God is Faithful
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6
Whether you focus on world events, our city streets, or within your own life, war is raging around us. Everyday newspapers and talk shows are full of stories of conflict, political battles, and struggles for social equality. And personally, we battle health issues, finances, relationships, poor choices….
Some struggles are so enormous that we can’t face them alone. The Bible tells us that God never forsakes us. He is always with us in our struggles, providing strength for the next week, day or hour, and providing comfort, guidance, and rest when we think we can’t go on. God gave David the confidence to face a giant with only five smooth stones and a sling shot...and God the Father gave Jesus the strength to die on the cross for us and through His resurrection, declare victory over this world. Yes, everyday brings strife, but in Christ, we are given the strength to endure and the confidence in the outcome no matter what we face. By having faith in Jesus, we too are victorious over things of this world.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
Because God is faithful, in Christ we find hope for whatever challenges we face.
Monday, August 1, 2016
Friday, July 15, 2016
I Just Want to be Forgiven!
God Is Merciful
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." Luke 5:20
We often do things that we aren’t proud of --and sometimes, they are a bit more serious than others. Time can erase the memories, but the guilt can come back unexpectedly. Many times we try to compensate for our poor actions by bringing gifts to those we have hurt or by making promises that we’ll never do it again. If criminals carry records, our employers keep files on our misdeeds, and our loved ones keep score – then how can we truly be forgiven and earn a fresh start?
The Bible tells us that we are forgiven though Christ’s death on the cross. He died for our sins, paying our debts in full. We don’t have to do anything to be forgiven other than believe in Christ as Lord and repent. True repentance means to turn from our sin and turn to God. While this is a big step, when we trust God, we experience forgiveness and we are made free from the bondage that follows our folly.
If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9
Because God is merciful, all our sins are forgiven through Christ.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." Luke 5:20
We often do things that we aren’t proud of --and sometimes, they are a bit more serious than others. Time can erase the memories, but the guilt can come back unexpectedly. Many times we try to compensate for our poor actions by bringing gifts to those we have hurt or by making promises that we’ll never do it again. If criminals carry records, our employers keep files on our misdeeds, and our loved ones keep score – then how can we truly be forgiven and earn a fresh start?
The Bible tells us that we are forgiven though Christ’s death on the cross. He died for our sins, paying our debts in full. We don’t have to do anything to be forgiven other than believe in Christ as Lord and repent. True repentance means to turn from our sin and turn to God. While this is a big step, when we trust God, we experience forgiveness and we are made free from the bondage that follows our folly.
If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9
Because God is merciful, all our sins are forgiven through Christ.
Friday, July 1, 2016
Is Work an Idol?
God is Sovereign
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:24
Unfortunately, society lures us to get wrapped up in our title, the power of our position, the size of our paycheck…. Not only do we let our work define who we are as individuals, but work often becomes the source of satisfaction in our lives.
Giving up an identity defined by work seems counter-intuitive to culture, but with Christ as the center of our affections, we are able to see a much grander vision. We end up with balance in our lives and the ability to love our neighbors when we’d otherwise be consumed by work. God does not define us by what we do or what we own, but rather by whose we are. We are God’s children -- the sons and daughters of a King! When we grasp that concept, work should no longer have a stronghold on us. We no longer are a slave to performance, but are free to think differently about the true purpose for our lives.
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
Because God is sovereign, we can find our true identity in Him.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:24
Unfortunately, society lures us to get wrapped up in our title, the power of our position, the size of our paycheck…. Not only do we let our work define who we are as individuals, but work often becomes the source of satisfaction in our lives.
Giving up an identity defined by work seems counter-intuitive to culture, but with Christ as the center of our affections, we are able to see a much grander vision. We end up with balance in our lives and the ability to love our neighbors when we’d otherwise be consumed by work. God does not define us by what we do or what we own, but rather by whose we are. We are God’s children -- the sons and daughters of a King! When we grasp that concept, work should no longer have a stronghold on us. We no longer are a slave to performance, but are free to think differently about the true purpose for our lives.
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13
Because God is sovereign, we can find our true identity in Him.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
One Day At A Time
God is Eternal
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13
Many of us find it hard to live in the moment. We are often focused on our next meeting, our next trip, or our next paycheck. We seem to talk about what’s next, failing to live in the present. What would it look like if we slowed down and embraced the present? If we did not worry about what was next, but what is now? Would we be less hurried, spend more time building relationships, and give up trying to control everything? Could our quality of life be dramatically improved?
Taking things minute by minute allows us to enjoy the present and give up trying to control the future. God’s plan is that one day we will live with Him in eternity - a place without time, where there is no past and no future, just the present. Today, He longs for us to live with Him in the present as well. Consequently, there would be no fear, no anxiety, no insecurity, and a fullness in our heart as we live out each moment, trusting God with the timing and the outcomes.
I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:10-11
Because God is eternal, we can live in the moment in confidence with Christ.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13
Many of us find it hard to live in the moment. We are often focused on our next meeting, our next trip, or our next paycheck. We seem to talk about what’s next, failing to live in the present. What would it look like if we slowed down and embraced the present? If we did not worry about what was next, but what is now? Would we be less hurried, spend more time building relationships, and give up trying to control everything? Could our quality of life be dramatically improved?
Taking things minute by minute allows us to enjoy the present and give up trying to control the future. God’s plan is that one day we will live with Him in eternity - a place without time, where there is no past and no future, just the present. Today, He longs for us to live with Him in the present as well. Consequently, there would be no fear, no anxiety, no insecurity, and a fullness in our heart as we live out each moment, trusting God with the timing and the outcomes.
I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:10-11
Because God is eternal, we can live in the moment in confidence with Christ.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Patience Is A Virtue
God Is Love
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:3-5
Maybe you struggle with patience while you stand in line, are put on hold, or wait for a response to an important question….What about people who wait a lifetime to see change in a loved one and never loose hope? The people who care for a special needs child or a parent who no longer can care for themselves….Their patience is amazing. Maybe their strength comes from something greater than themselves – possibly it stems from a love that is so deep it can’t be described.
That indescribable love is the same kind of love that God has for each one of us. He waits patiently for us to acknowledge Him as Creator and Giver of all things and invite Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our lives. He won’t force you but He’ll never stop pursuing you. He waits patiently, eagerly, lovingly.
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8
Because God is love, He waits patiently for us to accept Jesus as Lord of our lives.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:3-5
Maybe you struggle with patience while you stand in line, are put on hold, or wait for a response to an important question….What about people who wait a lifetime to see change in a loved one and never loose hope? The people who care for a special needs child or a parent who no longer can care for themselves….Their patience is amazing. Maybe their strength comes from something greater than themselves – possibly it stems from a love that is so deep it can’t be described.
That indescribable love is the same kind of love that God has for each one of us. He waits patiently for us to acknowledge Him as Creator and Giver of all things and invite Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of our lives. He won’t force you but He’ll never stop pursuing you. He waits patiently, eagerly, lovingly.
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8
Because God is love, He waits patiently for us to accept Jesus as Lord of our lives.
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Careful What You Ask For
God is Goodness
he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Psalm 78:24
I want it all and I want it now! That sounds like a battle cry from many people we know, and maybe even ourselves at times. What is so interesting is that same selfish desire probably hasn’t changed much since creation. Eve had everything she could possibly want, but she had to have the forbidden fruit too. And the Israelites were not satisfied with just manna from heaven – they demanded meat. While in the desert outside of Egypt, God had provided just enough for them to be sustained, and He never provided too much so they would continue to trust in Him for their provision. But God grew tired of their grumbling and let them have their way. They feasted on quail to their hearts delight, however, their lack of trust angered the Lord and they were all destroyed.
Thousands of years have passed since these events happened, but people’s wants and needs have not changed. Nor has God’s goodness changed, always providing the perfect amount. It is just sometimes we don’t think we’ve been given enough or we don’t see from where our provision truly comes.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
Because God is goodness, we can trust that all our needs will be met through Christ.
he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. Psalm 78:24
I want it all and I want it now! That sounds like a battle cry from many people we know, and maybe even ourselves at times. What is so interesting is that same selfish desire probably hasn’t changed much since creation. Eve had everything she could possibly want, but she had to have the forbidden fruit too. And the Israelites were not satisfied with just manna from heaven – they demanded meat. While in the desert outside of Egypt, God had provided just enough for them to be sustained, and He never provided too much so they would continue to trust in Him for their provision. But God grew tired of their grumbling and let them have their way. They feasted on quail to their hearts delight, however, their lack of trust angered the Lord and they were all destroyed.
Thousands of years have passed since these events happened, but people’s wants and needs have not changed. Nor has God’s goodness changed, always providing the perfect amount. It is just sometimes we don’t think we’ve been given enough or we don’t see from where our provision truly comes.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
Because God is goodness, we can trust that all our needs will be met through Christ.
Sunday, May 1, 2016
People Pleasers
God is Love
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
The world is full of people pleasers. And while that is a good thing for those of us who are service providers, we all know it is exhausting, if not impossible, to constantly please others. Looking at the motive, we see ourselves striving for acceptance and love. To win over hearts, we can fall into the trap of believing we must earn acceptance. And often we find no matter what we do or say, it is never enough to feel at peace.
But the Bible tells us that we are loved and accepted unconditionally by God. We can never be separated from God’s love no matter what we do or don’t do. And, no good works will provide that love, because it is a gift from God. God loved us first and chose us to be in a relationship with him – nothing is required to receive the gift other than the desire to accept God’s saving grace which was made available to us through Jesus. We don’t need to be perfect, we just need to be His.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Because God is love, through Christ we are completely loved and accepted.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
The world is full of people pleasers. And while that is a good thing for those of us who are service providers, we all know it is exhausting, if not impossible, to constantly please others. Looking at the motive, we see ourselves striving for acceptance and love. To win over hearts, we can fall into the trap of believing we must earn acceptance. And often we find no matter what we do or say, it is never enough to feel at peace.
But the Bible tells us that we are loved and accepted unconditionally by God. We can never be separated from God’s love no matter what we do or don’t do. And, no good works will provide that love, because it is a gift from God. God loved us first and chose us to be in a relationship with him – nothing is required to receive the gift other than the desire to accept God’s saving grace which was made available to us through Jesus. We don’t need to be perfect, we just need to be His.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Because God is love, through Christ we are completely loved and accepted.
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