Sunday, June 26, 2011

Because God Cares for Us

Today was an interesting day. My Sunday School class was asked to recite scriptures. Everyone was expected to know a scripture to share with the Sunday School. There was a time when I could not commit scripture to memory, but today, the scripture that I had memorized was 1 Peter 5:7 which states, "Give your burdens to the Lord because He cares for you."

Sometimes it is hard to believe the Word of God, but I do know this, that God cannot lie. So if he says to give your burdens to him, you can and should do just that. Some translations say to "carry your cares to Him." Carry or give, I am glad that the Word of God has provided a means by which I can take my burdens to the Lord. Another translation says, "cast all your anxiety on him." I think I like this version better because I have much anxiety. I know I shouldn't and I know that when you do, you are saying you do not trust God. I sometimes walk a thin line, bordering what I know God's Word says and what I have applied to my life.

My Pastor preached about the storms of life and I think right now with the economy being what it is and people without jobs and can't pay their mortgages, we all are going through a storm. The good thing is we are "going through" the storm. We aren't going to be in it forever. God always provides a way out of a storm. We have to believe and trust in His Word which is an anchor for us. Sometimes these storms in our life are to get our attention. God demands our full attention. He is a jealous God that does not want to share our affections with anything or anyone but himself.

Psalm 55:22 says "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you, He will never let the righteous fall." Again, the Word of God assures us that we can cast our cares on the Lord and He will support us with His mighty hand. God cares for us! The fact that God cares for me is very comforting to me.

Sometimes just look up the words of scripture. In Webster's dictionary, the word, "sustain," says 1) to keep in existence, maintain or prolong; 2) to provide sustenance for; 3) to carry the weight of; support; 4) to endure, withstand; 5) to to uphold the validity; and 7) to confirm; corroborate. I didn't realize that "sustain" could have so many meanings, but again, what is comforting is the fact I can depend on God, and His Word says that I can cast my burdens on Him. Wow! This gets deep.

I have said this before that what God expects of us is obedience. Are you one of God's righteous ones? Are you striving to internalize God's Word in your heart? Are you living to serve God and no one else? Stick close to God and He will stick close to you.

Thought for Today: How great is it that we have a God who cares for us and will uphold us with His righteous hand!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Fruit of Your Labor

Have you ever wondered if all you do is work, work, work, and you never see any results for your labor?

Well, the Bible tells us in Psalm 128:2 that "you will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours." Those who are fruitful and prosperous also fear the Lord and are blessed.

We are always waiting for the payoff, aren't we? Who wants to labor in vain, for nothing? When we've put a lot of effort into a project, we hope to see good results.

The Word of God promises that we will eat the fruit of our labor---that we will eventually experience blessings and prosperity. So, all of that hard work will be worth it. But remember, the joy is in the journey! It's not just in the payoff. Your journey is with Christ; he never promises anything that the Father will not give.

Thought for Today: Look to the Lord, from whom all blessings flow.



Saturday, June 11, 2011

Invest Your Time; Don't Just Spend It

Now that I am older, I think about time much more than I did when I was younger. Maybe because I am getting closer to the age that the Bible says most of us are allowed. (Psalm 90:10 says "the days of our lives are seventy years, and if by reason of strength they are eighty years.") Many people are living on grace; the Lord has been merciful.

I read quite a few devotionals during the week and so I am quoting from one that Dr. Charles Stanley writes. The scriptures he quotes Ephesians 5:15-17 which says, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

We are walking in days that are evil this very moment. Look around you.

"Time is a most valuable commodity. since it's irreversible and irreplaceable, we ought to give careful consideration to how we spend our days, and even our minutes. Time is a gift from God."

Don't take time lightly. "The fact that time is a gift from God means that we are not owners but stewards and will one day be held accountable for how we used what was entrusted to us.

According to verse 15, there are only two possible ways to live wisely or foolishly.

First, let's consider what is involved in using our time wisely. Those who realize that their days belong to God are careful how they live. Their goal is to understand the Lord's will and align their schedules and activities with His purposes. As they seek guidance each day through intimate fellowship with Him in the Word and prayers, their spiritual eyes are opened to discern what opportunities are from the Father and which are not a part of His plans for them.

But those who are foolish, do not give adequate thought to the way they live. Some become unproductive and lazy, living for their own pleasures while missing out on God's purpose for their lives. However, others may be very busy and extremely successful by worldly standards, but if their days are occupied with activities that aren't God's will for them, they're wasting their time."

Thought for Today: How you spend your time is important to God. Invest your time wisely.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Turn on Your Lights!

I rarely question the Word of God, but sometimes I do, and that is okay, the Word of God tells us it is okay to question Him, but we may not like the answer we get. Job questioned God and God may it clear to Him by asking Job where was he when God laid the foundation of the earth.

Well, this is where I am going. My Pastor spoke today on "Success Starts with Good Soil." The good soil is Jesus Christ! The Word of God is the soil of success! You can't use miracle grow to get good soil. (see Mark 4:1-20). Good sermon. This is the main thing I got out of the sermon is that you must hear the Word of God with your ears as well as your heart and you must obey once you have heard. If you never hear the Word, how can you get it in your heart? You need a good foundation; good soil.

John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning.

I don't need to say any more; I can stop right here, but I want to go on because sometimes we are like cars that have warning lights on the dashboard that tell us when something is wrong that needs our attention. When one of those lights come on, we can do the wise thing and stop to find out what the problem is, and get if fixed, or we can ignore and smash the light.

Rev. Skip Heitzig wrote in Streaming Faith website that sometimes our spiritual lives are just like cars; we do something wrong, and we ignore the the warning lights. The warning lights come on, the "guilt lights" come on, and we do like King David did, try to ignore them, try to smash them. David arrranged to have one of his soldiers killed because he wanted his wife; he had already slept with her and she became pregnant.

Does this speak to you? Have you committed some sign and are trying to ignore or smash it?

God is very patient with us; He waits to see if we recognize our sin and "fess" up to it. Sin has a way of making a person sick if you hold it in too long. If you remember anything at all about the Word of God, it will speak to your heart and you will want to confess your sin.

Here is the point: we all have a will; we all make choices. Are we making good or bad choices? We have free will; a gift from God. You can go your "own way," or you can listen to God. God has creative ways to get our attention if we don't listen to Him.

God knows we are restless apart from Him. Be ready to be honest and confess your sin. God is always ready to forgive. This applies to Christians and non Christians as well. God does not desire that anyone should perish, but that everyone will come to accept His son, Jesus, and have eternal life.

John 1:4 says, "In him, was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. Life is Christ's gift and He is the "light of the world" - He is the wonderful hope for humanity and for the creation.

Thought for Today: The Word was with God and all you have to do is turn on your lights!