Monday, November 24, 2014

Boasting

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 NLT
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord."

It is hard to go for a ride and not see at least one of those bumper stickers that boast about their child. Things like "My child is an honor student", "My child is student of the month", "My child is...." and so on.

When we get a promotion, an award, bowl a perfect game, get a raise, win a raffle, hit a home run, or something else that honors us our family members may boast about it. And that is fine. But self boasting gets pretty old with our friends and family. Okay for them to boast about us. That makes us feel good, but boasting about our self comes off as arrogant pretty soon.

When we are following the guidance of Holy Spirit and do as God asks us the results may be pretty amazing. It may even seem to others that we did something that was great, something to be praised. They want to boast about us.

We must be careful with our response. We may have been the one to stretch forth our hands, the one to pray for them, the one Holy Spirit used to speak words of wisdom to. But, it was not us. It was the touch of Jesus and the words of Holy Spirit.

Even though we feel pretty good about what happened, we cannot take any credit for it. We stepped out as Holy Spirit directed us and let Him use us to fulfill the need. We must give all the credit to God. It is He that removes our burdens, heals all our diseases, and fills us with His peace. Thank you Jesus!

Monday, November 17, 2014

His Presence

John 16:33 NIV
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.

Peace seems to be associated with quiet. I remember my mother wanting to have some peace and quiet in the house. But I do not think she was referring to the kind of peace John is speaking about. That peace is in the knowing that with God everything is alright.

No matter what is going on around us in the world, if we are practicing His presence, we can be at peace. The turmoil still exists. We are just not there. We are with our Father in Heaven.

When we are busy solving all the problems of others, our friends, children, and perhaps even our spouse we are not practicing the presence of God. When we stay out of the lives of others and just pray for them, when we give our troubles to Him knowing we can depend on Him to take care of them, or when we communicate with our Father God all day long, that is where we find true peace.

Our cares, given fully to Him bring us into His presence by taking us out of the world's reality. In the spirit is where our peace resides. And that is where we need to be.

Practice being in His presence today, not once but all day long. The more we practice the easier it becomes to slide out of this flesh and into the spirit with Him.

Monday, November 10, 2014

God's Presence

Don't pray for the presence of God; practice it!

We Limit Us

God does not limit us. We do that...

Distracted

Galatians 5:7 NIV
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?

When we embark on a new path in our life it is typical that we run it by our friends, those we spend time with. These could be close family, the guys or gals we spend our free time with, and even those we work closely with forty hours or more each week.

Yet much of the advice we might receive will pull us away from that new venture for many reasons. Reasons like I already tried that and it did not work, what makes you think you can do that, only one out of a hundred can make that work... and the list goes on.

Some try to steer us away because they think we are making a mistake and do not want to see of hurt or disappointed. Others are afraid we will no longer be their friend. Some may even be jealous that we have found happiness in something other than our relationship with them.

It does not matter what others think. Only God matters. If He has directed us on a certain path and we know that we know it, then we must pursue it... no matter what others may think.

As well meaning as they may be, they are a distraction to us obtaining our full potential in life, our purpose in God. You see, the enemy will even use our friends to put up blockades or distractions without them ever realizing it.

Father God, show me the plan you have for me, the path I am to take and give me the wisdom and the courage to move forward in it and not allow the distractions to pull me off that path. In Jesus name, I pray.

Monday, November 03, 2014

Scripture Teaches

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

And the word all means both the new and the old. It teaches us right from wrong and can steer us in the right direction when making choices. The question I ask is this one. Does what I am about to do line up with God's word? If not, then it is not a path I want to follow.

The same is true with hearing a message on television, reading a book, or even sitting at the feet of a pastor at church. Is what I am hearing line up with God's word? And if not, I do not accept it as truth.

This does not mean the source is not godly. It does not mean they are not born again believers. They may be. Just consider that all we receive is filtered by our years of experience in the world and our walk in the spirit. So what they said may not have been meant the way our filter had us hear it.

Father God, open my ears to hear Your truth. May the filter of my mind be replaced with the mind of Christ so all that I hear is true and steers me on the path you have designated for me. In Jesus name!