Paying It Forward

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." Phil 2:12 & 13

 
Have you ever done something nice for someone who didn't really appreciate it? Have you ever performed a gesture of kindness only to realize that the person on the receiving end didn't care, or wasn't reciprocal? Not feeling appreciated isn't the greatest, but we have all experienced this at one time or another.

Have you ever mentored someone, spent hours on a worthy project, or given financial aid, only to learn that the outcome of your help, assistance or support was ineffectual, the project unsuccessful, or the money wasted? It's frustrating and disappointing when these things happen, and we need to be wise about how we help others and where we devote our time. But, no matter the outcome, do you know what? The debt has already been paid.

When things like this happen, it might sting for a bit. But, we shouldn't take it personally - we should instead lay the situation at the foot of the cross. Offense is one of the biggest snares of the enemy for Christians. Bitterness and unforgiveness can hold us captive for a lifetime. But, if we are able to give and love freely (not above our means to do so), we will find comfort in the fact that the debt has already been paid. Judas betrayed Jesus. Jesus knew he was going to do so. He chose him as His follower anyway.

"The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway."-Mother Teresa

We are, in essence, continuously repaying Jesus' burden of love. How can you help? Get to know your neighbor. Be a friend. Be the kind word or give the smile someone needs to hear or see today. Even an authentic smile can change the world.
Are you paying it forward?

Getting Refueled

“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.” –Psalm 19:7

Have you ever felt worn down?  I’m sure we’ve all felt burnt out at one point or another. Just like a car needs gas to go, we need to fill ourselves up with spiritual fuel.

When our lives get hectic and we get stressed, we need to know where to go to get refreshed.  We need to understand that we’re not superhuman – we will eventually run out of steam.  But with God there is unending supply! 

Our connection to Him is like an umbilical cord to that supply, but in order to receive more we need to draw on it.  We need to seek God.  We need to be honest with Him, so no blockages can get in the way.  We need to be filtered through worship, listening to good teaching, and through and the power of repentance so that we can receive all that He has for us.  What’s in you will come out of you… so make sure you’re getting filled up with the right stuff!  Just as we are what we eat physically, our soul and spirit need spiritual food and water so we don’t run dry.  When we’re burning out – it means we need more anointing, just like an oil lamp runs out of light without the oil. Remember the story about the virgins who ran out of oil, awaiting their bridegroom? (Think of the old Sunday school song--give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning, burning burning!) We need to make sure we have plenty of oil on hand so we don’t miss the God-opportunities in our lives.

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.” –Psalm 1:3

How do you get refueled?  It is through the power of prayer, reading the word, worship, fellowshipping with other believers, or all of the above?  A good mix is necessary to ensure we stay fueled.  How are you engaging in getting refueled for your life?

Taking Responsibility for Our Faith

"But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." -Hebrews 5:12-14

There comes a time in our Christian walk when we take responsibility for our faith. We begin to understand that our lives have meaning beyond what we can see right now. We realize it's not all about us, and we feel more confidant in who God made us to be. We've grown up in the knowledge of God and of His character, and we have a better understanding of His will for the earth. We learn to fight for others who may not know God as well as we do.
 
Nehemiah was someone in the Bible who took responsibility for his faith. Check out his prayer to God on behalf of the nation of Israel:

"LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's family, have committed against you. 7 ... Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." Neh 1:5-10

He went on to be the catalyst to begin rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem.
 
We begin to take responsibility when we see a problem, and we realize what it is God has placed in our hands. We don't have to be a certain age or of a certain stature to do this. Whatever it is is a means to bless others. Nehemiah took responsibility by praying and repenting on behalf of the nation of Israel. Then, he backed up his words with action - he began to rebuild the walls.
 
Have you taken responsibility for your faith? Are there things that you can do to act as God's representative and help to redeem the earth? Pray that God will give you the strength to do whatever it is He's called you to do.

Faithful in the Small Things

"But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you." -1 Samuel 12:24

One night, our worship director put us up to a challenge:  “If you’re feeling discouraged, or like you’re hitting a brick wall, let me ask you a question:  Are you doing everything within the area that you’ve been assigned?  Have you exhausted every resource you have available to you? Have you done everything with what you’ve been given?”

There’s a great fact about the American Indians – when they killed a buffalo, they used EVERY single part of that buffalo – from its head to its hoofs.  Nothing was left unused.  They knew that if they were creative, they could make something out of something that seemed useless.  They understood the principle of faithfulness. 

When we are faithful with the things God has entrusted to us, He knows He can entrust us with more.  Have you given God reason to believe that He can entrust you with greater things than that which he’s given you right now?  If you’re feeling frustrated and stuck, is there more you could be doing within “your sphere of influence”?  This might be your job, responsibilities at home, at work, or within your community.  I heard a wise young person say once, “How can I expect God to hand me the keys to culture when I haven’t effectively served my community or my local church?” Now that’s wisdom to take note of! 

How can you be faithful in the small things?  God desires much more for us than what we’re doing right now.  Pray and ask him what you could be doing with all that He’s given to you.  Use what’s in your hand.  He will see that he can entrust you with more. 

The "Real" Thing

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” - John 15:1

What is real? What is 'the real thing?'  Coke® markets itself as “the real thing”.  But is real anything money can buy? What is real to you?

When I was 17, I attended a New Age workshop. I was looking for the 'real' thing- that is, I was looking for an authentic faith experience. I was looking for God.  I had grown up in environments that were pretty religious. But my heart wanted more. I was looking for authenticity - a tangible faith – something that my heart could connect to and not be shut down.

We did all sorts of meditation, Reiki, and visualization techniques in this class. We tapped into the spiritual and soul realm through doing these activities with other people. There were people of all faiths there- as far as religion was concerned, anything went. It was definitely “real”. I could feel the “energy” going on in the room, the spiritual dynamic.  But, several weekends into the class I found myself becoming more and more depressed.  A spirit of heaviness came more and more over my life.  At one point I ran out of the room in tears because I realized that I was allowing something dark into my life.  I knew Jesus at the time, but I had a hard time connecting to Him.  I knew that this wasn’t Him.  It became dark, as quickly as I thought it had been light.  I realized it was counterfeit light, and I needed to get away as quickly as possible for the health of my soul. 

Several months later I attended another Christian church for the first time on my own.  God met me with a powerful worship experience and even put a rainbow on the word screen as confirmation of my attendance there.  (My personal testimony involves rainbows.)  I knew right then that this was where I was supposed to be.  Even though my heart had been calloused from past experiences, I was ready to be made new again.  My heart was open to connecting with God.  And from that day forward, I sought the true God who became “the real thing” to me.

Would you call your experience with God the “real thing”?  If not, why not ask Him, wholly and truly, if He would make Himself more real to you.  He will when you seek Him.  And He promises always to be there when we seek Him. (Matt 7:7) He is the Real Thing.

Do Not Be Afraid

"I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side." -Psalm 3:6

All throughout the scriptures, God informs us that He does not want us to be afraid.  “But isn’t that contradictory?” you might say.  “Doesn’t God want us to fear Him?”  Yes, but that’s a different type of fear.  There are in fact three different types of fear mentioned in the Bible. 

The first comes from the Greek word phobeo.  Phobeo is not a bad type of fear but is described as when someone has seen a heavenly being like an angel or something out of the ordinary. 

The second is eulabeia, which means to have the utmost respect for something, or someone.  This is the appropriate, godly fear we are to have of God, out of respect for Him.  “Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.” -Ecclesiastes 8:13

But, then there is deilia, which means to be timid or cowardly.  This is the type of fear that God doesn’t want us to have – He doesn’t want us to be afraid of anything!  “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” -Romans 8:15

When we understand that we are God’s children, made in God’s image, we understand that nothing can be greater than God in our lives.  We may experience feelings of fear and times of doubt, but ultimately, when God sits on the throne of our lives we will come to realize that nothing is bigger than He is, and He has our best interest in mind.

Is there anything you’re afraid of?  (deilia) Ask God to help you with it, and lay it at the foot of the cross today. We can do anything knowing His love is behind us. 

References: 

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/208685/what_does_the_bible_say_about_fear.html?cat=9

Knowing We're Loved

"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments." -Deuteronomy 7:9
 
"Marriage looks good on you!" came the remark.

I was flattered. I knew it too - I had never felt so loved in all my life, outside of feeling loved by God.

"Thanks," I said, sheepishly. It had been three months since I had gotten married, and I was really soaking in the whole experience. I felt like a sponge! My home family life growing up had been very different from life with my new husband - I was like a thirsty traveler in a desert who had found an oasis of life!

Many of us in the body of Christ have a hard time receiving God's love. Often this is due to our own family backgrounds and experiences. We view God the way we viewed our parents growing up. If our parents were not able to present a godly example, even in a religious home, we are at a loss to know how to relate to God and know how He relates to us and loves us unconditionally. Many of our relationships are based on conditional performance. But, God doesn't work this way.

"The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." - Zeph 3:17 

Do you know without a shadow of a doubt you're loved unconditionally by God? It doesn't give us license to sin, but no matter what we've done, He ALWAYS loves us and wants us to know it. God sent His son so that our sin could be paid for. God's love has no conditions, no parameters, and no boundaries.

Do you know the love that God has for you?

Bridle Your Tongue!

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity." -Proverbs 21:23
 
Did you know what you say defines your life? The Bible says, "Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Prov 18:21) Wow! That's pretty powerful - having the power of life and death in our tongues. But, do we realize what that really means?

As a culture, we're pretty prone to putting ourselves down. "Oh, I'm just stupid." Or "Man, I'm an idiot." The thing that we did may have been stupid, but a stupid move doesn't mean we are stupid. It just means we made the wrong choice. But, when we speak negative words over our lives, we're limiting our potential for growth. We even need to be careful what words we're singing over ourselves when we're singing along to songs on the radio.

"The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit." -Proverbs 15:4
 
Although the Bible talks of specific application of our tongues to our personal lives, it also brings it to a broader perspective.

"When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time." -Proverbs 11:11-13
 
And this is just evil talk! Not even evil deeds. Evil talk turns a city into a ghost town. This "city" could also be a home, a business, a church, or a community. Do you remember a time in your life where negative words pieced the life out of you? Have you ever been hurt by the negative effects of gossip?

Commit today to let no negative words come out of your mouth. With our words, we create our reality, and the reality of others. Set an example for those around you. Encourage others with your words. Please God with the use of your tongue. Praise Him. He gave us our mouths - let's use them to the benefit of God, ourselves, and others.

Thankfulness

 

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." -Colossians 3:15

The best cure for restlessness and lack of contentment is learning to be thankful. 

Contentment doesn't have to do with the stuff we have now, the place we're at, where we want to be, or the person we hope to be - it has to do with a choice that we make in our hearts in the here and now. The Bible says, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise." (Ps 100:4) Thankfulness invites the peace and presence of God.

There is a story of a blind boy who sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were just a few coins in the hat.

"A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up.

A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." I wrote: "Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it." Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?"

What do you have to be thankful for today? 





Source: http://activerain.com/blogsview/1603377/a-parable-about-being-thankful

Happy Christians vs. Angry Christians

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." -John 3:17
 
"The #1 barrier that keeps unbelievers from trusting Jesus is not the Good News but the sinful attitudes of believers." - Rick Warren

Frequently I meet Christians who are caught up in the legalism of their beliefs. The stark contrast between right and wrong is their fuel. Grace in grey areas is difficult for them to grasp. For them, the pursuit of righteousness is so important that their religious views seem to overshadow the importance of building relationships. Religion has become their god.

How does this fit into the model of Christianity? We are called to love others, no matter how different or difficult they may seem. Jesus said this of a prostitute He once met: "Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:47 When we realize how much we've been forgiven, we love more, and are able to forgive more.

Christianity has a P.R. problem today. Many people outside of the Christian faith call us hypocritical, stern, and unloving - mainly a political action group. They see us as hostile and condemning, versus loving and full of joy.*

How are we ever going to change this perception? This is clearly a far cry from the life God has called us to. Jesus said they would know us by the love we have for one another - that includes non-believers too!

In order to change this, each of us needs to make a commitment to be open to God's Spirit, at all times. Once we're saved, the journey has not ended - it is just beginning. We need to be open to being continuously renewed - to becoming more like Jesus.

We need to grow the spiritual fruits of hope, faith, joy, graciousness, and love in our lives. (Gal 5:22, 23) By the evidence of these things in our lives that the world cannot explain, we will be known as "happy" Christians, versus "angry" Christians.




*See the book UnChristian

We Either Are or We Aren’t

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” -Matthew 12:30 NLT

There is a great movie that came out called Grace Unplugged.  The story is about a girl named Grace who wants to pursue her dream to become a singer, and moves away from home to the pop music capital of the world:  L.A.  However, she does it out of frustration with her family - specifically because she is feeling smothered by her dad. 

There are many decisions we make out of the heat of emotion that we will probably regret.  But no matter how bad people treat us or what happens to us in life, we are still responsible for our own actions, and the roads they may take us down.  No one else will be accountable for us when our lives on this earth are over, and so we need to make the best decisions we can - without allowing our emotions to take over.  The decisions we make now will impact us for eternity, and eternity is a long, long time.  

I won’t tell you the ending of the movie, but toward the end, Grace is faced with the reality of where her decisions have taken her.  She comes to a turning point - she has to choose whether she will serve herself and her desires - or if she will choose to serve God and make it right with her family and friends.

The Bible speaks very candidly about the black and white of serving God.  We can’t serve ourselves, the enemy, or money and God at the same time.  We’re either serving God or we’re not.  But the truth is, serving God is much better - in this life and the life to come. 

Are there any areas of your life that you need to give completely over to God?  Surrendering our lives to Him is one of the best things we can do - He is big enough to handle any problem that we face.  We can trust Him to bring our destiny to pass. 

Jesus Already Paid for That

"But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." -Matthew 6:15
 
Have you ever had a hard time forgiving someone? We all experience things in our lives that can cause us to hold unforgiveness against someone else. It is especially difficult if the person who has hurt us continues to do the same things over and over again. So, how do we respond? What can we do? 

Let's imagine for a moment you owned a convenience store. A family member keeps on coming in and taking candy from your store. They don't think it's wrong to steal from you... after all, you're family! It's all free for family, right? But it's making you upset. After all, you have a business to run! Don't they see their actions are causing you to lose money? Don't they want you to be successful? 

Eventually, you tell your family member they're not welcome in your store anymore unless their willing to pay for the merchandise they stole. They don't like it, and they don't come back. Phew! Problem solved, kind of. But, what are you going to do about all the money you lost? Thinking about it still makes you upset. You're not likely to be glad to see the family member at a family gathering any time soon - they didn't even realize the fault of their actions! 

At the end of the night, you're about to close up shop, and a man walks through the door. He buys a coffee, hands you a $1000 bill, and tells you to keep the change. "What?" you say. "I can't take this, it's way more than the coffee you just bought!" 

"I know," says the man. "But I want you to have it. It's my gift to you." 

Overjoyed, you're not sure what to think. This man just made up more than the difference!
Whenever we're faced with situations where we need to forgive, there is a great temptation to hold a grudge. But we need to remember that like the man in the story gave the $1000 bill, Jesus has already paid the price for the other person's sin. We have to give it over to God. When we do, it isn't our problem anymore. But it involves our forgiveness, our letting go - and our trust that God will make up the gap. 

Jesus already paid the price. Will you allow Him to take any hurts you may be experiencing off of your shoulders?

Turning Weaknesses Into Strengths

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." -2 Corinthians 12:9

Each of us has a different personality, complete with its own set of weaknesses and strengths. Some of our weaknesses are natural or physiological weaknesses, such as being either more introverted or extroverted, while other weaknesses are the result of offenses from the past.

It's crucial for us to recognize the difference between these two types of weaknesses; whether it's because it's the way we're naturally wired or the result of wounding. The one can hold us captive in our hearts, (Heb 12:15) while the other is simply a matter of growth. Both can limit our potential. But both, with either forgiveness or openness to change can be overcome.

Consider this: An introverted person can be afraid to speak, but because of their thoughtfulness and perception, can have a lot of great things to say. A shy person who has been shut down in the past by stronger personalities needs to recognize that they too have worth and value.

A "type A" person can be more domineering, but without this direction or initiative, nothing would get done. A person like this who has been hurt will likely try to control outcomes and people. This person with resolved offense will view leadership as management of all that is God's.

A "people person" loves to hang out with others. They are the "life of the party". Sometimes though, they can care too much about what others think - to the point of defining their standards on what helps them gain acceptance. They may be really sensitive. This person with God's perspective in mind will know that they can uphold God's standards for their lives and still be "the life of the party".

A laid-back or happy-go-lucky person may not be very organized, but have a great ability to bring ease and resolution to tense situations. This person may be more predisposed to being lazy or lethargic. But when they recognize this and "go against the grain", they are able to successfully balance their lives with work and play.

Do you know your strengths and weaknesses? Knowing them is a great tool for knowing how to relate and interact with others, and also to develop to the fullest potential yourself, letting God's power shine through you.



References: See Tim LaHaye's Temperament Analysis, also the Call Self-Assessment

Shameless Persistence

"But I tell you this - though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence." -Luke 11:8 NLT
 
Have you ever been persistent about something? I know persistence is hard for me - I tend to shrink away at the first sign of rejection. But, my first marketing job at 23 was selling coupon books door to door. I had to get over my fear of rejection quickly! 

Sara Blakely, creator of Spanx, is an incredible success story. Now a billionaire, she went from selling copy machines to running a multi-billion dollar operation. She recently did an interview on CNN talking about her story. 

When asked what her secret to success was, she said that it was mostly due to her upbringing. "My dad would sit with my brother and I at the dinner table and ask us what we'd failed at that week. I'd say, 'Dad, I tried out for (this or that), and I was horrible!' He'd give me a high-five." She said her father created a culture in their home that true failure was not in doing poorly - it was in not trying at all. 

Later, when she came up with the idea for Spanx, all of the hosiery manufacturers refused to make her product because they thought it was a bad idea. Eventually, she found a man who was willing to give it a shot because his three daughters convinced him it was a good idea. But if Sara had given up, she wouldn't be where she is today. 

"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." -Luke 11:9-10
 
Is there anything you need to persist in? Ask God for the grace to be shamelessly persistent.

Getting Results

"Jesus told them, 'Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.'" -Matthew 11:4,5 NLT
 
Jesus was a "results" kind of person. He wasn't into fooling around. He came for His purpose, to save the souls of men, out of His love for mankind, and the rest is history. I find the way he answered John the Baptist's question about if He was the real Messiah so fascinating. 

"Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor." 

Jesus responds back to John with an elevator speech, of sorts. He doesn't say, "Yes, I am the Messiah." He doesn't ask, "Who are other people saying I am?" His response is all about results! He didn't lead with His title, He led with the results of who He was.
Good grades will get us into better schools and better jobs. Solving problems will get us more opportunities, and career advancement. Getting people results, or real answers to their problems, is the best thing we can do with our time and money. 

Prophecies will cease, but faith, hope, and love, will remain. (1 Cor 13:13) These are the results of a successful Christian life. 

"But wisdom is shown to be right by its results." -Matthew 11:19b NLT

The Living Word

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”  -Hebrews 4:12
I don’t know about you, but when I used to hear the phrase “the living word” I thought it was a little strange.  How can inanimate objects, such as words, become alive? 

As a teenager, reading God’s word was dull and boring.  I didn’t really understand it.  I read the book of Psalms because it comforted me, but other than that, it was difficult for me to read the Bible, even though I wanted to understand it.  It wasn’t until later when some things happened in my life that God began to speak to me through His word, and I began to receive revelation from it. 
There are two ways to receive revelation from the Bible:  Logos and Rhema.  Logos is taking the word literally, in its original historical context.  Rhema is when the scripture applies to us personally, to either a situation we are going through, or a confirmation of something we have already heard from God. It is another layer of revelation in addition to the literal interpretation.
For example, in Matthew 8, we know that Jesus calmed a storm while he was in a boat with His disciples, and He challenged them for their fear and lack of faith.  This is the literal interpretation.  But suppose you are going through something difficult that is making you afraid, a storm of life.  This scripture would be relevant to your situation, and God might give you answers to your situation through the scripture.
Likewise, many people quote Jeremiah 29:11 as their favorite verse.  The literal, or logos interpretation of this verse was that God was saying these words to Israel during a time when they were in captivity under another nation.  But, many people take this verse as a “Rhema” word for them, and it is still true for us today.
Is the word of God alive for you?  Pray that God would help you gain revelation from His word.  He desires that we experience His living word, to help us in our everyday life. 

The Mark of His Presence

Then Moses said to him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here." -Exodus 33:15
 
What's different about you and I as Christians? I think the world is wanting to know. With much emphasis on political activism in the news, many people think that Christianity has had a more negative contribution in recent years than a positive one. (See Barna report here: http://www.barna.org/faith-spirituality/440-americans-describe-christianity-contributions)

But God is not about political activism - although He is about truth. He wants to know you and I. He is about saving souls, and He wants people to know that He loves them, first and foremost, before He begins to fix any of our problems. His love is what fixes us.

David was a man after God's own heart. He wanted God's presence more than anything. He wanted it because He knew it was the most important thing in His life. His God defined him. David knew he would be helpless without God's help. "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me," he said. (Ps 51:11)

More now than ever, we need to be people of His presence - of His love and grace.

The best compliment I have ever received from anyone who was not a Christian was, "What drug are you taking? I want some of that." They meant, "How can you have so much obvious joy in your life without incredible circumstances or being on a narcotic? How can you be at peace in spite of whatever is going on in your life? Why do you seem different? I want some of what you have!"

The defining mark on us that makes us different from the rest isn't our work ethics, morals, or character - anyone can have those, although we should have all of them. It is the mark of His presence.

Do you have the mark of God's presence on your life?

Love Is the Greatest Motivator

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/220279254/

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." -Galatians 6:9 & 10

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." -1 Corinthians 13:13

Do you ever find yourself hunting for motivation some days? The drudgery of life can sometimes make us wonder why we try so hard. Even though some people may have better circumstances than we do, and others may have worse, everyone struggles with a lack of motivation at one point or another. But, what motivation can we rely on that will sustain us through the bumps and curves of life?

When God thought us up before we were born, (Jer 1:5) He knew everything we would need to make the most of our lives here on earth. He knew what we would need to sustain us - He knew what we would need to make our lives count. Most of all, He knew we would need to stay connected to Him, and be sustained by His everlasting love and the salvation of His Son.

Have you ever been in love, or seen someone in love? You'll know that that person will go to any great lengths to show their love to the object of their affection. Love is extremely motivating! Love makes it known that the other person matters to you, a great deal. We feel the most alive when we are in love, or when we feel truly loved by someone we know, love, and trust. How much more are we motivated when we realize that we are the sole object of God's (the author & creator of the Universe) unwavering affection?

Because He loved us, we love others. When we are reminded of His love, we find the motivation we need to serve and bless others with our gifts and talents. Even if we don?t think we have anything to offer, God makes it clear that each thing He creates is valuable - person, creature, or tree. And we are most of all valuable to Him, even more than the sparrows. (Matt 10:31)

Do you need motivation today? Soak up God's promises in His word that He loves you. He wants nothing more than for all of His children to know, receive, and experience His love!

Blameless

"LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart." -Ps 15:1-2
 
All throughout the Bible, the scripture talks about being blameless. What does that mean? Aren't we humans always going to sin?

Living a blameless life has to do with the intention of the heart. "I will be careful to lead a blameless life - when will you come to me? I will walk in my house with blameless heart." -Psalm 101:2
 
When we walk blamelessly before God, it means we try. It means our intention is to do good, and to live a Holy life. It doesn't mean we won't make mistakes, but it means our desire is to honor Him, in everything we do. It means we always try to do the right thing. It means we're on time, and we do things with excellence. It means we act as representatives of Christ for those who do and don't believe. We deal with disappointments, and we don't hold grudges. But, why should we try to live a blameless life? It sure seems like a lot of work!

"My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me." -Ps 101:6 "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." -Ps 84:11
 
Jesus talked about the day His blood would be shed on the cross. He said, "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me." -John 14:30 When we walk a blameless life and the enemy of our souls has "nothing in us", we can walk free of accusation and sin. Satan will always try to trip us up, to get us involved in things where he can have a hold, so that he can bring us down with him. But we are called to live a blameless life, and the church as a whole, to a radiant future: "and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless"(Ephesians 5:27). In order for Jesus to come back, we as a church must walk Holy and blameless.

Is there anything in your life that is keeping you from being blameless? Is there anything you need to bring to the foot of the cross? I pray that God would give us strength and courage to live a blameless life, so that we can in turn be a blessing to Him and to those around us.

Doubt: The Dream Killer

"Jesus responded, 'Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!' Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm." -Matthew 8:26

Doubt is a thing that can stagnate the best of us, or put paralyzing fear in the bravest of us. Often we think in life that having doubt is a smaller problem, but in reality, it's one of the largest. Doubt doesn't get us to heaven; doubt doesn't get us to the fulfillment of God's dream for our life. Only faith does.

When the disciplines were in the boat during the storm, Jesus was asleep. They were enduring the struggle of the storm and were afraid. But the fact of the matter was God was with them, even in the midst of their struggle.

When they called Him up and He calmed the storm, he said, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" and the wind and waves obeyed His command to be calm.
 
Do you need to remember Jesus' encouragement to have faith?  Jesus said we only needed a mustard seed of faith to move mountains in our lives.

"I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." Matthew 17:20  

Our Image in Christ

“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not speak on My own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in Me, who is doing His work.”  -John 14:10

Have you ever found yourself lost in something?  We can often find ourselves lost in movies, entertainment, work, or other activities.  It isn’t wrong to be completely focused on something; in fact God calls us to work diligently and faithfully.

But when something consumes us before God, it can cause identity issues, limiting us from God’s unlimited power and presence in our lives.

Recently I was sitting in church during worship asking God some questions about certain things that were going on in my life.  "Look to Me," I heard Him say. At that moment, a gush of revelation about being "in Christ" came over me. 

"Your image in Me is going to look different than anybody else.  Don’t look to others - look to Me.  I am the source of your true identity."  When we look to Jesus, we don’t look to anything else to find or define ourselves.  We are defined by God and His plan for our lives. We can’t look to others for our identity because God has made us each unique.  It is okay to honor someone who has helped you in your walk, and it is okay to look to an admirable person as a good example.  But, when we cross the line into comparing ourselves and trying to live exactly how they live and do the things they do in order to earn acceptance by others, we are headed for trouble. God made us each uniquely, with a unique call and a unique set of gifts for our life.  This is not to say we do not live blameless, holy lives. 

When we look to Christ, the old image of our old self passes away.  (2 Cor 5:17) We become a new creation in Him.  We are no longer bound by old ways of thinking - we are released to live life to its fullest potential.  Our faith in Christ releases us to pursue all we’ve been given with everything we are.  Our weaknesses are overcome by His image being released in us.    If we are in Him then He is in us - and our true identity with shine through.  We find ourselves in Him.  "Lose your life to find it," (Matt 10:39) means when we lose ourselves in Him we find all we were really meant to be. 

Do you find your image in Christ?  Let Him help you discover all you were meant to be in Him today. 

Quieting Our Souls

"The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

Have you ever felt super stressed out?  Have you ever had a HUGE deadline, or had to do something you were afraid of, or do you have a pressure-filled job?  The world we live in is very much pressure and money driven.  So, how do we find peace and rest for our souls in these types of pressured environments? 

I love the verse above.  There is so much to meditate on.  The prophet Zephaniah is talking about what God is thinking about Israel.  Though they have been away from God, He plans to straighten them out a bit, and then bring His love back to them.  "He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love."  Isn't that such an incredible statement?

The prerequisite for this "quietness through love" is humility.  It says in the previous verses,  "Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord.  The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will never tell lies or deceive one another. They will eat and sleep in safety,  and no one will make them afraid."  (v.12-13)

If we try and try and try in our own strength, we're living in strife and flesh.  We won't experience "rest."  But, if we are able to humble ourselves and put God first, He will provide rest and quietness for our souls.

Are you able to receive God's quieting love?  Spend some time with Him today, and allow Him to quiet your soul.  There is no greater refreshment than being filled with Him. 

How to Stay the Course

"David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God." -1 Samuel 30:6 NLT
 
In the time of Israel when David was fleeing from Saul, David and his men lived in a town called Ziklag, among the Philistines. Once, they came home from going out to battle and found that their enemies the Amalekites had crushed their city and burned it to the ground, taking the women and children with them. 

David and his men were devastated - in fact it says, "They wept until they could weep no more" (verse 4). David was in a precarious position as a leader - his men were talking about killing him. But David found strength in God. The King James version says, "David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."
 
There is no doubt that difficult things will happen to us in this life. Jesus said, "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) How we respond to life determines our destination. 

It is said that 42% of people never read a book after college.* How sad! A spiritual leader once encouraged me to read 3 or 4 chapters of the Bible every day, and there have been many business leaders who have encouraged me to engage in personal development (read personal growth books) for at least 15 minutes a day. 

It is rare that other people will be able to encourage us all of the time. When we focus on "encouraging ourselves in the Lord," and "finding strength in the Lord" like David did, we will find our minds more attuned to solving problems, and we will be better able to deal with the situations that life throws our way. 

Do you encourage yourself daily in the Lord?



*http://www.statisticbrain.com/reading-statistics/

Having Faith for Today

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. -Matthew 21:21

Faith is difficult sometimes. When we're in a tough spot, when things are hard - it's challenging to have faith for situations. Sometimes our problems look so big compared to God, although we know in our minds that God is bigger. That's because our knowledge hasn't translated into faith - into real belief. The Bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen.
 
Faith is not just saying we believe - it's having a sure conviction in our hearts that this or that thing will be accomplished. It is moving past our natural circumstances and into a supernatural dimension, where God's words resonate. Faith is belief we feel in our hearts when we have decided put our complete and total trust in God.
 
Just as we can't live on other people's faith, we can't expect to live today using yesterday's faith. Each day, situation, problem is different, with its own set of challenges. We need new faith every day, for every situation, to get through the tough spots in life. We need God's words to guide us for today. Have you ever thought about it? The Bible says God's mercies are new each day... and we need our faith to be that way too. "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." -2 Corinthians 4:16
 
If you need faith for today, I invite you to pray this prayer: "God, give me faith for _______. I believe that you are bigger than my situation, and you able to do anything!"-and believe in your heart that God is bigger. He will honor your faith - for whatever you encounter!
 
"These (trials) have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." -1 Peter 1:7

One Step At A Time

"The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man's precious possession." - Proverbs 12:27

 

I love the Jordan Sparks song "One Step At A Time". Even if you're not a pop music fan the message is encouraging. When we encounter obstacles in our path, the best thing we can do is keep moving, one step at a time.

Recently our worship director was sharing about how we can get overwhelmed looking at the big picture, when all we really need to do is take a small step towards our goals.

God blesses our diligence; He is moved by our faith. Action accompanies faith.

Matthew Barnett, author of The Cause Within You says, "Never confuse activity with impact." What step can you take toward making a life of bigger impact? Sometimes our dreams and goals can seem so daunting. But we need to start somewhere. Is there a way you can break down your goals into small pieces?

Diligence, patience, and perseverance are what are necessary to keep moving forward. Sometimes this process involves patience with ourselves. Maybe it involves forgiving ourselves and letting go of past regrets that keep us from seeing the light ahead. Most often, fear stands in the way of the goals and dreams that we want to achieve. But just one step toward our goals can give us the confidence we need to take another step.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Are you able to take just one small step toward your goals?

"The only way we get there, is one step at a time." -Jordan Sparks

Living with Eternity in Mind

"'But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." -Matthew 6:20  

Our lives are so short. The Bible says the extent of our lives is like a fleeting shadow. (Ps 144:4) Even still, every life has value. And God brought you and I here for a purpose. What are we doing now that has lasting value? Everything we do has eternal purpose, if we view it as worship to God. What are we doing to create meaning, in our lives, or in the lives of others? Are we living each day with an eternal purpose in mind?
 
There was a story of a man who worked countless hours at his job. He believed in God, but his main focus was on his earthly success. He ran a very large business. When asked what people might say about him at his death he replied, "I've always known someone might ask me that question, but I am still not prepared to answer."
 
When we're young, we generally have more time to live our lives. But, when we're older, we might reminisce on what we could've done differently in our earlier years. Because our time is short, we need to use it wisely, and take thought for our intentions.

Take an inventory of your time and how you spend it. Are there areas in your life you could improve on? What can you do now that will create long-lasting value for you and others? Even by being faithful in mundane tasks and doing them as unto God we are creating meaning and purpose. What other things can we do to keep focus on heavenly rewards? Could we set more time aside for prayer and worship? Could we ask to pray for someone when they're not feeling well, or spend more time with family? Whatever it is, we need to keep in mind the things that last, "where moth and rust do not decay."

What are you doing today that will impact your tomorrow? Are you living with eternity in mind?

Jesus Empathized with Us

"We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin." -Hebrews 4:15

Do you ever have days where you feel like no one else understands?  I'm sure we've all had those days - we feel like the only one who has a less than ideal job, the only one with family issues, the only one struggling with sickness, who is stressed, or the only one who is single or who doesn’t have what we want out of life.

But you know what?  Our God and king has experienced all the things we go through - and even more. Another translation of this verse says, "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin." (NLT)  We may not fully understand how God as man was able to go through the things we experienced, but we know since He lived on earth, He experienced life on life’s terms.  The night before His arrest, Jesus prayed, "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine." (Luke 22:42) I can only imagine what He must have been going through at that time.

Due to Jesus' overcoming death, He gives new life to us.  Could it be that within our struggles, He is working His overcoming life in us? As we overcome difficulty, we can help others overcome as well.  We are never alone in anything we go through - Jesus is right there with us, every step of the way, even if it may not feel like it.

Do you believe that God is with you every step of the way, and understands how you feel?  "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." Hebrews 4:16  God wants us to know that He is with us - and He can help us overcome any obstacle we may face, as we go boldly before His throne of grace. 

Strengthening Our Faith Muscle

"And without faith, it is impossible to please God" – Hebrews 11:6

Do you regularly strengthen your "faith muscle"?  All the time, we need strengthening of our faith.  Just as it’s healthy to go to the gym and build muscle mass, (it prevents osteoporosis) it’s spiritually healthy for us to build our faith muscle. (And, it prevents the drying of our spiritual bones, A.K.A. DISCOURAGEMENT!)  (Ezekiel 37:11)

But, sometimes in life circumstances can get the better of us.  When one thing happens after another, we lose the ability to BELIEVE.  When these times come, we need our brothers and sisters who do have faith for the situation to pray and believe for us.  This will strengthen our faith - even for the most languid in spirit.  We need to continually stay in a place of faith in order to allow God to work.  God cannot work in a situation where there is no faith.  Faith is the precursor to God’s action on our behalf.  It is the fertile ground necessary for the miraculous to occur.  It is in faith that we are "alive in Christ."

Gunnar Olsen, a Christian businessman in Sweden tells a story called "The Plastic Bag Story."  At one time he owned a packing business, and during this time he received a large order for some plastic bags.  After receiving the shipment, the warehouse manager had informed Gunnar that the bags were sealed shut!  On a Friday, they checked all the boxes of bags - and every one of them had melted together.

Well, as you can imagine, it caused quite a panic.  Gunnar’s brother who also worked with him became very upset and Gunnar asked him to go play golf. His brother was incredulous - but Gunnar knew it would not be a good idea for his brother to be around.  He needed to be filled with faith for the situation, and he knew his brother was afraid.

Gunnar and his family went to the warehouse the following Saturday and stood in a circle praying together.  After they had prayed his daughter spoke up, "I think we should pray for the boxes!  God wouldn't want these bags to be sealed." So they did.  They laid hands on all 3,000 boxes of them.

The following Monday, they checked the bags.  They were unsealed, as if nothing had ever happened. 

The enemy wants nothing more than to STEAL our seeds of faith.  If he does that, he knows he can discourage us, and make us feel completely devoid of hope.  But, this is not what God wants for us!  God wants us to be full of faith – all the time!  However, in order to have faith in our lives we must want it – and we must learn to activate it.

Are you strengthening your "faith muscle"?