God is Faithful
“If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:23-24
Feeling down? Like nothing is possible within this current economic circumstances? Don’t lose hope. Jesus’ words suggest it requires more than our own efforts to obtain results, that it requires faith. Jesus demonstrates what is possible if we place our trust in Christ -- because nothing is too difficult for God. As we face challenges and trials, trust Christ to strengthen you and give you peace for what lays ahead. With Jesus as the source of our strength and hope, we can believe and trust in our Heavenly Father to provide all that we need.
For I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NLT)
Because God is Faithful, through Christ we can trust that all our needs will be met.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Saturday, August 1, 2015
A Passion for Service and Excellence
God Is Gracious
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15
Since creation, God has given us work to do. Knowing that God created work should shed new light on our approach to the work week. And, if we focus on this truth, it is possible that even the most difficult aspects of work can become a passion.
Are you passionate about your work? Do you strive for 110 percent or is complacency lurking in you? Take a look at what is being asked of you today and think of how God has been gracious to you. As He changes your heart and mind, you will have the ability to transform an undesirable or mundane task into one full of joy and excellence. Passion comes from the heart, a heart humbled by the knowledge of God’s grace and mercy.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, Colossians 3:23
Because God is gracious, He can transform our hearts and enable us to serve passionately.
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15
Since creation, God has given us work to do. Knowing that God created work should shed new light on our approach to the work week. And, if we focus on this truth, it is possible that even the most difficult aspects of work can become a passion.
Are you passionate about your work? Do you strive for 110 percent or is complacency lurking in you? Take a look at what is being asked of you today and think of how God has been gracious to you. As He changes your heart and mind, you will have the ability to transform an undesirable or mundane task into one full of joy and excellence. Passion comes from the heart, a heart humbled by the knowledge of God’s grace and mercy.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, Colossians 3:23
Because God is gracious, He can transform our hearts and enable us to serve passionately.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Why Ask Why?
God is Faithful
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. Psalm 145:13
When passed over for a promotion, or still seeking employment, when illness strikes, or when things don’t make sense – we all want to know WHY.
In the story of Lazarus, Martha said to the Lord “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."John 11:21-22 Despite her grief and lack of understanding behind her brother’s death, she trusted Jesus. Later that day, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead for all who believed to see the glory of God.
Some of life’s questions we’ll never know the answer….But what we do know is that God knows, and that He loves us, desires the best for us and has a grand plan for us. And when we trust God with all the answers, we can find a peace that surpasses all understanding.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:7
Because God is faithful, in Christ we can find peace even though we don't have all the answers.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Independence Day
God Is All-Powerful
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18
This week we will celebrate the 4th of July. We will be reminded that we live in a wonderful and free country. Our constitution provides each American with an abundance of civil liberties, but are we truly free as individuals? Each day we are faced with temptation and while we have the freedom to make a choice, do we always choose what we know in our hearts is best?
The Bible tells us we can not be truly free until we have made Christ the Lord of our lives. Because of our sinful nature, we do not have the ability to resist temptation in our own strength. We may be able to withstand a persuasion for a time being, but not forever. However, with Christ in our hearts, we are given the power to be free from all sin if we are willing. Yes, our country grants us many freedoms, but our own hearts will never be free without surrender.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
Because God is all-powerful, with Christ we are set free from temptation
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. Romans 7:18
This week we will celebrate the 4th of July. We will be reminded that we live in a wonderful and free country. Our constitution provides each American with an abundance of civil liberties, but are we truly free as individuals? Each day we are faced with temptation and while we have the freedom to make a choice, do we always choose what we know in our hearts is best?
The Bible tells us we can not be truly free until we have made Christ the Lord of our lives. Because of our sinful nature, we do not have the ability to resist temptation in our own strength. We may be able to withstand a persuasion for a time being, but not forever. However, with Christ in our hearts, we are given the power to be free from all sin if we are willing. Yes, our country grants us many freedoms, but our own hearts will never be free without surrender.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:24
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
Because God is all-powerful, with Christ we are set free from temptation
Monday, June 15, 2015
Once Upon A Time
God is Wisdom
My son, do not forget my teaching but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
Proverbs 3:1-2
Remember hearing childhood stories about fairy godmothers, princesses and super heroes?….Oh, what it is like to be a small child wrapped up in the arms of a loving parent while listening to fairly tales with happy endings! … We all wish for happy endings when it comes to our life story and especially when it comes to our children’s. We do everything to protect them, to teach them, to warn them about poor choices, dangerous situations,...but we all know they don’t always listen nor do what we tell them.
Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is much the same….His word provides instruction to protect us, but we too sometimes don’t listen. No matter what we have done, however, His arms are always wide open for our return. Are we ever too old to be wrapped up in loving arms, cared for and forgiven? God doesn’t think so – With Christ in our hearts, He longs to comfort us, forgive us for our sins, and to give us the wisdom and strength to avoid future persuasion. And, it is in this context with Him that we can live …happily ever after!
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:24
Because God is Wisdom, through Christ we can live a victorious life.
Monday, June 1, 2015
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.
Friday, May 15, 2015
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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