Tomorrow is Jan 1st, 2012. I pray we find rest and peace in Jesus throughout the New Year, knowing He can be trusted with every detail of our lives. Listen and be blessed.
Confidence in God
According to Websters Dictionary, here is what confidence means;
"Faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way. The quality or state of being certain. A relation of trust or intimacy, reliance on another's discretion."
Everyday life is filled with trials, ups and downs, and the unexpected. People and circumstances change. But it is important for us to remember that our heart is to be focused on Jesus and be certain about God's master plan. Each day God will allow the things that need to happen, in order to accomplish His will in us and in others. Those of us that have received Christ as our Lord and Savior, don't have far to turn for hope because we can trust the Lord and all that happens. He will never leave us.
2 Corinthians 1:7 "We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us."
Hebrew 10:35 "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!"
1 John 5:14-15 "And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for."
Romans 15:13 "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 5:3-5 "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love."
Feeling like God can but won't lift your burden? Trust Him. Are things to difficult to bear? Hold on to Him. Are you in need? Pray to Him. If you don't know why & need wisdom, ask and rest in Him. Do you need a friend and comforter? Turn towards Him. God is love and is always there for you. He can always be trusted so believe in His plans.
Mark 10:27 "Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God."
God I pray for your will to be done and my will to be in line with yours. I pray to trust you in all things even when I can't see the good in it. Help my heart have confidence with all circumstances you allow in my life. I want to trust and follow you.
"Faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way. The quality or state of being certain. A relation of trust or intimacy, reliance on another's discretion."
Everyday life is filled with trials, ups and downs, and the unexpected. People and circumstances change. But it is important for us to remember that our heart is to be focused on Jesus and be certain about God's master plan. Each day God will allow the things that need to happen, in order to accomplish His will in us and in others. Those of us that have received Christ as our Lord and Savior, don't have far to turn for hope because we can trust the Lord and all that happens. He will never leave us.
2 Corinthians 1:7 "We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us."
Hebrew 10:35 "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!"
1 John 5:14-15 "And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for."
Romans 15:13 "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 5:3-5 "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love."
Feeling like God can but won't lift your burden? Trust Him. Are things to difficult to bear? Hold on to Him. Are you in need? Pray to Him. If you don't know why & need wisdom, ask and rest in Him. Do you need a friend and comforter? Turn towards Him. God is love and is always there for you. He can always be trusted so believe in His plans.
Mark 10:27 "Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God."
God I pray for your will to be done and my will to be in line with yours. I pray to trust you in all things even when I can't see the good in it. Help my heart have confidence with all circumstances you allow in my life. I want to trust and follow you.
Dealing with Difficult People
The holidays are here, so a lot of us will be visiting people that may not be on the same page. It can be hard getting together as we think of past memories being difficult. During times like this, its important to focus on the good and to pray for Gods strength and love.
As I write this, I want you to know that I am still working on what God is showing me. But he does have a strategy. One of the ways I can tell that I am still struggling with obeying God is my feelings regarding what scripture says about dealing with difficult people. To me it seems like yucky medicine. None-the-less God’s word is spoken from love, compassion & experience because he has actually done these things for us. His challenge to us is for peace to abound. So we need to ask ourselves, are we up for the challenge of doing things His way?
1. Give as Christ Gives
Galatians 2:20 “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
So we are to make a conscious effort with a loving attitude to make some time for people who seem difficult (giving of our self), and live in harmony and community with them. We can’t control the way they act, only the way we act. When we give to others, it is actually Christ we give to. (Matthew 6:31-32)
2. Be Kind & Compassionate
Luke 6:31-32 “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!”
Luke 6:35-36 "Love your enemies! Do good to them….without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.”
Matthew 5:47 “If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.”
I wouldn't call everyone who seems difficult an enemy, but their attacks need to be dealt with just like that of an enemy. And in reality, the enemy Satan is the one who is actually behind it all anyway. So God is telling us how to be victorious over Satan in these verses.
3. Be a Victor
Luke 6:27-28 "But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.”
How do we show love when we are hurt? We choose to be the victor rather than the victim. To be the victor, we must remember that God is our Father and we are deeply loved. Also, we must think of how we want to show our kids or others what it means to be a Christ follow and love like Jesus. Our kids and others are listening to what we do, more then what we say to them.
Here are some great tips to remember;
Ecclesiastes 10:4b "A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes."
Deuteronomy 20:4 “For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and He will give you victory!'
Ephesians 6:12 “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless."
Romans 8:28-29 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."
Lord, I pray you give us your power to love and a willingness to live out peace on earth with those you have placed beside us. May we keep living for your Glory.
As I write this, I want you to know that I am still working on what God is showing me. But he does have a strategy. One of the ways I can tell that I am still struggling with obeying God is my feelings regarding what scripture says about dealing with difficult people. To me it seems like yucky medicine. None-the-less God’s word is spoken from love, compassion & experience because he has actually done these things for us. His challenge to us is for peace to abound. So we need to ask ourselves, are we up for the challenge of doing things His way?
1. Give as Christ Gives
Galatians 2:20 “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
So we are to make a conscious effort with a loving attitude to make some time for people who seem difficult (giving of our self), and live in harmony and community with them. We can’t control the way they act, only the way we act. When we give to others, it is actually Christ we give to. (Matthew 6:31-32)
2. Be Kind & Compassionate
Luke 6:31-32 “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!”
Luke 6:35-36 "Love your enemies! Do good to them….without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.”
Matthew 5:47 “If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.”
I wouldn't call everyone who seems difficult an enemy, but their attacks need to be dealt with just like that of an enemy. And in reality, the enemy Satan is the one who is actually behind it all anyway. So God is telling us how to be victorious over Satan in these verses.
3. Be a Victor
Luke 6:27-28 "But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.”
How do we show love when we are hurt? We choose to be the victor rather than the victim. To be the victor, we must remember that God is our Father and we are deeply loved. Also, we must think of how we want to show our kids or others what it means to be a Christ follow and love like Jesus. Our kids and others are listening to what we do, more then what we say to them.
Here are some great tips to remember;
Ecclesiastes 10:4b "A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes."
Deuteronomy 20:4 “For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and He will give you victory!'
Ephesians 6:12 “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless."
Romans 8:28-29 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."
Lord, I pray you give us your power to love and a willingness to live out peace on earth with those you have placed beside us. May we keep living for your Glory.
I have Decided to Follow Jesus
In honor of the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted church, please watch this video about one families life that stood up for their faith. Its very moving. Please take a moment and pray for the persecuted church- our family of believers through out the world.
Also visit www.OneWithThem.com .
1 Corinthians 12:26 "If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad."
Where the Streets Have No Name
Watch this video as you read these scriptures. This helped my perspective today. It reminded me of where we are going and whose glory we are seeking- the Lords.
Mat 6:19-21 "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."
Rev 21:21 " The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass."
Isa 60:19 "No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the LORD your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory."
Mat 13:44 "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field."
Rev 21:3-7 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." And the One sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" And then He said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true." And He also said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be My children."
James 1:12 "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."
Colossians 3:2 "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
A Call To Love
It can be so hard to deal with people some times. People can ignore and disrespect you. They can choose to not follow directions, and affect others in a negative way. They can pour on the insults. It can be frustrating when others won’t listen. What do we do?
Whether it’s someone in authority or someone under our supervision, it doesn’t matter because the way we handle things is the same.
• First, we must choose to follow Jesus. Matthew 16:24 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me." We need to ask our self if the battle is worth waging and if so, why. Are we out for our own interest? Are we seeking God's will and plans? Are we choosing to build others up in this?
• Secondly, we need to remember that we are Christ ambassadors and people are watching us to see how we react. Of course we will mess up sometimes, but God has declared us holy and righteous. Are we taking up the cross with harsh or gentle words? Are we teaching with our actions? James 2:17 "So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." So our declaration of Jesus as our Lord is to be demonstrated thru our words and actions. This is probably the most difficult thing to do as a follower of Jesus when hard times or difficult people come around. (I am still working on this.)
• Thirdly, we are to walk a life of love. Ephesians 5:1-2 "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God." Sometimes we have not had great examples in our life of “living a life filled with love”. So thankfully Jesus gave us an example to show us the way to forgive, extend mercy and grace. We can look to the cross for the perfect form of love and God's Word will tell us truth about how to do it.
• Lastly, never stop praying. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19 "Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit." We can have plans for our lives and plans for our kids. Things may not turn out the way we would like. It can be so hard to accept a different way. But God doesn't want us to stop praying for those we love and those we feel are our enemies. We are to keep on striving to love everyone, no matter the circumstances.
Colossians 3:14-15 "Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful."
Lord, I pray that we would remember to be on our knees, looking up at You to be our everything. Anything else will not fill us up or strengthen us the way you do. Please fill us with Your love and grace for all people.
Whether it’s someone in authority or someone under our supervision, it doesn’t matter because the way we handle things is the same.
• First, we must choose to follow Jesus. Matthew 16:24 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me." We need to ask our self if the battle is worth waging and if so, why. Are we out for our own interest? Are we seeking God's will and plans? Are we choosing to build others up in this?
• Secondly, we need to remember that we are Christ ambassadors and people are watching us to see how we react. Of course we will mess up sometimes, but God has declared us holy and righteous. Are we taking up the cross with harsh or gentle words? Are we teaching with our actions? James 2:17 "So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless." So our declaration of Jesus as our Lord is to be demonstrated thru our words and actions. This is probably the most difficult thing to do as a follower of Jesus when hard times or difficult people come around. (I am still working on this.)
• Thirdly, we are to walk a life of love. Ephesians 5:1-2 "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God." Sometimes we have not had great examples in our life of “living a life filled with love”. So thankfully Jesus gave us an example to show us the way to forgive, extend mercy and grace. We can look to the cross for the perfect form of love and God's Word will tell us truth about how to do it.
• Lastly, never stop praying. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19 "Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit." We can have plans for our lives and plans for our kids. Things may not turn out the way we would like. It can be so hard to accept a different way. But God doesn't want us to stop praying for those we love and those we feel are our enemies. We are to keep on striving to love everyone, no matter the circumstances.
Colossians 3:14-15 "Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful."
Lord, I pray that we would remember to be on our knees, looking up at You to be our everything. Anything else will not fill us up or strengthen us the way you do. Please fill us with Your love and grace for all people.
Philosophy vs The Bible
Act 17:11 "The people there were more open-minded than the people in Thessalonica. They listened to the message with great eagerness, and every day they studied the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was really true."
This verse is talking about the Bereans who kept their minds open to hear the things of God. They did not just rely on Paul’s words or their own feelings; they chose to compare everything to God’s word.
There are so many philosophies out there today. Talk shows hosts, commentators and different religions will all have their own way to address issues like abortion, homosexuality, drinking, who God really is and materialism. There are false teachers/pastors that will tell people just what they want to hear which leads to not following God's plans for order and peace. That is why we live in a place of chaos. Pride and sin play roles in this and Satan loves to prey on our character flaws. He is at work today to destroy and cause division.
Some pastors teach that you don’t have enough faith if you don’t get what you want. Isn’t this leaving out things like; 2 Corinthians 12:10 “That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” And Matthew 8:20 But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head." False teachers tell people to name it and claim it. Isn't it more important to seek the will of God then go after our own? He is there to help us pull through whatever hardships we face.
God's ways are the truth. We live for His will to be done, His Kingdom to come. God has great plans and purposes for all of us. Colossians 1:16b “Everything was created through Him and for Him.” The sooner we realize that, the easier it will be to let go of the worlds ways, counterfeit happiness, and serve our Lord Jesus.
People may try to explain their way to greed or sin and justify it according to their own thoughts. They may claim they don’t need saving because they are good people. But the Word of God would say different. Romans 3:23-24 tell us that “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins." God also says in Romans 8:1 "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."
So let’s be like the Bereans, and not rely on our own understandings or a preacher. If we are Christ followers, the best way to know what God says is to read His book, the Bible. It's not just for collecting dust on a shelf. So which will it be…Philosophy or the Bible? Which source makes more sense to go to for advice?
Ephesians 6:12 “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
Lord I pray that whoever reads this would understand how valuable Your Word is and how it will arm us for the battles of this world. I pray that we would all fall in love with your Word more and more each day.
This verse is talking about the Bereans who kept their minds open to hear the things of God. They did not just rely on Paul’s words or their own feelings; they chose to compare everything to God’s word.
There are so many philosophies out there today. Talk shows hosts, commentators and different religions will all have their own way to address issues like abortion, homosexuality, drinking, who God really is and materialism. There are false teachers/pastors that will tell people just what they want to hear which leads to not following God's plans for order and peace. That is why we live in a place of chaos. Pride and sin play roles in this and Satan loves to prey on our character flaws. He is at work today to destroy and cause division.
Some pastors teach that you don’t have enough faith if you don’t get what you want. Isn’t this leaving out things like; 2 Corinthians 12:10 “That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” And Matthew 8:20 But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head." False teachers tell people to name it and claim it. Isn't it more important to seek the will of God then go after our own? He is there to help us pull through whatever hardships we face.
God's ways are the truth. We live for His will to be done, His Kingdom to come. God has great plans and purposes for all of us. Colossians 1:16b “Everything was created through Him and for Him.” The sooner we realize that, the easier it will be to let go of the worlds ways, counterfeit happiness, and serve our Lord Jesus.
People may try to explain their way to greed or sin and justify it according to their own thoughts. They may claim they don’t need saving because they are good people. But the Word of God would say different. Romans 3:23-24 tell us that “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins." God also says in Romans 8:1 "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."
So let’s be like the Bereans, and not rely on our own understandings or a preacher. If we are Christ followers, the best way to know what God says is to read His book, the Bible. It's not just for collecting dust on a shelf. So which will it be…Philosophy or the Bible? Which source makes more sense to go to for advice?
Ephesians 6:12 “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
Lord I pray that whoever reads this would understand how valuable Your Word is and how it will arm us for the battles of this world. I pray that we would all fall in love with your Word more and more each day.
The Missionary's Goal- Oswald Chambers
The+Missionary%E2%80%99s+Goal
I just read this devotional this morning with my kids. We focused in on Matthew 10:24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his masters. This goes along with what we read in church last Sunday in Malachi 1:6a "The LORD of Heaven's Armies says to the priests: "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve?"
So if we are followers of Christ, our will is to be laid down and we need to follow the will of the Father. Even if we don't understand why and even if others are not grateful for what we do. We do God's will because we love Him and want to honor our heavenly Father. :-)
I just read this devotional this morning with my kids. We focused in on Matthew 10:24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his masters. This goes along with what we read in church last Sunday in Malachi 1:6a "The LORD of Heaven's Armies says to the priests: "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve?"
So if we are followers of Christ, our will is to be laid down and we need to follow the will of the Father. Even if we don't understand why and even if others are not grateful for what we do. We do God's will because we love Him and want to honor our heavenly Father. :-)
Unity
Ephesians 2:12b-13 "You were excluded from citizenship...and you did not know the covenant promises God had made...You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ."
Sometimes I talk with people who seem so lost. This past week we had a caller at the Billy Graham Association that called ready to commit suicide. All of us stopped and prayed for the caller. I feel so much sorrow for people who have no hope. But I can look back at my life and remember that same feeling of no hope. God does not want us to be in such despair. He wants us to know the hope we have in Him. He is our hope and wants to be the one we turn to for everything. We can have unity with God.
Ephesians 2:14a,15b 16, 18, 19b "For Christ Himself has brought peace to us...He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in Himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of His death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family."
These verses are for us who have received Christ as our Savior, to remind us to be unified. No matter which Christian denomination, nationality, gender or school we go to, we are all ONE body under Christ. We BELONG to the same Father & have the same Holy Spirit within us because of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. We are not outsiders as the world can make us feel, we are inside the family of God. We are called to worship the one true God, and to love each other with a deep love as Christ ambassadors.
So how do we do this with all of the waves of life, difficult people and sins in our heart? We do this by the means that we have been given. The Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
Ephesians 2:20-22 "Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through Him you ..are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by His Spirit."
How cool is that? We are made the dwelling place where God's Spirit lives. Wow! We no longer have to listen to our sinful nature but are free to obey God's Spirit that desires to work through us. :-)
Lord, I pray that I would be a willing vessel for you. That my sinful ways would not try to get in your way. That you would reign in my heart, mind and soul. That you would help me love others they way you want me to.
Sometimes I talk with people who seem so lost. This past week we had a caller at the Billy Graham Association that called ready to commit suicide. All of us stopped and prayed for the caller. I feel so much sorrow for people who have no hope. But I can look back at my life and remember that same feeling of no hope. God does not want us to be in such despair. He wants us to know the hope we have in Him. He is our hope and wants to be the one we turn to for everything. We can have unity with God.
Ephesians 2:14a,15b 16, 18, 19b "For Christ Himself has brought peace to us...He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in Himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of His death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family."
These verses are for us who have received Christ as our Savior, to remind us to be unified. No matter which Christian denomination, nationality, gender or school we go to, we are all ONE body under Christ. We BELONG to the same Father & have the same Holy Spirit within us because of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. We are not outsiders as the world can make us feel, we are inside the family of God. We are called to worship the one true God, and to love each other with a deep love as Christ ambassadors.
So how do we do this with all of the waves of life, difficult people and sins in our heart? We do this by the means that we have been given. The Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
Ephesians 2:20-22 "Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through Him you ..are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by His Spirit."
How cool is that? We are made the dwelling place where God's Spirit lives. Wow! We no longer have to listen to our sinful nature but are free to obey God's Spirit that desires to work through us. :-)
Lord, I pray that I would be a willing vessel for you. That my sinful ways would not try to get in your way. That you would reign in my heart, mind and soul. That you would help me love others they way you want me to.
Strength
There are times when I feel the Holy Spirit prompting me to do something. So I go ahead and jump in to that idea. As I am starting to do it, I begin to run like a hamster in one of those hamster wheels, thinking I can get somewhere fast. But God’s thoughts, ways and timing are not ours.
Isaiah 55:8 "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”
He has much to teach us and others with each experience He gives us. So it is up to us to lean into our Father and trust Him even when we don’t understand the how, when or why.
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”
Philippians 1:6 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
I have a tendency to get derailed trying to do things in my own strength, which only leaves me exhausted and feeling defeated. But I like the phrase that says; “Do all you can…. And God will do, what you cannot.”
Isaiah 40:31 “But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
So I come back to the Lords feet and hand Him my burdens knowing that He loves me and has a plan and a purpose for my life.
1Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”
1Corinthians 6:17 “But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Romans 7:4 “So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the One who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.”
God is our strength. He is stronger and mightier then anyone or anything. He is our rock and can be trusted to be faithful.
Psalm 68:34 “Tell everyone about God's power. His majesty shines down on Israel; His strength is mighty in the heavens.”
1Samuel 30:6b “But David found strength in the LORD his God.”
Job 12:16 “Yes, strength and wisdom are His; deceivers and deceived are both in His power.
Lord, I pray for Your will to be done in my life and that I would surrender to You no matter what may come.
Chosen
When I was young, my biological father left my mother, my sister and I. It was difficult to feel the hurt of my fathers rejection. It made life rough for awhile because I had a mom that was gone and dealing with so much while she worked to support us. But a few years later, Mom remarried and my second father decided to adopt me.
In middle school, I remember waiting to be chosen for one of the basketball teams that would play during recess. The one thing that no one wanted was to be the last one chosen. Most of the time I was chosen somewhere in the middle, letting out a sigh of relief. I wasn't the best player but was ok.
I think being wanted, or chosen is something everyone yearns for and God put that hole in our heart that only He can fill. In reality, we already have been chosen, FIRST.
Ephesians 1:4-5 "Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure."
These verses make me think of a little pound puppy waiting to be picked. This puppy is filthy and waiting for love and a family to belong to. We are like the pound puppy, filthy in sin, yet chosen. God points to us and says, I want that one. He brings us into His family and washes us clean by the blood of Jesus that covered our sins. That is just what happened when God sent His Son Jesus, to die for our sins and make us spotless in His eyes. :-)
Galatians 4:4-7 "But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children. And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are His child, God has made you His heir."
1Peter 4:8 "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."
Christ died once for all. He is asking us to live not for a way to earn heaven but out of a grateful heart. To follow His example of love and gentleness to have victory over sin.
Lord, I pray for your help to live expressing your kind of love. Only you can give us the power to do this.
In middle school, I remember waiting to be chosen for one of the basketball teams that would play during recess. The one thing that no one wanted was to be the last one chosen. Most of the time I was chosen somewhere in the middle, letting out a sigh of relief. I wasn't the best player but was ok.
I think being wanted, or chosen is something everyone yearns for and God put that hole in our heart that only He can fill. In reality, we already have been chosen, FIRST.
Ephesians 1:4-5 "Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure."
These verses make me think of a little pound puppy waiting to be picked. This puppy is filthy and waiting for love and a family to belong to. We are like the pound puppy, filthy in sin, yet chosen. God points to us and says, I want that one. He brings us into His family and washes us clean by the blood of Jesus that covered our sins. That is just what happened when God sent His Son Jesus, to die for our sins and make us spotless in His eyes. :-)
Galatians 4:4-7 "But when the right time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children. And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are His child, God has made you His heir."
1Peter 4:8 "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."
Christ died once for all. He is asking us to live not for a way to earn heaven but out of a grateful heart. To follow His example of love and gentleness to have victory over sin.
Lord, I pray for your help to live expressing your kind of love. Only you can give us the power to do this.
By Your Side
Psalm 121:1-8 "A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the One who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The LORD Himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever."
Missions
Today I wanted to take a moment to let you know about something God has put on our hearts as a family. We are planning to go to the Dominican Republic (God willing) in Feb. 2012. Here is a link that you can go to for updates: http://servewiththevanterves.blogspot.com
Friend of God
James 2:20-23 "How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith." He was even called the friend of God."
How precious it is to be friends with God. :-)
2 Forces, 1 Joy
Today we read Galatians 5 about our freedom in Christ. How sweet is that! Since Christ loved us and died for us, if we sin today we are already forgiven. :-) We are told that if we try to find favor with God by keeping the law, that we have fallen away from God's grace. But if we live by faith in the Spirit, we receive the promise to be made right with God through faith. And our faith is made evident and expresses itself in love.
In verse 13, we are reminded that we are not given freedom to satisfy our sinful nature, but to serve one another in love. If we are living according to our new life in the Spirit, we won't crave doing sinful things. But we are told that our choices are never free from the conflict of these 2 forces (our sinful nature and the Holy Spirit within us).
If we rely on our intellect and strength, we will make bad choices with consequences. But if we are ready to listen to God through His Word and obey it, discerning the difference between our feelings and the Holy Spirits prompting, then we will be following His lead.
Following our sin leads to: immorality, impurity, lust for pleasure, idolatry, demonic activity, anger, selfishness, pride, envy, drunkenness, partying, and the like. Living this sort of life does not lead to the Kingdom of Heaven.
However, allowing ourselves to be controlled by the Holy Spirit (surrendering our will to His), produces joyful things like: love, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. The coolest part about letting God be in control is that we are free to do all of these things as much as we want, and there is no conflict with the laws of God.
Romans 8:9 "But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christian at all)."
Romans 8:12 "So... you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do." vs 14 "For all who are lead by the Spirit of God are children of God."
I pray that we would all seek the Holy Spirits leading, and feel the joy that only comes by being a child of God. :-)
In verse 13, we are reminded that we are not given freedom to satisfy our sinful nature, but to serve one another in love. If we are living according to our new life in the Spirit, we won't crave doing sinful things. But we are told that our choices are never free from the conflict of these 2 forces (our sinful nature and the Holy Spirit within us).
If we rely on our intellect and strength, we will make bad choices with consequences. But if we are ready to listen to God through His Word and obey it, discerning the difference between our feelings and the Holy Spirits prompting, then we will be following His lead.
Following our sin leads to: immorality, impurity, lust for pleasure, idolatry, demonic activity, anger, selfishness, pride, envy, drunkenness, partying, and the like. Living this sort of life does not lead to the Kingdom of Heaven.
However, allowing ourselves to be controlled by the Holy Spirit (surrendering our will to His), produces joyful things like: love, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. The coolest part about letting God be in control is that we are free to do all of these things as much as we want, and there is no conflict with the laws of God.
Romans 8:9 "But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christian at all)."
Romans 8:12 "So... you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do." vs 14 "For all who are lead by the Spirit of God are children of God."
I pray that we would all seek the Holy Spirits leading, and feel the joy that only comes by being a child of God. :-)
Temptations
Temptations
Romans 6:16 "Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living."
Sometimes we face temptations which seem good for the moment, but they only lead to harm and destruction afterwards. Sometimes we face frustration which can lead to actions we regret. Does the grass look greener elsewhere? Am I manipulating circumstances for my will instead of waiting on God?
We may be tempted to stumble just as David did (2 Samuel 11:2-5), but we can also choose to ask the Enemy to flee.
James 4:7-10 "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor."
He lifts us up when we stop fighting for our way and follow the path that leads to life. How great is our God that He would desire to bring us such goodness while we are still being sanctified (made holy).
Jesus was even tempted and said “Get away from Me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to Me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” Matthew 16:23
Remember that temptations are not from God, they are from our own desires. These desires can entice us and drag us away from God’s path. If we do not surrender these thoughts, they lead to sinful actions. If these actions grow, they lead to death. (James 1:13-15)
The Enemy wants to strike us where we are weak, when we are emotionally and physically vulnerable. God’s Word will give us strength. True obedience is seen when the opportunity for disobedience is available and we turn towards God. God wants to bless us as we seek to be wholeheartedly devoted to Him. The Enemy would love for us to turn to our own way of thinking so that he can keep us from the peace we have in Christ.
We are to protect our eyes. Matthew 6:22-23 "Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
We are to guard our heart. Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Our heart is to be devoted to God and to the loved ones He has blessed us with.
We are to avoid impurity, greed & vulgarity. Ephesians 5:2-4 “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.”
2 Timothy 4:5 “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.”
"Living Above Your Circumstances" by Chip Ingram
"Living Above Your Circumstances." by Chip Ingram was a great study! :)
Here is a link to get it Living Above Your Circumstances
Change & Adversity
Sometimes life feels like a roller coaster and we are wearing a blind fold. With every twist and turn the unknowns can cause our heart to drop in despair, wondering when the ride will come to a stop.
The truth is that everything is constantly changing and we are not in control of our circumstances but we can be in control of our way of thinking during hard times. We are to cry out to God because we know He loves us and He is good. It is thru thanking God and having a heart of gratitude that we will stop focusing on what we don't have and see what we do have. If we can go thru suffering with joy, we can be part of directing glory to God and suffering with Christ. We were not promised a comfortable life but we will have the hand of God to hold on to.
God's grace is sufficient and He is unchangeable. In God’s Word He tells us to have strength and know that He loves us deeply.
1 Chronicles 28:20a “Be strong and courageous…. Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
Mat 6:31-33 "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."
Matthew 11:28 “Then Jesus said, "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Psalm 68:19 “Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day He carries us in His arms.”
Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Jeremiah 31:3 "I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself."
From these verses God gives us encouragement, assurance, rest & speaks of holding us in His arms. God wants us to have peace and loves us with an everlasting love. We have limited vision of temporary things but God sees the future and knows all things.
We can find joy in the Lord.
Psalm 28:7 "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."
Lord I pray that we place our trust in you and rise above circumstances to a place of peace. You are our rock and our salvation. Thank you that you love us so much.
Love
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." NLT
Since God is love, try reading the above scripture and inserting "God" every time it says "love" or "it" to understand more about who God is.
I did a word study on this verse today to think about what love really means. Here are some words that I looked up.
Patient- enduring pain or delay without complaint
Kind- gentle, generous
Jealous- resentfully suspicious or envious
Envy- discontent over another's advantages
Boastful- talk with too much pride
Pride- Too high of an opinion of self. Satisfaction in ones achievements.
Proud- Haughty. (Not to be confused with Highly pleased with)
1 John 2:16 "For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world."
Demand- Strong request, requirement
Rude- Coarse (vulgar/offensive) Crude, impolite
Irritable- Easily angered or annoyed
Record- written account of
Wrong- not just or correct
Injustice- not right
In the NIV version of the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:7 says; "Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Always- Continually, at all times
Protects- Shields from harm
Trusts- Belief in
Hopes- Trusts that what is wanted will happen
Hebrew 11:1 "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."
Perseveres- Continues in spite of difficulties
God gave us a free will to love Him and to love others. God's love is outward not inward towards self. Love should not be confused with lust. God is selfless and His kind of love is the opposite of our sinful nature. It's impossible for us to have this Godly love for others without His help. God doesn't expect anything back. So the more we become like Jesus, the more we show others the love of God.
I guess we need to ask ourselves: "Am I following Christ with love towards others?"
Lord, I fail at your kind of love daily. I pray you would give me the ability to love like you love. Amen
1 Corinthians 13:13 "Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love."
While I'm Waiting
Philippians 2:16 "Hold firmly to the Word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless."
Forgiven
Heb 10:21-22 "And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water."
Homosexuality
As believers in the Lord Jesus, we need to know what the scripture has to say about homosexuality. God is very clear on this topic & He is not okay with it. God loves us sinners, but will not tolerate on-going refusal to turn from our own desires that keep us in sin.
Romans 8:6 "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace."
Romans 1:26-27 “That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
Proverbs 5:22-23 “An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness.”
Yet God has a plan for every one of us sinners to get to heaven through the death of His Son, our acceptance of His gift of grace and our repentant hearts to turn from sin. Homosexuality is a choice just like lying, cheating, stealing, and murder. A sin is a sin. God tells us to use self control and live in the Spirit abiding in Him, not by our old sin nature. Continual sin only leads to more sorrow and separation from the peace we can have with the Lord.
John 3:16-17 "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. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him."
Since we all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, let us extend grace to others struggling with this issue and help people realize their need for Jesus as their Savior too.
Romans 3:22-24 “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. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.”
May we live a life that is devoted to His Glory.
Romans 8:6 "So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace."
Romans 1:26-27 “That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
Proverbs 5:22-23 “An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness.”
Yet God has a plan for every one of us sinners to get to heaven through the death of His Son, our acceptance of His gift of grace and our repentant hearts to turn from sin. Homosexuality is a choice just like lying, cheating, stealing, and murder. A sin is a sin. God tells us to use self control and live in the Spirit abiding in Him, not by our old sin nature. Continual sin only leads to more sorrow and separation from the peace we can have with the Lord.
John 3:16-17 "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. God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him."
Since we all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, let us extend grace to others struggling with this issue and help people realize their need for Jesus as their Savior too.
Romans 3:22-24 “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. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.”
May we live a life that is devoted to His Glory.
Attitude is Everything
Have you ever heard this phrase before; “Attitude is everything?” After reading Romans 13 today I was reminded that my attitude counts a lot. Ouch! This leads me to think about the actions I do without a great attitude. In the song “Amazing Grace,” it says “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.” I know that I sin each day but thankfully God continues to forgive me, as I turn to Him with a sincere heart.
In Romans, Paul talks about our attitudes being important because they lead to actions. If we have an attitude of frustration, bitterness, defeat, or envy? It could lead to unkind words, a lack of love, failure or isolation. What if I have the attitude of honor, respect and love for others? The attitude of love, patience, contentment, & victory in Christ can lead to fruitfulness and can produce peace and fulfillment as by-products.
Romans 13:7-8 “Give to everyone what you owe them… and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God's law.”
Romans 13:14 “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”
Abiding in the Spirit means making an effort to remain in the presence of God, obeying Him, and enduring life as we trust Him and wait for His timing. All of these actions start with an attitude of loving God first and living life with a grateful heart for all that Christ did for us.
Lord I pray that my life would be less about me and more about you. I pray for a heart of gratitude that leads to less concern for my own desires. Father thank you so much for Your Grace.
In Romans, Paul talks about our attitudes being important because they lead to actions. If we have an attitude of frustration, bitterness, defeat, or envy? It could lead to unkind words, a lack of love, failure or isolation. What if I have the attitude of honor, respect and love for others? The attitude of love, patience, contentment, & victory in Christ can lead to fruitfulness and can produce peace and fulfillment as by-products.
Romans 13:7-8 “Give to everyone what you owe them… and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God's law.”
Romans 13:14 “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”
Abiding in the Spirit means making an effort to remain in the presence of God, obeying Him, and enduring life as we trust Him and wait for His timing. All of these actions start with an attitude of loving God first and living life with a grateful heart for all that Christ did for us.
Lord I pray that my life would be less about me and more about you. I pray for a heart of gratitude that leads to less concern for my own desires. Father thank you so much for Your Grace.
Chris Sligh - One
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
John 13:35 "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples."
Trust God & His Plans
Do you ever find yourself working at doing good deeds in order to please God, only to face trials in life? We can go to church, be a volunteer, tithe and be kind, but none of this will ever change the course of Gods plans. The good news is that even though we may not like trials, we serve a God that is using all things for our good.
To God, our faith is more precious than gold.
1 Peter 1:7 “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
Romans 3:28 “So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”
Hebrew 11:6 “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”
We may have many blessings in life, but some days we might not understand why we got dealt the deck of cards we hold. This can cause discouragement and make us forget how loved we really are by God. God proved His great love for us on the cross.
Romans 5:8 “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
So if we doubt God’s plans or have a lack of faith, we have a choice to make. Will we believe what the Bible says about God’s love for us and all the richness that He gives us through compassion, patience, provision, friendship, trustworthiness, unfailing love and goodness? Or will we develop our own ways and timing to work out problems?
Our faith in God is what we rest in, not what we see…no matter the cards we have been dealt this moment. God wants our humble obedient hearts to believe in His love for us. So by faith we can rise above the ups and downs we face because we know the motive of the One who determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”
Here is what David had to say about trusting the Lord:
Psalm 52:8-9 “But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God's unfailing love. I will praise You forever, O God, for what You have done. I will trust in Your good name in the presence of Your faithful people.”
May we all trust in the Lord by faith and find peace.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
To God, our faith is more precious than gold.
1 Peter 1:7 “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
Romans 3:28 “So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”
Hebrew 11:6 “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”
We may have many blessings in life, but some days we might not understand why we got dealt the deck of cards we hold. This can cause discouragement and make us forget how loved we really are by God. God proved His great love for us on the cross.
Romans 5:8 “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
So if we doubt God’s plans or have a lack of faith, we have a choice to make. Will we believe what the Bible says about God’s love for us and all the richness that He gives us through compassion, patience, provision, friendship, trustworthiness, unfailing love and goodness? Or will we develop our own ways and timing to work out problems?
Our faith in God is what we rest in, not what we see…no matter the cards we have been dealt this moment. God wants our humble obedient hearts to believe in His love for us. So by faith we can rise above the ups and downs we face because we know the motive of the One who determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”
Here is what David had to say about trusting the Lord:
Psalm 52:8-9 “But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God's unfailing love. I will praise You forever, O God, for what You have done. I will trust in Your good name in the presence of Your faithful people.”
May we all trust in the Lord by faith and find peace.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
A Gracious Heart
As I think about how I work with people, sometimes I get frustrated & impatient inside. The stresses of life can make me overwhelmed and it can be hard to have the right heart attitude when speaking with others. But God is full of grace towards me.
2 Timothy 1:9 “For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time—to show us His grace through Christ Jesus.”
As a parent, there are days when my kids don’t work so well together. This can make my heart jump into “fix it quick mode”, which basically means speak loud or yell to get the wanted response. After I mess up, my heart tells me and I am reminded of all that God is doing to be patient with me.
Romans 6:1-4 “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”
God is working at transforming us through people and circumstances. Satan wants hardship to make us cave in to despair or sin. God wants trials to help us grow as followers in Christ.
Lamentations 3:22-24 “The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!"
Sometimes just taking a break, a deep breath, or a time out to think can help. Other times just remembering how blessed we are to be forgiven daily can help us be more gracious at heart. God might not have the same plans or timing in mind that we do. So our job is to surrender to the Lord’s plans, just as Christ did. I want to be thankful for all of God’s gifts, as I strive to be slow to anger, gentle in spirit and filled with the compassion that I receive.
Hebrews 4:15-16 “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. 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.”
Psalms 116:5 “The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.”
Ephesians 4:2 "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love."
Having a gracious heart means being kind even when its not deserved, just as we receive unmerited favor through Christ.
2 Timothy 1:9 “For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time—to show us His grace through Christ Jesus.”
As a parent, there are days when my kids don’t work so well together. This can make my heart jump into “fix it quick mode”, which basically means speak loud or yell to get the wanted response. After I mess up, my heart tells me and I am reminded of all that God is doing to be patient with me.
Romans 6:1-4 “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of His wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”
God is working at transforming us through people and circumstances. Satan wants hardship to make us cave in to despair or sin. God wants trials to help us grow as followers in Christ.
Lamentations 3:22-24 “The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!"
Sometimes just taking a break, a deep breath, or a time out to think can help. Other times just remembering how blessed we are to be forgiven daily can help us be more gracious at heart. God might not have the same plans or timing in mind that we do. So our job is to surrender to the Lord’s plans, just as Christ did. I want to be thankful for all of God’s gifts, as I strive to be slow to anger, gentle in spirit and filled with the compassion that I receive.
Hebrews 4:15-16 “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. 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.”
Psalms 116:5 “The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.”
Ephesians 4:2 "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love."
Having a gracious heart means being kind even when its not deserved, just as we receive unmerited favor through Christ.
Laura Story - Blessings
Isaiah 26:3-4 "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock."
Have Faith!
Sometimes we face uncertain circumstances that leave us feeling like we are flying a plane in the fog, with no understanding of the controls. If we over correct the steering, we could end up spiraling out of control and crash. That’s when we are reminded of who the pilot of our life is- God. He is the author and finisher of our faith. God does not change and is perfect in character. He is trustworthy and faithful in His love for us even when everything else looks bleak.
Hebrew 12:2 “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.”
Abraham is called the spiritual father of all those who have faith, (Romans 4:11) even though at times he may have ran ahead of God’s plans and caused himself some harm. God wants us to have a change of heart & trust in Him. This is produced by God’s spirit and leaves us seeking praise from our Father, not man. (Romans 2:29)
Romans 4:3 “For the Scriptures tell us, "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith."
Romans 4:18a “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping…”
Romans 4:13-14 “Clearly, God's promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God's law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God's promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.”
Romans 4:20 “Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.”
This world is passing away with everything we see, so we need to keep our hope in only One person to help us through it all- Our Father in heaven. He is so worthy of all praise.
1 Corinthians 7:31 “Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.”
Hebrew 11:1 “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”
Isaiah 41:10 “Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.”
Thank you Father that you love us the way that you do! oxox
Hebrew 12:2 “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.”
Abraham is called the spiritual father of all those who have faith, (Romans 4:11) even though at times he may have ran ahead of God’s plans and caused himself some harm. God wants us to have a change of heart & trust in Him. This is produced by God’s spirit and leaves us seeking praise from our Father, not man. (Romans 2:29)
Romans 4:3 “For the Scriptures tell us, "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith."
Romans 4:18a “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping…”
Romans 4:13-14 “Clearly, God's promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God's law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God's promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.”
Romans 4:20 “Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.”
This world is passing away with everything we see, so we need to keep our hope in only One person to help us through it all- Our Father in heaven. He is so worthy of all praise.
1 Corinthians 7:31 “Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.”
Hebrew 11:1 “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”
Isaiah 41:10 “Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.”
Thank you Father that you love us the way that you do! oxox
Love Them Like Jesus - Forgive
Life can be inconveniently complicated. God will put people in our path that can be hard to deal with and let us down. Sometimes our faith in people can be damaged by unfair circumstances & painful relationships, but we can be assured that God has a plan.
I can’t help but think of the servant who wouldn’t forgive, even though he had been forgiven much. Here is the question he was asked; Matthew 18:33 “Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?'
Mat 5:44-48 “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
God had compassion on the people of Nineveh when they were in spiritual darkness and sent Jonah to help them find the way. Jonah struggled with helping these evil people but God helped him learn through the experience. Just read Jonah 4.
God is working on our hearts all the time. Here is God’s command to us.
Mar 12:30-31 “And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."
So how do we follow Jesus & love others, even when some relationships hurt.
Luke 6:35 "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.”
We are called to love the unlovable and heap coals of goodness on them.
Romans 12:20-21 “Instead, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads." Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Romans 5:7-8 “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
In His unfailing love, God had a plan for all of us that sin. Love them like Jesus.
I Am New - Jason Gray
Rom 3:22-26 "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. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for He was looking ahead and including them in what He would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for He Himself is fair and just, and He declares sinners to be right in His sight when they believe in Jesus."
Lifesong - Casting Crowns
Philippians 2:17 "But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy."
Philippians 3:14 "I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."
As I grow in the Lord, I pray to be more like Jesus and live for the Lord.
Matthew West - My Own Little World
Romans 12:9-10 "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."
Distress- Will Soon Be Gone
Have you ever had multiple troubles happen to you all at once? Recently, we lost a large investment & a storm came knocking off part of our house also causing damage to the roof. One of our vehicles was damaged from the hail storm so we went to get estimates. While we were dealing with this, we found out our tires are worn out and they need replacing. We have sold everything we can think of to take care of things. Cutting out extras & even getting rid of our family pets. Debt is not something we want anymore of, so we don’t want to use more debt to fix things. Add to that the usually relationship struggles in life. I am sure you could tell a story or 2 as well. Life can be very trying at times.
In times like these, I find comfort in God and His Word.
2 Corinthians 4:8 "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair."
Remember the Enemy wants to steal peace in our life and rob us of our faith. John 10:10 “The thief's (or Enemies) purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My (or Jesus’) purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
Jesus came to satisfy in ways that the world can’t. John 14:27 "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.”
The Lord can see around the corner but we can’t. God has plans for good. Do we know God well enough through His Word to know His character? Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
He can send a storm to help us avoid harder circumstance ahead. Hardship can sometimes be better than success because we can learn so much during adversity. This can give us first hand knowledge and wisdom we might not have understood without the hardship. God can allow havoc for many reasons; sometimes it’s to show our need for Him so we don’t depend on ourselves, but His power.
Deuteronomy 8:16b, 17-18a “He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. He did all this so you would never say to yourself, 'I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.' Remember the LORD your God. He is the One who gives you power to be successful…”
Pray for God’s help during distress. God can see the sincerity of our heart. David cried out for God in Psalm 143 and was loosing hope, paralyzed in fear. But he recalled how God had helped in the past and praised God for His ways. David trusted God and asked the Lord to guide him as he gave himself to the Lord. He asked God to rescue him and teach him God’s will for a firm footing. He thought about God’s unfailing love and found peace and confidence once again.
Where do we go for strength and confidence in hard times? Look up Ephesians 6:10-18 and learn about putting on the full armor of God for protection against the Enemy.
And when this trial is over, tell others of God’s goodness. Each trial will help equip us more and more with faith for the next battle.
Mark 5:19 “But Jesus said, "Go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been."
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 “For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
In times like these, I find comfort in God and His Word.
2 Corinthians 4:8 "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair."
Remember the Enemy wants to steal peace in our life and rob us of our faith. John 10:10 “The thief's (or Enemies) purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My (or Jesus’) purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
Jesus came to satisfy in ways that the world can’t. John 14:27 "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.”
The Lord can see around the corner but we can’t. God has plans for good. Do we know God well enough through His Word to know His character? Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
He can send a storm to help us avoid harder circumstance ahead. Hardship can sometimes be better than success because we can learn so much during adversity. This can give us first hand knowledge and wisdom we might not have understood without the hardship. God can allow havoc for many reasons; sometimes it’s to show our need for Him so we don’t depend on ourselves, but His power.
Deuteronomy 8:16b, 17-18a “He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. He did all this so you would never say to yourself, 'I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.' Remember the LORD your God. He is the One who gives you power to be successful…”
Pray for God’s help during distress. God can see the sincerity of our heart. David cried out for God in Psalm 143 and was loosing hope, paralyzed in fear. But he recalled how God had helped in the past and praised God for His ways. David trusted God and asked the Lord to guide him as he gave himself to the Lord. He asked God to rescue him and teach him God’s will for a firm footing. He thought about God’s unfailing love and found peace and confidence once again.
Where do we go for strength and confidence in hard times? Look up Ephesians 6:10-18 and learn about putting on the full armor of God for protection against the Enemy.
And when this trial is over, tell others of God’s goodness. Each trial will help equip us more and more with faith for the next battle.
Mark 5:19 “But Jesus said, "Go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been."
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 “For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
Trust God, Not Money
This would seem the opposite of the way people live today, but it can bring great peace. Do you long for things you don’t have? Does it feel like you’re the only one that can’t go on trips, repair your house or go shopping? After all, Joseph, Job and David were men of God and they had money, so why shouldn’t we too? This is the place that Satan loves to find us. But God says in Luke 3:14b “be content with your pay." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:29 “For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” This is not our final destination.
I believe God asks us to be content with what we have to show how we trust Him by faith. This thankfulness also stops the Enemy from manipulating us by way of greed, lust, desire for power or through fear of insecure finances. If we have less, we tend to fear or covet. If we have more, we can become prideful and want more power. This can lead to forgetting generosity or enslaving others. Satan is up to a lot of evil & wants to destroy our trust in God & our relationships.
In Ezekiel 28, Satan is referred to as the King of Tyre. He was beautiful, powerful and rich but he fell away from God. Ezekiel 28:16-17 “Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire. Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.” Be mindful of this…. 1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”
This is what God would rather see …Luke 3:11 “John replied, "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry."
1 Timothy 6:6-9 “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.”
Let us not be prideful if we do have much. James 4:13-16 “Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going …..to make a profit." How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? …What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." Otherwise you are boasting about “your own plans”, and all such boasting is evil.”
Instead…..Colossians 3:23-24 “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”
Philippians 4:12-13 “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
I believe God asks us to be content with what we have to show how we trust Him by faith. This thankfulness also stops the Enemy from manipulating us by way of greed, lust, desire for power or through fear of insecure finances. If we have less, we tend to fear or covet. If we have more, we can become prideful and want more power. This can lead to forgetting generosity or enslaving others. Satan is up to a lot of evil & wants to destroy our trust in God & our relationships.
In Ezekiel 28, Satan is referred to as the King of Tyre. He was beautiful, powerful and rich but he fell away from God. Ezekiel 28:16-17 “Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire. Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings.” Be mindful of this…. 1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”
This is what God would rather see …Luke 3:11 “John replied, "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry."
1 Timothy 6:6-9 “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.”
Let us not be prideful if we do have much. James 4:13-16 “Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going …..to make a profit." How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? …What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." Otherwise you are boasting about “your own plans”, and all such boasting is evil.”
Instead…..Colossians 3:23-24 “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”
Philippians 4:12-13 “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
He Loves Us
Romans 8:38-39 "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Dry Bones- Idolatry
Ezekiel 37:4-5 “Then He said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, 'Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!”
Ezekiel was given a vision of dry bones representing the people of Israel. They had lost hope and thought their nation was finished. The people of Israel had been worshiping idols and doing other things that separated them from God. So the Lord allowed havoc to occur on them, knowing that all of this would turn Israel back to Him.
Sometimes we too can make idols in our life that rob us of God’s blessings. We can make idols of people in our life, think we “need” the latest and greatest gadget, be trapped by pride or feel like we must do our favorite hobby more than other responsibilities. All of this can lead to unknowingly separating ourselves from God or making Him fit into "our" plans. It’s important to remember that this world is not our kingdom. That our time and resources now, can be put into our future home.
Colossians 3:2 “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”
Hebrews 13:14 “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.”
It is so easy to become dry bones that feel hopeless when we fill our time with everything but God.
Jesus is the bread of life and the living water. Be filled up with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill you with all that you truly need.
Act 20:32 "And now I entrust you to God and the message of His grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those He has set apart for Himself.”
John 6:33 “The true bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
John 7:38 “Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'"
Let's not become dry as bones, loose hope or let idols run our life. Let the One who gives life be whom we surrender our will to. Invest in marriage, kids, and others. We need to surrender control to God over our money, family, hobbies, & pride.
Isaiah 52:9-10 “Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the LORD has comforted His people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has demonstrated His holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.”
Ezekiel was given a vision of dry bones representing the people of Israel. They had lost hope and thought their nation was finished. The people of Israel had been worshiping idols and doing other things that separated them from God. So the Lord allowed havoc to occur on them, knowing that all of this would turn Israel back to Him.
Sometimes we too can make idols in our life that rob us of God’s blessings. We can make idols of people in our life, think we “need” the latest and greatest gadget, be trapped by pride or feel like we must do our favorite hobby more than other responsibilities. All of this can lead to unknowingly separating ourselves from God or making Him fit into "our" plans. It’s important to remember that this world is not our kingdom. That our time and resources now, can be put into our future home.
Colossians 3:2 “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”
Hebrews 13:14 “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.”
It is so easy to become dry bones that feel hopeless when we fill our time with everything but God.
Jesus is the bread of life and the living water. Be filled up with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill you with all that you truly need.
Act 20:32 "And now I entrust you to God and the message of His grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those He has set apart for Himself.”
John 6:33 “The true bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
John 7:38 “Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'"
Let's not become dry as bones, loose hope or let idols run our life. Let the One who gives life be whom we surrender our will to. Invest in marriage, kids, and others. We need to surrender control to God over our money, family, hobbies, & pride.
Isaiah 52:9-10 “Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the LORD has comforted His people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has demonstrated His holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.”
Keep Your Eyes on Jesus for Everything
Have others disappointed you lately? Have you seen behaviors or beliefs that seem out of line to you? Have you been under a lot of stress? These are all flashing red lights to refocus our attention on our Heavenly Father because He is working behind the scenes.
Disappointment can be stemmed from a lack of confidence in our Fathers way of handling things. Are we putting our faith in others, circumstance or in the Lord? Are we patient with God just as He has been with us? God has good things in mind during good times and bad.
If we see injustice, that could be God wanting us to pray. Maybe it’s the actions of someone who is lost. The lost haven’t found their way yet. We can’t expect perfect people & people will never satisfy us. When we see others we care for being set in their ways and not concerned for others, it can be so hurtful. But we must decide to either be the victim or the victor in the circumstances. Do we continue to allow hurt to rule over us or do we seek the Lord to help us with His love and comfort? Maybe there is something we can do by taking the first step towards reconciliation.
Galatians 6:1 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”
It is a big temptation to fall into sin when we are close to someone. We can use our words to tear down what we see and only end up making things worse or we can join in the wrong doing. If you start feeling like you are heading into sin in frustration, take a break and pray before you say something you will feel bad about later.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”
Proverbs 15:1-4 “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness. The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping His eye on both the evil and the good. Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
Proverbs 25:19 “Putting confidences in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.”
Jeremiah 17:5-8 “This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. "But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”
Lord, help us keep our eyes on You for every need, your timing is always perfect. May we not rely on others or our own understanding, but on Your Love, Compassion, Provisions & Grace.
Disappointment can be stemmed from a lack of confidence in our Fathers way of handling things. Are we putting our faith in others, circumstance or in the Lord? Are we patient with God just as He has been with us? God has good things in mind during good times and bad.
If we see injustice, that could be God wanting us to pray. Maybe it’s the actions of someone who is lost. The lost haven’t found their way yet. We can’t expect perfect people & people will never satisfy us. When we see others we care for being set in their ways and not concerned for others, it can be so hurtful. But we must decide to either be the victim or the victor in the circumstances. Do we continue to allow hurt to rule over us or do we seek the Lord to help us with His love and comfort? Maybe there is something we can do by taking the first step towards reconciliation.
Galatians 6:1 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”
It is a big temptation to fall into sin when we are close to someone. We can use our words to tear down what we see and only end up making things worse or we can join in the wrong doing. If you start feeling like you are heading into sin in frustration, take a break and pray before you say something you will feel bad about later.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”
Proverbs 15:1-4 “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness. The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping His eye on both the evil and the good. Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”
Proverbs 25:19 “Putting confidences in an unreliable person in times of trouble is like chewing with a broken tooth or walking on a lame foot.”
Jeremiah 17:5-8 “This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. "But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”
Lord, help us keep our eyes on You for every need, your timing is always perfect. May we not rely on others or our own understanding, but on Your Love, Compassion, Provisions & Grace.
For His Glory
No one is qualified for God's service, but who will obediently carry out His work? Jesus is the only one who never sinned but He asks us to be His body- the church. He chooses to live in us, make us His temple & work through us. It's the Lord we were made to please and He will equip us for His missions.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work."
2Pe 1:3 "By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence."
Act 4:13 "The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus."
Exodus 34:34-35 "But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the LORD had given him, and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face."
Life is short, have you been passing up the opportunities God has given you? What is it that God has put on your heart, to do for His Glory?
2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work."
2Pe 1:3 "By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence."
Act 4:13 "The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus."
Exodus 34:34-35 "But whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the LORD had given him, and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face."
Life is short, have you been passing up the opportunities God has given you? What is it that God has put on your heart, to do for His Glory?
Take a Load Off
Have you heard the song “Momma said there'd be days like this”?
I am sure we have all had one of those overwhelming weeks? I mean a combination of difficulties all mixed together that can be so discouraging. We are doing the best we can to be kind-hearted, patience, and loving but we're so worn out that we say words or cop an attitude that was never intended. We find ourselves feeling weak emotionally, physically & spiritually. We want to keep doing good & help others but feel like there’s not much left to give. This can lead to a feeling that we've disappointed someone or even God? Well Jesus has the solution to our problems.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Then Jesus said, "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen to allow them to pull a load. Who’s yoke are we pulling? God promises rest. Are we trying to carry burdens that Jesus didn’t ask us to?
Psalm 37:7a “Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for Him to act.”
We are only called to do what we can and walk in His ways, He will help with the rest. Our Savior did not ask us to take His place as Lord to others, so we don't have to worry about doing His job. When we realize this, we can let go of all that Satan is entangling us in with guilt.
Psalm 118:5 “In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free.” Have you prayed for the Lord to come and help set you free?
Don’t give up on doing good, even when you feel beaten down for not living up to other people’s expectations. The enemy wants us to give up so that we are paralyzed and stop doing the will of God. Eat right by feeding on the Word of God and exercise in the race of life as we continue to walk on God’s path.
Colossians 3:10 “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.”
Galatians 6:9 “So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.”
I am sure we have all had one of those overwhelming weeks? I mean a combination of difficulties all mixed together that can be so discouraging. We are doing the best we can to be kind-hearted, patience, and loving but we're so worn out that we say words or cop an attitude that was never intended. We find ourselves feeling weak emotionally, physically & spiritually. We want to keep doing good & help others but feel like there’s not much left to give. This can lead to a feeling that we've disappointed someone or even God? Well Jesus has the solution to our problems.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Then Jesus said, "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
A yoke is a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen to allow them to pull a load. Who’s yoke are we pulling? God promises rest. Are we trying to carry burdens that Jesus didn’t ask us to?
Psalm 37:7a “Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for Him to act.”
We are only called to do what we can and walk in His ways, He will help with the rest. Our Savior did not ask us to take His place as Lord to others, so we don't have to worry about doing His job. When we realize this, we can let go of all that Satan is entangling us in with guilt.
Psalm 118:5 “In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free.” Have you prayed for the Lord to come and help set you free?
Don’t give up on doing good, even when you feel beaten down for not living up to other people’s expectations. The enemy wants us to give up so that we are paralyzed and stop doing the will of God. Eat right by feeding on the Word of God and exercise in the race of life as we continue to walk on God’s path.
Colossians 3:10 “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.”
Galatians 6:9 “So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.”
The Storm is Coming
Have you ever had a weather report sound something like this: “National Weather report for our area; "An outbreak of severe thunderstorms is expected across the area tonight. Widespread damaging winds and large hail... as well as isolated tornadoes will be possible."?
Life can throw us many different types of storms. There are thunderstorms, financial storms, health storms, relationship storms and more. What do you do when you hear that a storm is coming? Do you panic, loose hope, fall apart or give up? It’s totally understandable to be concerned. What if you turned to the Lord? When the storm is coming, you can go to His promises for comfort, reassurance, security and confidence.
Psalm 116:6 “The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and He saved me.”
Psalm 121:8 “The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.”
When bad news comes, trust the One who is steering the ship through the rough waters.
Psalm 112:7 “They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.”
Even if we leave this earth, we are better off. (If we are living in God's will.)
John 14:3 “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.” (J.C.)
So why let fear overcome you? God is always with us.
Psalm 56:4 “I praise God for what He has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?”
Isaiah 41:13 “For I hold you by your right hand—I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, 'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you.”
Lord thank you that you love us and watch over us. Thank you that you hold us by the hand and are with us to help. You are worthy of all Praise.
Life can throw us many different types of storms. There are thunderstorms, financial storms, health storms, relationship storms and more. What do you do when you hear that a storm is coming? Do you panic, loose hope, fall apart or give up? It’s totally understandable to be concerned. What if you turned to the Lord? When the storm is coming, you can go to His promises for comfort, reassurance, security and confidence.
Psalm 116:6 “The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and He saved me.”
Psalm 121:8 “The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.”
When bad news comes, trust the One who is steering the ship through the rough waters.
Psalm 112:7 “They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.”
Even if we leave this earth, we are better off. (If we are living in God's will.)
John 14:3 “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.” (J.C.)
So why let fear overcome you? God is always with us.
Psalm 56:4 “I praise God for what He has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?”
Isaiah 41:13 “For I hold you by your right hand—I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, 'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you.”
Lord thank you that you love us and watch over us. Thank you that you hold us by the hand and are with us to help. You are worthy of all Praise.
The Good Shepherd
In Ezekiel 34, the Lord was upset because the leaders of Israel were only concerned about themselves instead of taking care of the weak, hungry and those that were lost. These rulers had used force and cruelty making those under them easy prey to the world. So God Himself said He would search and find His sheep. His plan is to search for the lost, those that have gone astray, bringing them into safety. He wants to heal and strengthen them.
Psalm 23 KJV
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
Isaiah 40:11a
"He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart." :-)
Ezekiel 18:30-32
"Therefore, I will judge each of you, … says the Sovereign LORD. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don't let them destroy you! Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. ….I don't want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!”
John 10:10-11
“The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep."
I thank God for He is justice, love and mercy. Each day, turn to Him and He will meet you where you are at with love, forgiveness & open arms to hold you close to His heart. May our lives be about following Jesus, helping to feed the hungry and show the lost the hope we all have in Christ.
Psalm 23 KJV
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
Isaiah 40:11a
"He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart." :-)
Ezekiel 18:30-32
"Therefore, I will judge each of you, … says the Sovereign LORD. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don't let them destroy you! Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. ….I don't want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!”
John 10:10-11
“The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep."
I thank God for He is justice, love and mercy. Each day, turn to Him and He will meet you where you are at with love, forgiveness & open arms to hold you close to His heart. May our lives be about following Jesus, helping to feed the hungry and show the lost the hope we all have in Christ.
Satan's Tactic
Last week, the kids and I were reading in Ezekiel 28 about the city of Tyre. It was a beautiful city and did much trading. But Ezekiel prophesied against this city because of it's pride. In the commentary, it mentioned Satan becomes whom the proud are really following. That was a wake up call for me. Think about it, Satan didn't want to follow God but do things his own way. He didn't want to submit or be a follower of Christ. Christ gave up His rights and came to serve and save the lost.
This got me thinking about the times we can be wrong as parents. There are days when we can loose patience. We don't want to admit we were wrong to our kids because we don't want to loose the respect of our kids or disappoint them. Then I thought about how sometimes kids can make up excuses for what they do wrong so they don't disappoint us parents. The kids and I both realized we had been deceived by Satan and weren't in true submission to Christ, if we can't humble ourselves by living in pride. It was an eye opener and helped us both understand each other a little better. Pride has no place in a believers life. It also made us realize that we should just say; "Sorry, I was wrong". Its quick, easy and keeps the truth being lived out with no cover-up.
Also, as followers of Christ we are to forgive, just as He forgives us. We both agreed that we actually think higher of each other and we keep a respect for each other more when we admit where we are wrong. Interesting tactic Satan was trying to use on us with pride. He would love to rob, steal and destroy many of our relationship in our life. But the truth set us free. :-)
Mat 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me.
This got me thinking about the times we can be wrong as parents. There are days when we can loose patience. We don't want to admit we were wrong to our kids because we don't want to loose the respect of our kids or disappoint them. Then I thought about how sometimes kids can make up excuses for what they do wrong so they don't disappoint us parents. The kids and I both realized we had been deceived by Satan and weren't in true submission to Christ, if we can't humble ourselves by living in pride. It was an eye opener and helped us both understand each other a little better. Pride has no place in a believers life. It also made us realize that we should just say; "Sorry, I was wrong". Its quick, easy and keeps the truth being lived out with no cover-up.
Also, as followers of Christ we are to forgive, just as He forgives us. We both agreed that we actually think higher of each other and we keep a respect for each other more when we admit where we are wrong. Interesting tactic Satan was trying to use on us with pride. He would love to rob, steal and destroy many of our relationship in our life. But the truth set us free. :-)
Mat 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me.
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