Daily Reading: JOB 1:1-22 & MATTHEW 4:1-11
You know those days where everything seems absolutely perfect. The kids left for school on time and got their chores done. Every task I set out to do was accomplished quickly and smoothly. I feel like I am walking on air and it feels great! And then it hits.....
My husband walks in the door hollering mad because someone did something. My Fson calls to tell me its going to take him an hour to get home because he wrecked his bike. He admits that instead of being where he ought he went somewhere else and is hanging with an unsavory character. My son was annoyed by another student at school and may be expelled. My best friend's car broke down. It seems that the fire of God is raining down all around.
There are two choices that I see. First I can join in and start screaming and bellering. "Woe is me! Life is ruined. I'm so picked on! What a terrible day." The second choice is to sit quietly allowing everyone else to complain and belly ache.
Like Job we can choose to accept that we have been blessed by God. The things we have in life are not our own. Even when we work hard, GOD has provided us the ability and the opportunities to grow an abundant life. We must take our blessings and return them to GOD because they are not ours, only loaned to us.
When the storm is over we can thank GOD for giving us the good day and accept that life is never going to be perfect. Only Christ is perfect. Christ was tested in the wilderness by the Devil. He stood up against the Devil and never sinned. As Christians we must try to follow Christ's example. We are not perfect and we will slip up. We just need to be aware and try harder next time to behave as Christ would.
Prayer: God, thank you for this wonderful day with its ups and downs. Thank you for all the blessings you have given us. Thank you for the storms we are given, and the opportunity to choose to weather the storm as Jesus Christ would. May your name be praised and may I never curse against you. Amen.
Showing posts with label opportunities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opportunities. Show all posts
Monday, October 1, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Looking to Man instead of GOD
Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 5:8-10
Today I was reminded of how truly fallible I am. Most of my life I jumped from relationship to relationship. I had envisioned a perfect partner for me and thought that if I found a man who had most of the qualities I could change the rest of him to be my idea of perfect for me. Every time I tried to do this I failed.
Today I was reminded of how truly fallible I am. Most of my life I jumped from relationship to relationship. I had envisioned a perfect partner for me and thought that if I found a man who had most of the qualities I could change the rest of him to be my idea of perfect for me. Every time I tried to do this I failed.
I had finally realized after many years that I could be happy to live my life without a man. I was content raising my children, going to work, and planning a life for after my children were raised. I had GOD in my life but I wasn't serving him.
Then an amazing man walked into my life. He was exactly what I was looking for; handsome, hard working, affectionate, stable, and he loved me as much as I loved him. We married and I thought everything was perfect. The problem was he didn't have Christ in his heart. Whenever a storm would come he would falter. In fact it wasn't just that he didn't have Christ in his heart, he hated GOD "If there was a GOD, I'd punch him in his face for taking my parents away."
This hatred slowly began to poison our relationship. I began to feel hatred toward the things he hated. I let his hatred seep into me.
GOD gives us wake up calls. I became sick and my mother came to aid me. She saw the emotional sickness and began visiting a church nearby my home. Her love spread to me and I realized that I was looking to my husband for support when I should have been looking to GOD.
Being married to a partner who does not share the same faith as you is very hard. GOD wants your spouse to come to HIM in HIS time, not ours. We can not just stand by and wait for our loved one to change. We need to continue worshiping and praising GOD. GOD is jealous and wants to know we put HIM above all others. Our unsaved loved ones may be a test of GOD on us. Will we pass the test, or will we falter and show our human fallibility, rather than allowing GOD to take control over our actions and emotions? We must keep our eyes on GOD and allow GOD to take the reigns concerning others in our lives.
Being married to a partner who does not share the same faith as you is very hard. GOD wants your spouse to come to HIM in HIS time, not ours. We can not just stand by and wait for our loved one to change. We need to continue worshiping and praising GOD. GOD is jealous and wants to know we put HIM above all others. Our unsaved loved ones may be a test of GOD on us. Will we pass the test, or will we falter and show our human fallibility, rather than allowing GOD to take control over our actions and emotions? We must keep our eyes on GOD and allow GOD to take the reigns concerning others in our lives.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Be Still and Know Idle Hands
Daily Reading: Psalm 46:8-10
Everyday we go out into the world hoping to have that one opportunity to show God's power to those around us. We stay busy every minute of the day believing GOD's word that Idle hands are not good. Yet those around us may see what we are doing as the work of something other than GOD. Being busy is something that is quite common in today's society. It seems everyone is on the go. No one stops to enjoy life for very long. We prefer to do things alone and get them done quickly rather than enjoy our tasks and the potential opportunities we could have with others. We direct others to do what we want, what we view that needs to be done assuming that we will have time later to enjoy each others company. Yet it is not GOD using these moments for his work but satan. The sharp tone, nasty words, or overly busy actions that make the people around become flustered are damaging to GOD's work. No task is so important that it is worth upsetting another person. If what we are doing causes another to become flustered then we are going against the very nature of what GOD desires. He wants us to be still and know HIM. He wants us to let him give us opportunities to enjoy together rather than us trying to make them on our own. When we force things we are not doing things in GOD's time and may even be counter-productive to GOD's will and works.
Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am GOD; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Need More? Visit Proverbs 25
Everyday we go out into the world hoping to have that one opportunity to show God's power to those around us. We stay busy every minute of the day believing GOD's word that Idle hands are not good. Yet those around us may see what we are doing as the work of something other than GOD. Being busy is something that is quite common in today's society. It seems everyone is on the go. No one stops to enjoy life for very long. We prefer to do things alone and get them done quickly rather than enjoy our tasks and the potential opportunities we could have with others. We direct others to do what we want, what we view that needs to be done assuming that we will have time later to enjoy each others company. Yet it is not GOD using these moments for his work but satan. The sharp tone, nasty words, or overly busy actions that make the people around become flustered are damaging to GOD's work. No task is so important that it is worth upsetting another person. If what we are doing causes another to become flustered then we are going against the very nature of what GOD desires. He wants us to be still and know HIM. He wants us to let him give us opportunities to enjoy together rather than us trying to make them on our own. When we force things we are not doing things in GOD's time and may even be counter-productive to GOD's will and works.
Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am GOD; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Need More? Visit Proverbs 25
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Persecution is painful to those watching
Daily Reading: Jeremiah 33:1-11
As Christians we watch people around us suffer quite differently than non-believers. As a non-believer when can join in with the person suffering. We can relate to how unfair life is. We can sympathize with them but take comfort that we are glad it isn't happening to us.
Christians on the other hand understand that GOD has a plan for us. We have been down the road of rebellion and seen first hand GOD's loving hands guiding us back to his fold. We see the man who hates his job and nothing ever seems to be going right and we think back to the time where we were waken from our eternal slumber. We realized that GOD was getting our attention so that we would focus on him. After we turned to him our lives became better. Not perfect or easy but better as in knowing that GOD was going to handle the tough times and carry us through until we were strong enough to deal with them on our own.
As Christians we watch GOD allowing the non-believer to be persecuted. We see GOD waiting in the wings for the person to wake up and realize that they need GOD in their life. GOD works on so many people each and every day. As Christians we must be available to be used by GOD is his master plan for all people.
Jeremiah 33:8 I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.
Need More? Visit Numbers 14:17-20
As Christians we watch people around us suffer quite differently than non-believers. As a non-believer when can join in with the person suffering. We can relate to how unfair life is. We can sympathize with them but take comfort that we are glad it isn't happening to us.
Christians on the other hand understand that GOD has a plan for us. We have been down the road of rebellion and seen first hand GOD's loving hands guiding us back to his fold. We see the man who hates his job and nothing ever seems to be going right and we think back to the time where we were waken from our eternal slumber. We realized that GOD was getting our attention so that we would focus on him. After we turned to him our lives became better. Not perfect or easy but better as in knowing that GOD was going to handle the tough times and carry us through until we were strong enough to deal with them on our own.
As Christians we watch GOD allowing the non-believer to be persecuted. We see GOD waiting in the wings for the person to wake up and realize that they need GOD in their life. GOD works on so many people each and every day. As Christians we must be available to be used by GOD is his master plan for all people.
Jeremiah 33:8 I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.
Need More? Visit Numbers 14:17-20
Friday, July 2, 2010
Freedom isn't Free BUT a Responsibility
Daily Reading: Psalm 119:41-48
Many people in the United States know freedom but they do not understand it. A person can not know the real feeling of being free unless they have experienced a form of captivity. As believers in GOD the Christian faces a very real form of captivity. Many of our mouths seem to be locked behind bars of steel on a daily basis. We only open the doors to freedom of our beliefs when we are at church, bible study, or in a group of believers when we know it is safe to come out. We worry about what others will think about us standing and fighting for our LORD.
We expect GOD to come to our rescue when we are going through difficult storms, yet we keep him tied up inside us as we go about our daily routines. GOD wants to be in every part of our lives. GOD offers us freedom from the bindings of the world. GOD loves his children and wants us to be filled with the joy and freedom that we know by being a Christian. However, every form of freedom has a price. Christ paid that price on the cross but if we do not continue to fight for him then we are imprisoning GOD in our hearts.
Psalm 119:45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
Need More? Visit Jeremiah 34:8-22
Many people in the United States know freedom but they do not understand it. A person can not know the real feeling of being free unless they have experienced a form of captivity. As believers in GOD the Christian faces a very real form of captivity. Many of our mouths seem to be locked behind bars of steel on a daily basis. We only open the doors to freedom of our beliefs when we are at church, bible study, or in a group of believers when we know it is safe to come out. We worry about what others will think about us standing and fighting for our LORD.
We expect GOD to come to our rescue when we are going through difficult storms, yet we keep him tied up inside us as we go about our daily routines. GOD wants to be in every part of our lives. GOD offers us freedom from the bindings of the world. GOD loves his children and wants us to be filled with the joy and freedom that we know by being a Christian. However, every form of freedom has a price. Christ paid that price on the cross but if we do not continue to fight for him then we are imprisoning GOD in our hearts.
Psalm 119:45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
Need More? Visit Jeremiah 34:8-22
Futile planning
Daily Reading: Ecclesiastes 7:8-12
"The road to nowhere is paved with good intentions" is an old saying that rings true. We talk and plan about doing something great and then quickly discard the plans when something else comes along. I didn't go to church this week because I was tired from a party on Saturday night. I didn't help at the school because I had homework to do. Regardless of the excuses that come up in life we fall flat on our faces when we do not go through with the plans we have made.
It isn't a sin not to follow through with the plans we make, but GOD doesn't want us to make grand plands if we aren't going to follow through with them. It is important to plan things but it is more important that we see our plans through to the end of the road. Then we will find the glory of GOD upon us.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. (NIV)
Need More? Visit Romans 1:18-31
"The road to nowhere is paved with good intentions" is an old saying that rings true. We talk and plan about doing something great and then quickly discard the plans when something else comes along. I didn't go to church this week because I was tired from a party on Saturday night. I didn't help at the school because I had homework to do. Regardless of the excuses that come up in life we fall flat on our faces when we do not go through with the plans we have made.
It isn't a sin not to follow through with the plans we make, but GOD doesn't want us to make grand plands if we aren't going to follow through with them. It is important to plan things but it is more important that we see our plans through to the end of the road. Then we will find the glory of GOD upon us.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. (NIV)
Need More? Visit Romans 1:18-31
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Nothing Coincidental
Daily Reading: Colossians 4:2-6
Everyday we have expectations of what will happen. Everyday things don't go exactly according to plan. Something happens even the smallest thing that puts us in a circumstance we weren't expecting. A worker doesn't show up for a job and you fill in because another person was overwhelmed, visiting a loved one in a hospital and having to search for a bathroom further away from their room than the one you usually visit and you end up helping another visitor figure out how to turn a chair into a bed, and receiving a surprise delivery of flowers that was left with the neighbor because you weren't home which gave them joy and a nice visit with you.
In just one day all three of these things happened to me. In all these instances God used me to help others. Nothing gigantic or monumental but little things that made another person's life easier. God places us into situations where we can choose to help our fellow people or we can just keep going on our merry way. I didn't have to help the overwhelmed worker (not my job), I didn't have to help figure out the chair (I had never even used one before), I didn't have to visit with the neighbor (I could have collected the flowers & then hurried back home with a simple thank you or less).
God places us into positions to help but he doesn't make us help. He leads us to the water but he doesn't force us to drink it. Instead of thinking what a good deed we have done for someone else we should thank him for the little opportunities he tests us with so that we will recognize the bigger tests when they come along as being from him rather than the coincidences that we see so often.
Colossians 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.(NIV)
Need More? Visit Ephesians 5:1-21
Everyday we have expectations of what will happen. Everyday things don't go exactly according to plan. Something happens even the smallest thing that puts us in a circumstance we weren't expecting. A worker doesn't show up for a job and you fill in because another person was overwhelmed, visiting a loved one in a hospital and having to search for a bathroom further away from their room than the one you usually visit and you end up helping another visitor figure out how to turn a chair into a bed, and receiving a surprise delivery of flowers that was left with the neighbor because you weren't home which gave them joy and a nice visit with you.
In just one day all three of these things happened to me. In all these instances God used me to help others. Nothing gigantic or monumental but little things that made another person's life easier. God places us into situations where we can choose to help our fellow people or we can just keep going on our merry way. I didn't have to help the overwhelmed worker (not my job), I didn't have to help figure out the chair (I had never even used one before), I didn't have to visit with the neighbor (I could have collected the flowers & then hurried back home with a simple thank you or less).
God places us into positions to help but he doesn't make us help. He leads us to the water but he doesn't force us to drink it. Instead of thinking what a good deed we have done for someone else we should thank him for the little opportunities he tests us with so that we will recognize the bigger tests when they come along as being from him rather than the coincidences that we see so often.
Colossians 4:5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.(NIV)
Need More? Visit Ephesians 5:1-21
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