Sick of following the same path as everyone else? Tired of the same old same old of this life?
Allow God to make a new way for you, a new route for you to take. It does not matter what you have done or been through in the past for He can make something out of nothing. He can make streams in the wasteland or a way through the wilderness; He is capable of more than we could ever ask or imagine. He does not want us to dwell on the things of our past, they are exactly that, in the past; it will do us no good to think about things we cannot change. He has already cast our sins as far as East is from the West so why is it that we feel the need to hang onto them?
We need to allow God to make this new way in our lives, give Him control, and witness amazing things happen in our lives. He is waiting on us, he wants to make a way in the former wasteland of our lives, He wants to strike up new streams of life in us, and He is ready to do His work through us; we simply need to let Him.
Daily Verse:
“This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
~ Isaiah 43: 16, 18-19
Allow Him to make you new, to make a way in your life, to get you off the beaten path, and to allow you to start a new journey on His path for you. Ask Him to work with you, through you, and for you!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Through the Fog
Feeling lost in the thick of life? Can't navigate this path by yourself?
As I look outside the window this morning I am reminded of our absolute need for Christ; the fog is synonymous with the troubles, the trials, the tests, and all of the other junk that fills up our lives. It is hard to see through all of the fog of this life and see what is really important, what lies ahead, Whose hands we are really in. We get so caught up with what we are doing that we take our eyes off the road, and we lose our way in all this fog. We need to remember Who our navigations system is, our spiritual GPS so to speak. He can guide us through all of it, nothing is too much for Him.
It is often hard to submit fully to Christ; we have been taught from a young age that independence is important, but when it comes to our lives here, full dependence on Christ is essential for survival. We need Him, and there is no way around that. Without Him, we are lost; one may be able to find their way through the fog for a while, but ultimately a life without Christ is a life without a true hope, a life without direction. What is one to live for if they have no hope, if they cannot find their way through the fog of life?
We are placed here for one reason, and that is to bring glory and honor to Him, to praise Him for all He has done in our lives, and to spread this Good News to those around us. He is our Light, our Beacon in this fog, and He will guide us through. It is our job to recognize this light, and reflect it to those around us so that they may also find their way through life's troubles. We are not in this alone, we are literally surrounded by people going through trials and troubles, their own figurative fog, but we have a hope in Him. He will guide us through!
Daily Verse:
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.
~ Psalm 119:105-106
Allow His example, His life, His word to be the lamp and the light to guide you through the fog of life. Recognize that we are not alone, that we have hope, and assurance that He is by our side, and with Him, anything is possible. Keep your head up, live your life, and allow Him to navigate!
As I look outside the window this morning I am reminded of our absolute need for Christ; the fog is synonymous with the troubles, the trials, the tests, and all of the other junk that fills up our lives. It is hard to see through all of the fog of this life and see what is really important, what lies ahead, Whose hands we are really in. We get so caught up with what we are doing that we take our eyes off the road, and we lose our way in all this fog. We need to remember Who our navigations system is, our spiritual GPS so to speak. He can guide us through all of it, nothing is too much for Him.
It is often hard to submit fully to Christ; we have been taught from a young age that independence is important, but when it comes to our lives here, full dependence on Christ is essential for survival. We need Him, and there is no way around that. Without Him, we are lost; one may be able to find their way through the fog for a while, but ultimately a life without Christ is a life without a true hope, a life without direction. What is one to live for if they have no hope, if they cannot find their way through the fog of life?
We are placed here for one reason, and that is to bring glory and honor to Him, to praise Him for all He has done in our lives, and to spread this Good News to those around us. He is our Light, our Beacon in this fog, and He will guide us through. It is our job to recognize this light, and reflect it to those around us so that they may also find their way through life's troubles. We are not in this alone, we are literally surrounded by people going through trials and troubles, their own figurative fog, but we have a hope in Him. He will guide us through!
Daily Verse:
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.
~ Psalm 119:105-106
Allow His example, His life, His word to be the lamp and the light to guide you through the fog of life. Recognize that we are not alone, that we have hope, and assurance that He is by our side, and with Him, anything is possible. Keep your head up, live your life, and allow Him to navigate!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Humble Yourself
Find yourself taking too much credit? Forgetting to acknowledge the One who gave it all?
Daily we must be reminded to humble ourselves. It is not by our own works or doings that we accomplish are day to day feats, and it is definitely not by our works or doings that we have been made clean and been saved. It does not take long to be humbled when we look at life with that perspective, but it is so often that we forget to do so. We get caught up in what we are doing, what we are accomplishing, and we forget to give the credit where the credit is due; God has given us this life to live, these goals to accomplish, and it is through all of these things that we need to bring Him praise.
It does not matter what we do with our lives, what jobs we have, what sports we play, what skills we hone, or what hobbies we spend time on, but through everything we need to find a way to bring glory and honor to Him. We need to humble ourselves before the Lord, and offer up the praise He deserves for the things He has given us. Without Him, we wouldn't be able to accomplish any of the tasks that we take on. Our flesh is weak, but we are made strong and whole only through Him!
Humbling ourselves and bringing praise to Christ will only benefit us in the long run; God delights in those who truly and humbly present themselves before Him, He rewards them for their actions. We need to recognize Him in all we do, give Him the credit for our accomplishments, and be eternally rewarded in the end.
Daily Verse:
For the Lord delights in his people; He crowns the humble with victory.
~ Psalm 149:4
Walk humbly and live for Him. Realize when you are accepting credit for things you could have never done without Him. Keep in mind that we need Him, He does not need us, yet He loved us enough to save us from ourselves, from this life. Humble yourself and bring glory to His name!
Daily we must be reminded to humble ourselves. It is not by our own works or doings that we accomplish are day to day feats, and it is definitely not by our works or doings that we have been made clean and been saved. It does not take long to be humbled when we look at life with that perspective, but it is so often that we forget to do so. We get caught up in what we are doing, what we are accomplishing, and we forget to give the credit where the credit is due; God has given us this life to live, these goals to accomplish, and it is through all of these things that we need to bring Him praise.
It does not matter what we do with our lives, what jobs we have, what sports we play, what skills we hone, or what hobbies we spend time on, but through everything we need to find a way to bring glory and honor to Him. We need to humble ourselves before the Lord, and offer up the praise He deserves for the things He has given us. Without Him, we wouldn't be able to accomplish any of the tasks that we take on. Our flesh is weak, but we are made strong and whole only through Him!
Humbling ourselves and bringing praise to Christ will only benefit us in the long run; God delights in those who truly and humbly present themselves before Him, He rewards them for their actions. We need to recognize Him in all we do, give Him the credit for our accomplishments, and be eternally rewarded in the end.
Daily Verse:
For the Lord delights in his people; He crowns the humble with victory.
~ Psalm 149:4
Walk humbly and live for Him. Realize when you are accepting credit for things you could have never done without Him. Keep in mind that we need Him, He does not need us, yet He loved us enough to save us from ourselves, from this life. Humble yourself and bring glory to His name!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Find Your Rest
Feeling overwhelmed and stressed? Need a break from the stressors of day to day life?
The Lord offers refuge and relief for your soul, He longs for you to seek and find your comfort in Him, to find your rest in Him. We all know this life can be hard and overwhelming, but we should also be confident that our Savior has a solution for all of our troubles; nothing is too great for our God. He has promised a light burden and an easy yoke to bare in comparison to the life we try and lead without Him. We need to rest, and we need to find it in Him!
We all have a tendency to take on too heavy a load, we cram something into every last second of every day; we take vacation from work only to work even harder on lists of things to do at home, we take on 21 credits and a job while trying to fit in time to study and keep sane at the same time. We are busy, and society has deemed it necessary to maintain a certain busy-ness in our day. If someone has time to take a break these days, then it appears that they may not be working hard enough. Don't get me wrong, a great work ethic is a necessity, but we also need to recognize that we are human, we need rest, we need a break, and that without it we cannot work to our full potential anyway.
God offers this rest, this safe haven from our busy and hectic lives. We need to find our rest in Him, allow Him to rejuvenate our souls and inspire us to carry on. We need Him to achieve our goals, to reach our aspirations, and we need Him to find adequate rest. It is essential to find your rest to live life to its full potential.
Daily Verse:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
~ Matthew 11:28-30
I challenge you to accept the yoke Christ offers, to allow Him to lighten load and decrease your burden. Take refuge in Him, allow Him to give you rest. Prayerfully seek this rest, and live the life He has laid out for you!
The Lord offers refuge and relief for your soul, He longs for you to seek and find your comfort in Him, to find your rest in Him. We all know this life can be hard and overwhelming, but we should also be confident that our Savior has a solution for all of our troubles; nothing is too great for our God. He has promised a light burden and an easy yoke to bare in comparison to the life we try and lead without Him. We need to rest, and we need to find it in Him!
We all have a tendency to take on too heavy a load, we cram something into every last second of every day; we take vacation from work only to work even harder on lists of things to do at home, we take on 21 credits and a job while trying to fit in time to study and keep sane at the same time. We are busy, and society has deemed it necessary to maintain a certain busy-ness in our day. If someone has time to take a break these days, then it appears that they may not be working hard enough. Don't get me wrong, a great work ethic is a necessity, but we also need to recognize that we are human, we need rest, we need a break, and that without it we cannot work to our full potential anyway.
God offers this rest, this safe haven from our busy and hectic lives. We need to find our rest in Him, allow Him to rejuvenate our souls and inspire us to carry on. We need Him to achieve our goals, to reach our aspirations, and we need Him to find adequate rest. It is essential to find your rest to live life to its full potential.
Daily Verse:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
~ Matthew 11:28-30
I challenge you to accept the yoke Christ offers, to allow Him to lighten load and decrease your burden. Take refuge in Him, allow Him to give you rest. Prayerfully seek this rest, and live the life He has laid out for you!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Be on Your Guard
Ever find yourself slipping and not being able to figure out what is happening before its too late?
As Christians, we need to be on guard. Satan is attacking whenever he can, and especially when our backs are turned; we can never let our guard down because as soon as we do it is already too late. He can easily manipulate us if we are not in the right frame of mind and spirit. We need to ask Jesus for protection, and keep Him at the center of our thoughts and life from day to day in order to stand up and guard our hearts.
Stand firm in your faith and you will have the strength to move mountains. God can do all things, and with Him living in us, we can do all things through Him. That alone should give us the confidence to be courageous and strong in all that we do; do not give Satan any ground in this battle, stand firm and guard your heart from his attacks. He has nothing on the God of our hearts!
Never hold back; if God is calling you to do something then go forth with full confidence that you can achieve it. He would not have brought it upon you if He didn't know you were capable of it. Stand firm and be courageous; it shows the true value and belief of your faith when we take those blind leaps and trust in Him to catch us. Not only be on your guard, but truly allow Him to be the Guard of your heart; it is the only way to guarantee the love and protection we need in this life.
Daily Verse:
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
~ 1 Corinthians 16:13
Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you've got, be resolute, and love without stopping. Keep in mind all that is at stake and all that He has done for us; stand firm and guard your hearts.
As Christians, we need to be on guard. Satan is attacking whenever he can, and especially when our backs are turned; we can never let our guard down because as soon as we do it is already too late. He can easily manipulate us if we are not in the right frame of mind and spirit. We need to ask Jesus for protection, and keep Him at the center of our thoughts and life from day to day in order to stand up and guard our hearts.
Stand firm in your faith and you will have the strength to move mountains. God can do all things, and with Him living in us, we can do all things through Him. That alone should give us the confidence to be courageous and strong in all that we do; do not give Satan any ground in this battle, stand firm and guard your heart from his attacks. He has nothing on the God of our hearts!
Never hold back; if God is calling you to do something then go forth with full confidence that you can achieve it. He would not have brought it upon you if He didn't know you were capable of it. Stand firm and be courageous; it shows the true value and belief of your faith when we take those blind leaps and trust in Him to catch us. Not only be on your guard, but truly allow Him to be the Guard of your heart; it is the only way to guarantee the love and protection we need in this life.
Daily Verse:
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
~ 1 Corinthians 16:13
Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you've got, be resolute, and love without stopping. Keep in mind all that is at stake and all that He has done for us; stand firm and guard your hearts.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Live Redeemed
Caught up in the troubles and mistakes of yesterday? Finding it difficult to forgive yourself and move on?
We all have those days when it seems as though we can do nothing right, nothing is going our way, and sin is around every corner. We hate it, it tears us apart, and we only make it worse by trying to handle it ourselves and dwelling on it after the fact. The truth here is we are not alone. Christ is right by our side, guiding us through those dark times; we simply need to turn to Him and accept His helping hand. God knew from the beginning that humans would have trials and struggle to remain on the path, but that is the reason He became flesh, and sent His Son to die for us!
We have a way out of this heartache, and that is Jesus Christ. His mercies are new every morning, and we need to remind ourselves of that each day. Satan is out to steal, kill, and destroy, but God is mighty and our Stronghold in this earthly battle. Satan has nothing on Him, on His love, His power, His mercy, and His redemption.
God has redeemed us from our transgressions; He has literally freed us from our sin and delivered us from evil. We have to begin to live as though we believe this truth. We can no longer be stuck in the past, we have to forgive ourselves just as the Lord has forgiven us, and we need to move on and live redeemed by His mercy and love every day of our lives.
Daily Verse:
He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them. ~ Psalm 106:10
Know that you are forgiven, loved, saved, and redeemed by Jesus Christ. He has washed us clean of our sins so that we may live a life focused and centered on Him, a life redeemed. Look inward and forgive, look outward and live; live redeemed.
We all have those days when it seems as though we can do nothing right, nothing is going our way, and sin is around every corner. We hate it, it tears us apart, and we only make it worse by trying to handle it ourselves and dwelling on it after the fact. The truth here is we are not alone. Christ is right by our side, guiding us through those dark times; we simply need to turn to Him and accept His helping hand. God knew from the beginning that humans would have trials and struggle to remain on the path, but that is the reason He became flesh, and sent His Son to die for us!
We have a way out of this heartache, and that is Jesus Christ. His mercies are new every morning, and we need to remind ourselves of that each day. Satan is out to steal, kill, and destroy, but God is mighty and our Stronghold in this earthly battle. Satan has nothing on Him, on His love, His power, His mercy, and His redemption.
God has redeemed us from our transgressions; He has literally freed us from our sin and delivered us from evil. We have to begin to live as though we believe this truth. We can no longer be stuck in the past, we have to forgive ourselves just as the Lord has forgiven us, and we need to move on and live redeemed by His mercy and love every day of our lives.
Daily Verse:
He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them. ~ Psalm 106:10
Know that you are forgiven, loved, saved, and redeemed by Jesus Christ. He has washed us clean of our sins so that we may live a life focused and centered on Him, a life redeemed. Look inward and forgive, look outward and live; live redeemed.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Receive the Gift
Merry Christmas!
It is this time of year when we join our families, reminisce of times gone by, have a few laughs, and make more memories for the years to come. As we are doing this, however, I urge you to remember the reason for this season, the reason we are able to have a family to share these times with, the reason we are able to live this life at all. It was God who gave His Son some 2000 years ago in order to bless us with all these opportunities. We must receive this most precious gift of Christ today, and everyday.
Picture this tiny child, this infant Savior; imagine the life He lead in order that we may follow Him and receive eternal life. He had the pressure and weight of the world on His shoulders, yet He remained faithful, true, pure, and perfect. He did all of this for us, out of amazing unconditional love for us. He gave up His life, He paid the cost so that we will never have to spend a single instant outside the presence of God. I don't know about you, but I cannot imagine life without the presence of my Savior; I simply wouldn't be able to handle it.
This life is too hard for us to handle on our own, but God gave His Son so that we would never have to handle it on our own; He is always by our side, He is at the door of our hearts knocking and waiting to be let in. It is time we open up that door, time that we truly receive the gift that God gave us so many years ago. Receive the gift, receive the life, and allow others to see and receive the gift as well.
Daily Verse:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6
Receive Him into your life today, into your heart and life forever. Accept this amazing gift of a Savior, of eternal life with Him. If you have already done this, I challenge you to daily remind yourself of this acceptance, of this gift you chose to receive. Live out the life He has laid out for you, and display the gift you've been given so that others may see it and receive it as well!
It is this time of year when we join our families, reminisce of times gone by, have a few laughs, and make more memories for the years to come. As we are doing this, however, I urge you to remember the reason for this season, the reason we are able to have a family to share these times with, the reason we are able to live this life at all. It was God who gave His Son some 2000 years ago in order to bless us with all these opportunities. We must receive this most precious gift of Christ today, and everyday.
Picture this tiny child, this infant Savior; imagine the life He lead in order that we may follow Him and receive eternal life. He had the pressure and weight of the world on His shoulders, yet He remained faithful, true, pure, and perfect. He did all of this for us, out of amazing unconditional love for us. He gave up His life, He paid the cost so that we will never have to spend a single instant outside the presence of God. I don't know about you, but I cannot imagine life without the presence of my Savior; I simply wouldn't be able to handle it.
This life is too hard for us to handle on our own, but God gave His Son so that we would never have to handle it on our own; He is always by our side, He is at the door of our hearts knocking and waiting to be let in. It is time we open up that door, time that we truly receive the gift that God gave us so many years ago. Receive the gift, receive the life, and allow others to see and receive the gift as well.
Daily Verse:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6
Receive Him into your life today, into your heart and life forever. Accept this amazing gift of a Savior, of eternal life with Him. If you have already done this, I challenge you to daily remind yourself of this acceptance, of this gift you chose to receive. Live out the life He has laid out for you, and display the gift you've been given so that others may see it and receive it as well!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Follow His Lead
Merry Christmas all!
It is amazing to think that some 2000 odd years ago, God became flesh to live out the perfect life in order that we may follow His lead; He was born in human form to show us that this life is possible, that with God all is possible. It takes full commitment, trust, love, faith, and dependence. It is impossible for us to be perfect in all we do, but we do have a perfect Savior who gave us an excellent example to strive for. He lived through the temptations and struggles that all of us do, the only difference was that He handled them perfectly and lived a sinless life. We all sin, we sin daily, but yearning to be more like Christ, like our Savior, is something we must work at daily.
He gave His life, that we may have our life, He paid the price, that we would no longer be in debt due to our sin. Figuratively, we must do the same; we need to give up this life and follow His lead! He gave the perfect example, and though we cannot do the same, we can long to more like Him in our efforts. God sees these attempts and admires the work we put into it; it will be worth it. People need to see Christ in our words and our actions; the number one cause of unbelief in this country is the hypocritical nature of Christians. It is time we follow His lead and change this statistic, we need to lead them by the example that Christ laid out for us. When people see Christians practicing what they preach, their whole view can be turned upside down; it may allow them to see the true Christ for the first time.
Just as Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians, we need to follow Christ's example in order to be an example to others. We need to follow His lead in order to lead others to the truth and sacrifice of the cross. Give other people the chance to see the truth you know, by living a Christ like life. Lead by example.
Daily Verse:
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Look in the mirror, do you see an image of Christ looking back at you? I long to be a reflection of Christ and challenge you to strive for the same. Be an example to others, be accountable, and be reliable; follow His lead!
It is amazing to think that some 2000 odd years ago, God became flesh to live out the perfect life in order that we may follow His lead; He was born in human form to show us that this life is possible, that with God all is possible. It takes full commitment, trust, love, faith, and dependence. It is impossible for us to be perfect in all we do, but we do have a perfect Savior who gave us an excellent example to strive for. He lived through the temptations and struggles that all of us do, the only difference was that He handled them perfectly and lived a sinless life. We all sin, we sin daily, but yearning to be more like Christ, like our Savior, is something we must work at daily.
He gave His life, that we may have our life, He paid the price, that we would no longer be in debt due to our sin. Figuratively, we must do the same; we need to give up this life and follow His lead! He gave the perfect example, and though we cannot do the same, we can long to more like Him in our efforts. God sees these attempts and admires the work we put into it; it will be worth it. People need to see Christ in our words and our actions; the number one cause of unbelief in this country is the hypocritical nature of Christians. It is time we follow His lead and change this statistic, we need to lead them by the example that Christ laid out for us. When people see Christians practicing what they preach, their whole view can be turned upside down; it may allow them to see the true Christ for the first time.
Just as Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians, we need to follow Christ's example in order to be an example to others. We need to follow His lead in order to lead others to the truth and sacrifice of the cross. Give other people the chance to see the truth you know, by living a Christ like life. Lead by example.
Daily Verse:
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Look in the mirror, do you see an image of Christ looking back at you? I long to be a reflection of Christ and challenge you to strive for the same. Be an example to others, be accountable, and be reliable; follow His lead!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Send Me
Feel a stirring in your soul? Feel as though God has bigger plans for you than what you see being played out in your life?
He does, He has wonderful plans for your life; He is just waiting on you to step up to the plate, to accept His challenge, to live out His will, and to finally respond to His calling with the simple words, "send me." From personal experience, I can say that those words are some of the most powerful that a Christian could say to their Heavenly Father. Those words are music to His ears, it is as though His children are growing up and owning up to the live they need to lead. We have sat around long enough, too comfortable with where we are at; it is time we stir up the pot a little bit.
The world is full of needs, needs that are not going to be met if we sit around doing nothing about it. Get creative, not everyone needs to be a missionary over sees to do the mission work of Christ; we can accomplish that in our own back yards. We are some of the most wealthy, fortunate, and empowered people on this planet, and it is about time that we ask God to send us out to do His will. We simply need to ask God to lead us, to send us. He knows better than anyone what needs to be accomplished before His return so who better to ask. Devote yourself to Him and He will bless you, and those you come into contact with far beyond measure.
For far too long we have sat and waited on the world to change, but God is waiting on us to be that change. People can't change when they don't know that they are doing wrong, or don't have any alternatives. We need to give people a reason to change, The Reason to change; we need to say, "send me God," and He will lead us in amazing ways. Be bold, be faithful, be willing, be sent!
Daily Verse:
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ~ Isaiah 6:8
Be willing to go, be willing to share, and be willing to follow through with the Lord's plans for your life. He has our best interest in mind and will not lead us astray. Be confident in the Lord, and be sent out to do the work of Christ.
He does, He has wonderful plans for your life; He is just waiting on you to step up to the plate, to accept His challenge, to live out His will, and to finally respond to His calling with the simple words, "send me." From personal experience, I can say that those words are some of the most powerful that a Christian could say to their Heavenly Father. Those words are music to His ears, it is as though His children are growing up and owning up to the live they need to lead. We have sat around long enough, too comfortable with where we are at; it is time we stir up the pot a little bit.
The world is full of needs, needs that are not going to be met if we sit around doing nothing about it. Get creative, not everyone needs to be a missionary over sees to do the mission work of Christ; we can accomplish that in our own back yards. We are some of the most wealthy, fortunate, and empowered people on this planet, and it is about time that we ask God to send us out to do His will. We simply need to ask God to lead us, to send us. He knows better than anyone what needs to be accomplished before His return so who better to ask. Devote yourself to Him and He will bless you, and those you come into contact with far beyond measure.
For far too long we have sat and waited on the world to change, but God is waiting on us to be that change. People can't change when they don't know that they are doing wrong, or don't have any alternatives. We need to give people a reason to change, The Reason to change; we need to say, "send me God," and He will lead us in amazing ways. Be bold, be faithful, be willing, be sent!
Daily Verse:
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ~ Isaiah 6:8
Be willing to go, be willing to share, and be willing to follow through with the Lord's plans for your life. He has our best interest in mind and will not lead us astray. Be confident in the Lord, and be sent out to do the work of Christ.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Let it Shine
What are we hiding from? Are we too ashamed to be bold?
I used to be that shy Christian; the one who knew the God He loved and believed in, but felt as though keeping Him to myself was an alright thing to do. I wanted to share this Love I had found with other people, but always made excuses like "it is a really personal thing to talk about" or "I don't want to force my beliefs on other people" or better yet, "if they really want to know about my Savior they will come and ask me about Him." I was able to satiate the inner stirrings of my soul with these excuses for a while, but I knew at the core of my being that I was only fooling myself. Sure these excuses can be true to a certain extent, but 98% of the time they are exactly that, excuses.
Giving your life to Christ and believing in God are very personal things, but personal things generally done in community or spoken about and taught about in groups of people; we need each other to stand firm in our faith, and people need to be told about it. The excuse of not wanting to force my beliefs onto other people still stands true, but it no longer stops me from telling people about Christ; sharing your faith is not forcing anything on other people, it is loving them enough to want them to know the truths that you know. They can take what you tell them or they can leave it, but not telling them about the one thing that could save their soul, is like not telling them to get out of the way when you see a train barreling down the tracks directly for them. You want to do your part in saving their life? You would tell them. As for waiting for them to come to me, it rarely occurred. Once in a while someone would ask me, and I would try to explain it, but what about the people who have never heard of Jesus or Christianity? How are they ever going to ask you questions about something they have never even heard of or know nothing about? We need to be open, we need to be willing, we need to let the light that God has given us shine.
It literally says in the bible that as followers of Christ, we are the light of the world. It would be selfish of us to hide this gift that was meant for all the world to see; we need to let it shine. We need to showcase this gift, this light so that any and all who come our way may see it. It is true that they may be able to see this light through the way we act and live out our lives, but it is not enough to hope that they notice. We need to be proactive, we need to shine it so we know they see it. We need to tell those around us, we need to inform our families, our friends, strangers we have just met, and even those we might call our enemies. We are all God's children, He intends for all of us to bear this light, so who are we to hide it away in order to save ourselves from embarrassment or an awkward situation? God gave us His life, the least we could do is tell others of the sacrifice, and let our lights shine.
Daily Verse:
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." ~ Matthew 5:14-16
Have a heart for the world, care and love those around you enough that you would want them to have a chance at salvation. Know that we are not the ones doing the saving, but simply planting seeds so that Christ can work in them. Let your light shine so that it cannot be hidden. Bless those around you with the gifts that God has so generously blessed you with. Let it shine!
I used to be that shy Christian; the one who knew the God He loved and believed in, but felt as though keeping Him to myself was an alright thing to do. I wanted to share this Love I had found with other people, but always made excuses like "it is a really personal thing to talk about" or "I don't want to force my beliefs on other people" or better yet, "if they really want to know about my Savior they will come and ask me about Him." I was able to satiate the inner stirrings of my soul with these excuses for a while, but I knew at the core of my being that I was only fooling myself. Sure these excuses can be true to a certain extent, but 98% of the time they are exactly that, excuses.
Giving your life to Christ and believing in God are very personal things, but personal things generally done in community or spoken about and taught about in groups of people; we need each other to stand firm in our faith, and people need to be told about it. The excuse of not wanting to force my beliefs onto other people still stands true, but it no longer stops me from telling people about Christ; sharing your faith is not forcing anything on other people, it is loving them enough to want them to know the truths that you know. They can take what you tell them or they can leave it, but not telling them about the one thing that could save their soul, is like not telling them to get out of the way when you see a train barreling down the tracks directly for them. You want to do your part in saving their life? You would tell them. As for waiting for them to come to me, it rarely occurred. Once in a while someone would ask me, and I would try to explain it, but what about the people who have never heard of Jesus or Christianity? How are they ever going to ask you questions about something they have never even heard of or know nothing about? We need to be open, we need to be willing, we need to let the light that God has given us shine.
It literally says in the bible that as followers of Christ, we are the light of the world. It would be selfish of us to hide this gift that was meant for all the world to see; we need to let it shine. We need to showcase this gift, this light so that any and all who come our way may see it. It is true that they may be able to see this light through the way we act and live out our lives, but it is not enough to hope that they notice. We need to be proactive, we need to shine it so we know they see it. We need to tell those around us, we need to inform our families, our friends, strangers we have just met, and even those we might call our enemies. We are all God's children, He intends for all of us to bear this light, so who are we to hide it away in order to save ourselves from embarrassment or an awkward situation? God gave us His life, the least we could do is tell others of the sacrifice, and let our lights shine.
Daily Verse:
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." ~ Matthew 5:14-16
Have a heart for the world, care and love those around you enough that you would want them to have a chance at salvation. Know that we are not the ones doing the saving, but simply planting seeds so that Christ can work in them. Let your light shine so that it cannot be hidden. Bless those around you with the gifts that God has so generously blessed you with. Let it shine!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Be Still
Is life flying by at record pace? Do you even have time to think or get a moment to yourself?
It is the hustle and bustle of this time of year that often gets us so wrapped up that we forget what all the celebrating and festivities are really about. The commercialism of Christmas has us caught up with shopping, planning, baking, traveling, wrapping, shipping, and ordering; so much so that we forget to take the time to be still. We need to stop for a moment and remember Who this holiday season is all about; it is not about the giving or the receiving of gifts, but rather God giving us His Son in order for us to receive the gift of eternal life.
God has a plan for us, and is trying to clue us in as to what that plan is. We only make it harder on ourselves when we book ourselves with some many activities and plans that we forget to take time to stop, be still, and listen for Him to communicate those plans with us. It is during this time of year that love and family surround us, so it should also be when we remember the Source of love and family. It is when we forget to acknowledge Him in all of this that the Devil can drag us down; Satan will try and make us forget what Christmas is really all about, and when this happens we can lose the meaning of one of the most precious times of the year to the stressors of the world.
We need to be still in order to get to know this God who gave us life, we need to be still in order to feel His loving presence, and we need to be still in order to begin to comprehend the depth of His plans and purpose for our lives. Do not let this life pass you by before you even recognize what is happening; take that quiet moment in each day to be one with God, to thank Him, to praise Him, to love Him, and to simply get to know Him. Just as in any relationship one may have, there has to be communication in order to further it. We need to communicate with God. We need to shut the world out for a moment, be still, dig into the Word, and spend some quality time with the Giver of Life. He desires to share this time with us, time in which we can exalt Him for the things He has done, is doing, and will continue to do in our lives. Be still and know that He is God!
Daily Verse:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” ~ Psalm 46:10
This holiday season, I challenge you to look around at the your family, thank and praise God for all He has given you and brought you through, and be still for a moment. Take in the fullness of our God, take in His presence, His peace, and His love. Receive Him, be still and know that He is God, a God that has our best interest in mind and a God that loves us more than we could ever imagine.
It is the hustle and bustle of this time of year that often gets us so wrapped up that we forget what all the celebrating and festivities are really about. The commercialism of Christmas has us caught up with shopping, planning, baking, traveling, wrapping, shipping, and ordering; so much so that we forget to take the time to be still. We need to stop for a moment and remember Who this holiday season is all about; it is not about the giving or the receiving of gifts, but rather God giving us His Son in order for us to receive the gift of eternal life.
God has a plan for us, and is trying to clue us in as to what that plan is. We only make it harder on ourselves when we book ourselves with some many activities and plans that we forget to take time to stop, be still, and listen for Him to communicate those plans with us. It is during this time of year that love and family surround us, so it should also be when we remember the Source of love and family. It is when we forget to acknowledge Him in all of this that the Devil can drag us down; Satan will try and make us forget what Christmas is really all about, and when this happens we can lose the meaning of one of the most precious times of the year to the stressors of the world.
We need to be still in order to get to know this God who gave us life, we need to be still in order to feel His loving presence, and we need to be still in order to begin to comprehend the depth of His plans and purpose for our lives. Do not let this life pass you by before you even recognize what is happening; take that quiet moment in each day to be one with God, to thank Him, to praise Him, to love Him, and to simply get to know Him. Just as in any relationship one may have, there has to be communication in order to further it. We need to communicate with God. We need to shut the world out for a moment, be still, dig into the Word, and spend some quality time with the Giver of Life. He desires to share this time with us, time in which we can exalt Him for the things He has done, is doing, and will continue to do in our lives. Be still and know that He is God!
Daily Verse:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” ~ Psalm 46:10
This holiday season, I challenge you to look around at the your family, thank and praise God for all He has given you and brought you through, and be still for a moment. Take in the fullness of our God, take in His presence, His peace, and His love. Receive Him, be still and know that He is God, a God that has our best interest in mind and a God that loves us more than we could ever imagine.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Perfect Peace
Are you restless at heart? Do you find yourself worrying too much or over the smallest things?
God has a cure this restlessness,this worrying; His perfect peace can bring a sense of calm and blessed assurance to any and all situations. Do not let your heart be troubled, and never allow yourself to think you are in a situation alone. God is there, He cares, and He is waiting for you to come to Him. Nothing is too small or too big for Him to handle; that is the beauty of having a perfect and loving God looking out for us. Worrying over a situation will bring nothing but more worry, more trouble, and lost time; it is simply not worth it when the alternative offers something so much greater.
Instead, give it all to God from the beginning. He wants to us to realize that He is there to help us, that He wants us to turn to Him, and He likes to be included in our daily lives. Giving it up to Him allows you to view the situation with a clear mind, a full heart, and a calm spirit; suddenly the wholeness of our God overcomes the situation and our problems never seem as terrible as they once did. Satan is out to fill our hearts, our minds, and our spirits with false thoughts, worries, and stirrings to bring us down, and cause us to screw up, but our loving God will not stand for it. Like it says in Philippians, present your worries and your requests before God and His perfect peace, His peace that passes all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind. Paul, and many other writers of the Bible, knew of this perfect peace, and Paul prays it over the people in his letter to the Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." This adds even more credit, proof, and purpose to this perfect peace that God has offered us.
He loves us and fills us with His perfect peace in order to guard us. It is a perfect defense mechanism that God has placed in our lives, and all we have to do is activate it. Go to Him with praise and prayer. He wants to know your concerns; allow Him to enter in and shield you from the worry and troubles of this life, let Him consume you with His perfect peace.
Daily Verse:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6-7
Allow His perfect peace to encompass your life, guard your heart and mind, and pull you through. Don't go at this life by yourself, it will eat you up and spit you out. Allow Him to guard you and give you peace, perfect peace!
God has a cure this restlessness,this worrying; His perfect peace can bring a sense of calm and blessed assurance to any and all situations. Do not let your heart be troubled, and never allow yourself to think you are in a situation alone. God is there, He cares, and He is waiting for you to come to Him. Nothing is too small or too big for Him to handle; that is the beauty of having a perfect and loving God looking out for us. Worrying over a situation will bring nothing but more worry, more trouble, and lost time; it is simply not worth it when the alternative offers something so much greater.
Instead, give it all to God from the beginning. He wants to us to realize that He is there to help us, that He wants us to turn to Him, and He likes to be included in our daily lives. Giving it up to Him allows you to view the situation with a clear mind, a full heart, and a calm spirit; suddenly the wholeness of our God overcomes the situation and our problems never seem as terrible as they once did. Satan is out to fill our hearts, our minds, and our spirits with false thoughts, worries, and stirrings to bring us down, and cause us to screw up, but our loving God will not stand for it. Like it says in Philippians, present your worries and your requests before God and His perfect peace, His peace that passes all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind. Paul, and many other writers of the Bible, knew of this perfect peace, and Paul prays it over the people in his letter to the Thessalonians. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." This adds even more credit, proof, and purpose to this perfect peace that God has offered us.
Daily Verse:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6-7
Allow His perfect peace to encompass your life, guard your heart and mind, and pull you through. Don't go at this life by yourself, it will eat you up and spit you out. Allow Him to guard you and give you peace, perfect peace!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Take Up Your Cross
Are you striving to live your life for Him? Are you willing to take the next step?
As I have mentioned before, we often get too comfortable in our walk with the Lord. We like where we're at, and often forget to keep strengthening our relationship with Him. We know of His love for us, and know He will be right there waiting when we need Him, but we often forget that we need Him in the good times as well as the bad. Now that you have recognized this so called comfort zone that we get locked into, I challenge you to break the trend and fight your way out of it. Examine your life, realize when you are entering the comfort zone and ask God to enlighten and strengthen you.
In order to further our walk with Him, we literally must deny ourselves; our bodies and our desires are of this world, and we must learn what it is to lay down the things we love for a Savior we love much more. We have to be willing to give up a little in order to gain unfathomably more. We are mere humans, not even close to capable of saving ourselves; we must accept this fact and rely on our Savior to do the saving. It says in Mark that whoever loses their life for Christ will save it; it doesn't necessarily mean we have to die defending our beliefs, but many a Christian have died spreading His love around the world.
It could simply mean taking the time to have a conversation with a friend about who this God is that you are living for, and why it is so important to you; giving up your comfort level and having a potentially tough and emotional conversation is what it means to pick up your cross and lose this worldly life for Christ's sake. It could be as simple as asking a non-believing friend, family member, or even a parent to attend church with you; inviting them to ask questions, allowing you to break down the walls of judgement they may have experienced in the past, and letting them see a glimpse of Jesus through you. It is not always easy, but we must keep in mind that He gave His life on a cross so that we might live.
Daily Verse:
Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it." ~ Luke 9:23-24
There are many ways to lay down this life for Him, and I challenge you to find more and more. We must continuously remind ourselves of not only who we are, but Whose we are. Don't let another day pass in the comfort zone, pick up that cross, lay down your life for the One who gave it all!
As I have mentioned before, we often get too comfortable in our walk with the Lord. We like where we're at, and often forget to keep strengthening our relationship with Him. We know of His love for us, and know He will be right there waiting when we need Him, but we often forget that we need Him in the good times as well as the bad. Now that you have recognized this so called comfort zone that we get locked into, I challenge you to break the trend and fight your way out of it. Examine your life, realize when you are entering the comfort zone and ask God to enlighten and strengthen you.
In order to further our walk with Him, we literally must deny ourselves; our bodies and our desires are of this world, and we must learn what it is to lay down the things we love for a Savior we love much more. We have to be willing to give up a little in order to gain unfathomably more. We are mere humans, not even close to capable of saving ourselves; we must accept this fact and rely on our Savior to do the saving. It says in Mark that whoever loses their life for Christ will save it; it doesn't necessarily mean we have to die defending our beliefs, but many a Christian have died spreading His love around the world.
It could simply mean taking the time to have a conversation with a friend about who this God is that you are living for, and why it is so important to you; giving up your comfort level and having a potentially tough and emotional conversation is what it means to pick up your cross and lose this worldly life for Christ's sake. It could be as simple as asking a non-believing friend, family member, or even a parent to attend church with you; inviting them to ask questions, allowing you to break down the walls of judgement they may have experienced in the past, and letting them see a glimpse of Jesus through you. It is not always easy, but we must keep in mind that He gave His life on a cross so that we might live.
Daily Verse:
Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it." ~ Luke 9:23-24
There are many ways to lay down this life for Him, and I challenge you to find more and more. We must continuously remind ourselves of not only who we are, but Whose we are. Don't let another day pass in the comfort zone, pick up that cross, lay down your life for the One who gave it all!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)