Tag: Love

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Why Should I Be Worried?

Why Should I Be Worried?

I don’t know about you, but I have more than a few things to worry about. Some big, some small. Some short term, some long term. A few things I have some control over and others that I have no control over. On top of that, I receive emails filled with details about additional things to worry about as if I should join the sender in their concern. There are a lot of things to worry about.

Can you relate?

If I choose to, I could worry about my car falling apart, my yard that needs mowing, a project that is really late, bills that are behind, the lack of money that is coming in and the fact that I have no health care. Oh, but that’s not all. I could also worry about my office that is a mess, or that many people, friends of mine, who struggle with little income and worse circumstances than I. While I’m at it I could also worry about our state and federal governments and everything else that is madness in the world.

My friends, all that I’ve listed here are genuinely a part of my reality.

Now I know that many of you have even longer lists than I. Some of you might be tempted to say “big deal, you think you’ve got problems, take a look at my list!” What I find fascinating is that I know people with long lists with poor circumstances that worry less than people with shorter lists and seemingly smaller issues.

Lessons I’ve learned

With this knowledge I draw these conclusions:

    1. Our worries and concerns are relative and in no way can be compared with someone else’s. People that live an “easier life” should not be put down or their problems minimized because they don’t “compare” to mine. Who am I to judge?
    2. It really is a choice to worry, but harder for some to break. I’ve been told by people that their mother worried so it became a learned habit for them, or even maybe a genetic trait, I don’t know.
    3. Some people can hide it well and some people wear it on their sleeve. Appearances can be deceiving, people don’t always “have it altogether” as you may think.
    4. Everyone’s worried about something, in various degrees. Everyone also has something to be thankful for. (Read Psalm 103)

What amazes me is that I can be out doing anything and can be in a cheerful mood when I suddenly have a worrisome thought enter my mind. If I ruminate (Beth’s word, not mine) on these thoughts without considering the sovereignty of God and His plans and purposes for my life then I’m left hopeless. It is that simple. Without God, there is no hope. If I fail to acknowledge my Creator then my cheerful mood quickly turns to despair.

1 Thessalonians 5: 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Nothing substitutes our time spent with God

This is just one reason why it is essential to spend time with God daily in prayer, His Word, and spiritually charged fellowship regularly if we want any hope of having a joyful life regardless of the circumstances.

I think worry or fear is the absence of or lack of faith. Is God truly sovereign? Is He in control? Does He want what’s best for me?

Based on this passage from Psalm 112 I think the measure that someone worries is an indicator of how well they know their God, personally and/or intellectually.

Psalm 112:
1 Praise the Lord!
How joyful are those who fear the Lord
and delight in obeying his commands.
…
 6 Such people will not be overcome by evil.
Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
 7 They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.
8 They are confident and fearless
and can face their foes triumphantly.

This passage in 1 John says it well:

1 John 4:16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

ALL things work together…

One thing that I’ve found is that God allows us to experience “rough spots” so that we learn to depend on Him more (which is what He desires most):

Romans 8: 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

And He stretches and matures us through the process:

Romans 5: 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Knowing this should excite us and then we can really shout with joy.

It tells us that there really is a purpose and that we’ll be better witnesses on the other end.

“Hard times”, when allowing God to work with us (remaining submissive), yields patience, compassion, joy, understanding, and perseverance. There are things you learn through difficulties that you simply cannot learn otherwise. Do you remember the book of Job?

Job was blameless from the beginning.

Job 1: 8 Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

He naturally went through a great period of despair. When God finally reveals Himself to Job He sets Job straight by making it abundantly clear that He is God and Job is not. What I think is really cool is how God showcased His creation to illustrate just how great He is. This humbled Job. It was this great experience with the Almighty and the revelation of things “far too wonderful” for him that led to his repentance and, after praying for His friends, concluded His test.

Job 42: 1 Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

One significant lesson to learn from Job is that being blameless is not enough.

If that is all you are seeking, you will miss out on Life Himself. What God desires most is for us to continually get to know and understand Him more which will only perfect our love and admiration for Him. This is why the greatest commandment is to “love God…” and not “Don’t sin and be blameless”. After all, it is our love for Him that ultimately gives us the power and desire to do good.

Here are some lessons from Job that will lead you to peace:

  1. Don’t count on advice or sympathy from ignorant friends, but pray for them.
  2. Spend time with people that know God personally more than you do. Usually, they are the older ones (not necessarily as in Job) at church that always seem to be full of joy.
  3. Continually strive to know God, both intellectually and personally (Bible reading, prayer, journaling to name a few activities).
  4. Do whatever it takes and pray that you stay humble and meek, keeping your heart soft.

I’m not at all suggesting that if you continue seeking God that you’ll ever be worry-free, for even Jesus was distressed in the garden of Gethsemane. What I am saying is that listening to and following these words will greatly reduce your worry, giving you peace, improving your witness and moving you towards godliness rather than bitterness.

These are great passages to memorize:

Philippians 4: 4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:  31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

If God, the Creator of all things seen and unseen, is for us, what do we have to worry about?

“Dear God, Let all that I am praise your name!, Thank you for teaching me so many things. My hope is in you and you alone, for you do not disappoint. Continue to lead me in your Truth so that I may grow in knowledge and understanding. Help me to know you better so that I can lean on you in dark times. You are awesome Lord and I thank you for loving me to begin with. Your loving mercies endure forever. In Jesus’ name, amen”

Take comfort from these closing words…

Job 23:
8 I go east, but he is not there.
I go west, but I cannot find him.
9 I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden.
I look to the south, but he is concealed.
10 But he knows where I am going.
And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.

 

Photo by Nitish Kadam on Unsplash



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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Have Your Friends Been Warned?

Have Your Friends Been Warned?

Are you familiar with the phrase, “You’ve gotta take the bad with the good.”?

I think that’s just the way life is, isn’t it? There is always good news and bad news. I find the Bible to be much the same way. Consider this selection of verses:

1 John 5:  12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

John 3:  18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

2 Chronicles 15: 2b The LORD will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you.

1 Chronicles 28: 9b If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Notice that each of these has the “good news” and the “bad news”.  Each passage contains 2 promises, one for the righteous and the other for the wicked.  Moses sang the same tune:

Deuteronomy 30: 15 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.

It’s no wonder the Bible has lost its popularity.

In a day and age where the stories are sugar coated and most people are over-entertained, it doesn’t take long when reading the Word of God before it pierces your heart.

Paul has a great way of putting it, I’ll let him speak for himself:

Romans 11:  22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.

In addition, Paul adds:

2 Corinthians 2: 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume.

As believers and ambassadors for God, we know we have a message to deliver. In a nutshell, it is this:

2 Corinthians 5: 20b We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

There is also a time to warn others.

Read these verses carefully:

Ezekiel 3:  20 “If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. 21 But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”

I’m not necessarily saying that we need to be going around warning everybody, but when the time comes and the conversation moves toward death, “end of the world” scenarios, and future events, I’d like to think I’d have the courage to say something like “Get right with God, because judgment day is coming.”

And if they say “That’s just a ‘made up’ fable, the Bible has said it many years ago, it won’t happen” You can tell them:

2 Peter 3:  8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.

Great explanation, isn’t it?

My point is that people need to hear the whole truth, which is not all “good news”. Let’s learn from the master Himself, this is what He had to say about the future:

Luke 17:  26 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 27 In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.

 28 “And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building—29 until the morning Lot left Sodom. Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Here’s another warning Message from the Messiah:

Matthew 7:  21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

Don’t you think it’s time to tell the truth?

“Dear God in heaven, may I say the words you give me to say. My friends need to know about the coming judgment and I don’t know how make it clear, will you help me warn them somehow? I never know what to say or when to say it, but I know that if you live in me that my words will be your words and I can rest in that. Thank you for saving me from the coming judgment. I pray that I can continue trusting in you so that you can use me to share this news with others. In Christ’s name, amen”

Photo by Amador Loureiro on Unsplash



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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
He Loves Me... He Loves Me... (not?)

He Loves Me… He Loves Me…(not?)

Does the title sound familiar? Of course, at least for some of you, I hope. In case you don’t, perhaps there are people reading this that are too young or from another culture that never heard it before.  I looked it up on Wikipedia and it seems to be of French origin.

Suppose a young girl daydreams about a boy, there is a simple game called “he loves me… he loves me not” which would determine whether the boy loves her or not. It is played by picking a daisy and then plucking the petals from it one by one. As each petal is removed the girl will say out loud “he loves me”, then the next petal is removed, “he loves me not”, next petal, “he loves me”, next petal “he loves me not” and so on until the last petal is picked which, whatever  phrase is recited, determines whether the boy loves her, or not. Suppose the last petal is “he loves me not”? Why she’d probably have to pick another daisy and try again. 🙂

Is it silly? Maybe, but cute.

Isn’t it nice to know that God always loves us and regardless of any “daisy game”, He still loves us?

But do we believe this? Day in and day out? Is this just intellectual knowledge of God’s Word or is it something that we know to be true in our hearts?

I think the greater understanding of His love for us is directly related to the less stress we have.

Here’s the real test:  Ask yourself these questions “Do I still worry?”, “Do I still have fear?” Or how about “When my bills are late, do I get anxious?”,  “Do I fear losing my job?”, “Do I worry about losing my home?”, “What do I worry about?”

If you said yes to any one of these that just means your normal. Everyone has fears and worries to various degrees. Although I believe this about people I’m convinced that that is not God’s plan for us.

Philippians 4: 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Matthew 6:  34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

He tells us not to worry about anything! Are you kidding me?

At the heart of this, I believe that worry is simply a word to mean “lack of faith”.

Matthew 8: 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

Hebrews 11: 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

I’ve learned that as I grow spiritually, I worry less and less, and although I still struggle with it, this knowledge gives me hope. Meditating on both Philippians 4:6 and Mattew 6:34 as seen above, has been really good for me. God is telling me not to worry. Eventually, I finally started to say to God “OK Lord, if you say so.” and I am amazed at how effective it was to meditate on these verses.

Another verse that really disturbed me and was helpful in meditating on was this:

Psalm 112: 7
They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.

Who is “They” anyway and why wouldn’t they fear bad news, doesn’t everybody fear bad news? Can anyone relate to this? “They”, found earlier in the Psalm, is:

 1 Praise the Lord!
How joyful are those who fear the Lord
and delight in obeying his commands.

Some days I’ll tremble with fear and others I seem to be at peace. It is the days of fear that I’ve really learned to cling to Him and go to Him constantly. It is also in these days of unrest that I find myself doubting what I know to be true. Is God really going to rescue me? Does He really love me? What I find fascinating is that after a day of gloom I can pray to my God and the next day, with the same circumstances, He gives me a renewed sense of hope and peace. It’s as if to say “He really does love me!”.

1 John 4:  16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

   God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

I think perfect love should always be our goal; this would enable us to overcome fear. This makes sense since the greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and neighbors as ourselves.

Isn’t this great news? You see, He loved us first:

1 John 4:19 19 We love him, because he first loved us. (KJV)

Then He commands us to love Him back, for our own good, of course:

Deuteronomy 10: 13 And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.

In the effort to love God and learning how to love Him; this is where true transformation really happens.

The more we understand God and the love He has for us the less fear we’ll have.

James 4: 8a Come close to God, and God will come close to you.

The closer God comes to you, the more you will realize just how much He loves you and your fears will start to fade away.

How do I grow spiritually and learn to love Him more?

  1. I read my Bible daily and follow a reading plan because I need one.
  2. I seek Him in prayer on an as needed basis(at least daily), telling Him about all my fears and asking Him to fill me with His Spirit and to teach me His ways. “Lord, how can I be one of those who doesn’t fear bad news? Please let that be said of me.”
  3. I regularly spend time in fellowship with believers discussing each other’s lives and focusing on the Word of God. In groups of 2-15 people (about 4-5 times a week)
  4. I read godly books. Personal biographies are great and those focused on spiritual growth.

Sermons at church and on the radio are great, but nothing beats “individual God time” and scriptural fellowship.

 Keep in mind that this is where I am now. When I first started to seriously seek God I read the Bible, prayed a little bit and met once a week with others. Since then my desire for fellowship grew and I find great enjoyment from these weekly meetings with the godly. The more I sought God, the more time I wanted to be with Him and His followers.

Will you join me on this journey to love Him more?

“Dear Lord, thank you for calling and loving me. I am so privileged to know you and have a heart for you. Will you help me know you better? Please help me to learn how to perfect my love and learn how to love you more. You have been so good to me and I thank you for what you’re doing today and in the future. In Jesus name, amen.”

 

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

How Do We Trust?

Does trust come automatically or is it learned? Of course, it is learned.  Trust takes time.

Just because someone says “trust me”, can we trust them? For those few people in our lives that we can trust, the people we say we can “count on” when things are tough, how was that trust developed? I am sure that those people have shown themselves to be trustworthy, over time. Perhaps they have come through for you like when your car broke down, or when you needed help with a personal emergency.

But what about those times that require more than human help? What about a terminal illness or a dire financial situation? I’m sure you know where I’m going with this. Certainly, God is there for us when we need Him, but although we know this intellectually, do we know in our heart that we can trust Him?

Psalm 9: 10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

I think this verse says so succinctly what I’m trying to say. “Those who know your name trust in you”. Reading about trusting in God or listening to your pastor about trusting God is one thing, but actually trusting in God personally is a completely different matter.

Pray or just pay?

When money seems like the obvious or only solution, do we reach for the credit card or do we wait on God and seek His advice? The problem is if we always seem to “figure it out”, there is no way for us to learn how to trust in Him. This is why I think He sometimes leads us down a path so that we have no choice but to trust in Him. How does this work? Let’s review the story of Elijah and the widow at Zarephath:

1 Kings 7: 8 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”

10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”

12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”

God tells Isaiah to visit the widow, so he goes. Isaiah asks for some bread, and as far as she’s concerned she has just enough for one more meal, then she and her son will die.

“You’re asking me for bread???”

 13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”

15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her son continued to eat for many days. 16There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

So Elijah reassures the woman and says that there will always be enough until the crops grow again. So that’s what happens. She lives through this somewhat miraculous time while her needs are being met day by day and they get through it. But then something happens:

17 Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died.18 Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?”

Her son dies.

She’s distraught and questions the man of God altogether. It doesn’t make sense. He comes there, she witnesses the daily miracles, and then her son dies? Why God? Elijah is clueless as well…

19 But Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. 20 Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”

21 And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! 23 Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”

The non-believer is blessed by God through the believer and only after seeing her son die does God have a chance to work so that this happens…

24 Then the woman told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the Lord truly speaks through you.”

She’s now a believer!

God has revealed Himself to her and she has a great testimony. I love this. In this process of the woman becoming a believer, Elijah is strengthened and encouraged by the whole event. I think that the daily miracle of just having food to eat prepared the woman for what was to come.

Mark 4: 39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

God allowed the child to die just as He allows the storms to come into our lives so that we may see Him at work in our lives, learn to trust in Him, and also that those around us will know that He is God.

Exodus 14:18 When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!”

Do those around you know that He is the Lord?

“O Lord, thank you for what you are doing in my life. I don’t understand all that you are doing and you know that I get frustrated at times and ask ‘why?’. Please be patient with me as I continue to learn and get to know you more. For you are God and I am a mere human. Lead me down your perfect and pleasing path so that the people you have put in my life will know that you are God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Photo by Leio McLaren on Unsplash



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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do You Know What He Wants From You?

Do You Know What He Wants From You?

What does it mean to be a Christian? Is it just a social club or something to say to fit in? Maybe you call yourself a Christian because your parents did and you don’t know any better. What does it mean to you to be called Christian? Is this truly your identity?

Matthew 16: 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.

Mark 1: 17 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

Jesus said “come, follow me”. He did not say, “only if your heart is in it”, should you follow me. His command was direct and simple. So the disciples followed Him.

John 15: 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

It seems to me that the disciples stayed with Him, day after day. These ordinary men left their lives and their lively hoods behind them to follow their new Master. One day Simon Peter is a fisherman, the next day a trainee in the “fisher of men” program. One day Levi is a tax collector, the next he is following Jesus. These are radical decisions being made.

Do you understand this?

The course of their lives changed overnight. They had no idea what they were getting into, but they followed anyway. God gave them new employment. Instead of working at the sea to catch fish for a living, Simon Peter was now working for God.

Has this happened to you? Can you relate to this change of employment? Has God changed how He operates? Do you think He’s only called us to meet once a week and whatever spare devotional time there’s left in between?

I think He still wants us to spend time with Him daily, listening and interacting with Him. There should be no difference in the Christian’s life from day to day throughout the week. Each day should be “Spirit-filled”.

 Romans 8: 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

Being “Spirit-filled” or “controlled by the Holy Spirit” can happen only when we seek Him daily and spend time with Him. This is what is modeled for us in the gospels and it still applies today.

Has He called you to follow Him?

Or when you read the above verses is it “someone else” He’s called, like your cousin who’s now a missionary? Pastors and missionaries are not the only people that have been called. As a matter of fact, not all pastors have been called! If you’ve repented (changed your mind) of your sins and turned to God, then you’ve been called.

Matthew 3: 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near

The ambassador position mentioned in 2 Cor. 5 is not a part-time position.

2 Corinthians 5: 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

I think if anyone pursues or follows God seriously, as the disciples had, God would lead them into full-time work. They might not be asked to leave their jobs, but they’ll know that they’re now working under New Management.

Matthew 9: 37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.

Will you join His workforce?

“Dear Lord, thank you for calling me. I once was blind but now I see. With this knowledge, I know I have a responsibility to share this good news with others. Please teach me your ways. Lead me to be an active member of the family business. I want to play a role in it, teach me how. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

 

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Are You Open To God's Teaching?

Are You Open To God’s Teaching?

Are you allowing God to teach you? If only more people would seek God for His wisdom, personally, and learn from Him how to treat others the world would be a much better place wouldn’t it?

Today I’d just like to examine a few passages that I think are great for learning godly interpersonal and parenting skills.

Are you ready to learn from the Master?

This is probably one of the most famous of Christ’s teachings on treating others. We all know it as the “Golden Rule”:

Matthew 7: 12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

I think this one verse, if meditated on, can take us a long way towards being a loving person. It simply requires some careful thought when interacting with others in your life.

Thoughts such as “My wife’s had a rough day, perhaps I should clean up around the house so she won’t have to.”

Isn’t it amazing how this one sentence covers the essence of a vast portion of the Old Testament? Yet it’s so simple!

In this next passage, I love how we can learn from God’s example. Let’s read…

Genesis 4: 8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

9 Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

What I love about this is that God knew all along that Cain killed Abel. Instead of accusations, condemnation, and anger, God simply asks a question: “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” He lovingly allows Cain to confess. He gives Cain a chance to repent. Perhaps you had or have a parent that is not so loving. A typical reaction for a parent to deal with a child who knowingly disobeyed is to yell, accuse and be quick to judge. God is not that way, isn’t that good news?

Here’s another great example of God’s perfect parenting skills:

Jonah 4: 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”

“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”

10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

In verse 8 Jonah states that he’d rather be dead and he was angry. What comes to my mind are the typical responses such as “You shouldn’t be angry.”, “Why are you angry?” or “I can’t believe you’re angry.” God takes a different path and asks “Is it right for you to be angry?” This changes everything doesn’t it? It requires Jonah to think about whether his heart is right and does not invalidate his feelings.

Doesn’t Jonah remind you of a little kid? I find this exchange a bit comical, but I think it’s ignorance on my part as I cannot begin to relate to Jonah in this setting.

And then there’s Moses…

Exodus 5: 22 Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? 23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!”

Exodus 6: 1 Then the Lord told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!”

In this exchange, we read that Moses is frustrated, confused and exasperated. I’d think that God would want to defend Himself, but God does not bother. He simply tells Moses, if I may paraphrase: “Just wait, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

You may wish to read a similar exchange with His servant Gideon in Judges 6: 11-14.

This last verse sums it up, doesn’t it?

Psalm 103: 13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

What is God teaching you?

“Dear God, Thank you for your Word so that I might know how to live. Please keep me on your path so that I can continue to learn from you. In Jesus name, amen.”

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Are You Available To Others?

Are You Available To Others?

 What does being a Christian mean to you? Is it simply a label by which you claim your faith or does it mean something more to you?

Today I’d like us to consider the following passage in 2 Corinthians 5 to set up our discussion of making ourselves available to others.

2 Corinthians 5: 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

It seems to me that this applies to all believers, doesn’t it? I kind of like the title, Ambassador of Christ, don’t you? Could you imagine going to a business mixer or a social gathering and introducing yourself in such a way? I can see it now, “Hello, my name is Larry, I’m an ambassador of Christ, and you are?” I don’t currently do this, but I may start. I may tell people about LarryPittman.com on occasion, but I may change my primary “business” to “Ambassador of Christ” and see where the conversation goes.

But this is every believers’ title, from clerks and computer guys to doctors and dentists; for those whose identity is found in the risen Christ.

Being an ambassador means that we represent Him, we are here on His behalf. People who are genuine seekers should naturally want to hear what we have to say and we should always look for ways to invite those with “ears to hear” to hear more.

Are you available to the people in your life? Are you available to your neighbor? To make yourself available to others is to make yourself available to God.

In accordance with the greatest commandment:

Mark 12: 31a The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

These verses in John seems to clarify this verse.

John 13: 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

John 15: 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

The Word of God allows us to easily see how Jesus loved others.

Let’s peruse some passages and examine how Jesus made Himself available to those He came across.

Matthew 19: 13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” 15 And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

Apparently, Jesus was doing something at the time and the disciples felt that He should not be bothered. This is a great illustration of Jesus accepting all who come to Him despite others that would send them away.

Mark 10: 46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

I think this is a similar example, but what I love is the sheer determination of this man who does not allow the crowd to become between Jesus and himself. Jesus could have ignored him easily and walked on, but He chose to address the man’s needs and be available.

This next example is one of my favorites:

Mark 6: 30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. 31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

32 So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. 33 But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. 34 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Notice that in verse 31 Jesus wants to rest and go to a quiet place. It also says that they didn’t even have time to eat.  Something changes His plan and redirects His attention. Note verse 34, “Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” Despite being hungry, tired and wanting a quiet place to rest, He sees an immediate, and more important need and starts teaching. You see He valued their spiritual hunger more than His disciples’ physical hunger.

I don’t know about you, but when I am hungry, I want to eat. I can easily forget about other’s needs for a minute while I get a bite to eat.

Proverbs 3:
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it
when it’s in your power to help them.
28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say,
“Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”

This next example is a bit more extreme:

Luke 8: 41 Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him. 42 His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying.

As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. 43 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. 44 Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.

45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.”

46 But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” 47 When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. 48“Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Note that Jesus was on His way to heal Jairus’ only daughter, who was dying. On the way to serve in this most urgent matter, He was interrupted. The woman touched Him so that she might be healed. He took the time to find out who she was and addresses her. In the meantime, if you read on you’ll see that Jairus’ daughter dies but it’s not too late for the Savior.

As we continue to seek God and continue to be transformed as we’ve discussed, we should start to see evidence that we are becoming more and more like Him.

How do you respond to these everyday, ordinary questions?

Can I run something by you?

Daddy, can you come see what I’ve made?

Do you think you could help me move this Sunday?

I need you to pick up an extra shift, can you help me out?

I got this huge favor to ask…

Could you run me to the doctor’s office?

Daughter, could you come out to visit your Dad and I this weekend?

Do you see questions, requests, or demands as an interruption? Or do you see them as an opportunity to serve? An opportunity to love someone as God would love them? Perhaps they are ways to fulfill your responsibility as an ambassador, which is actually working for God while serving others.

Note from this verse that Jesus developed quite a reputation:

Luke 7: 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave.

How is your reputation? 

Do people come to you to ask for prayer or for advice? Do people come to you for comfort or for peace of mind?

Or do people think that you’re too busy or uncompassionate that they don’t bother going to you?

If you look at your life, are you available to others? Are you there to serve when needed? Have you considered God’s plan for you as a living sacrifice?

If we are truly ambassadors for Christ, doesn’t that make Him our employer? If we work for Him, doesn’t it make sense that he would have people come into our lives to give us a chance to bless them and perfect our love?

Before I close in prayer, meditate on these verses:

Romans 8: 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Romans 12: 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

1 Peter 1: 22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

1 Peter 3: 8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.

1 John 3: 18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Are you willing to serve when you are called?

“Dear God, it is my heart’s desire to please you. I confess to you that I’ve missed many opportunities to serve others only to look back with regret. Please help me to be more aware of my responsibility as your ambassador so that I can glorify you by serving others. Will you change my heart so that I may be more sensitive to the needs of others and help me to listen closely to your voice when the opportunities arise? Thank you for the privilege of serving you, please be patient with me. In Jesus’ name, amen”

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Will You Get To Know Him More?

Will You Get To Know Him More? Loving God, part XXXVII

I used to wonder why God had to send Jesus and thought “Of all the ways to save us, couldn’t He think of a better plan of redemption?” I just didn’t get it, I was ignorant. I accepted the truth for most of my life, but I did not understand why His plan went the way it did. I also thought about why He waited so long before He sent Jesus. It was those kinds of thoughts that had me question God’s master plan.

But then I read passages such as these and it helped me understand:

Romans 16: 25 … This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.

Ephesians 3: 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

2 Timothy 1: 9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

I don’t know about you, but these verses blow me away. Jesus wasn’t some kind of “last ditch effort” to save mankind from judgment, He was the plan all along!

Now I get it.

What a grand mystery! How in the world did God have this plan all along, from the beginning of time through Jesus birth and no one on earth knew exactly how it would unfold? Did we even have a clue?

Let’s reveal some of the clues that God gave us about His grand plan:

Genesis 12: 1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.

Genesis 49: 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,
the one whom all nations will honor.

Isaiah 9: 6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!

As most of you know, the list of these Old Testament prophecies goes on and on. There are over 300 prophecies fulfilled regarding Jesus, by the way. It is incredible how God told us almost everything about Jesus long before His arrival.

So what is the big deal of Jesus’ arrival, and what is the big picture?

Read this passage from Ephesians carefully…

Ephesians 3: 6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. 7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.

8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

Wow, that is a grand plan!

It’s something I really can’t comprehend, but I know that I want a be a part of it, how about you? And how can we be part of it?

Matthew 28: 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Each one of you, the ones who are regularly reading His Word and seeking Him are either disciples or becoming disciples (If you’ve committed your heart to Him). How do you “make disciples”?

John 1: 45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

46 “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.

For Philip, it was pretty simple and although his brother Nathanael was skeptical, that didn’t stop Philip. Philip’s reply was simply “Come and see for yourself”. Invite others to know Jesus and walk along side them.

So I say, “come and read the Word for yourself”. How can we invite people to get to know Jesus? The best way I know is by reading His Word and seeking the Spirit for ourselves.

Will you get to know Him better?

“Dear Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus to this earth to show us who you really are. Thank you that you made a way for us to know you personally. Please help me to get to know you more. Please teach me your ways so that I can become like you. In Jesus’ name, Amen”

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
What Are You Thankful For?

What Are You Thankful For? Loving God, part XXXIII

Today I’d just like to discuss some things that I think we, as Bible believers, can be truly thankful for.

I understand that there are around 7,000 promises mentioned in the Bible and they are all reasons to be thankful for, but today I just want to present what I consider to be the greatest promises.

Before we get to that, what comes to your mind when you think of a promise? Do you think of a promise that was broken or one that you kept? Have you known someone that is good at keeping promises? Do you know people that don’t keep promises?

Are you good at keeping promises?

Do you follow through with what you’ve committed to? Do you casually tell people “Sure I’ll be there at 6:00” or “I’ll call you tomorrow” and later think of little reasons why you shouldn’t show up at 6:00 or call them?

I must confess that my actions have not always been consistent with my words and I still catch myself not doing as I’ve said, being late, or just “flaking out” altogether. I’m still working on it. You see I like to please everyone which makes me want to say “yes” to everyone and not always thinking about what I’m “signing up” for.

The very fact that I am more aware of the promises I make and more sensitive to it tells me that I am making progress. That is just one way that God has been changing my heart and I am thankful for that. God has revealed to me that it is another “inadequacy” that I need to give over to Him.

The more I learn about God as I read His Word, the more I realize how great He is. Remember the hymn “Great is thy faithfulness”? Well, I’d much rather talk about His faithfulness than my unfaithfulness.

I know He’s made thousands of promises, way too many to list here, but I have come up with three that I think are some of the greatest promises we have to be thankful for.

Promise 1 – We can get to know Him

This promise is found throughout the Bible. I find it truly incredible that the Creator of the universe desires for us to know Him. Of course, that was the point of creating us, to begin with, so it makes sense.

Hosea 6: 6 I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

1 Chronicles 28: 9 “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

Psalm 14: 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.

And more from the New Testament:

Matthew 7: 7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

John 17: 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

Promise 2 – We can be reconciled with Him

Not only can we get to know Him, but since being separated from God in the Garden of Eden, we can be forgiven for our sins and we can be declared righteous before Him.

Psalm 103
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
…
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.

2 Corinthians 5: 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

Galatians 4: 4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Promise 3 – We can have eternal life

Psalm 49
15 But as for me, God will redeem my life.
He will snatch me from the power of the grave.

Daniel 12: 2 Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace.

Isaiah 26
19 But those who die in the LORD will live;
their bodies will rise again!
Those who sleep in the earth
will rise up and sing for joy!
For your life-giving light will fall like dew
on your people in the place of the dead!

John 6: 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

Romans 2: 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.

Titus 1: 2 This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.

How is that for promises? Doesn’t that get you excited? Isn’t it wonderful that in a world where it is hard to find someone to count on, we can always count on God wherever we are?

Just one more promise:

Matthew 28: 18 “… And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

What are you thankful for?

“Dear Lord, Thank you for the many promises you’ve made. Your love for me is overwhelming and I pray that I can love you back. Please teach me your ways and help me to understand and get to know you better. In Jesus’ name, Amen”

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Do You Trust Him? part 2

Do You Trust Him? part 2, Loving God, part 2

In my last post, “Do You Trust Him, part 1”, we discussed the relationship between love and trust: “God is teaching me that the greater my love is for Him, the more I will trust Him.”

Psalm 40: 4 Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols.

This makes me think about who I am trusting. Am I trusting my clients to pay me or call me for work? Or trusting friends to fulfill my needs?  Or maybe I’m trusting the economy or the government? God forbid I trust in myself to finish the work He’s given me.

Do you have a lot of work that needs to be done? Check this out:

1 Chronicles 28: 20 Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly.

Our God is faithful

Call me crazy, but I think we can apply this verse to our own lives, nearly 3,000 years later. Think of it this way, God gave King Solomon the job of building the temple. That was the work God gave him to do. If God is with us today and we serve Him in whatever capacity He gave us, from cleaning toilets to mending broken limbs, you better believe that it is important to Him. “He will see to it that all the work … is finished correctly.” After all, if He’s given you the work to do, won’t He be faithful in helping you complete it? Knowing this helps me to trust Him more, how about you?

This also reminds me of the work He’s doing in me:

Philippians 1: 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Trust takes time

Trust is learned over time; it’s something that is developed. I used to pray a lot for more faith as if I would wake up the next day and be able to part a lake. I am learning that it doesn’t work that way. God has been answering those prayers all along by teaching me more and more how I can trust Him.

Reading the Bible on a daily basis has been a tremendous help in this area of growth. Every time I turn the page it seems as though God is rescuing someone or delivering on a promise He made. Don’t take my word for it, this is my personal experience from my own journey. Find out for yourself how He works, join me by seeking Him.

Wise words from King David

I’ll leave you with these encouraging verses. These are David’s last recorded words to his son Solomon, passing the torch, so to speak:

1 Chronicles 28: 9 “And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.”

Will you trust Him?

“Dear Lord, You are the author of my life and my future is in your hands. Please help me know you more. I believe that if I can get to know you better, you will teach me how I can trust you more and more. Thank you in advance for what you will do in my life. I am excited about my future with you.  In Jesus Name, Amen”



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.