I often ask myself...how do praise God with my abilities?
It it through my business? My relationships? Personalty?
"If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:11)
When we use our abilities as he directs, to help others, they will see Jesus in us and praise him for the help they have received.
There is your answer. We praise God by using our abilities as he directs us too. You might not see the long lasting impact that you will have, but I promise you that people will see Jesus in us and praise God when we do things the way that God would want us to.
My challenge for you today is to use your abilities as God would want you to. Praise God with your abilities today!
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Monday, March 30, 2020
rise above
Before lunchtime today, I almost guarantee that something is going to happen to you that you didn't plan on happening. Someone is going to say something to upset you, you might see something online that fires you up, you could even have someone cut you off while driving to give you a little road rage.
How do you typically react to those things?
Everything I listed is not good. How do you react to bad things? Better put, how do you react to evil?
In a fallen world, it is often deemed acceptable by some to tear people down verbally or to get back at them if we feel hurt.
In God's kingdom, revenge is unacceptable behavior, as is insulting a person, no matter how indirectly it is done. Rise above getting back at those who hurt you. Instead of reacting angrily to these people, repay them with blessing.
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with an insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit blessing." (1 Peter 3:8)
My encouragement for you today is to rise above. Take the high road when you're insulted and not so ideal things happen to you. Instead of snapping back, get back at them by praying for them and showing them love.
How do you typically react to those things?
Everything I listed is not good. How do you react to bad things? Better put, how do you react to evil?
In a fallen world, it is often deemed acceptable by some to tear people down verbally or to get back at them if we feel hurt.
In God's kingdom, revenge is unacceptable behavior, as is insulting a person, no matter how indirectly it is done. Rise above getting back at those who hurt you. Instead of reacting angrily to these people, repay them with blessing.
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with an insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit blessing." (1 Peter 3:8)
My encouragement for you today is to rise above. Take the high road when you're insulted and not so ideal things happen to you. Instead of snapping back, get back at them by praying for them and showing them love.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
living the right way
Imagine living in such proper and right way that you encourage others who aren't believers?
I believe that too often, we compromise our conduct as Christians because we want to please worldly people. For some reason, it's easier to give in than it is to stand up for ourselves. It's first nature almost to make others feel important before you stand up to Christ?
This reminds me of my first year in college. If 10 guys on the team were talking about things that were not Godly, it was easier for me to join them rather than standing up for myself and being firm in my faith.
I'll never forget when I met with a mentor of mine at the beginning of my junior year and he had told me that his college experience was similar...when he really made a commitment to keep Christ the number one priority in his life...it made him different. He went on to tell me that later on...years down the road...a former teammate reached out to him and told him that he wished he would've been like him at that point in their life.
I'm a big believer in the fact that if you live such a way that is glorifying to God, people who don't agree with you are going to notice and you are going to have an impact. NO matter what they say about it. Because trust me, most of the time they will still hate on you, make fun of you, say things to bring you down, but deep down, they're struggling with something and they want what you have.
A huge part of remaining level headed is empathy. You have to understand that everyone is going through something and we are not perfect. We aren't even close.
I wear a bracelet on my wrist that has Romans 14:11 on it. That verse talks about how every knee will bow before God someday. My bracelet is a reminder that I am no better and no worse than anyone else. It's a reminder that no matter what, we are all going to bow before God. Whether you have lived a life that is right in the eyes of God or one that hasn't pleased God.
I want to you to picture someone in your head...I want you to think of that person that you know who is an on fire person for Christ. They are always doing the right thing. They're always happy, loving, caring, outgoing. Almost to the point where it seems a little annoying! I know for me, I could identify 10 of those people when I first started at Bethel and I honestly was a little annoyed with how good of people they seemed like they were! I just didn't understand what made them so happy. Now I want to become that person and I am encouraging you to do the same. If I could, I would get in front of each one of those people and tell them that I wish I would've understood where they were coming from when I was their age.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds. (1 Peter 2:12)
Peter's advice in that verse sounds just like Jesus' in Matthew 5:16: If your actions are above reproach, even hostile people will end up praising God.
There are lies that are spread about Christians everyday. I would also not like to say that there are probably people who decide not to believe everyday as well.
Attractive, gracious, and upright behavior on the part of Christians could show all the lies and rumors to be false and even win some of the unsaved critics to the Lord's side.
Don't write off people because they misunderstand Christianity; instead, show them Christ by your life.
The day may come when those who criticize you will praise God with you.
I believe that too often, we compromise our conduct as Christians because we want to please worldly people. For some reason, it's easier to give in than it is to stand up for ourselves. It's first nature almost to make others feel important before you stand up to Christ?
This reminds me of my first year in college. If 10 guys on the team were talking about things that were not Godly, it was easier for me to join them rather than standing up for myself and being firm in my faith.
I'll never forget when I met with a mentor of mine at the beginning of my junior year and he had told me that his college experience was similar...when he really made a commitment to keep Christ the number one priority in his life...it made him different. He went on to tell me that later on...years down the road...a former teammate reached out to him and told him that he wished he would've been like him at that point in their life.
I'm a big believer in the fact that if you live such a way that is glorifying to God, people who don't agree with you are going to notice and you are going to have an impact. NO matter what they say about it. Because trust me, most of the time they will still hate on you, make fun of you, say things to bring you down, but deep down, they're struggling with something and they want what you have.
A huge part of remaining level headed is empathy. You have to understand that everyone is going through something and we are not perfect. We aren't even close.
I wear a bracelet on my wrist that has Romans 14:11 on it. That verse talks about how every knee will bow before God someday. My bracelet is a reminder that I am no better and no worse than anyone else. It's a reminder that no matter what, we are all going to bow before God. Whether you have lived a life that is right in the eyes of God or one that hasn't pleased God.
I want to you to picture someone in your head...I want you to think of that person that you know who is an on fire person for Christ. They are always doing the right thing. They're always happy, loving, caring, outgoing. Almost to the point where it seems a little annoying! I know for me, I could identify 10 of those people when I first started at Bethel and I honestly was a little annoyed with how good of people they seemed like they were! I just didn't understand what made them so happy. Now I want to become that person and I am encouraging you to do the same. If I could, I would get in front of each one of those people and tell them that I wish I would've understood where they were coming from when I was their age.
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds. (1 Peter 2:12)
Peter's advice in that verse sounds just like Jesus' in Matthew 5:16: If your actions are above reproach, even hostile people will end up praising God.
There are lies that are spread about Christians everyday. I would also not like to say that there are probably people who decide not to believe everyday as well.
Attractive, gracious, and upright behavior on the part of Christians could show all the lies and rumors to be false and even win some of the unsaved critics to the Lord's side.
Don't write off people because they misunderstand Christianity; instead, show them Christ by your life.
The day may come when those who criticize you will praise God with you.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
You are chosen
Some of you may have fallen victim to what is going on right now. You might be struggling with loosing your job, or having to take time off. You may feel like you have been chosen to suffer right now while others seem to be thriving.
By the time you are done reading this post today, I hope that you feel loved and as if you were chosen by God because that is exactly what has happened to us.
"who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood."(1 Peter 1:2)
Sometimes I wonder how God chose us...
It seems like we make our own choices right?
God alone originates and accomplishes our salvation because of his grace we do nothing to earn it. Being "chosen" in no way removes the necessity for people to choose to follow. The fact that God knows all events and decisions beforehand, even ordains them beforehand, does not mean that he forces the actions of his creatures or leaves them with no choice.
God's foreknowledge means that he took the initiative and chose people before they has done anything to deserve it.
Before you were even born, God has intimate knowledge of believers; he knew who would believe, and he knew them personally.
You are known by God the Father as a farther knows his children, expect that God knew about you from eternity past. God is not trapped in time-what he knows is from eternity past into eternity future.
Believers are chosen, but not against their will. When the time comes, they accept the gospel message.
You were chosen by God. Remember that today.
How should we act in moments like these? How should we operate? There are no simple answers to these questions. But what is certain is that we must depend on God and His provision over our lives.
By the time you are done reading this post today, I hope that you feel loved and as if you were chosen by God because that is exactly what has happened to us.
"who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood."(1 Peter 1:2)
Sometimes I wonder how God chose us...
It seems like we make our own choices right?
God alone originates and accomplishes our salvation because of his grace we do nothing to earn it. Being "chosen" in no way removes the necessity for people to choose to follow. The fact that God knows all events and decisions beforehand, even ordains them beforehand, does not mean that he forces the actions of his creatures or leaves them with no choice.
God's foreknowledge means that he took the initiative and chose people before they has done anything to deserve it.
Before you were even born, God has intimate knowledge of believers; he knew who would believe, and he knew them personally.
You are known by God the Father as a farther knows his children, expect that God knew about you from eternity past. God is not trapped in time-what he knows is from eternity past into eternity future.
Believers are chosen, but not against their will. When the time comes, they accept the gospel message.
You were chosen by God. Remember that today.
How should we act in moments like these? How should we operate? There are no simple answers to these questions. But what is certain is that we must depend on God and His provision over our lives.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
hoarding money
What God has blessed us with and given us, we cannot just keep for ourselves. Especially our finances. We have to remember that the money that we have is God's. Yeah, we have earned it, we are taxed on it, but in the end, it's God's and we are called to be good stewards.
There is worthlessness in money, yet it's essential?
It's worthless for those to have money to never do anything with it besides hoard it and keep it all for themselves. That won't do any good because we can't take our earthly possessions to heaven with us. It's important to make sure we leave a legacy behind for loves ones, but we don't know when the day will come.
Imagine hoarding up all the money that you have and never doing anything with it while there are people out there who can't afford a meal, a place to sleep, or even a life to live. Did you know that by hoarding up money, that we have condemned and murdered the innocent one, the one who was not opposing you?
You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you. (James 5:6)
Let me explain:
The innocent were defenseless persons, poor laborers. Poor people who could not pay debts. People who didn't get the opportunity to work off their debts. Hoarding money, exploiting employees, and living self-indulgently will not escape God's notice.
Hoarding is something right now that is going on across the world. People want their TP! But now is not a time to hoard everything that we have. Sure there is a lot of uncertainty right now. There are people who are losing their jobs and others looking for new ones. But think of all the people out there who don't have the opportunity to work, or even the opportunity to find shelter. There is a bigger need to help than to hoard.
I am not trying to make you feel guilty, just encouraging you to be more mindful of ways that we can help. Maybe where you are located there isn't a huge need for you to help others, so think futuristically. There are always ways that we can help others rather than keeping everything for ourselves.
My challenge for you is to think about this question: Are you hoarding or helping?
There is worthlessness in money, yet it's essential?
It's worthless for those to have money to never do anything with it besides hoard it and keep it all for themselves. That won't do any good because we can't take our earthly possessions to heaven with us. It's important to make sure we leave a legacy behind for loves ones, but we don't know when the day will come.
Imagine hoarding up all the money that you have and never doing anything with it while there are people out there who can't afford a meal, a place to sleep, or even a life to live. Did you know that by hoarding up money, that we have condemned and murdered the innocent one, the one who was not opposing you?
You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you. (James 5:6)
Let me explain:
The innocent were defenseless persons, poor laborers. Poor people who could not pay debts. People who didn't get the opportunity to work off their debts. Hoarding money, exploiting employees, and living self-indulgently will not escape God's notice.
Hoarding is something right now that is going on across the world. People want their TP! But now is not a time to hoard everything that we have. Sure there is a lot of uncertainty right now. There are people who are losing their jobs and others looking for new ones. But think of all the people out there who don't have the opportunity to work, or even the opportunity to find shelter. There is a bigger need to help than to hoard.
I am not trying to make you feel guilty, just encouraging you to be more mindful of ways that we can help. Maybe where you are located there isn't a huge need for you to help others, so think futuristically. There are always ways that we can help others rather than keeping everything for ourselves.
My challenge for you is to think about this question: Are you hoarding or helping?
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
just ask
I have gotten everything I have ever asked God for. The things that I have gotten yet or haven't achieved yet, I haven't yet asked God for. Does that make sense to you?
...you do not have because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)
I believe that we forget the power in asking God for something. I believe it's inconvenient for most. I believe that we lack the patience that we need. I believe we don't have enough faith.
Some might say...if I ask God for something he might not hear me...or he won't give me what I want right away.
I can ask Siri anything and she will get back with me right away. She's quick.
We don't have patience because we can almost get anything that we want right away. Everything the world has to offer us is becoming more accessible and easier for us to get. Which makes it seem like God getting back to us is taking way longer than what it normally might seem like.
We also lack faith. Why? We fear.
Much of fear is rooted in doubt that God will be present.
I've come to learn that we have to be mindful in what we ask God for.
If I get down on my knees and ask God to give me a brand new Tesla, I most likely will not see one in the driveway when I go outside...On the other hand, one of the things that I write in my journal on a daily basis is for God to fulfill all of my desires. I find that on a daily basis he does. I still sin, my mind still wonders, but I know that by asking God to fulfill my desires he does that better than I could ever do on my own strength.
Another thing that I ask God for daily is to be impactful in at least one person's life. I most likely won't see this or know if I am or not, I just have to trust God that I am having an impact.
If you are feeling restless right now with what is going on in the world, ask God for peace. You are never going to feel it if you don't ask God for it. I am sure of that. If you want a medium-well cooked steak, you are not going to get a medium-well cooked steak unless you ask for a medium-well cooked steak.
My prayer is that we have the courage and the faith to ask God for the things that we want.
All we have to do is ask. Things won't happen if you don't ask. It' the same with with learning. You will never learn if you don't ask questions.
You will never get what you want if you don't ask God.
My hope and my encouragement for you is to ask God for what you want. Be mindful. But also remember to be patient, and have faith. If you didn't realize, God is pretty accessible. You can ask him anything, at any time of day. He's always there.
Most of the time, you are not going to get what you asked for right away. It might take days, weeks, months, or maybe even years for you to get what you asked God for. You just have to have faith that God is going to be faithful and never fail you. He never will.
I want you to look back at your life. Think about all the good and bad things that you might have went through. I promise that everything you have experienced has been for a purpose. Of all the mistakes that I have ever made, God was still faithful. He didn't fail me.
This pandemic is wild, but I cannot wait to see what happens when it's over. God will never fail!
Please, just ask, and you will have what you ask for.
...you do not have because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)
I believe that we forget the power in asking God for something. I believe it's inconvenient for most. I believe that we lack the patience that we need. I believe we don't have enough faith.
Some might say...if I ask God for something he might not hear me...or he won't give me what I want right away.
I can ask Siri anything and she will get back with me right away. She's quick.
We don't have patience because we can almost get anything that we want right away. Everything the world has to offer us is becoming more accessible and easier for us to get. Which makes it seem like God getting back to us is taking way longer than what it normally might seem like.
We also lack faith. Why? We fear.
Much of fear is rooted in doubt that God will be present.
I've come to learn that we have to be mindful in what we ask God for.
If I get down on my knees and ask God to give me a brand new Tesla, I most likely will not see one in the driveway when I go outside...On the other hand, one of the things that I write in my journal on a daily basis is for God to fulfill all of my desires. I find that on a daily basis he does. I still sin, my mind still wonders, but I know that by asking God to fulfill my desires he does that better than I could ever do on my own strength.
Another thing that I ask God for daily is to be impactful in at least one person's life. I most likely won't see this or know if I am or not, I just have to trust God that I am having an impact.
If you are feeling restless right now with what is going on in the world, ask God for peace. You are never going to feel it if you don't ask God for it. I am sure of that. If you want a medium-well cooked steak, you are not going to get a medium-well cooked steak unless you ask for a medium-well cooked steak.
My prayer is that we have the courage and the faith to ask God for the things that we want.
All we have to do is ask. Things won't happen if you don't ask. It' the same with with learning. You will never learn if you don't ask questions.
You will never get what you want if you don't ask God.
My hope and my encouragement for you is to ask God for what you want. Be mindful. But also remember to be patient, and have faith. If you didn't realize, God is pretty accessible. You can ask him anything, at any time of day. He's always there.
Most of the time, you are not going to get what you asked for right away. It might take days, weeks, months, or maybe even years for you to get what you asked God for. You just have to have faith that God is going to be faithful and never fail you. He never will.
I want you to look back at your life. Think about all the good and bad things that you might have went through. I promise that everything you have experienced has been for a purpose. Of all the mistakes that I have ever made, God was still faithful. He didn't fail me.
This pandemic is wild, but I cannot wait to see what happens when it's over. God will never fail!
Please, just ask, and you will have what you ask for.
Monday, March 23, 2020
more than ever...
The power of what you are letting come out of your right now is more important than ever before.
Every time you open your mouth you have the power to either speak light into the world, or speak darkness. I'm finding there to be a lot of both and not much in between.
"but no human being can tame the tongue. It is restless evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:8)
Everyone is in one of two boats right now, you have either made a commitment to the opportunity at hand or you fell into the evil and negative trap that things are not going to get better. There really can't be an in-between.
Some of you might be thinking...if we can't tame the tongue, why bother trying?
We need to try more than ever right now to be careful about what we let come out of our mouths.
Even if we may not achieve perfect control of our tongues, we can still learn enough control to reduce the damage that our words can do.
It's better to fight a fire than to go around setting new ones! Remember that we are not fighting the tongue's fire in our own strength.
The Holy Spirit will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say, so that when we re offended or perturbed, the Spirit will remind us of God's love, and we won't react in a super negative or hateful manner.
Right now you have an opportunity to be different than everyone else. Be mindful of what you say and how you react and I can assure you that you are going to make a huge difference in the lives of many people.
Every time you open your mouth you have the power to either speak light into the world, or speak darkness. I'm finding there to be a lot of both and not much in between.
"but no human being can tame the tongue. It is restless evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:8)
Everyone is in one of two boats right now, you have either made a commitment to the opportunity at hand or you fell into the evil and negative trap that things are not going to get better. There really can't be an in-between.
Some of you might be thinking...if we can't tame the tongue, why bother trying?
We need to try more than ever right now to be careful about what we let come out of our mouths.
Even if we may not achieve perfect control of our tongues, we can still learn enough control to reduce the damage that our words can do.
It's better to fight a fire than to go around setting new ones! Remember that we are not fighting the tongue's fire in our own strength.
The Holy Spirit will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say, so that when we re offended or perturbed, the Spirit will remind us of God's love, and we won't react in a super negative or hateful manner.
Right now you have an opportunity to be different than everyone else. Be mindful of what you say and how you react and I can assure you that you are going to make a huge difference in the lives of many people.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
reset button
Before this pandemic, I was feeling pretty worn out. Sure, I had just gotten back from vacation which was amazing, but there is something about this time of year that is always difficult for me. The Spring used to be really hard for me because that always meant the end of the basketball season and I never had any idea what I was supposed to with myself besides get back in the gym and start working.
It's just always been a difficult time for me. The holiday seasons are well past, and the next thing we really have to look forward to is the fourth of July. That's about a 7 month waiting period! Plus, the Spring is usually pretty cold, there are no leaves, and the weather just isn't favorable.
With all those things considered, and the world facing something it's never really been through like this before, what am I supposed to think?
On Monday morning I made a commitment that I was going to have the best possible mindset about this that I could. I was going to look at this as a tremendous opportunity rather than a rigorous task. This is the perfect example to be a light when it seems like everything is in the dark.
In the weeks leading up, I can think of at least three people who asked me what God was teaching me right now and the answer that I gave every time was that God was teaching me to have an impact on people at all times.
Then the COVID-19 happened and I knew it was the opportunity to really put into practice what God was teaching me.
Enough about me and think about this. Sure it stinks that we aren't really able to socialize, go out to eat, travel, go to school etc. But think about the incredibly opportunity you all have to reset. In our American society, everything is go-go-go. There is hardly ever time to just relax and reset.
For example, there are no sports right now. I probably spend about two hours a week watching sports and now I have two extra hours for family time, to read a book, or play game. Sure sports are one of my favorite things, but without them, it's a great opportunity to make the most out of some extra time.
Right now, we can't go-go-go. We are being forced to slow down and we need to take advantage of it. A majority of people across the states are working from home, spending time with family, and having the chance to enjoy the things we normally don't get the chance to enjoy.
We can go on walks, exercise outside, read books, eat meals together as a family, etc.
My challenge for you is to hit that reset button. View this as an opportunity and not a task. Don't live in fear but rather in light of something brand new. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who are affected by this virus, but to billions of people who aren't, let's embrace the opportunity we have to reset. But remember, you have to be smart about this.
When else are you going to get this much time at home?
Our minds are powerful. What happens these next couple weeks is all going to be in response to how we think about it.
It's just always been a difficult time for me. The holiday seasons are well past, and the next thing we really have to look forward to is the fourth of July. That's about a 7 month waiting period! Plus, the Spring is usually pretty cold, there are no leaves, and the weather just isn't favorable.
With all those things considered, and the world facing something it's never really been through like this before, what am I supposed to think?
On Monday morning I made a commitment that I was going to have the best possible mindset about this that I could. I was going to look at this as a tremendous opportunity rather than a rigorous task. This is the perfect example to be a light when it seems like everything is in the dark.
In the weeks leading up, I can think of at least three people who asked me what God was teaching me right now and the answer that I gave every time was that God was teaching me to have an impact on people at all times.
Then the COVID-19 happened and I knew it was the opportunity to really put into practice what God was teaching me.
Enough about me and think about this. Sure it stinks that we aren't really able to socialize, go out to eat, travel, go to school etc. But think about the incredibly opportunity you all have to reset. In our American society, everything is go-go-go. There is hardly ever time to just relax and reset.
For example, there are no sports right now. I probably spend about two hours a week watching sports and now I have two extra hours for family time, to read a book, or play game. Sure sports are one of my favorite things, but without them, it's a great opportunity to make the most out of some extra time.
Right now, we can't go-go-go. We are being forced to slow down and we need to take advantage of it. A majority of people across the states are working from home, spending time with family, and having the chance to enjoy the things we normally don't get the chance to enjoy.
We can go on walks, exercise outside, read books, eat meals together as a family, etc.
My challenge for you is to hit that reset button. View this as an opportunity and not a task. Don't live in fear but rather in light of something brand new. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who are affected by this virus, but to billions of people who aren't, let's embrace the opportunity we have to reset. But remember, you have to be smart about this.
When else are you going to get this much time at home?
Our minds are powerful. What happens these next couple weeks is all going to be in response to how we think about it.
Friday, March 20, 2020
doing not hearing
I believe that there are a lot of people that have tremendous desire to be great. A desire that fuels every part of them. We buy books, listen to podcasts, spend money on coaches and trainers but if we never do anything about it what is the point?
Why waste the time?
If I spend 45 minutes listening to a podcast about becoming mentally strong and not letting negative things take over my mind and don't implement a single thing that I listened to then I wasted my time. If I spend $25 on a book, spend a few hours reading it and don't apply what I lived into my daily life, than I not only wasted my money, I also wasted my time.
It's like going to church on Sunday, getting super fired up, the sermon is about getting more into reading your bible, and Monday comes around and you don't feel like it?
We waste so many of our emotions on things that we want to do something about but we never do.
This is probably the most common thing we don't actually apply to our lives and it's what we read in our bibles. Do you remember the last thing you read in your bible where you thought to yourself: "Yep! This is what I needed, this is what I needed to hear, I am going to do this."
Next time you're faced with temptation, you forget about what you read and just decide to give into it. Or you totally just forget about it!
It's a never ending cycle, we talk a lot of talk but we don't walk the walk.
I can't lie to you, I forget about things that I read about all of the time. I listen to podcasts and I forget what I hear about it. If I did everything that I poured into me, I would be perfect. We are not perfect. That's why it's so hard.
In all areas of life this happens way too much. We settle every day of our lives. I listened to a podcast that said we usually quit after reaching 40% of what we are capable of doing. Imagine how much more great we would be at everything we do if we even got to 50%.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at their face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1:22-24)
Imagine looking at yourself in the mirror and totally forgetting what you look like? We cannot continue to keep this up. We have to apply what we read from the word every day. Because if we aren't then why waste our time?
It's important to listen do it, but it is much more important to obey it, to do what it says.
We can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes.
If you are reading this and don't feel like you are being affected by what you read in the word, then maybe you aren't in the word enough.
Two things to take away from this...the first being, do what you read about in the word. Apply it to your lives. Same with anything that you pour into your mind. Motivating podcasts, training sessions, etc. Do something about it! I promise you won't regret it. The second thing to do, start pouring into those rescuers. There is inspiration everywhere. Most importantly, dive into the word of God!
Why waste the time?
If I spend 45 minutes listening to a podcast about becoming mentally strong and not letting negative things take over my mind and don't implement a single thing that I listened to then I wasted my time. If I spend $25 on a book, spend a few hours reading it and don't apply what I lived into my daily life, than I not only wasted my money, I also wasted my time.
It's like going to church on Sunday, getting super fired up, the sermon is about getting more into reading your bible, and Monday comes around and you don't feel like it?
We waste so many of our emotions on things that we want to do something about but we never do.
This is probably the most common thing we don't actually apply to our lives and it's what we read in our bibles. Do you remember the last thing you read in your bible where you thought to yourself: "Yep! This is what I needed, this is what I needed to hear, I am going to do this."
Next time you're faced with temptation, you forget about what you read and just decide to give into it. Or you totally just forget about it!
It's a never ending cycle, we talk a lot of talk but we don't walk the walk.
I can't lie to you, I forget about things that I read about all of the time. I listen to podcasts and I forget what I hear about it. If I did everything that I poured into me, I would be perfect. We are not perfect. That's why it's so hard.
In all areas of life this happens way too much. We settle every day of our lives. I listened to a podcast that said we usually quit after reaching 40% of what we are capable of doing. Imagine how much more great we would be at everything we do if we even got to 50%.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at their face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1:22-24)
Imagine looking at yourself in the mirror and totally forgetting what you look like? We cannot continue to keep this up. We have to apply what we read from the word every day. Because if we aren't then why waste our time?
It's important to listen do it, but it is much more important to obey it, to do what it says.
We can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes.
If you are reading this and don't feel like you are being affected by what you read in the word, then maybe you aren't in the word enough.
Two things to take away from this...the first being, do what you read about in the word. Apply it to your lives. Same with anything that you pour into your mind. Motivating podcasts, training sessions, etc. Do something about it! I promise you won't regret it. The second thing to do, start pouring into those rescuers. There is inspiration everywhere. Most importantly, dive into the word of God!
He's the same
I want you to try and think of someone who remains the same no matter what happens. I want you to think of someone who was the same yesterday as today...someone who was the same today as they will be forever...think of anyone yet?
Me either...Nobody I know from this earth is always the same. Even the people that I have the most respectful for. Things happen, moods and attitudes change. It's life. It's frustrating sometimes because (making this up) let's say you have a boss that you look up to. Sometimes that person will be extremely approachable, they will listen to you, care for you and pour into you. All of a sudden, the next day you can't even get a word in.
It's like my basketball career. I loved every coach that I played for to death. BUT sometimes they weren't the same. They had their good days and their bad days. I know it was for the betterment of the players but still. It's hard to trust someone who isn't consistently the same.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
We need a rock in our lives. That rock is Jesus Christ. Jesus does't have his good days and his bad days. That is one of the reasons why we need to lean into him. Jesus is the same always. Jesus is our rock. You're simply not going to find anyone like that to have ever walked on this earth.
Let's put our hope into Jesus Christ who never changes rather than things or people that are changing all of the time.
In times like this we need to continue to rely on what will never ever change.
Me either...Nobody I know from this earth is always the same. Even the people that I have the most respectful for. Things happen, moods and attitudes change. It's life. It's frustrating sometimes because (making this up) let's say you have a boss that you look up to. Sometimes that person will be extremely approachable, they will listen to you, care for you and pour into you. All of a sudden, the next day you can't even get a word in.
It's like my basketball career. I loved every coach that I played for to death. BUT sometimes they weren't the same. They had their good days and their bad days. I know it was for the betterment of the players but still. It's hard to trust someone who isn't consistently the same.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)
We need a rock in our lives. That rock is Jesus Christ. Jesus does't have his good days and his bad days. That is one of the reasons why we need to lean into him. Jesus is the same always. Jesus is our rock. You're simply not going to find anyone like that to have ever walked on this earth.
Let's put our hope into Jesus Christ who never changes rather than things or people that are changing all of the time.
In times like this we need to continue to rely on what will never ever change.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
endure hardships
"Endure hardships as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their Father?" (Hebrews 11:7)
Growing up, I often remember being disciplined by my parents. It seemed like every little mistake I made, they would discipline me. Whether it was saying a bad word, speaking in a tone of voice that was disrespectful, my body language, my attitude, etc. If I didn't behave they would let me know.
That makes it sound like they were the most strict parents in the world, which they were not. They were amazing.
See, growing up I didn't understand the values that they were instilling in Jack and I. I didn't understand the value in them discipling us and making sure that we were always on our best behavior. At the time I was childish.
I distinctly remember whenever I would have to be disciplined for something my parents would always tell me it was because they loved me. No matter how happy they were with me or how upset, they always make it known to me that they loved me so much more than I could ever imagine.
I believe we too often look at being disciplined as a bad thing.
Let me ask you this...Who loves his child more-the father who allows the child to do what will harm him, or the one who corrects, trains, and even punishes the child to help him learn what is right? It's never pleasant to be corrected and disciplined by God, but his discipline is a sign of his deep love for us. When God corrects you, see it as proof of his love, and ask him what he is trying to teach you.
Whether it's God, your parents, your boss, co-workers etc. If they really try to help you, it's because they care for you, love you, and want to see you become the best version of yourself.
I know I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for people in my life discipling me...correcting me, training me, and sometimes even punishing me to help me learn what was right.
I challenge you to change your approach on discipline, because it's a sign of God's amazing love for us!
Growing up, I often remember being disciplined by my parents. It seemed like every little mistake I made, they would discipline me. Whether it was saying a bad word, speaking in a tone of voice that was disrespectful, my body language, my attitude, etc. If I didn't behave they would let me know.
That makes it sound like they were the most strict parents in the world, which they were not. They were amazing.
See, growing up I didn't understand the values that they were instilling in Jack and I. I didn't understand the value in them discipling us and making sure that we were always on our best behavior. At the time I was childish.
I distinctly remember whenever I would have to be disciplined for something my parents would always tell me it was because they loved me. No matter how happy they were with me or how upset, they always make it known to me that they loved me so much more than I could ever imagine.
I believe we too often look at being disciplined as a bad thing.
Let me ask you this...Who loves his child more-the father who allows the child to do what will harm him, or the one who corrects, trains, and even punishes the child to help him learn what is right? It's never pleasant to be corrected and disciplined by God, but his discipline is a sign of his deep love for us. When God corrects you, see it as proof of his love, and ask him what he is trying to teach you.
Whether it's God, your parents, your boss, co-workers etc. If they really try to help you, it's because they care for you, love you, and want to see you become the best version of yourself.
I know I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for people in my life discipling me...correcting me, training me, and sometimes even punishing me to help me learn what was right.
I challenge you to change your approach on discipline, because it's a sign of God's amazing love for us!
Monday, March 16, 2020
pleasing God now
Madness. I believe that's a good word to sum up what is happening all across the world right now. In times like this, I often wonder how we can still please God? A part of me always wants to overthink that question. Should we as Christians be out serving? Should we be on the streets helping people? Should we be telling as many people about Christ as possible?
All those are good things to do, but right now in way...it's not the smartest thing to do.
The best way to please God right now is to have faith.
Faith is having confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
I hope this madness ends, and I have full confidence that it will. I have 100 percent assurance it will end...even though I don't see it happening any time soon.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
We could do every good thing that as believers we should do, but if we don't have faith, God won't be pleased. This is in all areas of life. We could be doing everything perfect, but if we don't have faith, what's the point?
My encouragement to you is in times like right now, the easiest and most effective way to please God is by having faith. You don't have to come up with this elaborate demonstration. Simply have faith. I will tell you this, when you really have faith, you will have an impact.
When the world freaks out and you remain calm, people will wonder what makes you so different.
That is when we can share that we faith in Jesus which means that we have confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see....and when we do that, we will be rewarded for earnestly seeking him.
That reward...which is promised...is more wonderful, spectacular, and magnificent than we could ever imagine...and all we have to do to receive that reward is have faith.
All those are good things to do, but right now in way...it's not the smartest thing to do.
The best way to please God right now is to have faith.
Faith is having confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
I hope this madness ends, and I have full confidence that it will. I have 100 percent assurance it will end...even though I don't see it happening any time soon.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
We could do every good thing that as believers we should do, but if we don't have faith, God won't be pleased. This is in all areas of life. We could be doing everything perfect, but if we don't have faith, what's the point?
My encouragement to you is in times like right now, the easiest and most effective way to please God is by having faith. You don't have to come up with this elaborate demonstration. Simply have faith. I will tell you this, when you really have faith, you will have an impact.
When the world freaks out and you remain calm, people will wonder what makes you so different.
That is when we can share that we faith in Jesus which means that we have confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see....and when we do that, we will be rewarded for earnestly seeking him.
That reward...which is promised...is more wonderful, spectacular, and magnificent than we could ever imagine...and all we have to do to receive that reward is have faith.
Thursday, March 12, 2020
be still.
The last 48 hours in our country have been crazy. If you're anything like me, you probably feel like everything is moving a million miles an hour. Coronavirus, coronavirus, coronavirus. It's all we've been consumed by and it's all we hear about and talk about.
Everyone is freaking out. I've don't think I have ever experienced anything like this in my life time. The media, social media, your workplace, schools, it's the only thing that is talked about.
In a time like this...there is one important thing to remember and that is to simply 'be still.'
"Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)
When everything is moving a million miles an hour. God is still God. The coronavirus isn't God, the government isn’t God, the media isn't God.
God is still God.
Events like this taking place are inevitable, but so is God's final victory.
At that time, all will stand quietly before the Lord Almighty. How proper, then, for us to be still now, reverently honoring him and his power and majesty. Slow down and take time each day to be still and to exalt God.
Everyone is freaking out. I've don't think I have ever experienced anything like this in my life time. The media, social media, your workplace, schools, it's the only thing that is talked about.
In a time like this...there is one important thing to remember and that is to simply 'be still.'
"Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)
When everything is moving a million miles an hour. God is still God. The coronavirus isn't God, the government isn’t God, the media isn't God.
God is still God.
Events like this taking place are inevitable, but so is God's final victory.
At that time, all will stand quietly before the Lord Almighty. How proper, then, for us to be still now, reverently honoring him and his power and majesty. Slow down and take time each day to be still and to exalt God.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
complete inability
As believers in Christ we have absolutely no ability to forgive ourselves of our own sins. We are so incapable of this that we can't even try. I believe sometimes we have a false belief in our minds that we are able to forgive ourselves...but we simply can't.
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanity them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:12-14)
Although we know Christ, we might believe that we have to work hard and make ourselves look good enough for God.
But rules and rituals never cleansed people's hearts.
Jesus' blood does three things for us:
1. we have our conscience cleared
2. we are freed from death's sting and we can live to serve God
3. we are freed from sin's power
If you are carrying a load of guilt because you can't be good enough for God, take another look at Jesus' death and what it means for you.
Christ can heal your conscience and deliver you from frustration of trying to earn God's favor. Bring your guilt-ridden life to Christ, confess your inability to clean up your own conscience, ask him to forgive you.
Thank him for his deliverance. God can forgive you and clear your record.
Next time you feel guilty about something and can't clear your conscience, just think of Jesus' death and what that meant. It really puts it into perspective how significant and powerful the blood of Christ is. Knowing that, my goal for you would be to not ever feel like you have an unclear conscience. Remember...Christ Jesus died for ALL of our sins and if we believe in him, we will have eternal life in heaven.
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanity them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:12-14)
Although we know Christ, we might believe that we have to work hard and make ourselves look good enough for God.
But rules and rituals never cleansed people's hearts.
Jesus' blood does three things for us:
1. we have our conscience cleared
2. we are freed from death's sting and we can live to serve God
3. we are freed from sin's power
If you are carrying a load of guilt because you can't be good enough for God, take another look at Jesus' death and what it means for you.
Christ can heal your conscience and deliver you from frustration of trying to earn God's favor. Bring your guilt-ridden life to Christ, confess your inability to clean up your own conscience, ask him to forgive you.
Thank him for his deliverance. God can forgive you and clear your record.
Next time you feel guilty about something and can't clear your conscience, just think of Jesus' death and what that meant. It really puts it into perspective how significant and powerful the blood of Christ is. Knowing that, my goal for you would be to not ever feel like you have an unclear conscience. Remember...Christ Jesus died for ALL of our sins and if we believe in him, we will have eternal life in heaven.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
quiet contentment
When you let humility and trust affect your perspective, your life will change.
"My heart is not proud, Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child and its mother;
like a weaned child I am content." (Psalm 131:1-2)
Reading through that the first time and having zero understanding about what is going on, I could just feel a sense of calmness and contentment from David when he wrote it. You could tell that he took a stand and was going to humble himself before the Lord rather than become concerned with things that are too wonderful for him.
Pride results from overvaluing ourselves and undervaluing others. It leads to restlessness because it makes us dissatisfied with what we have and concerned about what everyone else is doing. It keeps us aways hungering for more attention and adoration.
By contrast, humility puts others first and allows us to be content with God's leading in our lives. Such contentment gives us security that we no longer have to prove ourselves to others. Let humility and trust affect your perspective and give you the strength and freedom to serve God and others.
"My heart is not proud, Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child and its mother;
like a weaned child I am content." (Psalm 131:1-2)
Reading through that the first time and having zero understanding about what is going on, I could just feel a sense of calmness and contentment from David when he wrote it. You could tell that he took a stand and was going to humble himself before the Lord rather than become concerned with things that are too wonderful for him.
Pride results from overvaluing ourselves and undervaluing others. It leads to restlessness because it makes us dissatisfied with what we have and concerned about what everyone else is doing. It keeps us aways hungering for more attention and adoration.
By contrast, humility puts others first and allows us to be content with God's leading in our lives. Such contentment gives us security that we no longer have to prove ourselves to others. Let humility and trust affect your perspective and give you the strength and freedom to serve God and others.
Monday, March 9, 2020
< | >
If you take away one thing from my post today...I hope that you are encouraged to bless someone today.
As believers, we have the unique, under-appreciated ability to bless those around us daily. We can say the same thing we would to our boss as the janitor. Are you doing that? Or do you think there are a certain level of people you cannot bless?
I used to think that. I thought I could only encourage people my age or younger. It used to seem like a foreign idea to me to try and have an impact on someone who is older than me. But one thing I have learned is that encouragement is encouragement. No matter who you are talking to.
Have you ever gotten a text from someone out of the blue that was encouraging to you? If so, it's one of the best feelings. You feel so loved, cared for, and appreciated. So why not do the same for someone else?
One of my favorite things to do is send out some of those encouragement (blessing) texts. I never do that for me. I know how it feels to be encouraged and my hope is that I can do the same for someone else.
You can't be afraid to give more than you get back. That goes will all things in life. If I only encouraged people based off of the encouragement that I got, I would be extremely limited.
This past week I received an encouragement text from someone and that meant the world to me.
"And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater." (Hebrews 7:7)
The "lesser is blessed by the greater" means a person who has the power to bless is always greater than the person that he or she blesses.
Bless someone today. Go out of your way and spend 5 minutes talking to someone you usually don't. Call a friend you haven't had a conversation with in a while. Send out some texts. Tell someone you appreciate them. Treat everyone the same.
Never feel like there is a level of people that you cannot bless. You can bless anyone. When you bless someone you are always greater than the person you are blessing regardless of age, title, or occupation.
We have the ability to bless someone everyday. Don't take it for granted.
Sunday, March 8, 2020
suffer first
We all suffer. We have all suffered. We all will suffer at some point in this life. Suffering it inevitable. This suffering I am talking about isn't suffering to the point of death...it's when you are going through something in your life that makes things difficult for you. Something that makes you feel uncomfortable...
How do you embrace the suffering you are going through. Do you wallow in self-pity or to you take it?
I know that we will be rewarded for our perseverance when we suffer. That is usually what gets me through it. Plus I know that suffering is temporary and extremely brief compared to the lives that we will live in eternity.
Did you know that Christ suffered first, before he received the crown? It was the cross before the crown...
"But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by his generation." (Luke 17:25)
We want to live lives like Jesus right? We must suffer first in order to do that.
Next time we suffer we need to realize... 'hey, Jesus went through this too.'
He went through it first...
We can't experience eternal glory in heaven without suffering first. As you approach a start to a new week. Embrace every difficult and tough situation that you go through. Christ went through it and you can too. This is the first step in your relationship with Christ to become more like Him...
How do you embrace the suffering you are going through. Do you wallow in self-pity or to you take it?
I know that we will be rewarded for our perseverance when we suffer. That is usually what gets me through it. Plus I know that suffering is temporary and extremely brief compared to the lives that we will live in eternity.
Did you know that Christ suffered first, before he received the crown? It was the cross before the crown...
"But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by his generation." (Luke 17:25)
We want to live lives like Jesus right? We must suffer first in order to do that.
Next time we suffer we need to realize... 'hey, Jesus went through this too.'
He went through it first...
We can't experience eternal glory in heaven without suffering first. As you approach a start to a new week. Embrace every difficult and tough situation that you go through. Christ went through it and you can too. This is the first step in your relationship with Christ to become more like Him...
Friday, March 6, 2020
reverent submission
Reverent submission = answered prayers
Reverent submission = yes Lord, I’ll obey, because your eyes see further than mine.
Reverent submission = not my will, but yours.
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (Hebrews 5:7)
If we desperately want prayers answered, God won’t hear our prayers if we continue to pray in a lackluster way. The crazy thing is, I believe that God is so good that he does answer our lackluster prayers sometimes. Now imagine if we prayed in reverent submission. Imagine how much your faith and your life would change
Praying with reverent submission means that you are willing to do whatever God wants.
I encourage you to commit to praying with reverent submission and I promise God will do amazing things.
Reverent submission = yes Lord, I’ll obey, because your eyes see further than mine.
Reverent submission = not my will, but yours.
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (Hebrews 5:7)
If we desperately want prayers answered, God won’t hear our prayers if we continue to pray in a lackluster way. The crazy thing is, I believe that God is so good that he does answer our lackluster prayers sometimes. Now imagine if we prayed in reverent submission. Imagine how much your faith and your life would change
Praying with reverent submission means that you are willing to do whatever God wants.
I encourage you to commit to praying with reverent submission and I promise God will do amazing things.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
rest now
If there is one area in my life that I would love to improve on, it is my ability to rest. I am horrible at this. I cannot rest to save my life. I often work 7 days a week and don’t give myself any time to rest during the week. I can’t sleep in and I can’t chill. I’ve brainwashed myself to constantly and diligently work hard.
Did you actually know that not resting is disobedience? God wants us to rest just like he did.
There remains, then, a sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11)
My excuse I always make is that I’ll be able to rest someday...I can’t keep doing that. It’s not pleasing to God and it’s probably not very healthy for me.
Let’s commit to resting now. Are you with me?
For us, it’s peace with God now and eternal life on a new earth later. We do not need to wait for the next life to enjoy God’s rest and peace; we may have it daily now.
Our daily rest with the Lord will not end with death, but will become an eternal rest in the place that Christ is preparing for us.
Did you actually know that not resting is disobedience? God wants us to rest just like he did.
There remains, then, a sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11)
My excuse I always make is that I’ll be able to rest someday...I can’t keep doing that. It’s not pleasing to God and it’s probably not very healthy for me.
Let’s commit to resting now. Are you with me?
For us, it’s peace with God now and eternal life on a new earth later. We do not need to wait for the next life to enjoy God’s rest and peace; we may have it daily now.
Our daily rest with the Lord will not end with death, but will become an eternal rest in the place that Christ is preparing for us.
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
new hearts, new, desires, and new spirits.
Sometimes, I don’t like to admit this, but when I hear Gods’s voice, I’ll hardened my heart. Sometimes the timing isn’t what I want and I pretend to not listen to God. Other times I just want to do other things and not listen to God.
It’s like the feeling you get when you know you should really go talk to this person you see, but you’re worried about what other people will say...it’s out of the way for you...and you just don’t feel like it.
I believe it’s safe to say that’s pretty common among believers.
Did you know that hardening you heart is a sign of unbelief? Hardening your heart is way of saying that you are going to do things your own way and not God’s way. Unbelieving hearts are sinful as well.
See to it brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-13)
Our hearts turn away from the living God when we stubbornly refuse to believe him. If we persist in our unbelief, God will eventually leave us alone in our sin.
We keep stubbornly refusing to believe and trust God, we are going to get stuck in a rut of sin. Honestly, God might you leave you there too if you keep refusing him.
But God can give us new hearts, new, desires, and new spirits.
To prevent having an unbelieving heart, stay in fellowship with other believers.
That is everything. Spend time with those who are going to be open to everything that God wants them to do. Sometimes, those people seem a little crazy sometimes, and might not be the coolest people in terms of the way the world views them. But those who are the people we need to surround ourselves with.
I encourage you to not harden your hearts and to have your heart so wide open to what God wants for you.
It’s like the feeling you get when you know you should really go talk to this person you see, but you’re worried about what other people will say...it’s out of the way for you...and you just don’t feel like it.
I believe it’s safe to say that’s pretty common among believers.
Did you know that hardening you heart is a sign of unbelief? Hardening your heart is way of saying that you are going to do things your own way and not God’s way. Unbelieving hearts are sinful as well.
See to it brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-13)
Our hearts turn away from the living God when we stubbornly refuse to believe him. If we persist in our unbelief, God will eventually leave us alone in our sin.
We keep stubbornly refusing to believe and trust God, we are going to get stuck in a rut of sin. Honestly, God might you leave you there too if you keep refusing him.
But God can give us new hearts, new, desires, and new spirits.
To prevent having an unbelieving heart, stay in fellowship with other believers.
That is everything. Spend time with those who are going to be open to everything that God wants them to do. Sometimes, those people seem a little crazy sometimes, and might not be the coolest people in terms of the way the world views them. But those who are the people we need to surround ourselves with.
I encourage you to not harden your hearts and to have your heart so wide open to what God wants for you.
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
go to Jesus
I’ll start by asking two questions: Do you turn to Jesus when you are suffering and are tempted? Did you know that Jesus was fully human?
Yes, Jesus was fully human and went through many of the same issues that we face. He suffered. He was tempted. He went through it all. He overcame it all. So why don’t we turn to him when we suffer and are tempted? Why do we turn to other people first? Jesus suffered so that he could help us get through our suffering and we so often overlook him.
I feel like we overlook Jesus suffering and being tempted because we forget that Jesus was human. A lot of people might not know that, so I hope this posts helps you learn something new.
Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
(Hebrews 2:18)
Knowing that Christ suffered pain and faced temptation helps us face our trails.
Jesus understand our struggles because he faced them as a human being. We can trust Christ to help us survive suffering and overcome temptation. When you face trails, go to Jesus for strength and patience. He understands your needs and is able to help.
Yes, Jesus was fully human and went through many of the same issues that we face. He suffered. He was tempted. He went through it all. He overcame it all. So why don’t we turn to him when we suffer and are tempted? Why do we turn to other people first? Jesus suffered so that he could help us get through our suffering and we so often overlook him.
I feel like we overlook Jesus suffering and being tempted because we forget that Jesus was human. A lot of people might not know that, so I hope this posts helps you learn something new.
Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
(Hebrews 2:18)
Knowing that Christ suffered pain and faced temptation helps us face our trails.
Jesus understand our struggles because he faced them as a human being. We can trust Christ to help us survive suffering and overcome temptation. When you face trails, go to Jesus for strength and patience. He understands your needs and is able to help.
Monday, March 2, 2020
the solid rock
This might be just me, but sometimes it seems like so many things in the world are so going badly that it won’t ever get better. It’s like a never ending negativity. It seems like everyday there is a new story about a murder, a new disease, or a tragic disaster.
I don’t know how you handle that...especially internally. Negativity and how you really perceive things plays a big role in how you handle it. We could be really negative, and just not have any hope. Have you ever felt that way before?
Sometimes that’s how it feels during the long months of winter in the Midwest. Those weeks where the sun doesn’t shine and it’s just cloudy.
What if I told you that good is going to come. All the negative things are going to end. That you have a solid rock to stand on.
Christ is the ONLY security in a changing world.
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”
(Hebrews 1:13)
As believers in Christ, we can sit and wait for what God has promised and it’s going to happen. Sometimes I don’t feel like we have that confidence. Remember, God wants as many people to believe in Him and have eternity in heaven with Him, but he doesn’t need us.
Imagine having confidence in Christ where we could literally just know that we could sit and he will come. God is going to do the things he said he as going to do. He always has and will never stop.
Whatever may happen in this world, Christ remains forever changeless. If we trust Him, we are absolutely secure, because we stand on the firmest foundation in the universes-Jesus Christ. A famous hymn captures this truth: “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
I don’t know how you handle that...especially internally. Negativity and how you really perceive things plays a big role in how you handle it. We could be really negative, and just not have any hope. Have you ever felt that way before?
Sometimes that’s how it feels during the long months of winter in the Midwest. Those weeks where the sun doesn’t shine and it’s just cloudy.
What if I told you that good is going to come. All the negative things are going to end. That you have a solid rock to stand on.
Christ is the ONLY security in a changing world.
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”
(Hebrews 1:13)
As believers in Christ, we can sit and wait for what God has promised and it’s going to happen. Sometimes I don’t feel like we have that confidence. Remember, God wants as many people to believe in Him and have eternity in heaven with Him, but he doesn’t need us.
Imagine having confidence in Christ where we could literally just know that we could sit and he will come. God is going to do the things he said he as going to do. He always has and will never stop.
Whatever may happen in this world, Christ remains forever changeless. If we trust Him, we are absolutely secure, because we stand on the firmest foundation in the universes-Jesus Christ. A famous hymn captures this truth: “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
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