Hebrews 10:35
So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. (NLT)
We begin early in life to make lists of what we want--for birthdays, Christmas, marriage, new babies, and more. Then we look for others to give those things they have promised us. We do not always get all we asked for.
God's word is filled with promises to us. As we continue to abide in His word and do His will, He fulfills those promises in the timing important to our individual growth in our transformation walk.
What we need is trust; our fully trusting God. We do not get to make our own list of wants like our birthday or Christmas presents. Of course we can ask for anything, but He chooses if and when always looking to it lining up with His word.
All we need to do is continue to do God's will. Then in time, with patience, we will receive all that he has promised.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Doing Good
Galatians 6:10
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith. (NLT)
I remember my mother telling me "If you can't say something good, don't say anything at all". Doing good has to do with what we say as well as what we do. But what does it really mean to do good?
Sure, we send out checks to various charities and volunteer at the local soup kitchen. And that is good, but those are not the only opportunities we come across. Many we simply avoid because they don't fit our lifestyle, social status, or personal desires.
It is easy to do good when it fits our plan. But what about His plan? Do we pay attention to what is going on around us or are we too focused on our plan, on our to-do list?
When someone is in need, especially someone we are in relationship with, someone who goes to church with us, are we there with a meal, a prayer, an anonymous donation, or even just an ear to listen?
Being a Christian is more than getting a bus ride to heaven. It is about the journey from now until then. And it is about who we become during the journey. The more we give to others out of their need instead of ours, the more Christ like we become.
Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith. (NLT)
I remember my mother telling me "If you can't say something good, don't say anything at all". Doing good has to do with what we say as well as what we do. But what does it really mean to do good?
Sure, we send out checks to various charities and volunteer at the local soup kitchen. And that is good, but those are not the only opportunities we come across. Many we simply avoid because they don't fit our lifestyle, social status, or personal desires.
It is easy to do good when it fits our plan. But what about His plan? Do we pay attention to what is going on around us or are we too focused on our plan, on our to-do list?
When someone is in need, especially someone we are in relationship with, someone who goes to church with us, are we there with a meal, a prayer, an anonymous donation, or even just an ear to listen?
Being a Christian is more than getting a bus ride to heaven. It is about the journey from now until then. And it is about who we become during the journey. The more we give to others out of their need instead of ours, the more Christ like we become.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Encourage
Romans 1:12
When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. (NLT)
I remember playing on a baseball team when I was growing up. The shortest one on the team and I got a walk most of the time. The strike zone was pretty small. The only time I did not get a walk was when I tried to hit the ball. I was not very good at it and no matter how many times I tried, I struck out. The worst was when we were down a run, bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two outs and I was up to bat. You guessed it. I struck out and we lost the game. I was discouraged but my teammates and my coach still encouraged me.
How important it is to encourage others in their faith walk. They look at others and see how their faith works in their lives. And they have a hard time relating because they cannot picture themselves letting go of the steering wheel. They want to remain in control.
And isn't this true with us as well? No matter how far we have walked, there are places we have not gotten to yet and others we can look up to that have made it. In that area their faith is stronger than ours.
We all need encouragement in our walk as God helps us change one little bit at a time. As we hear testimony from others about what they had to go through to walk the walk they are walking, we will be encouraged to keep on keepin on.
So take the time today to encourage another in their walk with Jesus.
When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. (NLT)
I remember playing on a baseball team when I was growing up. The shortest one on the team and I got a walk most of the time. The strike zone was pretty small. The only time I did not get a walk was when I tried to hit the ball. I was not very good at it and no matter how many times I tried, I struck out. The worst was when we were down a run, bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two outs and I was up to bat. You guessed it. I struck out and we lost the game. I was discouraged but my teammates and my coach still encouraged me.
How important it is to encourage others in their faith walk. They look at others and see how their faith works in their lives. And they have a hard time relating because they cannot picture themselves letting go of the steering wheel. They want to remain in control.
And isn't this true with us as well? No matter how far we have walked, there are places we have not gotten to yet and others we can look up to that have made it. In that area their faith is stronger than ours.
We all need encouragement in our walk as God helps us change one little bit at a time. As we hear testimony from others about what they had to go through to walk the walk they are walking, we will be encouraged to keep on keepin on.
So take the time today to encourage another in their walk with Jesus.
Monday, September 03, 2012
Faith Grows
Colossians 2:6
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (NLT)
There is no one way. Yes, the one way to Heaven is through God's saving grace. But the way we travel between now and then is as varied as the number of persons on this earth. We each accept Jesus as our Lord and through prayer and study we sink our roots deep in Him.
Our roots are not the same as anyone else and they are not tangled up with any other roots. Our path is unlike any other. But this is not all we are to do. Sure we should be praying, reading our Bibles, and meditating on what we read.
I go a gym during the week and exercise my muscles. As I am faithful to do that, my muscle grow in proportion to the time I spend in exercise. Limited exercise equals limited growth.
It is what we do with our lives that builds our faith. We all begin with little faith; faith the size of a mustard seed. As we listen and let Holy Spirit guide us each day our lives become built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Just like a muscle, as we exercise our faith, as we do what He tells us to do, our faith grows a little bit at a time.
Faith grows, but not because we study His word. No, it grows as we let our roots go down deep and then build our lives on Him.
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (NLT)
There is no one way. Yes, the one way to Heaven is through God's saving grace. But the way we travel between now and then is as varied as the number of persons on this earth. We each accept Jesus as our Lord and through prayer and study we sink our roots deep in Him.
Our roots are not the same as anyone else and they are not tangled up with any other roots. Our path is unlike any other. But this is not all we are to do. Sure we should be praying, reading our Bibles, and meditating on what we read.
I go a gym during the week and exercise my muscles. As I am faithful to do that, my muscle grow in proportion to the time I spend in exercise. Limited exercise equals limited growth.
It is what we do with our lives that builds our faith. We all begin with little faith; faith the size of a mustard seed. As we listen and let Holy Spirit guide us each day our lives become built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Just like a muscle, as we exercise our faith, as we do what He tells us to do, our faith grows a little bit at a time.
Faith grows, but not because we study His word. No, it grows as we let our roots go down deep and then build our lives on Him.
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