What about me?

 A few days ago, I was reading a part of Stephen Covey's book, Principle-Centered Leadership.  He describes the story of a young man who visited his doctor because of feelings of boredom and restlessness.  After speaking with the Doctor and following some of his suggestions for 'recovery', this young man realized the dominant, overwhelming trend in his life was....selfishness.  He never identified with a purpose bigger than himself, but was always asking "What about me, What's in it for me?"
Boredom....have you caught yourself in this trap?  Or maybe you find your mind wondering about things you know are not good for you mentally, or for your spirit.  Or do you find yourself doing things that you once thought "I could never do that because it's wrong", etc?  Theses are symptoms of living only for ourself, instead of living for the purpose of serving others or another purpose outside of our 'normal' life. 
When Jesus came to earth, He didn't show up on a whim, or live like some of us - just going with the flow, no specific direction. He consistently lived His life with a purpose, to find those that were not in a relationship with His Father and tell them about Him. 
What about you?  Are you living for a purpose greater than yourself?   Are you willing to put down your self-centered lifestyle and live for something that is beyond your personal wants or desires?  I'm not saying that you have to live the lifestyle of Jesus and be a preacher/teacher/healer like He was; but when you wake up everyday, do your feet touch the floor with an excitement or expectation of something good....or do you wake up and think "Oh Lord, it's another day" ?
I challenge you to take a few minutes, hours or days - if necessary - to think about your motives for living day to day, minute by minute.  You can find hope, healing and joy by living life with a purpose other than yourself!

faith and trials

     I recently read some comments from a pastor regarding Luke 22:31-32 Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. ³² But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.

     We also know from John 17:9-19 that Jesus prays for us, His followers.  In addition, Mark 11:22 tells us to ‘have faith in God’. 

     These teachings encourage us that Jesus is praying for each of us and to believe God, in spite of tests or trials that will come.  We can’t rely on the fact that we pray or that we have faith, but we must depend on the God of our faith.

     We are all challenged in our personal faith when the issue we're praying about doesn't result in what we ask or expect.  I realize that can be very discouraging and frustrating;  but we have the Word of God to help us, even in times of misunderstanding.  There's a story in the Bible book of Daniel about 3 young men who refused to worship the man-made idol of the King.  They were brought to court to defend themselves... Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference. We still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up." 

     You and I can be encouraged by their words - if what we are believing for doesn't happen, we don't have to give in to fear, dismay or doubt.  Our God is greater than any earthly defeat we suffer; we can trust Him to help us get through the tests and trials of this life, no matter how difficult.  And then, when we see Him face to face, all of this temporary life's issues will be finished and we'll have a new life in His Presence..free of pain, sorrow, fatigue and worry!

Ahhh, time for something new

Now we are in the first week of another year - 2011.  Many of us enjoyed 2010, but some of us are GLAD it's over!  In either situation, we have been given a new year, a fresh start, to make some more changes and to follow our purpose for living. 

I know, we get tired of hearing about resolutions... in fact the other day I read that most new year's resolutions only last several weeks.  We are such a "people of habit" that change requires a lot of work; but when we are tired of the insanity of falling short of our goals, we - on purpose - make the decision to change for the better. 

You might have very few responsibilities in your life..or you may have a lot:  marriage, children, work, parents, school... the list can seem endless.   However, if we will determine to take life 'one day at a time', that choice can help us manage and be in control of our schedule - instead of it controlling us. 

 I encourage you to consider this principle found in the Bible, Psalm 131:1 ...I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.

Also, think about this from Psalm 46:10 ... He says, “Be still, and know that I am God."

We can breathe easier and rest better knowing that God doesn't expect us to have everything under control; God is very capable and willing to take care of you and me in matters that we cannot control by our prayers, knowledge or physical ability.  

You do your best to live a life that seeks after the Lord and is willing to follow His counsel and you can expect Him to honor and help you in every situation!

So RELAX, and enjoy life in 2011. 



 

how much is enough?

Now that our gifts are opened, and hopefully all the trash has been taken out... are we thankful for what we received?  
Many of us receive more than what we actually need, and those gifts are blessings.  So think of your gifts...could you do without some of them?  What about your kids' gifts?   Could they have not received as many and still be satisfied? Have you or they complained because you didn't get the one gift you REALLY wanted?
I'm so thankful our nation is blessed and we can bless others, including our family.  One of the traditions we have with our two youngest children is to spend time with them - at a movie, or game room, taking a trip, etc.  Christmas presents are temporary, but our Presence with them will always be in the minds of the children and the adults' memories. 
Maybe next year, 2011, you can think of something different that will enhance your time together as a family or with friends....times that will be thought of in future years, not thrown away or sold in a garage sale because of not using it/them. 

it's time to experience Joy !

Since December and the celebration of Christmas comes every year...at the same time, all around the world, why do many people insist on having a Scrooge attitude? Whether we believe in the birth of Jesus, the child from Nazareth, or we believe in the idea of a Santa Claus, this season brings joy and cheer as lights are put up, presents are bought, economies are positively affected, and many families meet together just to enjoy being with each other.  Grandparents and parents smile when their children and grandchildren open gifts, single parents rejoice to see their kids smiling and laughing in a way that is possibly unfamiliar throughout the year due to stress and the hardships of a single-parent family.  

Isn't it interesting the angel announcing the Messiah's birth stated. "I bring you good news that will bring GREAT JOY to all people"?    So Heaven must have known the joy that comes when we give to others and the pleasure we get when receiving gifts!

Maybe you've had a difficult year and are not anticipating a good Christmas season, or your plans for the holidays have been shattered or altered.   I encourage you to receive the JOY that comes from God, in the form of His Son, JESUS. Physical gifts can't impart eternal joy, but a relationship with the JOY Giver can eternally change your life... and allow you to experience true joy every day of the year!  

power of being thankful

You and I have experienced the roller coaster feelings of happiness/ sadness and situations that life can bring;  choices are given to us numerous times in a week as to how we respond to people when we are faced with life.   You have probably been through some challenging times this past year that you never want to face again.   Because we live in a world that is saturated by the power of the devil, it is our choice whether we allow him 'room' to manipulate us OR we take the promise of Life that we find in Jesus " I have come that they might have life".

The nation just celebrated a national day of Thanksgiving, first initiated by the earliest settlers to Virginia and Massachusetts, to take time for recognizing God's hand of blessing on our nation and our families.  Many of these early settlers had experienced the death of family members and the harshness of life, yet they chose to be thankful for what they had....not complain about what they didn't have or had lost. 

I challenge you to take God at His Word:   Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses...Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!  (Deut 30:19)

Choose life, choose to be thankful!

Are the gifts of the Holy Spirit for today?

1 Corinthians 13:8-10.  In light of doctrine that is taught in different church organizations, there can be questions about these verses.

Christ followers and Bible teachers should  strive to understand and teach all scripture in context and apply it as it was originally intended.  These specific verses, along with verse 12,  are spoken in a future tense.  Paul was explaining the power of God’s love being eternal, even greater than temporary gifts we are given by God to be used while we live on this earth.  If we read this letter without the chapter divisions, which were inserted to make the reading easier, the context is specifically dealing with the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in an individual’s life and in a local church body (see chapters 12 & 14).  In chapter 14:2-5, Paul uses the present tense of speaking in tongues, not a past or future. 

Paul is stating that the Love of God is eternal and should be applied in and flow out of every believer’s life;  he is showing the contrast of eternal love (that empowers these gifts working in our life) with temporary gifts that are also subject to the believer’s use of them (see 14:32).   The emphasis is that believers in Christ  can ‘operate’ in these gifts of the Holy Spirit, yet the power of the gift can be nullified  by our carnality and lack of godly love.    

So Paul is saying we need God’s love to flow through our lives as we operate in these gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Only when the “perfect” will come will the gifts not be needed anymore;  he is not referring to the Messiah, for Jesus had already come and died.   He is referring, as in other statements throughout his letters, of the coming of the Lord in what we call the ‘rapture’ and then the 2^nd Coming.  After the physical earth is no longer of importance to us, we will not need the gifts working in our life.