? That's a good sign if you are. That also means that we need to work harder to resist the enemy's distractions and stay focused on God's work for His Kingdom, and do the best we can at the task He has assigned us. The more we are faithful with, the more He will trust us with.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that I need to keep focused on You for the work You are doing in and through me. Please give me the patience as well as the tools I need to remain obedient to You, and not try to speed things up according to my timetable. I know that You will make me ready when You are ready for me to take the next step. I pray for those that are struggling with these same issues. My prayer is that they will see that nothing is done by their own strength, and that they need to remember to trust in You for everything. I pray we will resist the distractions of the enemy and focus on the great work You have for us all. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Do you ever wonder if you are doing the best that you can with the gifts that God has blessed you with? I think a lot of us do. I know I sure do. I think about it every day.
Over time, I have accepted that God doesn't expect me to be perfect, and He doesn't expect me to do everything. As a perfectionist, this is hard to accept sometimes. He didn't give me the talent to do everything. He gave all of us certain talents to use to spread the Word of His Gospel message to those who need to hear it. The problem I have always had, is that I always feel as though I am not doing enough.
I always feel like I could be doing more. Since I'm not, I start to question whether I am doing what I do properly. When I don't hear answers, I tend to question what I'm doing even more. But something struck me when I read this passage this morning. The reason I don't hear the answers I'm looking for, is because I'm not asking the right questions. Instead of me asking God if I'm doing all I can, I should be asking if I'm being faithful with what I am currently doing.
It's not for me to figure out what more I can do. That's what God does. He will give us all more to do when He is satisfied that we have been faithful in what He has tasked us to do. If I wanted to to be a long distance runner (which I would never want to do), but I wasn't able to walk, that would be a problem. God may want me to be a long distance runner at some point, but He wants me to learn how to walk first. He wants me to build up the strength in my legs and lungs so that I can get to where He wants me to be. He will always give me what I need to succeed as long as I'm being faithful and obedient to following His steps. Therein lies the key.
Following His steps is hard to do. God doesn't work on our timetable, and for someone who struggles with patience as I do, it's hard to wait for Him to show me the next step. Part of Him building me towards the next step of where He wants me to be, is building my patience. God doesn't just focus on building one aspect of our gifts and talents, He focuses on building them all, we just don't realize it at the time.
One thing we have to be weary of are distractions. Anything that distracts us from serving our purpose for God's Kingdom is both a danger and helpful at the same time. It's dangerous for the obvious reasons, but how is it helpful? It's helpful, because it shows us that we are on the right path. The enemy wouldn't bother tempting or distracting us if we weren't.
Nehemiah caught on to his enemies plans when he was trying to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. His reply to his enemies who were trying to take him away from his work and were plotting his death was a great one. In Nehemiah 6:3 he said, "I replied by sending this message to them: "I am engaged in a great work, so I can't come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?" I love his response. He recognized that they were trying to kill him, which also reinforced his belief that his work was for the Lord, and was therefore more important than anything they could say or do to him.
Do you ever feel distracted from following God's plan? That's a good sign if you are. That also means that we need to work harder to resist the enemy's distractions and stay focused on God's work for His Kingdom, and do the best we can at the task He has assigned us. The more we are faithful with, the more He will trust us with.
Dear Lord, thank You for reminding me that I need to keep focused on You for the work You are doing in and through me. Please give me the patience as well as the tools I need to remain obedient to You, and not try to speed things up according to my timetable. I know that You will make me ready when You are ready for me to take the next step. I pray for those that are struggling with these same issues. My prayer is that they will see that nothing is done by their own strength, and that they need to remember to trust in You for everything. I pray we will resist the distractions of the enemy and focus on the great work You have for us all. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Friday, October 3, 2014
That's A Little Personal, Isn't It?
Jeremiah 1:5 - "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations."
One of the biggest things I really love about God, is the personal interest and care He gives to all of us. He could have easily treated us like a factory of robots to carry out His will on earth, but He doesn't work like that. He has taken a personal interest in every single person that has ever walked this earth. Even those who refuse to believe in and acknowledge Him are known intimately by Him.
What really put this on my heart today, was a recent discussion about the story of Hagar in the book of Genesis. The interesting thing about this person, is that she was never intended to be a part of God's plan for building up the nation of Israel. She was injected into the story because of Sarah's desire to speed up God's plan according to her timetable.
Sarah had a plan to use Hagar to accomplish God's purpose, but God didn't. Since He won't violate free will, He allowed the plan to continue. But Sarah's jealousy caused her to send Hagar away twice (Genesis 16 and 21). Both times, Hagar was about to die during her travels. But God intervened and rescued her and her son both times. Why?
Because regardless of our plans, God still has His plans, and they are always better than ours (Isaiah 55:8). Ishmael was never intended to be part of God's plan to build the nation of Israel. So what purpose did he serve? To build a rival nation that would constantly be at war with Israel? That's one way to look at it.
But the real purpose, I believe, was for Him to show His glory by His protection of His chosen people. Yes, the nation that grew from Ishmael would be at war with Israel constantly, but God has used that conflict to show His great power and protection over Israel. We all serve a purpose for God's glory and Kingdom.
Ever have someone stand a little closer than you'd like? Whether it's intentional or not, when someone invades your personal space, it's a little uncomfortable isn't it? Drives me crazy sometimes. That's how God is with His chosen people - which includes all of us. He likes to get up close and personal with us, so that He can show not just those that don't believe how much He loves and cares for us, but so He can show us how much He loves and cares for us. Sometimes we need that reminder that He really does love us, and that He really is there looking out for our best interests.
He doesn't fault us for being human and having doubts sometimes. He made us that way. He made us that way so that we would rely on Him for love and protection. They say that it's not polite to talk about politics or religion in certain situations. Why? Because it makes some people uncomfortable. They feel that you're getting a little too personal.
I think that when it comes to finding out where they stand in their relationship with God is very personal. And that's exactly what we should be doing. Jesus commanded us to go into the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). He didn't say, "Don't get personal about it." We have to get personal. That's what God does, and that's what He expects of us. How can we share the Gospel with someone if we don't know where they stand. This doesn't mean we can be rude or abrasive about it. It should always be done in love, but it should always be done.
If we ask someone where they stand in their relationship with Jesus Christ and they respond by saying, "That's a little personal, isn't it?" The answer should be, "Yes it is." God took a personal interest in us long before we were ever a gleam in our parent's eyes. Shouldn't we be doing the same for His children.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving and caring for me in an intimate and personal way. Thank You for thinking of me long before I was ever formed in my mother's womb, and having a great plan for me since time began. I pray that I will fulfill Your commission to spread Your Word to anyone that needs to hear it. I pray that I can show them how much of a loving and personal God You are. I pray for those that don't know You. My prayer is that they will come to an intimate love relationship with You through the power of Your Holy Spirit. I pray that I can be used as a conduit for Your light to shine and that I will be obedient to Your call. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
One of the biggest things I really love about God, is the personal interest and care He gives to all of us. He could have easily treated us like a factory of robots to carry out His will on earth, but He doesn't work like that. He has taken a personal interest in every single person that has ever walked this earth. Even those who refuse to believe in and acknowledge Him are known intimately by Him.
What really put this on my heart today, was a recent discussion about the story of Hagar in the book of Genesis. The interesting thing about this person, is that she was never intended to be a part of God's plan for building up the nation of Israel. She was injected into the story because of Sarah's desire to speed up God's plan according to her timetable.
Sarah had a plan to use Hagar to accomplish God's purpose, but God didn't. Since He won't violate free will, He allowed the plan to continue. But Sarah's jealousy caused her to send Hagar away twice (Genesis 16 and 21). Both times, Hagar was about to die during her travels. But God intervened and rescued her and her son both times. Why?
Because regardless of our plans, God still has His plans, and they are always better than ours (Isaiah 55:8). Ishmael was never intended to be part of God's plan to build the nation of Israel. So what purpose did he serve? To build a rival nation that would constantly be at war with Israel? That's one way to look at it.
But the real purpose, I believe, was for Him to show His glory by His protection of His chosen people. Yes, the nation that grew from Ishmael would be at war with Israel constantly, but God has used that conflict to show His great power and protection over Israel. We all serve a purpose for God's glory and Kingdom.
Ever have someone stand a little closer than you'd like? Whether it's intentional or not, when someone invades your personal space, it's a little uncomfortable isn't it? Drives me crazy sometimes. That's how God is with His chosen people - which includes all of us. He likes to get up close and personal with us, so that He can show not just those that don't believe how much He loves and cares for us, but so He can show us how much He loves and cares for us. Sometimes we need that reminder that He really does love us, and that He really is there looking out for our best interests.
He doesn't fault us for being human and having doubts sometimes. He made us that way. He made us that way so that we would rely on Him for love and protection. They say that it's not polite to talk about politics or religion in certain situations. Why? Because it makes some people uncomfortable. They feel that you're getting a little too personal.
I think that when it comes to finding out where they stand in their relationship with God is very personal. And that's exactly what we should be doing. Jesus commanded us to go into the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). He didn't say, "Don't get personal about it." We have to get personal. That's what God does, and that's what He expects of us. How can we share the Gospel with someone if we don't know where they stand. This doesn't mean we can be rude or abrasive about it. It should always be done in love, but it should always be done.
If we ask someone where they stand in their relationship with Jesus Christ and they respond by saying, "That's a little personal, isn't it?" The answer should be, "Yes it is." God took a personal interest in us long before we were ever a gleam in our parent's eyes. Shouldn't we be doing the same for His children.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving and caring for me in an intimate and personal way. Thank You for thinking of me long before I was ever formed in my mother's womb, and having a great plan for me since time began. I pray that I will fulfill Your commission to spread Your Word to anyone that needs to hear it. I pray that I can show them how much of a loving and personal God You are. I pray for those that don't know You. My prayer is that they will come to an intimate love relationship with You through the power of Your Holy Spirit. I pray that I can be used as a conduit for Your light to shine and that I will be obedient to Your call. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Snowball Effect
Romans 1:29 - Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
When we sin, it has the potential to snowball on us if we are not careful. Ideally, we would rather not sin, but since that isn't possible we have to be careful not to allow them to get worse and worse.
In this section of Romans, Paul brings up the issue of idolatry and sexual sin, and how they eventually steamrolled into other sins for the people. They became apathetic and indifferent towards their behavior, and towards God, and it spiraled out of control.
Now this doesn't mean that if we don't stop sinning that we're going to be out in the streets killing each other. We don't have to kill someone to be a murderer. Jesus pointed out in the Sermon on the Mount that if we're angry with someone, we're just as guilty of murder (Matthew 5:21-22). Well we've all been angry with someone, I'm sure. The key is to confess and repent of our sins as soon as we spot them and not say, "Oh well since it's too late..."
Peter told us that we needed to get rid of all our evil behavior and crave the spiritual milk that will give us the full experience of our salvation (1 Peter 2:1-2). While we still have breath in our lungs, we're going to sin from time to time. At the same time, while we still have that same breath in our lungs, it's not too late to ask for God's forgiveness. This doesn't mean that we have a license to sin. The Bible is very clear on that (Romans 6).
I have had some unresolved sin that creeps up from time to time (a lot more often than I would prefer), and I have noticed recently that when it does worm its way into my life, my attitude changes. Quite a bit too. I've noticed it the last couple of days that my temper and patience were getting shorter, and I was getting angrier about stupid things faster. The sin I was really struggling with created a snowball effect that just turned my whole attitude south.
So how do I get over it? Through training. I have to train my mind and heart better to recognize that when sins start to creep in, I need to stop them in their tracks right away. Paul talked about this in his first letter to Timothy. He said, "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8).
That is what we are doing. Training for godliness and righteousness. We will never achieve it while we're in this world, but in the next one. While we're here we need to be training for it. I have heard it said that if you do something for 21 days, it becomes a habit. What greater habit to have than to pray at the first sign of sin? I was watching a movie once (I know shocking...). In the story, a cop had turned in some fellow cops who were bad. When one of his coworkers got on his case about it, calling him a traitor and all that, he said, "They weren't bad guys, but they compromised and looked the other way once. When you do that one time, it makes it easier to do it again and again."
That is how we need to be in our prayer life when we recognize unresolved sin creeping in. Start with prayer once. Then, when it happens again (and it will!), it becomes easier to spot, and easier to remedy the next time, and the next time. It will create a snowball effect that leads us closer to God.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me where I am falling short. I have confessed my sins to You, and ask for Your forgiveness. I pray for You to give me the strength and wisdom to spot them when they creep in again, so that I may transform my behavior by renewing my mind to stay focused on You. I pray for those that have unresolved sins as well. My prayer is that they will realize that it is not to late to lay them to the foot of Your cross, and ask for Your forgiveness. I pray that we will all do that. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
When we sin, it has the potential to snowball on us if we are not careful. Ideally, we would rather not sin, but since that isn't possible we have to be careful not to allow them to get worse and worse.
In this section of Romans, Paul brings up the issue of idolatry and sexual sin, and how they eventually steamrolled into other sins for the people. They became apathetic and indifferent towards their behavior, and towards God, and it spiraled out of control.
Now this doesn't mean that if we don't stop sinning that we're going to be out in the streets killing each other. We don't have to kill someone to be a murderer. Jesus pointed out in the Sermon on the Mount that if we're angry with someone, we're just as guilty of murder (Matthew 5:21-22). Well we've all been angry with someone, I'm sure. The key is to confess and repent of our sins as soon as we spot them and not say, "Oh well since it's too late..."
Peter told us that we needed to get rid of all our evil behavior and crave the spiritual milk that will give us the full experience of our salvation (1 Peter 2:1-2). While we still have breath in our lungs, we're going to sin from time to time. At the same time, while we still have that same breath in our lungs, it's not too late to ask for God's forgiveness. This doesn't mean that we have a license to sin. The Bible is very clear on that (Romans 6).
I have had some unresolved sin that creeps up from time to time (a lot more often than I would prefer), and I have noticed recently that when it does worm its way into my life, my attitude changes. Quite a bit too. I've noticed it the last couple of days that my temper and patience were getting shorter, and I was getting angrier about stupid things faster. The sin I was really struggling with created a snowball effect that just turned my whole attitude south.
So how do I get over it? Through training. I have to train my mind and heart better to recognize that when sins start to creep in, I need to stop them in their tracks right away. Paul talked about this in his first letter to Timothy. He said, "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8).
That is what we are doing. Training for godliness and righteousness. We will never achieve it while we're in this world, but in the next one. While we're here we need to be training for it. I have heard it said that if you do something for 21 days, it becomes a habit. What greater habit to have than to pray at the first sign of sin? I was watching a movie once (I know shocking...). In the story, a cop had turned in some fellow cops who were bad. When one of his coworkers got on his case about it, calling him a traitor and all that, he said, "They weren't bad guys, but they compromised and looked the other way once. When you do that one time, it makes it easier to do it again and again."
That is how we need to be in our prayer life when we recognize unresolved sin creeping in. Start with prayer once. Then, when it happens again (and it will!), it becomes easier to spot, and easier to remedy the next time, and the next time. It will create a snowball effect that leads us closer to God.
Dear Abba Father, thank You for showing me where I am falling short. I have confessed my sins to You, and ask for Your forgiveness. I pray for You to give me the strength and wisdom to spot them when they creep in again, so that I may transform my behavior by renewing my mind to stay focused on You. I pray for those that have unresolved sins as well. My prayer is that they will realize that it is not to late to lay them to the foot of Your cross, and ask for Your forgiveness. I pray that we will all do that. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Finally Included
Romans 1:6 - And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Christ Jesus.
Called to belong to Christ. Reading those words really makes me feel good. It always feels good to be included with a group, doesn't it?
For someone like me, who has always despised being labelled, it actually feels good to finally have one. I never liked having labels assigned to me, because I never felt like I fit in with any certain crowd. And it wasn't like I was trying to be some sort of rebel to society either. Believe me, I tried to fit in with various groups in my life. A little too much at times.
Finally, I have found a group to belong to that has promise. We all have that promise when we accept the free gift and calling from God to belong to Christ Jesus. Some people have a problem accepting that call. I did for a long time. I mistakenly believed for many years that I didn't have anything to offer the group. But as I began to develop my relationship with Jesus Christ, at arms length mind you, I saw the truth that He didn't call me because I was ready to contribute. He called me when He was ready to grow me into the person that I was always supposed to be.
It's still a growing process, and I know that Jesus is fine with that. He doesn't want me to change overnight, because He knows that I am not built for that. I, like all of us, am a work in progress to be completed on the day when we meet Jesus (Philippians 1:6). While I have come to understand that Jesus doesn't expect me to be perfect overnight, I still have to remember not to place undue pressure on myself if the progress isn't happening as fast as I would like it to. I have to keep my eye on the prize that is found in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:14).
He has kept His eye on all of us for so long. And He will continue to do so until the last person is reached with this Good News and is saved. But what do we do in the mean time? How do we contribute to the group that we have finally been included in?
It starts with developing our relationship with Jesus Christ. Reading and studying His Word daily will help us grow closer to Him, because so much of Him and His character and His plan is revealed in Scripture. Prayer is another important step. Paul tells us to never stop praying, and be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). That's a tough one sometimes. It's hard to be thankful when you just lost your job. But trust that God has greater things for you that He hasn't revealed yet (Jeremiah 33:3). Pray for others too. Pray for those that don't know Christ yet. Pray for those that have fallen on really hard times. Pray for the orphans, the widows. They are all God's children, and all need to be cared for (James 1:27). Help people. Never turn down a request from someone because they can't return the favor. Jesus reminds us of this a few times in the Gospel. We should be more willing to help people because they can't return the favor (Luke 14:12-14).
Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. This is not some systematic way to earn your salvation. That is something that can't be earned, but is a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). These are things we should be doing because we have received the free gift from God, and without the good works, our faith is dead (James 2:26). If we aren't showing our faith to everyone, then we have missed the message of God's Word.
Some people don't know where to start, and feel overwhelmed. I know I didn't know either, and I believe that overwhelming feeling is common. I would suggest starting with prayer and Bible study. Ask God what He wants you to do. Ask Him how He wants you to do it. The Apostle Paul told us, "And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others" (2 Corinthians 9:8). Paul was referring to cheerful giving. And not just of our tithes and offerings. We have so much more to give than money. Some have no money to give, but we have all been blessed with spiritual gifts that God wants us to use to bless others.
Ask Him how He wants you to do that. He will reveal the answer to You, because You have been included in His group. The most rewarding group that has ever existed.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for including me in Your group. Thank You for always keeping Your eye on me, and for redeeming me from the life I had before I knew You. I pray that I will remember that I have been set apart for Your Kingdom, and that I will keep my eyes on Your prize. I pray that we all will demonstrate our faith in love towards others. I pray that we will all share our spiritual gifts that You have blessed us with to others in love. I pray that those who don't know You will take that first step towards salvation by inviting You into their hearts and lives, and begin to live a more fulfilling life in service to Your Holy Kingdom. Thank You for including us all in Your plan. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
Called to belong to Christ. Reading those words really makes me feel good. It always feels good to be included with a group, doesn't it?
For someone like me, who has always despised being labelled, it actually feels good to finally have one. I never liked having labels assigned to me, because I never felt like I fit in with any certain crowd. And it wasn't like I was trying to be some sort of rebel to society either. Believe me, I tried to fit in with various groups in my life. A little too much at times.
Finally, I have found a group to belong to that has promise. We all have that promise when we accept the free gift and calling from God to belong to Christ Jesus. Some people have a problem accepting that call. I did for a long time. I mistakenly believed for many years that I didn't have anything to offer the group. But as I began to develop my relationship with Jesus Christ, at arms length mind you, I saw the truth that He didn't call me because I was ready to contribute. He called me when He was ready to grow me into the person that I was always supposed to be.
It's still a growing process, and I know that Jesus is fine with that. He doesn't want me to change overnight, because He knows that I am not built for that. I, like all of us, am a work in progress to be completed on the day when we meet Jesus (Philippians 1:6). While I have come to understand that Jesus doesn't expect me to be perfect overnight, I still have to remember not to place undue pressure on myself if the progress isn't happening as fast as I would like it to. I have to keep my eye on the prize that is found in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:14).
He has kept His eye on all of us for so long. And He will continue to do so until the last person is reached with this Good News and is saved. But what do we do in the mean time? How do we contribute to the group that we have finally been included in?
It starts with developing our relationship with Jesus Christ. Reading and studying His Word daily will help us grow closer to Him, because so much of Him and His character and His plan is revealed in Scripture. Prayer is another important step. Paul tells us to never stop praying, and be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). That's a tough one sometimes. It's hard to be thankful when you just lost your job. But trust that God has greater things for you that He hasn't revealed yet (Jeremiah 33:3). Pray for others too. Pray for those that don't know Christ yet. Pray for those that have fallen on really hard times. Pray for the orphans, the widows. They are all God's children, and all need to be cared for (James 1:27). Help people. Never turn down a request from someone because they can't return the favor. Jesus reminds us of this a few times in the Gospel. We should be more willing to help people because they can't return the favor (Luke 14:12-14).
Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. This is not some systematic way to earn your salvation. That is something that can't be earned, but is a free gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). These are things we should be doing because we have received the free gift from God, and without the good works, our faith is dead (James 2:26). If we aren't showing our faith to everyone, then we have missed the message of God's Word.
Some people don't know where to start, and feel overwhelmed. I know I didn't know either, and I believe that overwhelming feeling is common. I would suggest starting with prayer and Bible study. Ask God what He wants you to do. Ask Him how He wants you to do it. The Apostle Paul told us, "And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others" (2 Corinthians 9:8). Paul was referring to cheerful giving. And not just of our tithes and offerings. We have so much more to give than money. Some have no money to give, but we have all been blessed with spiritual gifts that God wants us to use to bless others.
Ask Him how He wants you to do that. He will reveal the answer to You, because You have been included in His group. The most rewarding group that has ever existed.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for including me in Your group. Thank You for always keeping Your eye on me, and for redeeming me from the life I had before I knew You. I pray that I will remember that I have been set apart for Your Kingdom, and that I will keep my eyes on Your prize. I pray that we all will demonstrate our faith in love towards others. I pray that we will all share our spiritual gifts that You have blessed us with to others in love. I pray that those who don't know You will take that first step towards salvation by inviting You into their hearts and lives, and begin to live a more fulfilling life in service to Your Holy Kingdom. Thank You for including us all in Your plan. In Jesus' name, Amen!
God Bless!!!
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