Giving God the Glory

"The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. "Because you said, 'The Nile River is mine; I made it.'" -Ezekiel 29:9

"I did that."
"I built that."
"Because I deserve it."

In our Western way of thinking, we often think that the reason for our success is just because of us, even if we believe in God.  The mindset that, "It happened because of me," pervades our society.  But, is this really true?

The Bible says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17) Would we be able to have life without Him? 

The Psalmist knew the value of praising God.  "Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness!" Psalm 150:1-2 When we give God the glory in our lives, we put honor where honor is rightfully due.  

"So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant." Joshua 24:13 When we receive an inheritance from God, it is often not by the work of our own hands.  It is simply because of our obedience and God's grace in our lives.

Is there anything you need to give God the glory for in your life?  Even if we think nothing good has happened in our lives of late, we can be grateful for another day, another breath, the sun, the sky, the trees, and most of all, an opportunity to let His love and light shine through us to the world.  He is worthy of all praise.

A New Heart

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations." Ezekiel 36:24-28

You know, when we begin to think about the New Year, there is a lot of talk about New Year’s Resolutions.  In 2007, Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol did a survey of 3000 people to see how many actually fulfilled their New Year’s resolutions.  According to his findings, a staggering 88% of people do not fulfill their New Year’s resolutions.  What does that say about us?  I think it says that only 12% of us keep our promises to ourselves!

Right before the time of Jesus, Israel had been stuck in a cycle of idol worship. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied that the people of Israel would become brand new: “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.”  Ezekiel prophesied the transforming power that Jesus would have in their lives.

Today, this hasn’t changed.  Jesus is changing lives & hearts all over the world, in every nation, in every kind of community!

Have you ever wanted a new heart, or a fresh start? If you want an authentic change in your life, and a new heart, why not ask Him to give you that today, even if you’ve already asked Him into your heart.  God is in the business of giving away new beginnings, because of His son Jesus who died, so that we might be live completely free and unfettered by our past.

Cast Your Cares on Him

"Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28 NLT)

You know, in this world we live in, it is easy to be stressed. There is so much to take care of, so many things that happen - it's amazing we get through some things.   The number of people taking anti-anxiety medication has skyrocketed in America.  According to USA Today, 1 in 5 people take behavioral medications.  Life transitions, illness, difficult family members - sometimes life seems like more than we can bear.

"...the times when you have seen only one set of footprints, is when I carried you." (Mary Stephenson)

I love the footsteps in the sand poem. When I was younger I found it cheesy, but its so true that during difficult times our Heavenly Father carries us, like He would a son or daughter, as we learn to "cast our cares on Him."

I've always imagined the first disciples as happy, exuberant people. From what we read about them, and in spite of much persecution, they seem to have been the most loving, joy-filled people on the planet.

Today we have almost every convenience we could wish for - and in America we can worship as we please without danger.  But with all the stuff and convenience we have, we are still the most stressed out.

Is there anything in your life you need to give to God today? He desires that we give our cares and burdens to Him, because He cares for us so much.

“Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”  (Ps 55:22 NLT)  "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."  (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

Our One True God

"But the LORD is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King! The whole earth trembles at his anger. The nations cannot stand up to his wrath." -Jeremiah 10:10

From the time Israel was released from bondage to Egypt until the time of Jesus, the Israelites struggled with idolatry.  Even though they had been given a set of instructions by Moses (the 10 Commandments), they still rebelled against the guidelines God gave them and set out to live the way they wanted.  As such, they began to worship idols, starting with the golden calf, when Moses was on Mt. Sinai getting these instructions from God.  (Exodus 32)

We humans have always had the same nature, trying to fill the voids in our lives where God should be.  But, the fact of the matter is, God is our only hope.  He is our only TRUE God. And He loves us more than anyone or anything ever could in our entire lives. 

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."  -John 3:16

Too often, we can find ourselves in a similar situation that Israel did.  If we’re not worshipping the one true God, we’re worshipping something.  We were designed for worship!

Is God the only true God in your life?  Ask Him today if there are any idols in your life that may need to be put aside.  Our lives function best when He becomes our one and only God. 

Forgetting the Former Things

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.  Is 43:18-20

Are there things from your past that you keep going back to?  Old mistakes, past regrets, personal failures, or things that you still feel guilt over? Are there things that you need to “forget” or stop dwelling on in your life?

In the Old Testament, when the Israelites were far away from God, rebelling and worshipping other gods, the prophet Isaiah was one of the prophets to call them into account. But, even though the Israelites had done horrible things, (even sacrificing their children to idols! Ezekiel 16:20), God was willing to give them another chance. 

“‘Come now, let’s settle this,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.  Though they are red like crimson,  I will make them as white as wool.’” - Isaiah 1:18

Sometimes we are unable to fully move forward in life because we are continually looking behind us.  Mistakes, regrets, and avoidable circumstances may continue to plague us even after we’ve asked forgiveness and laid it to rest - even against ourselves! But the fact of the matter is, when the past is behind us, and we’ve been forgiven, it really is no more.   Satan wants our past and present to be our future. But God always sees us for who we are becoming.

Are you ready to receive God’s forgiveness, and decide to let go of the “former things”? Pray and ask God to give you the strength and grace to leave the past behind you.  

Fill It With Him

"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy." Ps 5:11

Sometimes things happen in our lives that leave a void.  The death of a loved one, divorce, an estranged child or parent, the loss of a job, a move, or changing friendships can all leave voids in our lives.  Yes, it is okay to grieve, and we should go through the grieving process. But what then?  What can we do about the emptiness we may feel inside?  How can we cope with these losses?

The Bible reminds us, "The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." Ps 28:7

"But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, 'The LORD is great!'"  Ps 40:16

"Those who have been ransomed by the LORD will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness." Is 35:10 & Is 51:11

When we feel something has been taken from us, we need more than ever to go before the throne of grace.  It is by going before God that He can fill us with His presence and fill the void that we feel in our lives.  The good news is, even if our loss was great, He can fill us with his presence and joy far greater than the void - to overflowing!  "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." -Romans 15:13

Is there something missing in your life?  Fill it with God’s presence.  His Presence, joy, and peace are the best replacements for any void we may find in our lives. 

Salty Sweet

"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." -Proverbs 16:24
 
What does it mean to be salty or sweet? A friend of mine put together a website that parallels the internal state of our hearts with flavors. I thought it was such a great way to think about guarding our hearts and making sure we stay at a good balance of "salty" and "sweet"! 

I love being around salty sweet people. To me, this means a person who has an understanding of the love of God in their life, (sweet) and also an understanding of His boundaries and revelation (salty). These two words can also parallel spending time with God, as Mary did, (sweet) and also doing the work of God (salty) - as Martha did. Both are essential components of the Christian life. 

However, sometimes when situations get us down, they can allow us to get bitter or sour, instead of salty or sweet. There are many people in the world who are still dealing with past hurts or wounds unable to get past them. (Unfortunately, many of these people are Christians!) When our circumstances are continuously negative, it is easy to question the good nature of God, and allow our hearts to get bitter or sour. But the truth of the matter is, we must learn to forgive and let go. We mustn't let outside circumstances, people, or things dictate our faith or keep us from experiencing God's love in our lives. If we allow Him to, Jesus can heal those things that can turn us bitter or sour so that we will be cleansed and become salty and sweet instead. We don't need to leave people with a bad "taste" in their mouth! 

Are you salty and sweet, or are there any areas in your life where you are sour or bitter? Pray and ask God to cleanse your heart from any form of sourness or bitterness. He desires that we be continuously filled with His overflowing love and light.



You can check out my friend Toya's website at http://31flavours.weebly.com/what-flavour-are-you.html!

Free Will

"The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, 'You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden - except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.'" -Genesis 2:15-17
 
Did you know that, in the beginning of time, God gave us a very important gift? The gift He gave us wasn't life, or work, or authority, or companionship - although those are very important things that did He give to us. But God gave us something very powerful that most of us don't even realize: He gave each of us the ability to choose. He gave us the gift of free will. 

We may think that we know what free will is, and yes, it is a choice. God could have created us as drones in the garden - robots to do His bidding - (which would have been far easier), but He didn't. "Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.' So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." -Genesis 1:26 & 27
 
However, we as believers do much of the world a disservice when we expect them to abide by the same rules and belief systems that we do. I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "To love is to let go." If a choice is forced upon someone, then it really isn't their choice. But God is a good, loving God, drawing each of us to repentance by His goodness. "Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?" -Romans 2:4 
 
We shouldn't be people who expect the world to live by our standards. Instead, we should be the ones to love and serve the world, creating an example that your best life is lived with God, surrounded by a community of people who love others and want to serve them too. And, most of all, who have really understood what it means to accept Jesus' free unmerited gift of precious eternal life and live in His abundant love, grace, and joy. 

Do you know how powerful this precious gift of free will is? Pray today that you would use your free will to bless and benefit others, so that more and more people could come into relationship with a loving God who cares about them so so deeply.